Ripe avalanche conditions for parts of B.C. expected to persist this week: forecaster

A forecaster says ripe avalanche conditions are expected to persist across much of British Columbia for the rest of the week.

Large swaths of the province, stretching from the coast to the Alberta boundary, are under “considerable” or moderate” avalanche danger warnings.

Tyson Rettie with Avalanche Canada says the conditions are largely a result of a series of storms over the past week that have lead to temperature fluctuations and significant amounts of snow at high elevation points.

Four backcountry skiers were buried Monday in an avalanche on Ipsoot Mountain north of Whistler, B.C., and a fifth was partially buried.

B.C. Emergency Health Services says three of the skiers were transported to hospital in stable condition, while the other two didn’t require hospitalization.

RCMP say the avalanche was large enough to seriously injure or kill people.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press