EDMONTON — School groups should not venture into areas where there is danger of an avalanche, says the B.C. coroner's report into the deaths of seven Calgary-area students on a field trip nearly a year ago.
The report, which was obtained by The Globe and Mail, cautions that the risks are too high for groups of minors whose parents are not present to go on excursions in avalanche-prone spots in national parks. This includes groups such as Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.
"Skiing on these trails poses a risk, as the forecasting of avalanches is imprecise," the document says.
The long-awaited report comes as the families of the seven teenagers are bracing themselves for the emotional one-year anniversary on Sunday of the tragedy that took place in Glacier National Park near Revelstoke, B.C.
The report, which was prepared by coroner Jack Latimer, notes that the weather conditions in British Columbia last winter were "unseasonably warm" and that the snowpack was lighter than average.
This created an "unstable base" and resulted in several other avalanches in Glacier National Park -- one of them in a different area the week before members of the school group were killed.
However, despite a detailed avalanche report that advised there was the danger of a slide, Mr. Latimer concludes that the Grade 10 group from Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in Okotoks, Alta., was "well prepared" for the tour.
"The Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School class appears to have done all it could to prepare for its trip. The group chose a location to ski which was considered one of the lowest risk areas in the park. In spite of that preparation, tragedy struck," it says.
The coroner's report notes that the last time an avalanche of such size occurred was, judging by tree damage, between 20 and 25 years ago.
"The snow avalanche that struck the group was unusual."
It was not clear yesterday how parents of the students would view the findings. Some had been expecting more detail and recommendations than the document contains.
The report, which, as is normal, does not assign blame, recommends the following measures:
that the headmaster of the students' school not allow Grade 10 outdoor-education students to go to Glacier National Park;
that Parks Canada complete an avalanche-risk rating for every ski trail and slope commonly used by the public;
that Parks Canada recommend that not-for-profit groups that include minors without their parents not use trails where there is an avalanche hazard;
that Parks Canada erect signs at trail-access points that indicate the avalanche hazard and state the agency's recommendation that school and other groups not use risky areas;
that the education ministers from British Columbia and Alberta ensure every school has a copy of the B.C. coroner's report.
Families of two of the victims had wanted the B.C. Coroner's Service to hold a public inquest, which is a quasi-judicial forum where witnesses would testify.
They felt it would result in a greater degree of attention to issues of school responsibility and child safety.
However, several other families were opposed; some felt it would not lead to greater understanding and others could not bear days of testimony.
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School is planning a private memorial assembly on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the fatal avalanche.
A spokeswoman said many students and staff are still struggling to come to terms with the deaths that hit their community.
On Feb. 1, 2002, seven Grade 10 students from the school, a private institution south of Calgary, were killed in the avalanche that swept through Rogers Pass near Revelstoke, B.C. Seven other students and three adults survived. The backcountry ski trip was part of the school's curriculum.
The victims, who were all 15, were: Ben Albert, Daniel Arato, Scott Broshko, Alex Pattillo, Michael Shaw, Marissa Staddon and Jeff Trickett.
The seven teenagers went to a school that drew its students from prominent Calgary families. They were admired as superachievers full of promise and early accomplishment.
Last February, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and thousands of other people filed into the Pengrowth Saddledome to remember them.
In June, 2003, Ross Cloutier, an education expert commissioned by the school to review the incident, issued a report that also said the students should not have been in the avalanche-prone area.
His report, which contained 32 recommendations, noted several concerns, including the lack of qualified outdoor-education instructors and standards governing them. He also raised questions about schools overlooking risks or failing to inform parents of them. And, he wondered whether parents tended to ignore the dangers.
Last July, an independent panel issued 36 recommendations to Parks Canada, including the call for school groups travelling in high-risk backcountry areas to have certified mountain guides. The practice is already required for commercial tour operators. The agency also said it would provide better trail signage and clearer explanations in its avalanche bulletins.
