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Recreational backcountry users urged to exercise extra caution this coming weekend
January 16, 2014, Revelstoke, BC: The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) is issuing a special public
avalanche warning for most regions of British Columbia including the North Coast Inland, South
Coast Inland, Sea to Sky, North Rockies, 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 21.
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.
For more information contact Karilyn Kempton 250.837.2141 ext. 236
kkempton@avalanche.ca
January 16, 2014, Revelstoke, BC: The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) is issuing a special public
avalanche warning for most regions of British Columbia including the North Coast Inland, South
Coast Inland, Sea to Sky, North Rockies, 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 21.
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.
For more information contact Karilyn Kempton 250.837.2141 ext. 236
kkempton@avalanche.ca
