Days are getting shorter, refresher season is winding down and Killington opened last Friday so it won’t be long before we’re on snow for the ’23-24 season! I want to share some exciting developments in the avalanche world. First, after a few years of virtual presentations the Eastern Snow and Avalanche Workshop (ESAW) is returning to a live, in-person format on Dec 2, 2023 in Fryeburg, ME. Second, our Eastern Division Avalanche team has gotten a jump on the season and published the ’23-24 training schedule on the Patroller School website. For the first time in a few years, a Level 2 course is planned at Whiteface. And in response to many requests, one of the 3 Level 1 programs will be offered mid-week. See below for more details.
The Eastern Snow and Avalanche Workshop (ESAW), brought to us by the Mount Washington Avalanche Center Foundation, takes place on Dec 2, 2023. The format is returning to the all-day in-person meeting on Saturday at Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, ME. We are very fortunate to be so close to the only Forest Service Avalanche Center east of the Mississippi, and I encourage you to take advantage of this great learning opportunity. The presentation lineup looks like the usual excellent blend with topics of local and general interest including human factors, medical and snow science. It looks to be another great ESAW and you can learn more and purchase tickets at the link below.
Four Eastern Division Avalanche course are scheduled for the coming season – three full Level 1s and a Level 2. Dates are listed below, along with a link to the Patroller School Avalanche Events page. Be aware that there is an additional 8-12 hour on-line learning component that must be completed before the field sessions on the indicated dates.
- Level 1: Whiteface, NY – Jan 26-28
- Level 1: Smuggler’s Notch, VT – Feb 6-8 (note this is mid-week session to accommodate many requests for a non-weekend option)
- Level 2: Whiteface, NY – Feb 29-Mar 3
- Level 1: Mt Washington, NH – Mar 8-10
I will get these dates and links added to the NH Region calendar in coming weeks, but in the meantime you can go straight to the source at the link below.
Patroller School Avalanche Events Page
Please reach out to me through the NH Region contact page if you have questions about these topics or anything else related to our avalanche program.
Think snow!!
Ken Koehlert
NH Region Avalanche Advisor
