‘Plenty of large avalanches’ expected on B.C.’s South Coast as weather warms up

With warmer, sunnier weather coming to B.C.’s South Coast in the days ahead, those planning to head into the backcountry are being urged to use extreme caution and check for warnings.

Tyson Rettie with Avalanche Canada spoke with CTV Morning Live Wednesday about the forecast. 

“We’re expecting freezing levels in the South Coast area to rise up to over 3,000 metres on Thursday,” he said, adding the avalanche danger is already “considerable.”

“We’ve already got a pretty weak and undesirable snowpack, particularly in the Sea to Sky and more inland areas, and once that snowpack gets that first, really significant warm up, it can rapidly lose strength and the end result will be plenty of large avalanches.”

While it may be tempting to head into the backcountry on a sunny day, Rettie said outdoor enthusiasts should think twice.

“Right now with avalanche danger going to ‘high,’ the message is quite simple, actually. It’s to avoid avalanche terrain altogether,” he said. “The challenge there is not everyone knows what avalanche terrain is.”

To become more familiar with the terrain, an avalanche skills training course is recommended, Rettie said. The course will teach companion rescues and how to read avalanche bulletins, for example.

Those still planning an excursion in the backcountry should check the avalanche bulletin to know current conditions. The bulletins are published at 4 p.m. each day, so it can be checked the evening before. 

“That’s the best way to get a handle on what the snowpack is doing, what the avalanche danger is, what the problems are, mountain weather, all those things,” Rettie said.

As well, everyone going into the backcountry this time of year should take with them a probe, shovel and, ideally, a form of emergency communication like a satellite phone.