December 20, 2001

Avalanche Awareness Night
"Know the Snow Before You Go"

Local skiers, boarders, and ice-climbers –— take note. Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre, the Canadian Avalanche Association and Parks Canada are once again presenting a free evening of expert speakers and exciting films to remind all locals of the importance of avalanche safety. If you plan to venture onto the snow slopes this winter, this evening is for you.

Avalanche Awareness Night includes high adrenaline films from the Banff Mountain Film Festival and presentations by avalanche and winter safety experts. The evening also features great door prizes and a trade show highlighting the latest avalanche safety information and equipment.

More and more people venture ‘out of bounds’ in the Canadian Rockies every winter in search of the steepest and deepest powder to ski and ride. In doing so they encounter avalanche terrain. Some will apply their avalanche safety skills and experience to stay alive and others, with little or no training, will expose themselves to potentially lethal danger.

In response to the tremendous growth in winter backcountry recreation, the Canadian Avalanche Association organizes an annual event on the second weekend in January — "Avalanche Awareness Days". This year in Banff, the Association will team up with Mountain Culture’s fourth annual Avalanche Awareness Night to spread the winter safety message to Bow Valley locals.

Avalanche Awareness Days is sponsored by Columbia Brewery/Kokanee, Marmot, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Sandman Hotels and Inns, Survival on Snow and the Canadian Avalanche Foundation.

Avalanche Awareness Night takes place Sunday, January 13, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Max Bell Auditorium. Last year’s show was packed – so get there early.