Three avalanche near misses over the weekend have prompted warnings for backcountry skiers to be prepared and have the right mindset when on the slopes this winter.
Two avalanches on Saturday at the Craigieburn Range in Canterbury and outside the Fox Peak ski area in the MacKenzie Region were human-triggered. A third occurred outside the ski area on Mount Ruapehu on Sunday, prompting a search operation. No one was injured.
The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory operated by the Mountain Safety Council identified a range of avalanche problems for the weekend, including persistent slabs which are characterised by difficult to detect layers buried deep within a snow pack.
Most regions have been given a moderate to considerable avalanche danger rating.
Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley told Breakfast skiers and boarders should refer to the advisory before heading into the back country.
"Back country is literally after you've ducked the rope or left the ski field. The ski field has done a lot of work to prepare that area to be safe from avalanches, but as soon as you've left that area, you're in Mother Nature's hands, so to speak, and you've got to know about the environment you're heading into."
Current weather conditions were "unusual" and have shifted the type of avalanche risk New Zealand was seeing this year, Daisley said.
"This weak layer is created very early in the winter, and there has been a lot of snow since, so its hard to dig down to and understand if it's there."
Having the skills and knowledge before heading into these environments was important, he said, adding that his advice was to assume there was a weak layer and to check the avalanche advisory.
"It's impossible to accurately predict it is going to happen on that particular slope at 3pm in the afternoon.
"Don't be assuming that when you've left a ski field that because you're quite close to one that somehow you've got some inherent safety from it. You need to be prepared and have the mindset for that environment."
Where to find out more
The Mountain Safety Council chief executive suggested people who have never been into these environments undertook an avalanche awareness course.
"There's 30 odd providers around the country that we have endorsed.
"Using that avalanche advisory, you can easily go out in these environments and safely navigate around those avalanche problems."
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