Snow conditions in the Tombstone Territorial Park are unstable following an abnormally high accumulation of snow recently.
Gordon Macrae, parks superintendent for the Klondike region, said this morning he’s keeping the avalanche warning in effect at least until Friday, when he’ll travel to the park to dig a snow pit and check conditions.
The Tombstone park has received 100 centimetres of snow in 10 days over the last two weeks, he said.
Macrae said the new snow is sitting on top of a windswept, crusty layer which makes for unstable conditions.
The Department of Environment issued the Tombstone advisory last Friday.
“We are trying to be a little pro-active because this is an unusual storm cycle that we had,” he said.
Macrae said once they’ve dug the pit by this coming Friday, they’ll have a better idea of the stability.
In the meantime, however, conditions should be considered dangerous, he said.
Macrae said if there are steady, even subzero temperatures for a few days, the snowpack could stabilize.
“I want to always emphasize that anybody going into the back-country, whether they are skiers or sledders, should have an avalanche transceiver, a probe, and a shovel, and should (be) trained in the use of that equipment.”
And nobody, he insisted, should be travelling alone in the back-country.
Macrae said there hasn’t been any activity by outdoor enthusiasts recently, particularly with the unfavourable weather lately.
But it is the beginning of the season when snowmobilers and skiers like to get out and enjoy the longer days and nicer spring weather, he said.
Macrae pointed out the annual Diamond Days snowmobile competitions inside the territorial park are scheduled for March 27.
The action includes high-marking, or seeing whose machine can climb the highest on the steepest grades. It’s believed a couple of snowmobilers high-marking triggered last Saturday’s deadly avalanche in Revelstoke, B.C.
Jennifer Magnuson, a spokeswoman for the Yukon’s Department of Highways and Public Works, said today conditions along both the Klondike and Haines highway corridors are currently stable.
The Haines Junction RCMP, however, did receive a report from a back-country skier last Wednesday afternoon who witnessed what was described as a huge avalanche on Three Guardsmen Mountain off the Haines Highway at kilometre 92.
Haines Junction Cpl. David Morin said the Haines, Alaska resident saw the snowslide and called to say he was absolutely certain there was nobody else in the area at the time, just in case a passing motorist may have become concerned, as the area was visible from the highway.