Forecaster warns of heightened avalanche risk in southwestern B.C. amid warming, heavy precipitation

Avalanche forecasters say heavy precipitation expected in southwestern B.C. this weekend will make for dangerous conditions in the mountains.

"This is a weekend to really make conservative choices," said Karina Bakker, a forecaster with Avalanche Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving avalanche awareness and safety.

"We have four storms that are going to be hitting us in a row, each one a little bit warmer and wetter than the last one, which is going to accumulate in a big increase in our danger level."

Bakker says there are weak layers in the snowpack following a spell of cold, dry weather last month.

"Anytime we have a dangerous layer in our snowpack, more snow being added on top of it increases our hazard," Bakker said. "It being warmed up increases our hazard and we've got double jeopardy this weekend of both more precipitation as well as warming weather creating very hazardous conditions."

Scott Merriman, team leader with North Shore Rescue, said a shovel, probe, transceiver and avalanche training are must-haves for those venturing into the backcountry.

Like Bakker, Merriman urges caution. 

"You may end up in terrain or an area where search-and-rescue personnel are not going to be able to get you just because that avalanche danger is so high," he said. "So it's really important to make good decisions when you're going out."

The warning comes after an avalanche claimed the life of a skier in southeastern B.C. earlier this week. 

Police said they received a report at around 10 p.m. Monday of two missing men who had been skiing in the mountains southeast of the town of Golden — located about 200 kilometres west of Calgary —  and were last heard from at 5:30 p.m.

The man had to leave his skiing companion at the location to ensure his own safe return. Search-and-rescue crews used a helicopter to retrieve his remains.

An incident report on the Avalanche Canada website says the first of two skiers triggered a Size 2 avalanche on Kapristo Mountain.