Tracks found in B.C. area bombed for avalanches

Parks Canada is investigating several recent incursions into restricted zones, including one in which backcountry skiers entered an area that’s blasted to control avalanches along the Trans-Canada Highway in the mountains between Alberta and B.C.

Staff discovered fresh ski and snowboard tracks on Wednesday in Macdonald West, which is a permanently closed area in Glacier National Park.

“They didn’t see the people and there was no vehicle at the parking area when they saw the tracks, so they haven’t figured out who was in there,” Parks Canada spokeswoman Shelley Bird said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “It’s still under investigation.” Certain regions are closed to skiers throughout the winter because the military regularly uses explosives as part of an avalanche control program around Rogers Pass. Other areas along the highway are only accessible through a permitting system when there’s no blasting planned.

The incursion into an area that has an important snow study plot led to a stern warning that was posted to several Facebook pages dedicated to backcountry skiing.

“THIS CANNOT HAPPEN EVEN ONCE MORE, NADA, NEVER, GET IT?” wrote Douglas Sproul, who posted a message on the Revelstoke Ski Tourers group. “We, as the public that are so fortunate to be able to access these areas, MUST come together to ACT NOW.”

Canadian soldiers use a 105-mm howitzer to bring down snow along the Trans-Canada in the steep narrow valley east of Rogers Pass, about 340 kilometres west of Calgary.

There are 134 avalanche paths along a 40-kilometre section of the highway.

“Avalanche control is a priority,” said Bird. “We need to make sure that we keep the highway safe, and if we can’t do avalanche control because we’re looking to see if there’s somebody in the area where they are planning to shoot live artillery, it’s a huge concern.”

The areas are also dangerous because there could be unexploded shells.

“Not only is it an offence under the National Parks Act, but it also places the staff ... the emergency responders, the travelling public and the user themselves at risk,” explained Bird.

“These places are closed for a reason and by not respecting that closure, it puts everyone at risk. It also puts the program itself at risk.”

In addition to the skiers, park wardens in two mountain national parks have also dealt with two snowmobiling infractions in the past week.

“We’ve actually had a number of incursions into the park,” said Bird,

If we can’t do avalanche control because we’re looking to see if there’s somebody in the area where they are planning to shoot live artillery, it’s a huge concern.

who noted it’s illegal to snowmobile in the national parks. “There’s significant snowmobiling activity outside the parks ... so we’ve taken a lot of effort to mark the park boundaries so people don’t accidentally go into the park.”

On Thursday, officials were called to the Quartz Creek area inside the Glacier National Park boundary because a group of snowmobilers had become stuck.

That came days after an earlier offence was reported in the Saint Cyr area of Mount Revelstoke National Park.

All of the infractions are being investigated and could result in a maximum fine of $25,000 under the National Parks Act.

Snowmobiling in a national park can also lead to the seizure of the sled.