British ColumbiaDriveBC says a Level 4 avalanche risk — the second highest on a five-point scale — has closed a 32-kilometre stretch of Highway 97, cutting off highway travel between Prince George and Chetwynd. Meanwhile, a detour is in place between Golden and Revelstoke for avalanche control work.Closure entirely cuts off highway travel between Prince George and Chetwynd CBC News · Posted: Dec 10, 2025 2:51 PM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The Pine Pass, seen here after a heavy snowfall on Feb. 5, 2023, was closed Wednesday due to avalanche risk. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC)High avalanche risk has closed a section of Highway 97 between Chetwynd and Prince George in northern B.C., as well as a portion of The Trans-Canada Highway between Revelstoke and Golden near the Alberta border.A 32-kilometre stretch of the Highway 97 thoroughfare connecting B.C.’s Peace region to Prince George was closed Wednesday between the West Pine rest area and Azouzetta Lake Lodge and Campground, Argo Road Maintenance told CBC News.It said small avalanches have filled catchments at Link Creek and they are expected to affect the road. The company said capacity is limited to deal with any avalanche deposits. B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation says the closure is expected to last overnight, and no detours are in place, with the only alternative route available being a multi-day detour either through Alberta or the far northwest.DriveBC says the avalanche danger in the closed area is considered a Level 4 — the second highest risk rating on the North American public avalanche danger scale.Environment Canada says 77 centimetres of snow has fallen in the Pine Pass over the past five days. Avalanche control work near GoldenMeanwhile, a portion of the Trans-Canada Highway was closed one kilometre west of Golden to Revelstoke for avalanche control work, expected to last until midnight. While passenger vehicles can take a detour, commercial vehicles are being held.Colin Garrity, a forecaster and field technician for Avalanche Canada, told CBC’s Daybreak North Wednesday morning that stormy weather is underway for much of Western Canada with high risk warnings across B.C. “These are ratings for dangerous and even very dangerous avalanche conditions pretty much across the board. Danger increases with elevation. So, alpine areas will be the greatest concern,” said Garrity. He said even in areas without a high danger rating, rapidly changing conditions can lead to slides and he urged extreme caution to anyone traveling in mountainous areas.Meanwhile, much of southern B.C. is being impacted by torrential rain leading to local states of emergency and evacuation alerts.Forecasts and danger ratings can be found on the Avalanche Canada website. Subscribe to CBC’s Fort St. John Weekly for a round-up of the best news and stories from B.C.’s Peace and Northern Rockies. With files from Daybreak North, Radio West and Tom Summer
Avalanche risk closes major B.C. highway routes in Pine Pass, Kootenay regions
