Fernie, BC

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Two experts want you to be safer this winter

Devastating beauty: Learn how to take on an avalanche zone safely. —photo by Clair Israelson

By Joni Krats

“When you are on a snowmobile, you don’t hear anything and you are going so fast that you have zero time to react (to an avalanche),” said Chris Thomas, president of the Fernie Search and Rescue team. “The other thing is that the terrain snowmobilers like to ride is predominantly avalanche terrain.”

Thomas lead the rescue and body recovery of the Sparwood snowmobilers who met disaster at Harvey Pass last winter—so he has strong feelings about safety.

Thomas was dismayed to see that although a snowmobiler-specific avalanche training course was offered in his area last year, it was cancelled due to lack of enrollment.

Mary Clayton, of the Canadian Avalanche Association, said that she would like to see greater numbers of snowmobilers taking avalanche training this year. She also said that sled-specific courses have been developed to meet the needs of snowmobilers.

“We are still working with mountain snowmobilers, to have them let the snow conditions dictate their activities for the day,” said Clayton.

She wants snowmobilers to do three things: “Get the training, have the gear, check the bulletin.” Thomas warned that avalanche bulletins do not cover the conditions for all remote areas. “You should check the bulletin, but also be keenly aware of the area where you are going,” said Thomas. “You should be conducting your own safety assesment of the terrain you will be using.

The Association has added a snowmobile landing page that includes avalanche bulletins and links to course dates and times.

Important resources: The Canadian Avalanche Association now offers sledder-specific avalanche training. Visit www.avalanche.ca/sled to see avalanche bulletins and find training dates and times that will work for you. Download the Companion Rescue Card from the Canadian Avalanche Centre website and have it laminated. Attach it to your beacon for times of extreme emergency. Search and Rescue has a trip planning form at www.ferniesar.ca/survival.