Recreational backcountry users urged to exercise extra caution this weekend 

The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) has issued a special public avalanche warning for most regions of British Columbia including the Northwest Inland, South Coast Inland, Sea to Sky, NorthRockies, Cariboos,  North Columbia, South Columbia, Purcells, Kootenay-Boundary, Lizard Range,  and South Rockies.

This warning  applies  to recreational  backcountry users and is in effect from Friday,       January 17  to Monday, January 20.

The main concern is sun and warm, possibly record-breaking temperatures that will         destabilize a complex and highly variable snowpack leading to surface slides, explains CAC Public Avalanche Warning Service Manager Karl Klassen.

In many areas there are also weak layers near the base and at mid-level of the              snowpack,  Klassen notes. “In addition to smaller surface slides during the coming warm spell,  we have the potential for very large natural and human-triggered                avalanches failing deep in the snowpack throughout the weekend,” says Klassen.                “We’re concerned about ‘blue sky syndrome’ this weekend,” Klassen goes on to            say.  “It’s common to have a false sense of security in good weather,  and this weekend that could lead to underestimating the hazard.”

The CAC 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        applying safe backcountry travel    techniques.   For  more information, check the         current avalanche forecast for your area  at avalanche.ca/cac      and click  on the         “bulletins”   tab.     For  detailed discussions on this season’s snowpack,  check the         forecasters’        blog       at blogs.avalanche.ca.

Canadian Avalanche Centre

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