Avalanche rescue gear doesn't have to be overly costly

With avalanche warnings in place in several national parks this weekend, safety instructors are reminding backcountry users that proper equipment doesn't have to be overly expensive.

Parks Canada issued warnings for Jasper, Banff, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks, where the danger is rated "considerable" below the treeline.

The avalanche risk is also rated "considerable" in Kananaskis Country at treeline and alpine elevationsand in Glacier National Park both below the treeline and at the alpine elevation.

• Avalanche warning issued by Parks Canada for Alberta, B.C. mountains

Jesse deMontignyruns avalanche training courses atYamnuskaMountain Adventures.

He saystransceivers the beacons that signal where someone is trapped under snow often cost between $300 and $600.

But a higher price tag doesn't mean it's necessarily safer.

"I don't think there's a right and wrong transceiver, to be honest with you. What I do think is that you need to practise. It's just a piece of electronics, right?So the more you use it, the more familiar you'll be. And the best transceiver is the one you're familiar with," he said.

"In a stressful situation you probably don't want a bunch of bells and whistles. You probably just want it to work, be very simple."

Avalanche Canada advises anyone going intobackcountryto at least have three critical pieces of rescue gear:

• A transceiver,which is worn in a harness;
• A probe, which can cost between $64 and $99 and is used to measure depth and search for someone caught in an avalanche; and
• a shovel, ranging from $49 to $169 and is used to dig someone out.

"In an avalanche rescue, you're going to use the transceiver to get close and you're going to use the probe to pinpoint the person," said deMontigny. "When you get a probe strike, you leave the probe in and that's where you get your shovel out."

Airbags are also available, which inflate to keep someone caught in an avalanche close to the surface. Those can run from $499 to $1,499 and need an air cartridge that costs $200 to $250.

Lisa Ring is on a budget, so she went looking for second-hand gear online and using the savings to pay for an avalanche training course.

"You can find good equipment that hasn't been used for a good price," she said.

"It's a gamble, but I saved $300 or $400."

Backcountryusers should also check avalanche conditions before heading out.

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