Avalanches are part of life in the mountains. They can occur in any season, but are more common in winter and spring. Anytime that snow and steep slopes are combined there is potential for an avalanche.
This brochure helps you to work out the risks for St James Conservation Area in North Canterbury, South Island using the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale system (ATES).
Summary
The St James Conservation Area includes a large amount of avalanche terrain.
The majority of the park is challenging avalanche terrain while seasonal snow is present. There are some significant areas of complex terrain.
All visitors should consider carefully the class of avalanche terrain they are going into. There is no backcountry avalanche advisory for the St James Conservation Area.