Avalanche risk spikes as warmer weather takes hold

Eager hikers are bound for Banff, Lake Louise and Kananaskis as warm temperatures blanket the area heading into the weekend, carrying with them escalated avalanche risk.

Brian Webster, Parks Canada visitor safety manager for Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks, said most snow has melted in the valley bottoms, but a lot still remains at higher elevations — creating risk during the “big warm up.”

Avalanche Canada reports issued Tuesday show high avalanche risk for areas of Banff National Park and Lake Louise, with risk remaining high through alpine, treeline and below treeline through to Friday.

“We're going to see a spike in the avalanche hazard when the snowpack warms up like this, and particularly when it doesn't freeze at night,” said Webster.

Although current Avalanche Canada warnings only extend until Friday, Webster expects they will persist through the weekend.

According to Trevor Julian, executive director of trail steward group Friends of Kananaskis, they observe an uptick in people wanting to hike this time of year.

“People are itching to get out, and there's opportunities out there, but the caution I'd add to that is remembering the risks are still out there.”

Without overnight freezing, Webster said snow gets really unstable.

“Water lubricates the snowpack and makes it weak, not very cohesive.” he said. “We're expecting a significant avalanche cycle through the end of this week and through the weekend.”

The warning highlighted that this is a good time to avoid all avalanche terrain, with risk of widespread loose, moist avalanches.

Avalanche Canada advised to be alert of changing conditions throughout the day, and conditions shifting due to elevation.

Julian said hiking this time of year, like any other, is about being aware of your surroundings.

“Look for previous avalanche activities, like avalanche runouts that might have taken trees out, or trees that have been hit by avalanches in the past,” said Julian.

The safest thing for hikers is to avoid those sections until they melt out, Julian said.

“As hikers, we have the option to avoid those and choose different paths. Hiking in the valley bottoms, for example, away from runout zones, increases your safety quite a bit.”

In terms of gear, Julian noted things like ice spikes and crampons as being useful depending on the terrain.

“Not travelling alone, wearing a transceiver that they know how to use, having a shovel, a probe, are all important rescue equipment.”

Webster said that although Avalanche Canada's bulletins are meant primarily for skiers and backcountry users, this time of year there's also concern for hikers.

“Particularly hikers around Lake Louise, they're not going into avalanche terrain, they don't know anything about avalanches,” he said.

Trails at valley bottoms largely free of snow this time of year can be deceiving to avalanche risks posed from above.

With the conditions this weekend, Webster said avalanches could run from high elevations all the way to the valley bottom.

He advised that hikers — particularly in the busy Lake Louise area — first go to a visitor centre to be directed on a hike that doesn't have avalanche exposure.

Snow-covered trails are often easy to walk on in the morning, but as temperatures warm in the afternoons they can become soft and difficult to traverse, said Webster.

“We've seen people become stranded at the end of a trail where it was easy to walk out in the morning, but in the afternoon when it has warmed they're post-holing through up to their knees or even up to their waist.”