Avalanche Canada issues weekend warning for Columbia Mountains

Avalanche Canada issued a special avalanche warning for recreational backcountry users in British Columbia from Friday, Dec. 11 to the end of the day Monday, Dec. 14.

“The warning applies to the central Columbia Mountains and encompasses portions of the following forecast regions—the Kootenay-Boundary, South Columbia, North Columbia and Cariboos,” said a statement.

READ MORE: Avalanche danger affecting highway travel between B.C. and Alberta

The group said it’s concerned about low-elevation, open terrain in the mountainous area that lies north of a line roughly between Penticton, Nelson and Cranbrook, B.C., and south of a line between Williams Lake and Valemount. The west boundary is Highway 97 between Penticton and Williams Lake; the east boundary is the Columbia and North Thompson rivers, it said (see image above).

“These areas below treeline are often considered as safe playgrounds,” Karl Klassen, Avalanche Canada’s public avalanche warning service manager, said in a statement. “But with this current condition, we have had many reports of unexpected avalanches that are definitely large enough to cause injury or death.”

Avalanche Canada is urging visitors to avoid steep slopes of any size between 1,400 and 1,800 metres elevation, including cut-blocks, cut-banks on roads, and open areas in mature timber. It said everyone in the backcountry needs to wear an avalanche transceiver in transmit mode, carry a probe and shovel in their pack, and make sure all equipment is in good working order.

“Due to recent storms and winds, higher elevations in many areas are also primed for avalanches and extra caution is advised for the weekend and early next week,” said the group.

For up-to-date information check the daily forecasts, click here.