March 20, 2025, Revelstoke BC: Avalanche Canada, in partnership with Parks Canada, Alberta Parks, and the Province of British Columbia, has issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning for recreational backcountry users across the central Rockies. The warning applies to Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, and Jasper National Parks, Kananaskis Country, and areas immediately adjacent to those parks. It is in effect immediately and remains in place through Monday, March 24.

Recent storm snow overlies a weak snowpack structure and has produced numerous very large avalanches over the last two weeks. Avalanches triggered on this layer have propagated widely, even through forested areas, and may involve the entire depth of the snowpack. There have been several serious avalanche incidents in this time, including two fatal incidents, and the snowpack is dangerous and unpredictable. Avalanches may also be triggered remotely, meaning they could be initiated from a distance. Warming, sun, and stormy weather will all increase the likelihood of triggering an avalanche.

“While natural avalanche activity is beginning to taper off, the snowpack remains primed for human-triggering,” says Stephen Holeczi, Visitor Safety Specialist at Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks. “This is an unstable and highly volatile situation,” Holeczi cautions, because “Weak layers are buried under up to 90 cm of storm snow, and more snow expected by the weekend will add to slabs over those weak layers.” He adds, “the complex snowpack in the central Rockies continues to demand caution, conservative decision-making, and careful terrain choices.”

It is important that backcountry recreationists remain alert to the dangerous avalanche conditions and don’t become complacent as the natural avalanche activity declines. It is essential to choose low-angle terrain without overhead hazard or terrain traps. Avalanches on this layer may run far and release unpredictably, and slopes with tracks on them should not be considered safe. 

To reduce risk, Avalanche Canada, Parks Canada, and Alberta Parks recommend: 

Sticking to lower-angle slopes (less than 30 degrees)

Avoid terrain with exposure to overhead hazard, terrain traps, or runout zones

Avoiding sun-exposed slopes during warm and/or sunny conditions 

“With a special public avalanche warning in effect for Kananaskis Country, we want to make sure anyone heading to the mountains exercise extreme caution,” said Todd Loewen, Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks. “All backcountry users should educate themselves on avalanche terrain, avalanche safety equipment and companion rescue, and stay up to date on advisories and warnings in the area. Taking the time to fully prepare yourself and avoid dangerous avalanche conditions will help keep you and those around you safe.”

“The snowpack in the Rockies is complex and highly unstable at the moment, posing a significant avalanche risk,” said Kelly Greene, BC Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “If you were considering going into the backcountry this weekend, I strongly urge you to put your safety first. Now is the time to exercise extreme caution, follow the advice and guidance of Avalanche Canada, and make well-informed decisions.”

Backcountry users should always check the avalanche forecast at www.avalanche.ca. Everyone in a backcountry group must carry essential rescue gear—an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel—and have the training to use it. 

For a map of the SPAW regions, click here.

Public Relations & Communications Officer, Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay Field Unit

Communications & Engagement Officer, Jasper Field Unit

Press Secretary, Office of the Hon. Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks

This special warning applies the central Rockies and is in effect from Thursday, March 20 through the end of Monday, March 24.

Special Public Avalanche Warning in place for central Rockies

Avalanche Canada, en partenariat avec Parcs Canada, Alberta Parks, et la province de la Colombie-Britannique, a émis un avertissement spécial d'avalanche pour les utilisateurs récréatifs de l'arrière-pays dans la plupart des régions de prévisions de la  Colombie-Britannique et de l’Alberta. Cet avertissement spécial est en vigueur immédiatement et restera en vigueur jusqu'au lundi 3 mars. 

Une plaque de neige cohésive de 30 à 100 cm d’épaisseur repose sur une variété de couches fragiles importantes dans la partie supérieure du manteau neigeux qui se sont formées lors des périodes de sécheresse de janvier et février. Cela a créé un problème d'avalanche très sensible propice à des incidents graves et à des situations dangereuses. Bien que l'activité avalancheuse naturelle ait ralenti, les avalanches déclenchées par intervention humaine demeurent probables.

« Nous avons suivi de près ces couches fragiles  au cours du dernier mois », explique Zoe Ryan, prévisionniste en avalanche chez Avalanche Canada. « Maintenant que la neige qui les recouvre s'est consolidée, c'est la recette parfaite pour des avalanches dangereuses. Ces couches, hautement problématiques, demeurent sujettes aux déclenchements humains.

« Nous savons que les utilisateurs de l’arrière-pays sont impatients de profiter de la neige », ajoute Ryan, « mais il s’agit d’un problème d’avalanche complexe. Il faudra du temps pour que le manteau neigeux se consolide. De bonnes habitudes de déplacement et le choix d'un terrain conservateur seront essentiels, car il peut être mortel de se faire prendre dans l'une de ces avalanches. »

Pour réduire les risques, Avalanche Canada recommande : 

De rester sur des pentes d’angle faible (moins de 30 degrés) 

De choisir un terrain qui minimise les conséquences d'une avalanche 

De se déplacer un à la fois lorsqu'on est exposé à un terrain avalancheux 

D'éviter les pentes exposées au soleil par temps chaud et/ou ensoleillé 

« Les conditions d’avalanche en Colombie-Britannique sont particulièrement dangereuses, et je recommande fortement aux gens de rester vigilants et très prudents » , déclare Kelly Greene, ministre de la Gestion des urgences et de la Préparation aux changements climatiques. « La météo commence à être clémente ce qui amènera beaucoup de gens à sortir en montagne. Les avalanches peuvent avoir des conséquences dévastatrices et ont tragiquement coûté la vie à deux personnes en Colombie-Britannique cette année. J'invite tous les utilisateurs de l’arrière-pays à consulter les prévisions d'avalanches avant de partir, à rester conservateur dans leur prise de décisions et à envisager de reporter leur journée en montagne jusqu'à ce que les conditions soient plus sécuritaires. »

Les utilisateurs de l'arrière-pays devraient toujours consulter les prévisions d'avalanche sur www.avalanche.ca. Tous les membres d’un groupe d’arrière-pays doivent transporter l’équipement de sauvetage essentiel (un détecteur de victime d’avalanche, une sonde et une pelle) et avoir la formation nécessaire pour savoir comment s’en servir.

Pour une carte des régions touchées par l’avertissement spécial d’avalanche, cliquez ici.

Directrice des communications, Avalanche Canada 

Cet avertissement spécial s’applique à la plupart des régions de prévision de la Colombie-Britannique et de l’Alberta et est en vigueur du jeudi 27 fevrier 2025 jusqu’à la fin du lundi 3 mars 2025. 

Avertissement spécial d'avalanche pour l'arrière-pays de la Colombie-Britannique et de l'ouest de l'Alberta

An avalanche coming down French Reality on the Stanley Headwall.  

We’re pleased to announce four new entries to Avalanche Canada’s Ice Climbing Atlas, an invaluable resource for ice climbers navigating avalanche terrain. These additions provide information on popular climbs on the Stanley Headwall and Balfour Wall.

This update wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of Avalanche Canada Ambassador Sarah Hueniken, who plans and compiles climber surveys and then writes entries. We also extend our gratitude to Parks Canada Visitor Safety Specialist Grant Statham for his valuable contributions and expertise in shaping this resource.

The new entries include three from the Stanley Headwall:

Monsieur Hulot - French Reality (ATES 4 Extreme)

Suffer Machine - Man Yoga (ATES 4 Extreme)

And a Balfour Wall entry features our first ice climbs with an ATES rating of 0 (Non-avalanche terrain):

Bison Falls and Transparent Fool (ATES 0 Non-avalanche terrain)

The Ice Climbing Atlas provides an overview of historical avalanche observations from popular ice climbs in the Rockies and is updated as information from more climbs is collected.

Avalanche observations are collected through surveys of local climbers conducted by Hueniken, a professional climber and alpine guide. We hope that by sharing historical data, climbers can better understand the avalanche hazard that exists on these popular climbs. 

All ice climbers should always carry avalanche safety gear—transceiver, probe, and shovel.

We've added three sectors of the Stanley Headwall, and two routes on Balfour Wall. 

Four New Entries Added to Ice Climbing Atlas

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.

Join Avalanche Canada field team members in at MEC Vancouver and MEC Calgary for some free avalanche education

Avalanche Canada and MEC Hosting 'Know the Snow' Workshops to Promote Avalanche Safety

On January 3, our Northwest field team presented at a successful community-focused movie night fundraiser for the Witset Youth Ski & Board Team Mountain Mentorship Program in the Wet’suwet’en Nation. This was a significant milestone in our efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in avalanche education awareness. 

The event, originally conceived during the 2022-23 season by Avalanche Canada Northwest field team member Emily Jones, aimed to strengthen ties with the Wet’suwet’en Nation and others within the Smithers community, and expand avalanche education to marginalized communities. An initial attempt to host the event in 2023 was postponed, but renewed planning efforts this fall led to the successful event. 

A goal of the evening was building community connections, and it was a collaborative effort from key community members, including Kayla Mitchell, Director of Youth Engagement for the Office of the Wet’suwet’en, and Nancy Cody of the Smithers Bridging Committee. Their involvement was pivotal in fostering engagement and ensuring the event’s success.

What made the event successful? “Seeing communities of all walks of life together. We saw folks who would normally never be in the same space, and it was so great to witness the connections made, and friendships reignited,” says Mitchell. 

The evening raised $622 through a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting the Witset Youth Ski & Board team Mountain Mentorship Program. Avalanche Canada played an active role by securing the event venue and providing Northwest field team member Madeline Martin to assist and present about avalanche awareness during the evening. Volunteers from the Smithers Bridging Committee also contributed to the event’s success, handling setup, cleanup, and attending as participants. Cody called “the beauty of the event” its collaborative nature.

They screened three movies: Beyond Begbie by Nat Segal, Surviving Our Story by Connor Ryan, and Riding Red by Chelsie McCutcheon, and had a Mountain Mentorship alumni youth panel discussion. 

This fundraiser is an example of Avalanche Canada’s commitment to fostering partnerships with Indigenous and marginalized communities, removing barriers to accessing avalanche safety education. The event serves as a blueprint for future collaboration with Indigenous communities on avalanche awareness.

“Events like these are examples of what can happen when organizations unite around common goals,” said Avalanche Canada Outreach and Education Manager Nancy Geismar. “We encourage anyone interested in incorporating avalanche awareness into their events to reach out to us.”

Avalanche Canada collaborates in successful Mountain Mentorship Program fundraiser with the Wet'suwet'en and Smithers communities

Successful Wet’suwet’en Youth Movie Night and Fundraiser

Members of K8 Mountaineering on last year's AST 1 courtesy of the MEC Avalanache Safety Grant. 

Avalanche Canada is happy to announce four recipients of the MEC Avalanche Safety Grant, which provides funding for an Avalanche Skills Traininng 1 course to organizations serving marginalized communities. The recipients exemplify the values needed to support diversity and foster a culture of safety in avalanche terrain.

“The MEC Avalanche Safety Grant helps support groups who face disproportionate barriers in accessing winter backcountry pursuits,” explains Gilles Valade, Executive Director of Avalanche Canada. “We are very impressed with the work being done by these four organizations and are grateful to partner with MEC to provide them with a course from the Avalanche Canada Training program.”

Indigenous Backcountry Skills Training is committed to empowering Indigenous riders with the knowledge and skills to safely navigate avalanche terrain. Through a mix of cultural teachings and modern avalanche safety training, they’re creating pathways for more Indigenous people to connect with and explore the backcountry.

The Lil'wat Nation’s Xet̓ólacw Community School is advancing avalanche education among its youth and community members. By blending traditional knowledge with modern avalanche safety, they’re fostering a deeper connection to their land while prioritizing safety in mountainous environments. They’re practicing nt’akmen (our way) and providing their students the opportunity to learn on the land.

Open Mountains provides avalanche education to people in the 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, prioritizing people with multiple intersecting marginalized identities. Open Mountains is making the backcountry more inclusive by focusing on equipping participants with the knowledge and confidence to enjoy winter sports safely, and breaking down barriers to access in the process.

Kootenay Wild Mentors facilitates one-on-one backcountry mentorships in activities like hiking, climbing, skiing, and splitboarding for marginalized genders, including women, women-identifying individuals, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people. They aim to reduce barriers to backcountry participation by pairing mentors and mentees to enhance skills, build confidence, and foster an inclusive outdoor community.

The MEC Avalanche Safety Grant is an integral part of Avalanche Canada’s commitment to making the backcountry safer for everyone. This year’s recipients are not only educating their communities but also creating opportunities for underrepresented groups to engage with avalanche terrain safely and confidently. Thanks to MEC's generous support, each organization can organize an AST 1 course with the provider of their choice for up to eight of their members. 

We’re proud to partner with MEC to support these inspiring projects. As we head into another winter season, these initiatives remind us of the power of education to save lives and transform experiences in the mountains.

Four organizations awarded 2024-25 MEC Avalanche Safety Grant 

2024-25 MEC Avalanche Safety Grant Winners

Avalanche Canada is happy to announce the MEC Avalanche Safety Grant for the fourth consecutive year. The MEC Avalanche Safety Grant helps non-profit organizations serving marginalized communities provide avalanche safety training. 

We recognize that there are many people in marginalized communities who may not have access to avalanche training. These communities may be Indigenous, Black, people of colour (IBPOC) or other communities (e.g. LGBTQIAS2+, neuro-diverse, or other marginalized groups) who may face disproportionate barriers in accessing winter backcountry pursuits in Canada. Avalanche Canada and MEC have partnered to reduce some of these barriers by offering the MEC Avalanche Safety Grant. Thanks to MEC’s generous support, this grant will fund four AST 1 courses with up to eight students from each organization. If you would like to apply or are aware of any organizations that would benefit from this program, you can find the application form here. The application deadline is November 1, 2024. 

“Avalanche Canada recognizes that some communities face disproportionate barriers in accessing winter backcountry pursuits in Canada,” explains Gilles Valade, Executive Director of Avalanche Canada. “We are grateful to partner with MEC to inspire, engage, and empower recreationists to enjoy Canada's winter backcountry safely.”

The Howl Experience (Bow Valley, AB): Providing transformative, barrier-free learning experiences for Indigenous, low-income, and marginalized youth.

Indigenous Women Outdoors (Pemberton, BC):  An all-Indigenous organization dedicated to igniting a spirit of empowerment, resilience, and connection among Indigenous women by providing them with the opportunity to explore and excel in outdoor sport activities.

Incluskivity (Squamish, BC):  Aiming to create an inclusive and psychologically safe space for IBPoC women and gender-diverse people to recreate in the backcountry with their peers.

 K8 Mountaineering Club of Alberta (Calgary, AB): A Filipino-Canadian Mountaineering Club aiming to support Filipino immigrant mountaineers through the healing power of the mountains.

“I really appreciated being able to do the course with just our IWO crew because it definitely made the whole experience much less intimidating. Since it was a group I felt super comfortable with, I had no hesitations about asking any and all questions I had which I think is super valuable for a course like this. It was a super positive experience and I'm super grateful to have had the opportunity to do my AST1 with IWO.”

Backcountry Access also contributed to this initiative by providing two boxes of safety gear, each with eight sets of avalanche transceivers, shovels, and probes for use on these courses. Thanks to Backcountry Access for their generous support. 

The MEC Avalanche Safety Grant is an integral part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that our programs and services are welcoming to all of Canada’s diverse population.

Avalanche Canada partners with MEC to make AST courses more accessible to all Canadians.

MEC Avalanche Safety Grant 2024-25

The 2023-24 Annual Report is now available!

The annual report for Avalanche Canada and the Avalanche Canada Foundation is now online. Click here to learn more about our accomplishments and highlights from the past year. We delve into communications stats, field teams, grassroots support, education and outreach, financials, the public avalanche warning service, and more. 

Online access to the annual reports of Avalanche Canada and the Avalanche Canada Foundation

Avalanche Canada and Avalanche Canada Foundation 2023-24 Annual Reports Available Online

Our Executive Director Gilles Valade was recently in Vancouver to present the Gordon Ritchie Service Award to MEC for their decades-long support for public avalanche safety. Since 2009, the award has acknowledged individuals or organizations who show exceptional commitment to public avalanche safety. In its 15-year history, MEC is only the second organization to win this award. 

Later this fall, Avalanche Canada celebrates twenty years of service in public avalanche safety, and MEC has shown loyal, unwavering dedication since the very beginning. MEC's mission in the outdoors has always gone beyond supplying gear for getting people outside. They're also dedicated to providing programs and initiatives that teach crucial outdoor skills and safety training in the backcountry. As the presenting sponsor of Avalanche Canada’s Avalanche Skill Training (AST) program, MEC provides funding to keep the curriculum updated with the latest in avalanche research, tools and techniques and helps more than 10,000 students per year learn critical avalanche safety skills.

As well as supporting AST training, MEC also hosts avalanche awareness outreach events in their stores. They also provide valuable gear for our staff and for outreach and fundraising initiatives. 

MEC also funds Avalanche Canada's MEC Avalanche Safety Grant every year for nonprofit organizations that serve racialized communities and help to support more people gaining access to winter backcountry safety training. We’re grateful to partner with MEC to reduce some barriers in accessing winter backcountry pursuits and enable even more Canadians to safely pursue outdoor adventures. 

MEC is also a proud supporter of our online avalanche safety tutorial AvySavvy. MEC is an enthusiastic collaborator bringing great ideas to the table and our partnership has saved lives. Over the last two decades, MEC has had a significant impact on the safety of Canadians travelling in avalanche terrain and we are honoured to call MEC a partner in our mission of improving public avalanche safety in Canada. We’re excited to see what we can achieve together in the years to come!

Avalanche Canada honoured MEC with the 2024 Gordon Ritchie Service Award for exceptional commitment to public avalanche safety

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