Alberta Parks and The Friends of Kananaskis Pleased to Present “Winter Safety Day”
Alberta Parks and The Friends of Kananaskis are thrilled to invite the public to Winter Safety Day, on January 20, 2024. This free, outdoor, educational event will take place at the Burstall Pass Parking Lot in the Spray Valley of Kananaskis.
“There has been an explosion of outdoor recreation in Kananaskis Country in the last several years,” says Derek Ryder, Communications Director of The Friends. “Many of these folks are new to recreation in the winter, a time of year that presents special safety issues, from avalanches to hypothermia. This event will enable folks of all experience levels to learn from outdoor recreation professionals and experts.”
Numerous organizations are participating, including:
Kananaskis Park Rangers
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
Kananaskis Mountain Rescue staff
Kananaskis Conservation Officers
Foothills Search and Rescue
Calgary Search and Rescue
Alberta Parks’ Kananaskis Ecology, Education and Interpretation Teams
Bow Valley WildSmart and the Wildlife Ambassadors
Alberta Parks’ Trail Crews
Java the Avalanche Rescue Dog
SkiUphill
CAMBA
And more!
In addition to extensive information on avalanche awareness, the day will also offer opportunities to understand wildlife safety and winter ecology, equipment and gear recommendations, emergency winter survival and shelters, wild ice-skating safety, groomed trail etiquette and much, much more. Whether you are a winter hiker, scrambler, skater, XC or backcountry skier, you’ll get something out of this day.
“Folks who get winter safety and avalanche risk information from social media will find this free event especially worthwhile,” said Ryder. “They’ll get a chance to hear from the people who actually do the rescues, about better ways to get information.”
More event information can be found on the Friends’ or Alberta Park’ websites, www.kananaskis.org or www.AlbertaParks.ca
Directions:
From the TransCanada highway, exit onto Hwy 40 heading south. Once in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, continue onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Turn right onto Hwy 742, the Smith-Dorien/Spray Trail, and travel north ~20 km to the Burstall Pass Parking Lot area. Alternately, drive ~40 km south from Canmore on Hwy 742.