Ski patrol offers avalanche classes

The popularity of backcountry skiing and snowboarding is growing at an unprecedented rate.

Just ask veteran Whitefish Mountain Resort ski patroller Mike Block who has seen first-hand the booming number of people on backcountry gear.

“As the equipment changes, people are pushing the boundaries,” Block said.

More people are venturing into Canyon Creek or climbing Hellroaring Peak in pursuit of fresh turns just beyond resort boundaries. Yet, whether it’s a five minute walk from the chair lift or an all-day tour in Glacier Park, the backcounty shouldn’t be taken lightly — especially when it comes to avalanche safety, Block said.

For the fourth winter, Big Mountain Ski Patrol, Inc., a nonprofit group of local patrollers, will host Level I and Level II avalanche clinics at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Block says the classes are for anyone with an interest in wintertime backcountry travel.

“They will give you the tools to better understand how to safely travel in the backcountry,” Block said.

The three-day Level I avalanche course will be an interactive program covering the fundamentals of avalanche hazards including awareness and stability assessments. About 40 percent of the course is in the classroom and 60 percent on the snow.

The course will be capped at 14 students, allowing each participant personal instruction. The small class size meets the required ratio of students to instructors set by the American Avalanche Association.

The class is open to anyone who skis or snowboards at an intermediate level, and is taught entirely inbounds at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

The class will be led by Ted Steiner, lead avalanche forecaster for BNSF Railway.

Level I courses are Jan. 31-Feb. 2 and Feb. 21-23. Cost is $125.

The Level II avalanche course is four days with 40 percent classroom time and 60 percent field study. The instructors and students will be traveling in the backcountry immediately surrounding Whitefish Mountain Resort.

The class will be led by Eric Peitzsch, USGS Avalanche Specialist and interim director of the Flathead Avalanche Center.

The Level II course is Feb. 27-March 2 and costs $300.

Registration for the classes opens Dec. 7. Last year the Level I class filled up in two weeks.

Big Mountain Ski Patrol again this winter will offer community scholarships. Applicants can apply for assistance with Level I Avalanche and Level II Avalanche classes, Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder.

New this season is a Level 1 Avalanche scholarship reserved for a high school-aged applicant.

Applicants must live in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln or Glacier counties and be at least 16 years old. Applications can be found online at www.bigmountainskipatrol.org. Deadline to apply is Jan. 12.

For more information stop into the ski patrol cabin on the summit of Big Mountain, or call 862-2940, or visit online.