he comments from Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger come after another deadly season in B.C.’s mountains, which saw three men killed in avalanches triggered by high-marking — a practice where snowmobilers drive their machines up slopes as far as possible.
Krueger said he is working with a committee of cabinet ministers to create new regulations that would deal with the small and specific group of people.
"They endanger not just themselves, which is bad enough, but those with them and others enjoying the backcountry," he said.
High-marking is said to have triggered the avalanches that killed Shay Snortland and Kurtis Reynolds on March 13 and, days later, Kelly Reitenbach — three of 12 who died in snow slides in Canada’s backcountry during the 2009-10 winter season.
The slide that killed Snortland and Reynolds at Boulder Mountain in southeastern B.C. also sent snow tumbling onto the crowd below, enveloping as many as 70 people and injuring dozens.
Krueger would like to see legislation that would allow officials to seize and sell the snowmobiles of those who put others at risk through activities such as high marking but, he said, the proposal has not been approved yet.
"Anything is on the table that will specifically help us with those who put others at risk," he said.
He added the province does not want to implement any regulations that would burden the majority of the population who enjoys the backcountry
