- Date
- mercredi 22 janvier 2025
Join Avalanche Canada field team members in at MEC Vancouver and MEC Calgary for some free avalanche education
Mountain Equipment Company (MEC), in partnership with Avalanche Canada, is hosting backcountry safety workshops at their stores this January and February. These 'Know the Snow' workshops are aimed at educating winter enthusiasts about backcountry and avalanche safety. These free events will be held at MEC stores in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Quebec City. We're so happy to partner with an organization like MEC who cares so deeply about safety while promoting enjoyment of the outdoors.
Members of the Avalanche Canada Vancouver Island field team will be at the January 25 event at MEC Vancouver, and the South Rockies field team will be at MEC Calgary on February 8. The two events in Quebec will have Avalanche Quebec staff. Team members will be on site from 11:00 to 4:00 to answer questions relating to winter backcountry safety at the Avalanche Canada booth, and they’ll be hosting two workshops at each location:
Workshop #1 Avalanche Basics: Learn about essential equipment, understanding avalanche forecasts and what to look out for. Are you new to the backcountry? An Avalanche Canada forecaster will share what essential equipment you should bring, how to check and understand the avalanche forecast details, and how to look at terrain, weather, and snowpack factors you need to understand to make safe decisions in the backcountry. Even if you want to avoid avalanche terrain on your winter hike, you will need to know how to recognize it. Hosted from 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Workshop #2 Winter Hiking Safety: Learn how to safely enjoy your winter hikes, whether walking, running, micro-spiking or snowshoeing. These will be specific to the region. They will cover what essential gear you should carry, how to check the avalanche forecast, and home in on a couple of local hot spots where there have been avalanche incidences and SAR call outs.Hosted from 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Events like these are a great way for our field teams to get off the snow and into the public. They love answering questions and presenting on safety topics.
These workshops are designed to enhance public awareness and education on avalanche safety. While they provide valuable knowledge, they are not a substitute for formal avalanche training programs. If you’re interested in avalanche training, check out the Avalanche Canada Training program.