Backcountry users are being warned of an increased avalanche hazard due to weather temperatures, according to Avalanche Canada.
A special avalanche public safety warning was issued through April 1 to all of Western Canada in anticipation of above average conditions.
It is the second special warning in a week issued for Kananaskis Country, and Banff, Kootenay, Yoho national parks.
“We’re expecting this weather to have a big impact on the snowpack,” said Warning Service Manager Karl Klassen.
“Given that many slopes have yet to see a full-blown warmup, we are predicting a widespread and varied array of avalanche problems this week, including cornice failures, surface-layer avalanches, and failure on deeper, persistent weak layers.
“While this is not atypical weather for this time of year, clear-sky days often lead to underestimating hazard and failing to manage risk appropriately.”
The avalanche warning rating is expected to stay at “considerable” until further notice.
Should a backcountry user wish to view the current conditions and avalanche terrain ratings in their area, a link is available at Avalanche Canada’s website at avalanche.ca.
For those going out in the backcountry, Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada recommend recreationalists start in the early morning and be finished before noon due to the “major transition to spring conditions” about to hit the area.
“It’s the time of year,” said Grant Statham, visitor safety specialist for Parks Canada. “Advice for people is go out early and start earlier, cornices will be falling off, and stay away from steep slopes.”
Statham suggested heading out as early as 4 a.m.
The advisory states recreationists are advised to “avoid avalanche terrain completely,” as daytime temperatures rise and upper layers of the snowpack become moist or wet, The special warning shadows an Easter long weekend bulletin last week for Kananaskis and Banff, among others.
Statham says it was a “completely successful” bulletin because nothing happened, however, a large size 3.5 avalanche was naturally triggered on Sunday (March 27) near Mt. Ogden in Yoho.
“(The avalanche) resulted from the sun shining on that slope late in the day,” said Statham.
Safety specialists strongly recommend everyone in a backcountry party needs to be equipped with an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel.
A two-day Avalanche Skills Training 1 course is the minimum training recommended for travelling in avalanche terrain.
