Areas impacted by the special public avalanche warning. (Avalanche Canada)

By David Opinko

Special public avalanche warning in Banff, B.C. mountainous regions

Jan 20, 2022 | 11:50 AM

BANFF, AB – Outdoor recreators are being warned about the high potential for avalanches in the mountains.

Avalanche Canada has issued a special public avalanche warning for the North and South Columbias, Purcells, Kootenay Boundary, and the Glacier, Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks. It also applies to an area within the Sea-to-Sky and South Coast Inland regions from Squamish to Pemberton.

James Foyer, Forecasting Program Supervisor for Avalanche Canada, says warmer temperatures and sunshine are in the forecast for this weekend, which will have a destabilizing effect on the snowpack.

“There are persistent weak layers in the mountain snowpack across most of southern BC and western Alberta. This special warning targets regions where these layers have proven to be an issue. The combination of this snowpack structure and higher temperatures will make natural and human-triggered avalanches much more likely.”

He adds that there have been several close calls reported recently with many large avalanches running the full extent of their paths.

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“There is a lot of uncertainty with these weak layers. While we have targeted an area where we think there is a higher risk of triggering these deep weak layers, we also urge backcountry users in adjacent regions to exercise caution during this warming period.”

The warning is in effect now until the end of Monday, January 24.

Backcountry users are urged to check their regional avalanche forecasts at avalanche.ca.

Avalanche Canada also lists the essential rescue gear that all people utilizing the backcountry wilderness should have with them, including a transceiver, probe, and shovel.