The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) issued a Special Public Avalanche warning that is in effect for Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11.
The CAC issued the warning for recreational backcountry users and included in the warning, the mountains of the South Coast Inland, the Columbia Mountains from near Prince George in the north to the U.S. border in the south and B.C.’s South Rockies.
According to the CAC's website, the danger rating for the Kootenay Boundary area as of 11:30 p.m. is high.
It says there are very dangerous avalanche conditions and recommends against travel in avalanche terrain.
"We have a variety of issues within the snowpack right now that cause us two main concerns,” explained CAC Public Avalanche Warning Services Co-ordinator Ilya Storm in a release.
"The first is that the size of avalanches is likely to be much bigger than might be expected, and could be triggered remotely, which means triggered at a distance or from the bottom of the slope. Our other main concern is that slopes generally considered safer – lower angle, below treeline – are primed for human triggering."
"Knowing the slope history is key to good decisions right now. And make sure you park in safe spots – well to the side of any avalanche path or far away from the runout zone. Given the size of recent avalanches, the bottom of runout zones this weekend might be farther than you think," Storm went on to say.
The CAC advises all recreational backcountry users to monitor avalanche bulletins and recommends everyone in a backcountry party have a shovel, probe and transceiver and have taken an avalanche awareness course.