Big slides expected this weekend in the backcountry
Posted Mar 16, 2012 7:04 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A third warning in four weeks to stay clear of the backcountry has been issued to recreational users.
Forecasters with the Canadian Avalanche Centre are expecting large and very destructive slides, saying many slopes are already near the tipping point.
The affected area includes the entire B.C. interior from Mackenzie and Chetwynd south to the U.S. boundary, and west of the Alberta border to Pemberton and Hope.
“Some of these slopes will likely overrun low angle terrain, striking valley bottom and it’s possible that historical boundaries will be extended in some avalanche paths,” says Manager of Warning Services Karl Klassen.
Experts are concerned about the lull in stormy weather this weekend which will likely give backcountry users an opportunity to get into the alpine.
There is two metres of fresh snow in the high country, not yet stabilized, on top of already weak layers.
Klassen has a message for anyone who still plans to hit the slopes or trails.
“It’s a time where discipline is required,” he says. “And very conservative terrain choices are required to maintain adequate margins of safety. We just need to let all of this new snow settle down for several days.”
The University of Calgary Outdoor Centre’s Albi Sole tells Citytv it’s a warning that many need to take seriously.
“It’s a complex picture out there,” he says. “There are a lot of avalanches; some of them are pretty big. So it’s pretty difficult to say what places are safe right now and which ones aren’t.”
The Avalanche Centre says those who choose to still head in should use extreme caution and take with them a shovel, a probe and a transceiver.
