Avalanches not a big concern for crews in backcountry

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NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Just two weeks ago, there were several deaths in Western Canada’s backcountry as the avalanche risk was high in most parts of the province.  While that risk has since gone down, there are other dangers to look out for in the backcountry.

The risk of an avalanche in local areas is moderate, and is trending towards a “low” rating, according to Tim Jones with North Shore Rescue. 

But he says avalanches aren’t their concern right now.  “We’ve seen a lot of large sinkholes. Potentially, people can fall into those.  Priority is not towards avalanche hazards; it’s to avoid falling on steep, icy slopes.”

Jones adds anyone heading into the backcountry should carry an ice axe.

And while crampons are good for people snowshoeing up or down hills, he says, “Traversing across slopes with those types of snowshoes when it’s icy is very hazardous.  As a matter of fact, it’s safer to have them [off] than having them on.”

Avalanche book recounts survivor stories

Of the 155 avalanche related deaths that took place in Canada over an 11-year span, the majority happened in BC and Alberta.  A new book by an SFU researcher details the stories of those fatal slides and recounts what it was like for survivors.

Avalanche Accidents in Canada documents avalanches that happened between 1996 and 2007.

SFU avalanche researcher Pascal Haegeli says of all the slides, 139 happened during events like snowmobiling or out of bounds skiing.  “Three-quarters of the accident were related to persistent instabilities in existing weak layers in the snow pack that developed during a period of clear and cold weather.”

One-third of those killed were not properly equipped.  Most slides were triggered by people and a majority of the victims were men between 20 and 39-years-old.

The book is available at the Canadian Avalanche Association and at Mountain Equipment Co-op stores.

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