If you’re heading out into the backcountry of the Rocky Mountains, be sure to bring with you an avalanche kit.
Avalanche Canada, along with Parks Canada, has issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning for recreational backcountry users in the mountains of eastern B.C. and Alberta.
Warnings are in place for the North Rockies, Cariboos, Jasper National Park, Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks, Kananaskis Country, South Rockies, Lizard and Flathead, and Waterton Lakes National Park through the coming weekend.
Avalanche Canada says there are persistent weak layers in the snowpack due to the rising temperatures.
“When the sun and these high temperatures hit this complex snowpack, it’s going to have a destabilizing effect that will make natural and human-triggered avalanches much more likely,” explains Karl Klassen, Warning Service Manager for Avalanche Canada.
There have been several close calls reported recently, and the Rocky Mountain National Parks report large avalanches running the full extent of their paths.
“There is a lot of uncertainty with these weak layers,” adds Klassen. “These warm temperatures are going to be a concern across all these regions, with the most significant impact in the south.”
Backcountry users should always check their regional avalanche forecasts at www.avalanche.ca, and ensure that everyone in their party has essential rescue gear – transceiver, probe, and shovel – and the knowledge to use it.
