Avalanche
On Saturday morning, an avalanche struck the Eco Bowl behind Falcon Chair at Big White Ski Resort. Three skiers venturing out of bounds around 11:30 a.m. local time triggered the avalanche. All three individuals involved emerged unharmed.
The resort promptly issued a warning, emphasizing the HIGH avalanche hazard rating and urging visitors to exercise caution and stay within designated boundaries.
“This incident involved three skiers and should serve as a reminder of the HIGH hazards that are beyond the resort’s marked boundaries.”
– Big White resort
According to Avalanche Canada, the size 3 avalanche was over 3,000 feet long, 300 feet wide, and almost 40″ deep.
Canada Avalanche forecaster Tyson Rettie cautioned that avalanche risks are escalating to high or extreme levels across several regions in British Columbia, including the North Shore mountains, Sea to Sky Country, and Vancouver Island. The persistence of a weak layer from early February continues to trigger avalanches, both human-triggered and natural, across the region. The recent incident follows a number of avalanche-related accidents, including the rescue of a woman buried by an avalanche on Mount Seymour last weekend.
With three fatalities reported in British Columbia since the beginning of the year, safety officials urge caution and advise against venturing into mountainous terrain. Dave Barnett, North Shore Rescue Search Manager, emphasized the importance of sticking to lower elevations and avoiding high-risk areas.
Avalanche danger in the area remains HIGH.
