The Canadian Avalanche Centre is warning anyone venturing into the B.C. backcountry to know what they are in for after four people lost their lives in an avalanche in less than a week.
“I think the number of incidents in the last few days has shown us that the people are perhaps underestimating how difficult the conditions are right now,” says Karl Klassen, Manager of the CAC’s Public Avalanche Warning Service.
Another man died in an avalanche near Keefer Lake the same day.
On Tuesday, a man also died after getting buried by an avalanche near Nelson.
Klassen says avalanche conditions right now are quite complex.
“I think people think of avalanches as being a high mountain problem, well above treeline,” he says. “In this case, we definitely have a problem up there, but that problem is down into the lower regions as well, both in terms of large avalanches, but also smaller avalanches below the tree line. These are places that people often consider to be safe or safer than the high alpine. At this time, we are asking people to be very cautious even way below the treeline.”
Until conditions improve, the avalanche centre recommends travelling on small, simple, low-angle terrain with no terrain traps. Exposure to large slopes and cornices above should also be avoided whenever possible.
Klassen says backcountry enthusiasts should have proper equipment, such as an avalanche transceiver, a probe and a shovel, and know how to use it.
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