Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Backcountry users are being warned about a dramatic increase in temperatures that is expected to destabilize the snowpack and cause dangerous avalanches.
On April 27, Avalanche Canada issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning (SPAW) in partnership with Parks Canada, Kananaskis Country and the province of British Columbia.
This special warning will apply through the end of Monday, May 1.
鈥淒angerous avalanche conditions exist for all mountainous regions in western Canada and the hazard increases with each day of warm air,鈥� said Mike Conlan, a senior avalanche forecaster with Avalanche Canada, in a press release.
鈥淩egions with persistent or deep persistent slab avalanche problems will be especially problematic, with avalanches potentially involving the full depth of the snowpack.鈥�
鈥淲arming can also initiate large and destructive cornice falls. Cornices can be destructive by themselves but also act as a trigger for destructive deep persistent avalanches,鈥� Conlan added.
Avalanche Canada explained that the sudden transition from wintery conditions to warm temperatures in the alpine will create dangerous avalanche conditions.
These avalanches will likely be very large and may run to valley bottoms.
The avalanche danger level is rated as 鈥渃onsiderable鈥� for Jasper National Park and 鈥渉igh鈥� for much of British Columbia.
鈥淲e cannot stress the importance of this avalanche warning enough,鈥� said Bowinn Ma, B.C. minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, in the release.
鈥淚 urge everyone considering heading into the backcountry to take seriously the advice of Avalanche Canada. Sadly, fourteen people have lost their lives to avalanches in B.C. this year鈥攎any of whom were extremely experienced. Everyone needs to exercise extreme caution and make good decisions during this Special Public Avalanche Warning to keep themselves and our incredible search and rescue volunteers safe.鈥�
Backcountry users and anyone else recreating in avalanche terrain are advised to leave a wide margin for error during this warming period, stick to simple, low angle terrain and avoid all overhead avalanche hazards.
Everyone in a backcountry party needs the essential rescue gear鈥攖ransceiver, probe, and shovel鈥攁nd the training to use it, Avalanche Canada added.
Backcountry users are asked to always check the avalanche forecast at .
