Photo provided by Avalanche Canada

By Ethan Ready

SAR to benefit from forecasting

Avalanche forecasting now available in North Rockies region

Dec 18, 2019 | 4:17 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Recreational backcountry use may have just got a whole lot safer, but only if users make use of new data effectively.

On Tuesday (Dec. 17), avalanche forecasting was made available for those in the North Rockies for the first time.

“We are very pleased to be able to issue forecasts three times a week for the North Rockies,” said James Floyer, a forecast program supervisor for Avalanche Canada. “Producing forecasts for this region has long been a priority for us and thanks to a recent increase in federal funding, we are now able to make this happen.”

The region, encompassing the Rocky Mountains from Highway 16 in the south to Hudson’s Hope in the north, has been the site of several notable avalanche incidents, including the 2016 Renshaw tragedy, when five snowmobilers died in a snow slide. Over the past five winters, the North Rockies region has represented 16 per cent of all avalanche fatalities (nine deaths) in Canada.

Based out of Prince George, a three-person field team will be working in the region and will collect snowpack information for forecasters in Revelstoke, B.C. This will enable us to publish forecasts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this winter.

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Dave Merritt of Prince George Search and Rescue said this new resource will benefit SAR teams especially.

“With AvCan, with the new forecast, what it’s done is it’s allowed the community to have some good, solid decision-making information that comes through those Avalanche Canada training programs and teaching people how to use that information. With that, it’s actually a huge benefit to SAR as well – we have good data that helps us make our decisions to go into the terrain to help people when they’re in need of assistance.”

Merritt recommends anyone who’s interested in snowmobiling or skiing the backcountry this season to take an Avalanche Canada approved training program before heading out in order to ensure their own safety and limit any risks when exploring the Great Canadian Outdoors.