'I'm asking for snow for Christmas': slow start to the season according to Kananaskis mountain rescue specialists

The Kananaskis mountain rescue team is responsible for avalanche forecasting in the Spray Lakes corridor south of Canmore and this year specialists say the volume of snow in the area is below average.

The region saw snow in November but since then, there hasn't been much.

"The snow is important early," said Mike Koppang, mountain rescue specialist. "But the temperature plays a big role, a little bit of snow and really cold temperatures, (and) we get that weak-faceted snow that's kind of like sugar laying all over the ground and that forms the foundation of our snowpack for the rest of the season. "

Koppang said heavy snow with warmer temperatures builds a stronger foundation for the annual snow pack.

"So every storm tells a different story and what's going to happen," he said. "We have to figure it out every time it snows, right now it's kind of in the mid-range,

"it's not a terrible start to the season in terms of that foundation," he added, "but it's not a great start either so we just kind of got to wait and see what happens."

Koppang said its coming up to the busy season in the mountain park and people have to be aware of the conditions to make sure they have a safe outing.

"Christmas is always busy, it seems like everyone just wants to go to the hills and play with their new toys, which is great," he said. "That's what we want to see people do, come on out, experience the park, but just get the information before you come check the avalanche forecast."

Forecasting

Matt Mueller, mountain rescue specialist, says the team of five spends 80 per cent of their time forecasting and 20 per cent rescuing people who've found themselves in trouble in Kananaskis Country. That forecasting starts in the office looking at weather reports, then they head into the field to see the snow.

"We look at every drainage basically along the spray road," he said. "So the road is let's say 80 kilometres long in its entirety and then we'll look at essentially every drainage somewhat systematically -- we try and just move north and south through it all."

Mueller says the team will look for avalanche activity and how the wind, sun and temperature are impacting the conditions. The data they gather is sent to Avalanche.ca and to the Alberta Parks web site for back country users.

"A lot of snowshoers, backcountry skiers, ice climbing is growing as well and hikers, surprisingly popular in the front ranges where there's less snow," he said.

Mueller says it's important back country enthusiasts take an avalanche course and check the information available to them so they can make the right decisions about terrain they choose to recreate in, that match their skill levels.

"Err on the side of caution, recognize that there is an unknown element and treat that with respect," he said. A lot of times (you can find yourself in danger) without even knowing it,  you're exposed to something that's thousands of feet higher and you may not even be aware of it so there is that terrain awareness component too."

Koppang says it doesn't take much to change conditions in the mountain parks.

"It's early in the season," he said. "One big storm can change (conditions) dramatically because we are so early, so it's an important point, we're low right now but that can all change and I'm asking for snow for Christmas."

Learn more about snow conditions in Kananaskis Country here.