Avalanche concerns in the Rockies lead to highway closures and backcountry advisories

Avalanche Canada has issued advisories for several backcountry areas. Jordan Kanygin has details.

Authorities in British Columbia have ordered the closure of Highway 93, near the village of Radium, because of “high avalanche hazard.”

DriveBC says the closure will remain until at least noon on Saturday.

It affects 90 kilometres of the highway, from the west boundary of Kootenay National Park to the end of Highway 93, where it meets Highway 95, the route to Golden.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Parks Canada says it has had reports of avalanche activity in many of the mountain regions, from Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Park to Jasper National Park.

The agency says it has triggered avalanches in those areas to reduce the risk.

One of those triggered slides, along the Trans-Canada Highway between Revelstoke and Golden, was a size four.

An avalanche that size is powerful enough to destroy a rail car, a large truck, several buildings or cut down a swath of forest about 10 acres in size.

Jasper storm increases risk

Staff in Jasper National Park said a winter storm in the area this week brought as much as 92 centimetres of snow and rain to the region.

Officials said the conditions led to a high avalanche risk for the Icefields Parkway from Athabasca Falls to Saskatchewan Crossing.

Because of this, Parks Canada has closed the highway from noon Wednesday until at least Friday.

“Your safety is our priority,” Parks Canada said in an online statement.

“Parks Canada only closes roads when absolutely necessary, when weather, road or avalanche conditions present a risk to human life.”

Risk in Banff

Closer to Calgary, Parks Canada warned visitors to stay out avalanche terrain due to expected avalanches over the next few days.

Parks Canada says between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow or equivalent rain has fallen at lower elevations in the area on March 16.

Warming temperatures and added winds, snow and rain will add to the risk of large, destructive avalanches that could run to historic runouts.

“We expect this load to overload these layers in the next few days, which will trigger a widespread avalanche cycle,” a statement said.

The Mount Stephen avalanche zone was closed on Wednesday.