The Canadian Avalanche centre is urging caution over the weekend, due to increased danger in B.C.’s mountains.

The centre has issued a special avalanche warning for the much of the province’s backcountry, with high danger ratings for the Kootenay National Park, Yoho and Banff areas.

“The clear, dry spell covering the province in early February had a weakening effect on the surface of the snow at that time,” Karl Klassen, Manager of the CAC’s Public Avalanche Warning Services said in a news release.

“Now that surface is buried and left us with a very complex upper snowpack, with a number of weak layers. Conditions are very tricky to manage right now. If you’re going into avalanche terrain, you need local knowledge, extensive experience and training.”

Current bulletins from the centre report “very dangerous” avalanche conditions at the alpine and treeline levels in the Kootenay/Banff/Yoho area, and “considerable danger” below treeline.

Today is a “good day to make conservative terrain choices,” the bulletin notes.

The current avalanche cycle is expected to stabilize by the end of the weekend.