The Avalanche Detection Network and the Largest Avalanche Cycle of the Season in British Columbia’s Interior
In mid-March 2026, heavy precipitation combined with rapidly rising temperatures triggered exceptionally high avalanche activity across the Columbia Mountains of interior British Columbia — the largest natural avalanche cycle of the season.
Since 2018, Parks Canada avalanche forecasters and technicians in Glacier National Park have been utilizing Wyssen Avalanche Control’s IDA® and LARA® avalanche detection systems as a core part of their daily operations. During this intense four-day cycle, the Avalanche Detection Network (ADN) recorded over 700 avalanche detections from Glacier National Park alone — representing more than 20% of all detections logged this entire winter.
Forecasters relied on this continuous stream of real-time data through the WAC.3 web platform, alongside integrated weather station feeds, to track the timing of avalanche activity, identify trends, and support critical operational decisions — including the remote control of avalanches with Wyssen Avalanche Towers, which were triggered remotely three times during the cycle as part of coordinated avalanche control operations.
This data helps authorities better understand the extent of avalanche activity while minimizing direct exposure to avalanche hazard.
You can find more information about the project at the link below:
