Special public avalanche warning in effect for much of B.C., Alberta backcountry
Check the forecast before heading out and exercise extreme caution if venturing into the backcountry, officials say.
A special public avalanche warning is in effect for a swath of British Columbia and western Alberta's backcountry, warning of dangerous conditions possible between through to Monday, March 3, 2025.
A snow slab 30-100 cm thick is sitting on weak snowpack layers, elevating the avalanche risk, Avalanche Canada said on social media.
Weak snowpack hard to detect, highly dangerous
"After a season of relatively stable avalanche conditions, we are entering a period of dramatic change and it is important to adapt mindsets to reflect this," reads a statement on the foundation's website.
"Avalanche problems of this nature can be difficult to predict and there may be limited clues about deeper snowpack instabilities, but avalanches triggered on these layers are likely to be dangerous and destructive."
Backcountry safety precautions
Backcountry users are advised to use extreme caution while the warning is in effect.
Graphic by Cheryl Santa Maria for The Weather Network. Source: Avalanche Canada.
Precautions include:
Only using slopes that are 30 degrees and situated in clearings, open trees, and alpine terrain.
Exercising extreme caution, as instability may be hard to detect.
Avoiding sun-exposed slopes.
Moving through avalanche terrain one person at a time, only re-grouping in open areas with no overhead hazards.
Checking forecasts regularly before heading out.
Bringing appropriate equipment, including a transceiver, probe, and shovel, and know how to use them.
Header image: File photo via Canva Pro.