January 14, 2011
Friday PM

(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Sunday morning members of the KVRS Mountain Rescue team hiked the Deer Mountain Trail. The team conducted winter rope rescue training and dug avalanche pits to assess the avalanche danger.

According to information provided by Jerry Kiffer, a layer at 3 feet was discovered that showed some danger of avalanche and a layer at 1 foot was discovered that is considered at extreme danger of avalanche.

Over-all conditions on Deer Mountain are considered extreme, with the weather report calling for higher temperatures and the possibility of accumulations of snow at higher altitudes, Kiffer said the Ketchikan Volunteer Mountain Rescue team is urging  extreme caution when traveling on the mountain, travel in a group, and make sure you have your avalanche beacon set to transmit.

While avalanches are most often triggered by skiers or snowboarders, they can be triggered by a single step in the wrong place at the wrong time, so please enjoy yourself but be careful said Kiffer.

Interested persons can call KVRS for a free rental of a SPOT locator beacon at 225-9010. 

Source of News:

Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad
ketchikanrescue.org

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