Anyone thinking deadly avalanche conditions are only relevant for the mountain ranges to the west of Jasper couldn’t be more wrong. Jasper National Park is now warning that the risk of avalanches inside the park is considerable and potentially deadly.

“Normally, springtime brings an improvement in avalanche conditions but, this year, the opposite is proving to be true. The avalanche danger in the alpine is considerable,” states a Jasper National Park Information Update. “There are layers in the snowpack that are very reactive to skiers. There have been five remote triggered avalanches since March 13 in the park. These highlight the complexity of the conditions.”

“Considerable” is the most challenging type of avalanche danger.

“Backcountry travellers must use extra caution and stay focused. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding and conservative decision making are essential,” continues the public warning.

Steve Blake, a Public Safety Specialist with Jasper National Park, said that the lack of snow in February in the park played some role in creating more surface hoare and faceted snow on and in the snow in the park. When a major snowfall came down two weeks ago, mixed with the dribs and drabs that followed, it crashed onto these unstable conditions and raised the potential for avalanches.

“To use layman’s terms, those layers will heal, but it will take some time,” said Blake.

He added the large fluctuations in temperature can also create conditions more prone to avalanches and the variety of warm and cool days in Jasper may have played some role in the more dangerous conditions.

“Stable temperatures mean more stable snow pack conditions,” said Blake. “It’s been spring weather lately and weather in the spring is typically more dynamic.”

The public warning from the park urges people to remember that predicting avalanches can be a very tricky business.

“[A] daily melt-freeze cycle can bring some of the most stable and most unstable snow during the same day. Variable conditions are truly time-sensitive; the right place at the right time can change to the wrong place at the wrong time in the span of hours or even minutes,” it reads.

Blake said that part of the reason for the warning has to do with more people being out in the mountains. As spring rolls out, people want to take advantage of the longer days and the warmer weather. More people on the mountains means more potential for danger.

“We don’t want to discourage people from using the parks. They should just be careful when they’re out there,” said Blake.