JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center Foundation (BTACF) is was recently awarded a significant grant from the Avalanche Alliance. The Avalanche Alliance is a new entity created by the snowmobile manufacturing community and is working with AIARE to provide funding for avalanche center operations that benefit motorized users. Funds for the grant were raised through a sweepstake with a grand prize of a new sled.
The grant is slated for a specific project to help support backcountry motorized users.
“We plan to develop, operate and promote web-based products that crowdsource avalanche, snowpack, and weather data in areas that are popular with motorized users but don’t presently have a daily avalanche hazard forecast or other avalanche center-based hazard assessment resources,” stated BTACF.
Now, in the heart of winter, it’s a busy time for the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center and the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center Foundation. Avalanche forecasters are working to provide daily detailed avalanche hazard information to the public, and the Foundation has been busy raising funds to support those operations, and to deliver avalanche education to the public across the state.
Classes are funded by Wyoming State Trails and are offered in areas that don’t otherwise have access to avalanche education.
Several avalanche courses for snowmobilers have been taught this winter by some of the nation’s top motorized avalanche educators. Instructors Mike Duffy from Avalanche1, Matt Schebaum and Will Mook from The Mountain Riding Lab, and Eric Knoff from Six Points Avalanche Education have instructed avalanche awareness courses, avalanche rescue courses, and Level 1 avalanche courses to groups organized by local snowmobile clubs in Rock Springs, Alpine, Cody and Saratoga.
Participants have included club members, search and rescue volunteers, junior hill climb racers, and destination riders from multiple states. Experience has ranged from brand new snowmobilers to very experienced riders. The funding for these classes is derived from a portion of the off-road fuel sales taxes through the Recreational Trails Program.
