Avalanche in Golden highlights risks of winter recreation

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GOLDEN (NEWS1130) – An avalanche has hit Kicking Horse Mountain in Golden.

RCMP say no one is hurt but the ski hills had to be closed for about half an hour while a safety sweep was done.

Thanks to heavy rain, warm temperatures and new snow the risk of avalanches is rising around BC. Tim Jones with North Shore Rescue says the avalanche forecast on Vancouver’s North Shore is high above the treeline.

“We advise people not to venture out into the backcountry,” he says. “Stay away particularly from any terrain traps, [such as] gulleys.  Just a small storm-slab type avalanche, very heavy wet snow, could be very serious.”

Jones adds that heavy rain is falling on new snow, which is creating slabs of snow that could come loose if a skier or snowshoer ventures out. 

“We’ve got new snow that is saturated with moisture. Basically, that’s the hazard right now.”

A high avalanche risk is also in place for the Sea to Sky region.

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