More and more people are exploring beyond resorts this winter, so we turned to Avalanche Canada to talk about extending safety and awareness beyond the obvious backcountry situations.
If you’re spending the weekend back country skiing in the mountains, avalanche safety may be top of mind. You’ve probably checked out the forecast on Avalanche Canada’s website, have the proper gear, and taken a training course or two. Kudos.
However, there’s another group of people that Avalanche Canada worries about – snowsport newbies, people who duck the rope at ski resorts and those out for an afternoon of snowshoeing who don’t even realize they’re entering avalanche terrain.
Here’s the thing: all it takes is a slope of 25–45 degrees (think a steepish toboggan slope or a green or blue run) and 30cm of snow for avalanche conditions to form, so it’s easy to see how one could wind up in unsafe terrain without knowing the risks.
In part this unawareness stems from something positive: new levels of excitement and interest in Canada’s beautiful backcountry areas. As MEC and other outdoor retailers continue to see increased sales for backcountry gear, it gives adventure-minded outlets and groups insight into how many people are looking to get into the wilderness, but not the full picture on whether or not they are properly trained and equipped.
Close calls are rarely reported, so there’s no way for organizations to track non-fatal accidents and experiences. Mary Clayton, Communications Director at Avalanche Canada knows how uncertain the situation is. “We would love to know the true accident rate, but we don’t. But it’s staggering, the difference in the past 20 years.”
There have been more than a few close calls lately – Avalanche Canada reported at least six incidents on Valentine’s Day weekend alone, including near misses and skiers who sustained injuries but were able to make it out. Many trends are associated with this recent grouping, including the stronger sunshine adding stress to the snowpack.
MEC has worked closely with Avalanche Canada (formerly the Canadian Avalanche Centre) for over 20 years, contributing just shy of $1,000,000 to support public safety. The partnership is a natural extension of our love for backcountry exploring. We also work with Avalanche Canada to support their public safety programs through in-store sessions, public outreach and research as well as free or subsidized safety and snow analysis gear for members taking certified courses. We want you to be in the know.
So how do you prepare?
1. Get the gear
2. Get the training
3. Get the forecast
To celebrate our longstanding partner Avalanche Canada, we are giving away this Mammut Removable Airbag 22L pack, a staple for avalanche safety.
For your chance to win, check out Avalanche Canada’s website and tell us one sign of unstable snow in the comments on our Facebook post. Bonus points for sharing the post and helping us raise awareness about staying safe in Canada’s beautiful backcountry.
Photo: Andrew Querner