Mt Ruapehu backcountry avalanche prompts warning for skiers and snowboarders

Backcountry skiers are being warned to take precautions on Mt Ruapehu and near other ski field areas after several avalanches.

At least three avalanches last weekend have prompted the NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) to remind skiers and snowboarders to adopt backcountry precautions when leaving patrolled ski areas.

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

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

Local Search and Rescue Dogs Avalanche team search the debris at the site of the avalanche on Mt Ruapehu on August 11. Photo / NZ Police

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. The slabs often behave unpredictably, including being triggered from a distance.

“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 Sunday, the Tūroa 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 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.

It followed two incidents in the South Island on Saturday.

In Canterbury’s Craigieburn Range, a skier in a party of three triggered a persistent slab avalanche. One skier was caught in its path but managed to escape without injury. The incident occurred not far outside the Porters ski area and was reported to the patrol team about 40 minutes after the event.

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.

“Skiing within the ski field boundary means you’re within a controlled environment where ski patrols monitor and manage avalanche danger,” Daisley said.

“In contrast, skiing in the backcountry is an uncontrolled, wild environment, where avalanche hazards are not actively managed.

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