Yukon avalanche forecasting system could take time, experts

Canadian avalanche safety experts say it could be a while before the Yukon has its own official avalanche forecast, as more Yukoners would need to help gather data to make those forecasts possible.

Without its own official avalanche forecast, skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and snowmobilers heading into the territory's backcountry have to assess the avalanche risks themselves.

The Yukon's Highways Department does have its own avalanche hazard forecast, using data provided in part by avalanche specialist Hector Mackenzie.

But Mackenzie said he would like a forecast made available for all Yukoners and people across Canada to see.

"As far as the public's concerned, it's a bit difficult to get that information. The government owns that information and I'm not able to provide that publicly," Mackenzie told CBC News.

"I'm hoping that, within the foreseeable future, we'll be able to have a bulletin issued by the Canadian Avalanche Association in Revelstoke [B.C.] that will cover south Yukon, White Pass [and the] Atlin area."

The Canadian Avalanche Association compiles forecasts based on an information sharing system. Operations manager John Kelly said the association needs more Yukoners to help gather data.

"There's certainly a number of very skilled professionals and observers in the Yukon," Kelly said Thursday. "Currently, we don't have any subscribers to our information exchange from the Yukon area."

Avalanche forecasts in the Yukon are currently compiled with data and money from various sources, such as local heli-skiing operations. Mackenzie said he calls local media outlets himself in the event of a high or extremely high avalanche risk.

"It's very informal, and it doesn't really provide any information other than to say the hazard is high or extreme," he said.

To subscribe to the national avalanche information sharing system, heli-ski operators and others would have to pay and provide regular avalanche related data. In exchange for that, a comprehensive forecast would be compiled.

"If there were some other organizations or groups, or private-sector people, that could step up and help provide some of this additional information that's needed, maybe they could start to develop this capability to provide some backcountry assistance," said Allan Nixon, acting director of the Highways Department's transportation and maintenance branch.

Nixon said putting together an avalanche forecast for a corridor of the South Klondike Highway already costs about $70,000 a year. Expanding that forecast would cost the government even more.