Snowmobilers and other backcountry enthusiasts are being encouraged to make use of a "real-time information sharing" system introduced by Avalanche Canada last January.
This will be the first full winter the Mountain Information Network (MIN) will be put to use.
It allows people in the backcountry to provide observations via their smartphones or home computer on weather, snowpack and avalanche conditions. Photos and videos can also be posted.
The submissions then appear as small blue icons on the map in the app and at avalanche.ca, which other users can click to view.
The tool is especially useful in such "data sparse" regions as the Northern Rockies, said Avalanche Canada forecast coordinator Ilya Storm.
"Knowing something about the weather and the snow surface and what the upper snowpack is like, that's great information for me as a forecaster," Storm said in an interview Monday. "It's also great information for those who are planning their day and (trying to decide) whether it's worth going out."
You don't need to be a professional to participate, Storm added.
Another upgrade is scheduled to be ready in about a month that will allow for more detailed reports.
Information on how to download the app and submit observations can be found at avalanche.ca.
Storm gave an update on the system on Saturday during a conference for search and rescue groups across northern B.C. Last winter, snowmobilers racked up more than 32,000 person days of trips into the back country in the Robson Valley area, the conference heard.
