The Cariboo Mountains are included in the Special Public Avalanche Warning as the danger ratings reach the high level.
Avalanche Canada with Parks Canada, Kananaskis Country, and the Province issued the warning this morning (February 29) for recreational backcountry users across most of BC’s and Alberta’s forecast regions.
Forecaster, Tyson Rettie gave two reasons as to why the warning was issued.
“We had that very warm period towards the end of January that was followed by a period of cool and dry weather for most parts of BC, and that formed a very thick and robust crust that extended to mountaintops.” says Rettie.
“Then with the dry period afterward, that formed a thin layer of facets above it, and throughout February, snow accumulated above it.”
Rettie added that they’re seeing widespread human triggered avalanches on the weak layer, as well as remotely triggered avalanches, sympathetically triggered avalanches, and naturally triggered avalanches.
He says the warning will be in effect until the end of Monday, but will re-evaluate in the coming days to see how long the conditions will persist for.
Rettie says people need to make sure that they stay out of avalanche terrain, which include slopes less than 25 degrees, overhead hazards and adjacent slopes, and dense forests.
If there is a feeling of uncertainty in the ability to identify avalanche terrain and avoid it, he says it would be a good time to stay out of the mountains.
The full avalanche map can be found on Avalanche Canada’s website here.