The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER–All the avalanches that killed snowmobilers over the past five years occurred in British Columbia, but two-thirds of the victims were from Alberta.
Avalanche Canada says March is the deadliest month for snowslides and it is focusing its safety message on Alberta’s snowmobilers this year.
The avalanche safety organization says of the 45 people who were killed in avalanches over the past five years, 24 were snowmobiling.
It says about 66 percent of the snowmobiling victims were male Alberta residents. And of those, 73 percent were from communities within 150 km of Edmonton.
Last year, 12 of the 15 people who died in avalanches were snowmobilers, including five Alberta men who died in a major slide near McBride, B.C. in January.
Curtis Pawliuk, general manager of the Valemount and Area Recreation District, a popular destination for Alberta snowmobilers, said far too often he sees terrain choices that do not fit the conditions.
“These people are getting lucky,” he noted in a statement.
“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.”
