Special Avalanche Warning Issued
Prince George, B.C. – While outdoor and back country enthusiasts may be itching to get the snow machines into gear, there is a special avalanche warning from the Canadian Avalanche Centre.
The warning applies to the mountains of BC’s interior, including the North Rockies, Cariboos, North Columbia, South Columbia, Purcells, Kootenay Boundary, South Rockies, and Lizard Range and Flathead. The warning is in effect today, through to Monday December 1st.
The Avalanche Centre says the strong winds and mild temps of earlier this week have increased the danger of avalanches across the Province, but the cold temperatures that are settling in the region are the main concern.
“The slow start to the winter, with cold temperatures and low snowfall, gave us a weak snowpack,” explains Avalanche Canada Public Avalanche Forecaster Joe Lammers. “Now we’ve finally had a good storm and people are ready to ride. But all that new snow fell on a relatively fragile structure. This weekend there’s going to be pent-up demand for powder snow. It will be essential to take things slow and exercise cautious decision making.”
The Avalanche Centre is advising recreational backcountry users “stick to simple, low-angle terrain, avoid big, steep slopes, minimize exposure to overhead hazard, and re-group in safe zones away from avalanche run-outs. If you do not have the training or experience to assess avalanche terrain, stay in areas where avalanche risk is professionally managed. ”
The Centre also reminds backcountry users they must carry essential avalanche safety equipment “Everyone in the party needs an avalanche transceiver, a probe and a shovel every day. It’s equally important that everyone has avalanche training and has practiced using thisequipment. If an avalanche occurs, the rescue is up to you. There is no time to go for help. Wearing an avalanche balloon pack can reduce the chances of burial.”
For the avalanche forecast, check www.avalanche.ca.
Comments
All this is is an open invitation to the yahoos with snowmachines to get right out there and risk it all.
And they will.
and if it happens it will be everyone elses fault….
What an ignorant comment bcracer.
While you will obviously not agree, mountain snowmobilers are not all yahoos. They participate in a sport that has a managed level of risk just like any other. Most of them are experienced backcountry users with many years of experience, large amounts of safety and emergency gear, and specialized avalanche training. Skiers/snowboarders are almost 12% more likely to perish in an avalanche than a snowmobiler, it’s just the snowmobiler incidents that seem to make the best headlines for the media. Thanks for the attempt to broad brush us all as unaccountable ‘yahoos’.
I never said they were all yahoos,
what I said was the yahoos will be out….
so relax bnorth, unless of course you are a yahoo, if you aren’t then you have nothing to concern yourself about.and my comment won’t apply to you.
Bnorth; Where do you get the stat of a skier/snowboarder 12% more likely to die in an avalanche than a snowmobiler? I would debate your claim that most backcountry users are experienced at assessing avalanche terrain & knowledgeably choosing the safest routes. Most “backcountry” users that I know have the most basic of training, have a rudimentary knowledge of using the gear they carry, have little idea of how to dig a proper snow pit, let alone what to look for or what tests to perform, never ever practice using their beacons.I include skiers in this assessment as I have heard & watched them say & do some incredibly foolish things. The one thing that, after over 25 years of backcountry use, I never am at a loss for astonishment as to how cavalier people are toward an environment that will show little compromise to foolish choices & mistakes.
“and if it happens it will be everyone elses fault….”
Really? I don’t ever recall sledders blaming others when things go wrong? What are you talking about?
http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/coroners/reports/docs/stats-avalanche-deaths.pdf
I’m sure there is still room for improvement but snowmobilers have seriously stepped up their preparedness in the last 5+ years. Most that I ride with and run into are trained and practice and actively use the most important tool, their heads. Like anything there are still some irresponsible users out there and it sounds like, unfortunately, you have have had more exposure to them.
Thanks for posting that bnorth. Statistically you have a greater chance of being killed on the drive to the back country, than the actual activity. That said, that cornoner’s report isn’t much use as a predictive tool without participation rates, which are very difficult to pin down. I.E. 26 Heli skiing deaths, vs 75 ski/snowboard. Makes heli skiing sound safest – and probably is, but if 10,000 days were heli skied over the time period, vs 100,000 skied/snowboarded, the numbers mean something completely different. Heli skiing would have a higher percentage risk of death – and I’m making these numbers up heli skiing is likely safest, I just wish we could get them somehow.
But you’re so correct, end of the day, risk is mitigated by preparedness, and smarts – but mostly smarts. I have everything, shovel, beacon, probe, airbag, and they are all useful if you, or someone you’re with get caught in an avalanche, but just staying out of danger zones beat’s all the tools in the world.
Heli- skiing could be safer because generally guided compared to other activities.
“All this is is an open invitation to the yahoos with snowmachines to get right out there and risk it all.
And they will.
and if it happens it will be everyone elses fault….”
You’re such a dope!
You’re more likely to be killed or injured in an auto crash than an avalanche.
Interceptor if you’re looking for high beams and ball bearings let me know where you would like to meet for coffee and we can discuss a price. You’re 12 right?
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