Perilous layer cake of ice, snow

Avalanche experts are blaming a deep, unstable layer of snow for what they fear might become one of Canada's worst slide seasons in history.
 
While it is still early in the season, avalanches in Western Canada have been claiming lives at an unprecedented rate. On Monday, a man ski touring on Mount St. Piran in the Lake Louise area became the 10th person killed by an avalanche this season. Most were in the backcountry, although one died inbounds at Big White ski resort in B.C.
 
Ilya Storm, an avalanche forecaster for the Canadian Avalanche Centre, says this winter's weather cycle has added "all the ingredients for an avalanche recipe."