By Times Chronicle Staff
Avalanche Canada has issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning for the BC backcountry effective from Feb. 27 to Mar. 3.
The avalanche education and awareness organization warned that prominent weak layers have developed in the upper snowpack, formed during periods of drought in January and February.
These layers are buried between 30 and 100 cm deep and are made up of a variety of surfaces possibly including surface hoar, faceted snow, or crusts. Overlying these layers, there is now a consolidated slab of snow, creating dangerous avalanche conditions, it said.
A Size 2 PS Sr on Feb. 26. Remotely triggered by 7th skier in the Coast Mountains.
After a season of relatively stable avalanche conditions, “we are entering a period of dramatic change and it is important to adapt mindsets to reflect this,” the organization said.
It added that avalanche problems of this nature can be difficult to predict and there may be limited clues about deeper snowpack instabilities, but “avalanches triggered on these layers are likely to be dangerous and destructive”.
Avalanche Canada said that to manage these challenging conditions, “it is essential that backcountry users choose conservative terrain and use good travel habits.”
This includes:
- Choose slopes less than 30 degrees in clearings, open trees, and alpine terrain;
- Maintain disciplined decision making and remember that danger may not be obvious;
- Avoid sun-exposed slopes during warm or sunny conditions;
- Move one at a time through avalanche terrain and regroup in safe spots without overhead hazard.
A Size 3.5 naturally-triggered persistent slab avalanche in the Kootenays.
Backcountry users should always check the avalanche forecast at avalanche.ca and everyone in a backcountry party needs the essential rescue gear – transceiver, probe, and shovel – and the training to use it, it said.
Two backcountry users have died this season, both in February – a snowmobiler near Invermere and a skier in Golden.
Avalanche Canada forecast page at avalanche.ca/map .
