Kananaskis Country and Parks Canada have issued a special public avalanche warning for many of the mountain parks in the Rocky Mountains.
This warning is in effect from Jan. 17 to Jan. 21 and includes Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper National Parks, as well as Kananaskis Country.
The snowpack in these areas of the Rockies is complex this year. There is a deep persistent weak layer at the base of the snowpack which has recently been overloaded by snow and wind. Avalanche professionals throughout these areas of the Rockies have seen numerous full depth avalanches sliding to ground on this layer in the last week and running to the end of historical runouts.
There have been numerous very unusual avalanche events that have caught seasoned professionals by surprise and have led avalanche forecasters to have a low confidence in this year's snowpack.
Additionally, experts have seen several close calls with recreational backcountry users throughout these regions, including multiple burials where people have been very lucky to survive.
Although natural avalanche activity is tapering, conditions remain prime for human triggering. Warm temperatures and sunny skies will attract many to the mountains this weekend and these same weather factors will destabilize the snowpack during the heat of the day.
Parks Canada and Alberta Parks recommends recreational backcountry users with little or no avalanche training or experience avoid avalanche terrain, or undertake activities in which avalanche risk is managed by professionals. Experienced backcountry recreationists are urged to travel on simple terrain such as small, low angle, well-supported features with no large steep slopes or cornices above. When temperatures are warmest and especially if the sun is out, all avalanche terrain should be avoided, including valley bottom runout zones.
Every person in a backcountry party needs an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel and everyone should have some training in recognizing avalanche terrain and safe backcountry travel techniques.
