With snow on the hills and Christmas break coming up, many British Columbians will be heeding the call of the back country and heading outdoors for some winter adventures.
However, if you’re planning to venture out — whether on foot, skis, snowshoes, or snowmobiles — be aware of potential hazards, have a plan, and be informed about avalanche safety and weather forecasts.
"Winter in British Columbia offers endless opportunities and I encourage people to take full advantage of our beautiful back country," says Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. "However, mountain adventures come with risks. Before heading out, plan your trip carefully and share your plans with friends or family, make sure you've got the right equipment, check Avalanche Canada's forecast, and follow their safety guidance."
"Avalanche conditions change daily, so it's important to check the avalanche forecast prior to every trip into the back country," says Ryan Buhler, forecast program manager for Avalanche Canada. "If you're planning to be in avalanche terrain, it's important that you have the training, carry a transceiver, shovel, and probe, and that you check and understand the forecast at https://avalanche.ca/ before heading out."
Each person travelling in your group needs their own avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe, and the training to know how to use these essential tools. Avalanche Canada training (ACT) courses teach the fundamentals about how avalanches form, what avalanche terrain looks like, and how to perform an effective rescue using avalanche safety gear. ACT courses are suitable for people of all levels and can be found at https://avalanche.ca/training.
Avy Savvy is Avalanche Canada's free online tutorial geared to back country beginners and is a great first step in avalanche safety education. Find it at https://avysavvy.avalanche.ca.
Avalanche Canada provides daily avalanche forecasts on its website and mobile app, which can be found on the App Store and Google Play. The forecast provides people with a current danger rating based on a five-point danger scale and the trend for the next couple of days. It will also indicate where the danger exists and provide advice about what type of terrain to avoid or to seek out under the current conditions.
When planning a trip, it's important to monitor conditions closely up to one week before you leave. Check the Avalanche Canada website for the mountain weather forecast. In the days leading up to a planned trip, and the day of, people should review Environment and Climate Change Canada for any weather warnings or special weather statements at http://www.weather.gc.ca.
Always tell someone where you are going and when you'll be back, obtain the knowledge and skills you need before heading out, and always carry the essentials and know how to use them. It's important to know if your planned route travels through or under avalanche terrain.
Largely due to the province's vast mountainous terrain, approximately 85 per cent of all Avalanche Canada's services are delivered in B.C. This terrain puts people in British Columbia at a higher risk for avalanche fatalities, with approximately 80 per cent of all Canadian avalanche fatalities over the past 10 years occurring in B.C.
