File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Adam Donnelly

Avalanche Warning

Deadly slide danger prompts Avalanche Canada warning

Feb 26, 2021 | 3:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — Ahead of the weekend, Avalanche Canada has issued a special avalanche public warning for several regions of the province, including the Cariboos and North Rockies.

The warning cites a “persistent weak layer” in those areas, which has resulted in a pair of fatalities, including one near Valemount that claimed the life of a backcountry skier on Tuesday.

“This layer that we’re talking about, it’s old. It’s from late-January, early-February. It’s buried deep in the snowpack,” Karl Klassen, Warning Service Manager with Avalanche Canada, explains. “Unless you have advanced training and a lot of experience when you dig down into the snowpack, you may not be able to recognize it. It’s really touchy, and I think it’s going to be something a lot of people have never seen before, I think.”

Klassen says while conditions are great for backcountry skiing and snowmobiling, there’s significant danger on those slopes.

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“We are concerned that people are underestimating how easy it is to trigger big avalanches right now,” Klassen told CFJC Today. “Places you might be familiar with from the past that have not been a problem might be a problem now. That problem might be a lot bigger and a lot easier to trigger than you think. I really encourage people to take a really cautious approach to the mountains this coming weekend.”

Avalanche Canada suggests that you visit their website for an update on conditions before you head into the backcountry.