Snowmobile safety tips for the Nicola Valley

MERRITT – With snow on the ground, some people may be out on the hills on their snowmobiles but officials are reiterating riding safety.

Simon Rizzardo, Vice-President of the Merritt Snowmobile Club, gives their number one message to anybody heading out to the back country.

“The biggest thing that we recommend is ride in groups, don’t go by yourself. Even three minutes by yourself, like in the recent Ken Block incident down in the States where he was only by himself for three minutes and was caught under his snowmobile and passed away, so riding in a group and making sure you have communication. Have two way radios, have some sort of means of talking helmet to helmet type of connection, make sure that you’re not riding too far ahead while not riding in advanced areas that you probably shouldn’t be.”

More safety tips provided was making sure you have the right equipment and that is works properly.

“Make sure you have an airbag, make sure you have a probe, make sure you got a shovel, make sure you have your PIEPS on and make sure you check your PIEPS before you go. We have two avalanche PIEP checkers at our trail heads, so basically as you drive by on your snowmobile it gives you a green circle that you are transmitting or has a red x that your not transmitting, so make sure that you have fresh batteries. If you don’t go by one of the beacon checkers, make sure you put your unit into transmit mode or put it in receive mode to check to make sure everybody in your group is transmitting and just stay out of those alpine areas that have slopes that could potentially be a hazard for avalanche.”

Just like when travelling the highways, Rizzardo said the message is the same when doing your preparations before heading out.

“Know before you go and check the avalanche risk. Right now it is at a very high level in the back country, we’ve got instable snow pack and it’s just not set up right because we have had all these warm temperatures and it’s bringing down slides right now.”

Since the new year, there has been two different tragic incidents involving snowmobiles. On Monday (January 9), two police officers in Nelson, B.C. were caught in an avalanche, killing one and the other is in critical care. On January 3, professional rally driver, Ken Block was killed in a similar situation.