Outdoor enthusiasts were being told to steer clear of the North Shore backcountry Wednesday after the avalanche danger in the area rose to high.
The Canadian Avalanche Centre said rain that fell right up to the top of local mountains overnight had destabilized the snow pack, driving up the risk of a slide above the tree line to high and below the tree line to considerable. Conditions improved somewhat over the course of the Wednesday, they said, but a winter storm forecast for Wednesday night was threatening to make things worse again.
With a high danger rating, people should avoid avalanche terrain in the backcountry unless they have advanced avalanche training and extensive experience, said Peter Marshall, a public avalanche forecaster with the centre. Its a day to enjoy new snow on marked trails.
It was difficult to say at this point where the rating would be Thursday, he said, as it would depend on the shape the weather system took Wednesday night.
If it is mostly or all snow, I imagine the avalanche danger will be at high tomorrow, said Marshall.
If expected precipitation fell as rain, however, things would likely improve, he said.
A similar system was forecast for Thursday night. The uncertainty meant backcountry enthusiasts should be paying close attention to forecasts over the coming week, said Marshall.
With this steady stream of storms, were starting to see danger ramping up, he said.
Although the centre receives reports of people being caught in avalanches every year, the North Shore has not seen a fatality since the 1998-1999 ski season, said Marshall.
For avalanche forecasts and other information, visit the Canadian Avalanche Centres website at www.avalanche.ca.
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