‘Close calls’ prompt avalanche reminder

Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Three avalanches near skifields over the weekend has prompted the NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) to remind people to remain cautious outside patrolled ski areas.

The advice follows avalanches on Saturday at Craigieburn Range in Canterbury and outside the Fox Peak Ski Area in the Mackenzie District, and on Sunday at Mt Ruapehu in the central North Island.

MSC chief executive Mike Daisley said these incidents highlighted that all slopes beyond skifield boundaries, no matter how close, should be regarded as backcountry terrain and treated accordingly.

“Fortunately, in these cases, no one was injured, despite several close calls,” he said.

“Despite the proximity to a skifield, all backcountry terrain poses inherent risks that skiers and boarders need to be aware of.

“To safely navigate this terrain, backcountry enthusiasts need to get the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA) avalanche forecast and adapt their plans based on the information.

“They must have proper training to mitigate their risk, and carry avalanche rescue equipment and know how to use it.”

The NZAA, operated by MSC, identified a “range of avalanche problems” for the weekend, including persistent slabs, with most regions given a ‘moderate’ or ‘considerable’ avalanche danger rating.

MSC said persistent slabs are characterised by difficult-to-detect layers buried deep within a snowpack. These slabs often behave unpredictably, including being triggered from a distance.

On Saturday, in the Craigieburn Range, a skier in a party of three triggered a persistent slab avalanche, with one skier caught in its path, but managing to escape without injury.

The incident occurred not far outside the Porters ski area and was reported to the patrol team around 40 minutes after the event.

On the same day, a snowboarder in a party of three triggered a persistent slab avalanche outside the Fox Peak ski area in the Mackenzie Region.

The result was a 250-metre-long, 50-metre-wide avalanche. No one was caught in its path.

On Sunday, the Turoa ski patrol on Mt Ruapehu reported signs of an avalanche outside the ski area.

This prompted a search operation, as it was unclear if anyone was in the area at the time.

The debris were thoroughly searched using avalanche transceivers, a device that can both transmit and receive communications, and a RECCO detector, a rapid search mechanism. Then the local Search and Rescue Dogs Avalanche team went in. Nobody was detected..

Daisley said skiing within the skifield boundary meant a skier was within a controlled environment where ski patrols monitor and manage avalanche danger.

“In contrast, skiing in the backcountry is an uncontrolled, wild environment, where avalanche hazards are not actively managed.

“Those venturing beyond the patrolled ski area boundaries need to take responsibility for assessing the terrain, understanding snow conditions and making safe decisions.”

The NZAA provides daily avalanche forecasts for 13 backcountry alpine regions around New Zealand.