Parks Canada is continuing to advise safety and conservative decision-making in Glacier National Park's backcountry avalanche terrain after recently fining multiple visitors for noncompliance.
As temperatures, modes of recreation and daylight hours change in the shoulder season, Parks Canada shared on Facebook that park wardens have charged at least two winter permit holders who'd been accessing a closed area in Glacier.
Last February, Parks Canada restricted access to a section of Glacier for multiple weeks after a visitor traversed into an adjacent prohibited area, which Black Press Media previously reported.
Most backcountry areas in the park along the Trans-Canada Highway are routinely opened for public access throughout winter at visitors' discretion, but closed whenever avalanche control work is planned to keep the transit corridor safe.
Parks Canada's post highlights that avalanche conditions and park closures can change sporadically this time of year, even after winter permit areas have remained open for several consecutive hot and sunny days.
"Avalanche terrain can lose stability unpredictably as warming temperatures reach deeper into the snowpack," the post reads. "While it may seem random, the avalanche control team is closely monitoring the snowpack."
It emphasizes that Glacier's winter permit system depends on park users' compliance to ensure safety for all parties.
"Terrain is closed for a reason, and breaking the rules comes with consequences," Parks Canada adds. "Don't make assumptions, and avoid target fixation on specific routes or objectives."
The post features a video of a Size 3 avalanche cascading down in Rogers Pass on March 26.
Check park closures and learn more about Glacier National Park's winter permit system at parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/glacier/visit/hiver-winter/ski.
