Name: How to manage avalanche risks in the Rockies
Uploaded: 2025-12-24T05:30:11.880Z
Duration: 1 min 57 s
Description: Safety is top of mind this holiday season with winter outdoor activities ramping up in the Rocky Mountains. Recent snow dumps in the backcountry have avalanche experts urging those heading into the mountains to plan first.

Safety is top of mind this holiday season with winter outdoor activities ramping up in the Rocky Mountains. Recent snow dumps in the backcountry have avalanche experts urging those heading into the mountains to plan first.

Colorado

Mountain guide Tim Ricci and other experts emphasize the necessity of carrying avalanche safety equipment and being prepared before heading into the Rockies backcountry, especially as over 100 centimetres of snow has fallen recently. Avalanche Canada warns that, despite stable-looking surfaces, the snowpack is layered and susceptible to human-triggered avalanches, particularly in the central Rockies and parts of British Columbia.

Avalanches remain the leading cause of fatalities for snowmobilers in western Canada. With the snowpack above average and avalanche season off to an active start, guides are currently sticking to less risky routes, and safety officials recommend always pairing up and exercising caution.

How to manage avalanche risks in the Rockies

I've got my shovel, I've got my probe, and I have my avalanche transceiver. It's not much, but in avalanche season, this is pretty well your best bet. Mountain guide Tim Ricci brings hundreds of people into the backcountry in the Rockies every winter. It's all about how you manage the risk when you head into the backcountry. So you definitely want to be prepared before you head out into the field on any given day. Over 100 centimetres of snow has fallen in the last five days alone. So just up over these mountains here in the Spray Valley is where we see most of the activity. Lots more snow back there. This Alberta Parks mountain rescuer has seen worse avalanche conditions, but the risk is still classified as considerable. It's actually where we see the most accidents over time, and that's because we start to see a tapering of the natural avalanche activity and less happening right in front of your eyes, but they're still very prime for human triggering. Avalanche Canada says conditions are similar for parts of BC this busy holiday season. Even if it looks okay on the surface, Avalanche Canada says there's layers of snow on mountains like these, and pressure from something like a skier or snowmobiler above could be enough for one of the layers to let go. It's a huge concern for us in western Canada. The number one cause of fatalities for snowmobilers is avalanches. Avalanche Canada recommends pairing up for backcountry activities with the winter season just beginning. The snowpack in general is well above average compared to last year, especially in the central Rockies, and it's definitely been an active start to the avalanche season because of that. Ritchie says their backcountry guides are sticking to less risky spots for now. Even with all the preparation, the possibility of getting buried under snow this deep is just not worth it. Sian Desjardins, CBC News, Canmore, Alberta.

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