Skiers and snowboarders are being warned to adopt backcountry precautions when leaving a patrolled ski area.

The advice follows at least three avalanches near ski fields over the weekend.

“These incidents really highlight that all slopes beyond ski field boundaries, no matter how close, should be regarded as backcountry terrain and treated accordingly,” says MSC Chief Executive Mike Daisley.

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

The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA), which is 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. 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.

“Despite the proximity to a ski field, all backcountry terrain poses inherent risks that skiers and boarders need to be aware,” says Mike.

“To safely navigate this terrain, backcountry enthusiasts need to get the 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 provides daily avalanche forecasts for 13 backcountry alpine regions around Aotearoa.

On Saturday, August 10, in the Craigieburn Range, Canterbury, 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 mins after the event.

Similarly, on Saturday, 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 was thoroughly searched using avalanche transceivers, followed by a RECCO detector, and then the local Search and Rescue Dogs Avalanche team. After a comprehensive search, no one was found and the search was concluded.
 
“Skiing within the ski field boundary means you're 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,” says Mike.

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

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People heading into the New Zealand back country this winter, are encouraged to: 
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