Officials with Parks Canada say that while the risk of avalanche in the mountain parks is considered low, backcountry enthusiasts shouldn’t take it for granted.
Parks Canada forecasters and the Canadian Avalanche Centre have rated the hazard in Banff and Jasper National Parks as ‘low’ below the treeline all the way into the alpine for the past two weeks.
The risk in the Kananaskis region is only slightly less stable, with conditions rated as moderate.
In fact, the conditions are so good that its allowing users to get to areas they normally couldn’t this early in the season.
But, professionals say that that doesn’t mean there is no risk of avalanche.
"So far, there’s no significant weaknesses in the snowpack that we’re overly concerned about,” said Jesse De Montigny, an ACMG guide in Yamnuska. “There’s always things that come and go but, yeah, right now the conditions are quite good.”
Aaron Beardmore, a visitor safety specialist with Parks Canada says that there are things that could happen that could change conditions quickly.
“If the winds picked up, creating wind slabs in the alpine, if we encountered storm cycles that came through, we’d get some storm slabs so things can change quickly. But, currently, we’re in a period of low avalanche danger.”
A snowfall warning for the mountain parks was lifted earlier on Monday.
