It's becoming a familiar song, but recreational backcountry users are being warned once again about avalanche dangers.
For the third time in four weeks, the Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) has issued a special public avalanche warning, in effect today through Monday, March 19.
The warning area includes all the mountains of interior B.C. - from Mackenzie and Chetwynd south to the U.S. boundary and west of the Alberta border to Pemberton and Hope. Not included are the Sea to Sky region and the northwest coastal and northwest inland regions.
"What concerns us is an expected lull in the stormy weather this weeked, which will give backcountry users an opportunity to get up into the alpine," said Karl Klassen, manager of the CAC's Public Avalanche Warning Services, in a press release. "But there's up to two metres of new snow in the high country that has not yet stabilized, on top of those same deeply buried, weak layers we've been concerned about for the past month."
Over the past week, the CAC received numerous reports of large avalanches throughout the warning area.
"Many slopes are at or close to the tipping point," Klassen warned. "Very large, very destructive avalanches are expected this weekend. Some of these will likely overrun low-angle terrain, striking valley bottom and it's possible that historical boundaries will be extended in some avalanche paths."
Recreational backcountry users are advised to make cautious decisions and avoid avalanche terrain. All members of a backcountry party need to be equipped with a shovel, probe and transceiver and should check the avalanche bulletin regularly to keep informed of conditions in the area. That information is available on the CAC website at www.avalanche.ca/cac.
