It’s warming up out there, but the risk of an avalanche in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis regions still exists well into spring time.
It’s warming up out there, but the risk of an avalanche in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis regions still exists well into spring time.
Public safety officers issued an avalanche warning bulletin this week (May 8-12) and are cautioning hikers and scramblers to stay on high ground and to avoid travelling under snow slopes and across snow gullies and after large-scale avalanches have been observed.
“The sun is out and it’s feeling like summer, but there’s still lots of snow out there and it’s still a big hazard,” said Michael Olsthoorn, Kananaskis Country public safety specialist, on the potential for backcountry avalanches.
Olsthoorn said large, natural avalanches, up to size 4, begin with a “weak layer” on the bottom of the snowpack. As seasonal warmth penetrates the upper layer, it loses cohesion and can slide on the weak layer and brings the whole snowpack down.
“We might continue to see big avalanches in places we haven’t seen yet,” said Olsthoorn.
Check www.avalanche.ca for a forecast on spring conditions.
