It looks like it might be time, for the Province to get involed, and do something. Not only are so many dying, we have to rememeber the rescue people, are always at risk too.

oh my gawd, mib, keep the gov out of our buisness as much as we can. All they will do is ban sleds all together.

seconded, sportsman

Mib...move to China.

Another Albertan. Out of the 23 people killed in Avalanches in Canada, 17 of them snowmobilers, how many of the 17 were Albertans killed in B.C.? I drove through the Valemount area last Friday and all three snowmobile area parking lots were chalk full of Albertans, this when avalanche conditions were rated high to extreme. They don't seem to get the message. Lots of inexperience out there as well, some don't have a clue what they are doing. They just buy a big power sled and think they can go anywhere.

I think more people have died from this activity than from the current gang warfare and shootings in the province.

As far as I'm concerned, our provincial gov't should do something about this.

(the above written tongue-in-cheek)

Really, these are all grown men that go out and do these stupid things that get them killed. I don't really have too much sympathy for this sort of death. Less of these idiots in the gene pool.

We don't need the government involed in this at all! Big brother is too big as it is. There are safe places to ride in the mountains, it's the inexperienced that are the problem. The government is already trying to kick us out of the mountains, soon we'll have no place ot ride except for maybe beesknees back yard.

I've seen and heard similar comments from the motorcycle riders who don't want to wear a helmet, preferring instead to feel the wind in their hair, or on their scalp, for those that are baldies :-)

Being a motorcycle rider for over 35 years, I can say I've always wore an approved helmet. And that's not because I'm experienced - it's part of the education I received during the process of gaining a license.

Perhaps it's time to go through a licensing process for snowmobilers, if that is a problem, as acrider54 has mentioned above. And part of that training should be avalanche awareness, and whatever else should be taught to make the person who wants to enjoy himself in the back-country on a powerful sled, more aware of the dangers as well. I'm not a sledder, so I don't know anything about the danger, but I've seen enough of this on the evening news, to know that people have to be protected against themselves.

Idiots. I've just heard today of another incident around Kamloops. Two more deaths will be announced later today, you can count on it.

I agree with acrider that the gov't should not regulate our outdoor activities any more than they already do. Just look at the amount of red tape & over regulation that exsists for almost every aspect of our lives, it's mind boggling.
The problem is lack of education. Some
times experience alone is not enough. All
you riders out there ask yourselves some hard questions, this is not meant to be
sarcastic or insulting. When you go out
how often do you dig a pit? How often do you stop riding & probe the slope you are on to see where the layers are? How often do you stop & listen for the sounds that an unstable snowpack will emit? How often do you do a complete profile of the snowpack you are on, temperature gradients, crystal formation, depths & thickness of stable & unstable layers, hardness of the snow in between layers?
These are some of the tests an educated
backcountry enthusiast will make in the course of the day, before & during the days activity.
I am shocked when I hear some of the comments I hear from skiers, snowshoers & riders when I ask if they have done stbility tests. "We don't need to because so & so said it was ok 2 weeks ago." "We don't need to because there is traditionally a stable snowpack in this area." "I don't need to do any tests because I do this enough that I can read the signs, besides my machine is powerful enough to outrun an avalanche." (Yes Lostfaith I have heard that one on several occasions.)
There is no good way to die, but dying
in an avalanche would be a particularily
nasty way to go. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. The victims of these tragedies are not idiots, nor did they deserve to die.
Anyone who believes this is foolish & misguided. These people made a bad judgement decision based on both inexperience & lack of proper education.
My condolences to their families & friends.

Dudes, the avalanche reports have been severe since Christmas. What part of extreme danger and hazard don't these snowmobile understand?

This problem is all about idiots ignoring the warning on the Canadian avalanche site, the news and local papers and association newsletters.

For the sledheads that need an explanation: Extreme Hazard Conditions means you do not go there unless there is an immediate threat to someone. Even if that is the case, an avalanche tech is supposed to be on hand to evaluate the situation and indicate when it is safe to proceed on "that" particular slope.

Each and every slope greater than 30 degrees and less than 45 degrees and the debris field at the bottom needs to be evaluated for risk by a qualified avalanche technician.

If you cannot follow this simple proceedure, it's your funeral.