An avalanche warning remains in effect until Monday night for some parts of the province.
Many people in the Okanagan are reducing their risk by taking an avalanche safety course.
Matthew Atton has been running an introductory avalanche safety class for the past eight years.
“There are a lot of people that, not so much now as in the past, that are traveling in the backcountry with little or no knowledge at all,” Atton said.
During the class, Atton demonstrates how to use a probe and how to dig a proper snowpit.
He also stresses the importance of checking the angle of the mountain’s slope; the steeper the angle, the higher the likelihood of an avalanche.
Recent mild conditions have created a weak layer of snow and all the fresh snow falling on top of it is creating what experts say are the worst avalanche conditions in 30 years.
But despite all of the warnings, injuries and even deaths, Atton says he is noticing a disturbing trend: he has seen a decline in the interest of backcountry travel and enrollment in avalanche safety courses.
While he has no explanation for the decline, he says preparedness is still vital.
Atton gives the following tips for outdoor enthusiasts:
– Keep an eye on the person ahead of you so if he or she is involved in an avalanche, you have a good visual of the last place he or she was seen
– Get a good bearing of the mountain peak so you can pinpoint your location in case you get lost
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