As we wait (not so) patiently for more snow to pile up in the backcountry we can get a little antsy. In our haste and/or inexperience to get to the bottomless fluff we put ourselves in the path of a lethal backcountry adversary, avalanches. But if we take the time before to study our surroundings we can avoid tragedy and focus on fresh tracks.
This study begins in the classroom, and ends on the mountain, digging pits, looking at avalanche terrain and putting the off-the-mountain training to good use. Missoula is lucky to have the West Central Montana Avalanche Foundation (WCMAF) based right here in town. WCMAF is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting avalanche safety education and awareness by providing information to all interested user groups regarding terrain, weather and snow conditions that contribute to avalanche danger in West Central Montana.
This Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at The Trail Head is hosting the Rocky Mountaineers monthly meeting that will feature a representative from WCMAF. They will give an overview of safe backcountry travel including a slideshow to provide visual impact to the lecture. We look forward to seeing you there.