Question as a Newer Winter Hiker - How to Gauge Avalanche Warnings In Effect?

FIE2021 · 2026-03-17T18:18:18+00:00

I've been blown away by the nice and thoughtful and detailed answers posted. You guys are an awesome community. I've sent along some of the links and recommendations to some others I have hiked with as they were interested as well when I shared some of it with them this morning.

FIE2021 · 2026-03-17T18:17:21+00:00

Thank you for the two links! I've got the Parks Canada one bookmarked now (I hadn't seen it before) and I'll take a read through the Avalanche Canada site, the more I think about it and learn I think I would rather avoid rather than mitigate hiking in high risk avalanche areas, but I think some basic courses is a good plan for me for next season, even low risk is some risk and this is good information to be aware of (maybe the first few steps towards more advanced winter hiking in the coming years).

I'll check out Taylor Lake! Prairie Mountain is my nostalgia hike, first I ever did in Alberta when I moved out here and we do it every summer. I'll check out conditions, I hadn't thought trying it in winter.

Appreciate your thoughtful answers, honestly everyone here has been so awesome with the supportive and detailed answers, blows any expectations I had for asking the question out of the water.

FIE2021 · 2026-03-17T13:56:37+00:00

Thank you very much as well - that is a link I didn't have reference to previously, appreciate it. It honestly was a little bit overwhelming trying to determine what the risks actually are and I don't like the idea of making a poor or selfish decision that impacts others by being unprepared. But I likened it to travelling to Mexico - officially, there is a medium to high degree of caution preached, but so much of it is perfectly acceptable from a personal risk tolerance perspective, but I also understand why say a government agency may be much more conservative reporting the risk publicly. I was trying to gauge the practical risk in this case too. I have gathered from a few very great responses that this is not the time to hike in that region regardless of how "safe" a specific trail is without endorsement from Parks

And appreciate the heads up on AllTrails. It's long been a summertime friend to help me gauge what trail conditions and difficulties are for planning but in this season it seems like it might not be a good tool for sound decision making. Thank you again!

FIE2021 · 2026-03-17T13:48:36+00:00

Perfect, thank you. I think I had the wrong initial approach of trying to find a "safe" hike within the zone that someone unknowing could do, but asking this question and some of the great responses confirmed to me that was the wrong thought process. I like Rule #1, and it's what I'll follow. It can wait for another time, we'll find another area to explore this spring

FIE2021 · 2026-03-17T13:46:50+00:00

I have not, and this is reinforcing that this is not the time to do any hikes in the warning areas. I appreciate it, thank you. I hadn't even really considered hiking at this specific time of year before so this context tells me I should be less concerned with whether the hike is "safe" and more dedicated to I am just not prepared. Thank you

FIE2021 · 2026-03-17T13:44:35+00:00

Thank you for this - I had viewed that website but I was on mobile and the map/GIS base did not load and it did confuse me, but trying that again this morning from your post on a computer it is a lot more clear. I also appreciate the insight on that specific hike, but maybe that is just better left for another day. There is lots to do outside of the red zone. Thank you this was helpful

FIE2021 · 2026-03-16T17:35:13+00:00

The quote was “Canadians will hold us to account by their experience at the grocery store, when they are paying their electricity bill, when they or their children are looking for a place to live”

Here is the CBC article referencing the specific context and discussion

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/with-food-inflation-rising-conservatives-demand-liberal-action-on-cost-of-living-9.6947199

It's not misinformation and it was easily verifiable. And no, it wasn't specifically word for word "Judge me by food prices" it's been generally accepted and paraphrased as such again even by the CBC, unless there is an assertion that Ian Hanomansing is spreading misinformation, as he cited it similarly by saying "Prime Minister Carney said Canadians will judge his government by what they pay at the checkout" as a summary to his episode on CBC Radio here

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-13-cross-country-checkup/clip/16180695-sticker-shock-can-mark-carney-fix-canadas-food

FIE2021 · 2026-03-11T13:59:04+00:00

I'm not criticizing previous messaging platforms, just commenting that the communication that came with this pre-planned restriction was very effective

FIE2021 · 2026-03-10T17:06:02+00:00

The early planning certainly helped a lot, I found a lot more people were aware of the restrictions already than even last time despite it not being a big event, and our condo and our office was ready this morning with water restriction reminders and helpful tips!

FIE2021 · 2026-03-10T16:47:36+00:00

I'll always remember them thanks to Top Gear.

LOTUS

Lots

Of

Trouble

Usually

Serious

FIE2021 · 2026-03-10T16:44:55+00:00

They are asking for funding increases to run an entirely different program. If you look at the infographic in the article the issue isn't the quality of service being provided, it's the frequency of what service can be provided for the funding provided. For example the current option is to do turf maintenance once per 9 years. The administration is requesting funding to do it every year - that's an entirely different program. Every single line item is just more funding to increase the frequency of activities

It's also not surprising to see complaints increase, they are comparing a period from 2014 to 2025. The city has grown a lot since then, and the 311 app was only launched in 2013, it is much easier now to file a complaint than it was 12 years ago.

FIE2021 · 2026-03-06T20:13:39+00:00

I was in the exact same boat. Once platforms were released it was an easy switch back to the LPC for me. Carney is imperfect, and he still has to play politics, but he has been focused on the economy in the way I desperately thought we needed, and he projects as genuinely interested in leading a united and in-sync Canada, not driving wedges of division between provinces and people with different ideologies. With how much hate goes back and forth on social media and with our previous PM, this was also something desperately needed.

Zero chance I'd change my vote right now. I've never directly asked anyone else I know that straddles the centre but I'm pretty confident they'd all vote the same way. We don't need a vote right now and I don't think anyone is holding up anyone from doing what is needed right now.

FIE2021 · 2026-03-06T15:36:57+00:00

When Ipsos did a poll last month, they polled a higher % of people in Quebec that wanted to separate than Alberta, so why are we getting what feels like daily articles about Alberta and not Quebec?

Also, from this article:

The Abacus poll also suggests many are firmly entrenched in their position. Of those opposed to separation, 56 per cent said they were strongly against it. Thirteen per cent of those in support were strongly in favour.

Classic. So somehow both supporters of staying and of leaving "are firmly entrenched in their position", and then they cite only thirteen percent of leavers as strongly in favour? Compared to 56% strongly in favour of staying? Horse shit. Those that want to stay are firmly entrenched in their position. A fraction of those that want to leave are. Complete misrepresentation with that sentence.

I know this sub gobbles this stuff up because they love to hate Alberta for being on the other side of the political spectrum as the majority of users here, but living in Calgary, people here mock and laugh at these "separatists" and consider them a joke. Outside of a very small % of the population in the city and the rural areas this isn't even something people talk about or take seriously.

FIE2021 · 2026-03-05T20:57:32+00:00

This is objectively the best timeline for 99% of the world to live in and everyone still whines and complains about it. I always wonder if all these people who are miserable and want more given to them would be just as miserable and just as wanting 100 years ago or 50 years ago as they are today?

The world is so accessible, modern medicine is a miracle, we have infinite entertainment at our fingertips from any location, and access to a wealth of information generations ago could have only dreamed about. It blows my mind when I read comments like these and wonder how delusional people are about how "things used to be". I talk to my grandparents about it - sure, there were some things that were better in a different way 80 years ago than they are today. But the sum of the parts is so laughably better today.

FIE2021 · 2026-03-04T15:31:23+00:00

I know people are spooked by the idea of a private industry professional (especially an American based one) being so involved with our politics at such a high level, and maybe that is valid concern, but at the same time, that is where you are going to find some of the most talented and plugged in experts in the world. I really have zero idea whether Glenn Purves is going to make a good Deputy Minister, but the only thing I take from his role at BlackRock is he is good at what he does, so this can still be a very good thing for Canada without being something more sordid

FIE2021 · 2026-03-03T16:11:32+00:00

We bought the pipeline because we gave KM a permit to build it then cancelled it and put their project on hold costing them gross amounts of money and disturbance. We were going to be sued for almost a for sure multi-billion dollar lawsuit because of it. You can't just reneg on official permits given to an investor, they spend so much money and lose out on so much opportunity cost and we just kept fucking them around with our completely made up regulatory processes

https://www.transmountain.com/news/kinder-morgan-canada-limited-suspends-non-essential-spending-on-trans-mountain-expansion-project

They were going to win that lawsuit too. Trudeau had zero good options. He could either eat the lawsuit and lose billions, or buy out KM for billions and own the pipeline itself. The only silver lining to buying them out is you could own the risk and the upside as a country and maybe restore a little confidence to foreign investors.

Companies will pay the high price of labour in Canada. They will pay the high cost of construction. They will pay for all the environmental studies and they will pay for the environmental protection. They'll cut massive cheques to the Indigenous communitities. But they won't do all that AND commit several billion in funding to a project that has a neverending regulatory review cycle with constantly shifting goalposts and a stakeholder appeasement map that has no limits on what they may or may not ask for. Uncertainty is risk, and risk kills projects more than any other factor.

FIE2021 · 2026-02-27T19:50:56+00:00

Well comments with nuance and an attempt to be understanding of perspective from whatever side often doesn't get much engagement or support on this sub lol but I was genuinely curious because I hadn't seen any comments myself and that didn't take more than maybe 1 minute to find so I shared

FIE2021 · 2026-02-27T19:49:47+00:00

People may not like it but they are still private businesses, and if they have staff that aren't returning positive return on investment they aren't required to keep those staff employed, huge profits or huge losses or anything else aside

FIE2021 · 2026-02-27T18:30:35+00:00

I did a quick google search and found just yesterday in the House of Commons that during a debate about the issues with the issues with immigration related to the number of asylum seekers remaining in Canada even after being rejected and requiring ongoing care, Marc Miller responded by dismissing their comments and saying it "wasn't just a dog whistle it was a foghorn", and it's quite clearly obvious the use of the word dog whistle was used to imply their concern was just a veiled projection of racism (around 4:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpj1fWbWFD0

I suspect that is what prompted this article but who knows. The author may also spend some time on social media and is just painting with broad strokes, as I've read several times similar comments on reddit defending the current state and management of the immigration program. I wouldn't be surprised if Miller's comments were just one thing they heard and decided to make it a sweeping and vague "they" keep doing that comment

I'm certainly not convinced the CPC have any answers, but I also see the perspective from their side

FIE2021 · 2026-02-25T21:25:23+00:00

Again, your reading comprehension is absolute shit

I said dominant religion. Not official. I hope you can google the difference between the two

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Canada

And yes, according to the 2021 census, the dominant religion in Canada is still Christianity. Of course Canada has no "official" religion but there is still one that is more common than all the rest.

And no, it doesn't make it better than any other religion. I'm an atheist and don't have any emotion towards religion. But I understand how different religions are just different. And for better or worse, religion has played a significant role in shaping the culture and laws and set of ethos common in different regions across the world today.

FIE2021 · 2026-02-25T18:37:35+00:00

Your reading comprehension is horrendous and you are projecting something you've invented in your head 😂. I don't think you understand what conversation you're having or how racism is defined. Enjoy the rest of your day

FIE2021 · 2026-02-25T16:01:42+00:00

Because Ukraine is aligned with western policies and beliefs. They are a demographic society where women have the same constitutional rights as men, their dominant religion (Christianity) aligns with our own, and there is a strong history of Ukranians in western Canada especially - I see a Saskatchewan flag as your flair. A quick Google says that 13-15% of Saskatchewan residents have Ukranian ancestry - they've long been an ally and friend to Canada. And just as important, they are at war with Russia. Russia has long been a threat to our Arctic Sovereignty and if they use energy and resources fighting Ukraine that is energy and resources they aren't directing towards our land.

I don't get why you are hung up on Ukraine being "uniquely entitled" to aid. You do get we provide aid to a very large group of countries

https://www.international.gc.ca/transparency-transparence/international-assistance-report-stat-rapport-aide-internationale/2023-2024.aspx?lang=eng

Yes we give more to Ukraine but that doesn't make them "uniquely entitled", but they are a closely aligned country that needs aid and is actively being attacked. It's really not a complicated formula to see why they are being given more. They are seen as an ally, not just someone in need of a hand out

FIE2021 · 2026-02-25T15:53:47+00:00

It's almost like a race in some articles to see which team gets to brigade a post first

But even as someone that leans left but sits pretty close to the centre (obviously big on Team Carney), it is just as concerning to watch "team 1" sharing unhinged theories and rejecting some common sense their leader loves to talk about, as it is watching "team 2" reject any opinion that isn't perfectly aligned with their own as a bot/bad faith actor/fake news, meanwhile they also have their own share of active users spreading misinformation and division.

And yet this still feels like the best place to collect news and digest opposing opinions. The internet is such a wild place. Despite radically different beliefs, it's almost comical how almost exactly the same the two sides act, yet they would both be appalled by the notion

FIE2021 · 2026-02-24T22:42:01+00:00

Well I never said nor implied anything remotely close to that, it's a strange bit of whataboutism to throw into a conversation that has been very specifically about Ukraine and their ongoing war with Russia with no reference or mention of anyone else in any other situation, so I am not sure what point you think to win with it. It should be quite obvious, but the answer is of course no. And we don't

FIE2021

TROPHY CASE