A GoFundMe page has been created for the family of a 30-year-old Richard Stewart who died in a rare avalanche in the Blomidon Mountains on the province’s west coast.
RCMP have issued a warning that other avalanches could occur in the area of Charlie’s Bottom near Humber Arm South.
Avalanche Canada has created an avalanche field team in Newfoundland to monitor conditions in the back country and issue regular forecasts. The team’s first forecast was issued a few weekends ago.
Avalanche Canada Field Team Leader Andy Nichols is passing his condolences on to the victim’s family. He says while avalanches are rare in Newfoundland and Labrador compared to the Rockies, there have been a number of devastating avalanches over the years. He says those incidents are more likely as people gain greater access to the back country.
He says any slope that’s more than 30 to 45 degrees is prone to avalanche. Of greatest concern are the Lewis Hills, the Blomidons, the North Arm Hills, Tablelands, and the northern part of Gros Morne, but an avalanche can take place in any area where there is a slope of at least 30 to 45 degrees and is big, steep and open.
