The vast majority of snowmobilers who died in the B.C Rockies in the past five years are from the Edmonton region, according to new numbers from Avalanche Canada.
The report says 45 people were killed in avalanches in that time period; 24 of them while snowmobiling.
All of the snowmobiling accidents over the past five years occurred in BC; two-thirds of the victims were Alberta residents.
Of those victims, 73 per cent were from communities within 150 km of Edmonton.
“Unlike other user groups, snowmobiling avalanche fatalities are showing a clear pattern,” said Gilles Valade, Executive Director of Avalanche Canada in a statement.
“When we see such a cluster in terms of place of residence, it raises a concern that our safety messages aren’t reaching the people who clearly need it most.”
March is considered the deadliest time for avalanche fatalities in B.C. With the deadly trend showing no signs of slowing, safety officials are focusing their efforts on Alberta riders.
‘There is a significant cluster’
“We have a pretty weak snow pack in the mountains right now,” said Karl Klassen, Avalanche Canada’s warning service manager in Revelstoke. “There is a significant cluster of people an area around Edmonton that seem to be dying at a greater rate than other locations.”
“We’re trying to get the word out that, for some reason, people in this area are making decisions that put them at risk.”
There have been hundreds of people killed by avalanches in Canada, one of the most recent victims being Joshuah Bradshaw, 27. The Edmonton man was killed in an avalanche near Valemount, B.C. on Dec. 30th.
In January of last year, five Alberta men died when the group they were riding with triggered a deluge of ice and snow on a mountain range east of McBride, B.C.
The number of avalanche deaths each year has varied greatly, ranging from five in the winter of 2012/13 to 29 in 2002/03. But Klassen remains concerned about the deadly trend.
He’s urging more riders to take the Avalanche Skills Training course, where they will learn how to self-rescue and navigate safely in the backcountry.
“It’s great fun to be in the mountains and we want people to have a great time, but we also want people to make an informed decision about risk and you can’t do that if you don’t have training.”
Curtis Pawliuk is the General Manager of the Valemount and Area Recreation District, a popular snowmobiling destination for Alberta riders.
Riders should check the conditions forecast regularly and come prepared with an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel, Pawliuk recommends.
“Far too often we see terrain choices that simply do not fit the conditions,” said Pawliuk. “These people are getting lucky. While the snowmobile community has come a long way, we need to start seeing greater buy-in and respect for the hazards of the backcountry.”