Sierra Avalanche Center
I highly support further grants for SAC. I was able to attend a 3 day Level 1 avalanche class in Truckee this year. I have been riding for 50 years and was surprised at the knowledge and passion that our instructors had for this class. I thought that I knew everything when it came to riding in the backcountry and soon discovered that my knowledge was very limited. Now when I snowmobile I check the SAC website for avalanche advisories and I take that information and apply it to the group that I'm riding with. Also I now do a safety check with the beacons that we wear before we head out to ride. This class definitely made me a better snowmobiler and more aware of where I choose to ride. In addition to checking SAC website I make sure everyone has a working beacon and many of us in the Sacramento SnoBusters Snowmobile Club now wear an avalanche backpack. I encourage you to keep the funding coming for these classes as this is a very valuable tool for all snowmobilers to have. Thank you again for the funding that allowed me to attend this class. Duncan and Travis are awesome instructors. Richard Brightman - 3/7/17
Hello, I took part in the AIARE Level 1 snowmobile specific avalanche course, 1/20/17 - 1/22/2017. In Truckee, CA. It was a very good course, and it improved my knowledge and understanding of snowmobiling in avalanche terrain. With this knowledge I have taught what I have learned to friends, family and back country partners. I have also encouraged all of these people to take part and do their AIARE Level 1 avalanche course, or any further education put on by the Sierra Avalanche Center. I do hope these courses continue to be available to the public of the Sierras. As it is a very valuable resource towards saving lives in the area. Thank you. Andrew Kennerley - 3/7/17
I would like to voice my support of the Sierra Avalanche Center grant request for 2016/2017 for the purpose of Snowmobile Avalanche advisory Education. Staying safe is important to us as individuals, but it also saves state funds with reduced rescue costs. The previous offerings have all filled up very quickly and the classes have been difficult to find space in. Continued support of this training will educate more OHV'ers and expand the knowledgeable rescue efforts in the backcountry. We need to spread this information not only to lead our friends through safe rides, but to have the knowledge to rescue others that may have unknowingly put themselves in harms way. I believe the small price granted to this cause is saving multiples of this investment in reduced rescue costs and obviously lives saved!! Please help save lives by supporting ongoing avalanche training within the ohv community. Best Regards, Al Faccini - 3/7/17
Please continue funding this incredibly important training for the snowmobile community in Northern California. Simply put, this training saves lives. One recommendation I would make is to maybe hold a couple classroom only sessions located in a centralized location such as Sacramento. My thinking here is a higher number of people could attend rather than being limited to the 8 or so reserved spots and more people are able to schedule around a single day of learning compared to scheduling around an entire weekend. The field learning is fantastic, but a few hours of classroom knowledge to a larger volume of people would be very worthwhile. Jared - 3/7/17
Hello and to whom it may concern I feel the service this organization provides helps me tremendously in Daily reports to help guide my decisions in the backcountry as well as the Avalanche safety classes really gives you the hands-on experience not to have to think about what to do just act in a situation. The more training and information one can attain only makes them safer in the backcountry and helps breed that type of environment with others they ride with that haven't had a chance to get training. Please continue to fund this organization as it saves lives! Thank you Bob Williams - 3/7/17
I attended the Sierra Avalanche Center Snowmobile training the weekend of 2/10/17. I have been riding snowmobiles since the 1970's and was extremely excited to find out this training was available. This was the best training that I have had for snowmobiling. Travis, the instructor was very knowledgeable in both the technical side of avalanches as well as riding snowmobiles. The subject matter both in the class room and in the field was very well presented, throe and in my opinion a necessity for anyone riding in the back country. I have been regularly checking the Sierra Avalanche Centers website for updates on conditions and have greatly increased my knowledge of avalanche conditions since the class. There are a few suggestions I would like to make about future classes. 1. It would be helpful if they were better advertised to the snowmobiling community. It just happened to fond out about this class and no one I ride with new there was such a class. 2. It would be nice if there were more classes offered per year. These classes fill up quickly and from what I'v seen there is always a waiting list. 3. I would like to see a one day refresher course offered for people who have taken the full course and just want to get re familiarize with avalanche awareness. Sincerely Russ Cartwright - 3/7/17
Great program! Much needed back country knowledge for general public. Definitely a must have for the people of the sierras and beyond. Looking forward to future classes held bye the Sierra Avalanche Center! Charley King - 3/7/17
Please help get Sierra Avalanche Center future funding for OHV education, training, and safety programs. They have made great use of the money last year in providing snowmobile specific training classes at several different locations. All of their classes were filled very quickly with waiting lists for each class. Clearly this demonstrates a huge desire and need for these classes. There is no telling just how many lives may be saved by this training. It's great to see our OHV funds go to good OHV programs such as this. Thank you. Kevin Felton - 3/7/17
I was lucky enough to recently participate in one of the limited space classes offered by Sierra Avalanche Center as part of the 2015/16 grant and it was enlightening. The instructors were exceptional and focused on preventing avalanches and condition evaluation to keep riders safe. Their focus was to use the tools available to stay out of harms way. Obviously, staying safe is important to us as individuals, but it also saves state funds with reduced rescue costs. It was great that I could personally attend this class (after being transferred from the waiting list), but more snowmobileres need this information. Not only to lead our friends through safe rides, but to have the knowledge to rescue others that may have unknowingly put themselves in harms way. I believe the small price granted to this cause is saving multiples of this in reduced rescue costs and obviously lives saved!! Please help save lives by supporting ongoing avalanche training within the ohv community. Best Regards, Chris Burns - 3/7/17
Please strongly consider funding Sierra Avalanche Center. The product they provide is excellent and has the potential to save many lives every year. Jonathan Laine - 3/7/17
The Snowmobile based avalanche safety course put on by the Sierra Avalanche Center in combination with the resources made available online are invaluable to educate the backcountry rider population. After attending the course, I have become an advocate for safe backcountry travel and awareness of the cond itions with other riders. As well, I have encouraged them to take advantage of the courses provided by the Sierra Avalanche Center. The only negative is that the courses filled up so quickly! I was fortunate to be waitlisted and eventually get into the South Lake Tahoe course. Please support these professionals in continuing this great course and supporting safety resources. Tom D'Arcy - 3/7/17
Please fund this grant as the service this organization provides is unreplaceable to help guide your decisions in the back country whether you snowmobile,snowshoe,or cross-country skiing the information they provide saves lives! Bob Williams - 3/7/17
Sierra Avalanche Center is known among local outdoor enthusiasts for their quality professional approach to education and safety training. As a beginner snowmobiler, my desire to get out and explore the back country is far beyond my knowledge to do just that while remaining safe and informed. I, as well as many others, would benefit from future opportunities to gain more information about safe practices while traversing the backcountry on powered equipment. I know many people who have benefitted from this program in the past, and can see why it is necessary for it to continue. Avalanche related accidents are responsible for too many easily avoidable deaths each year. I believe that this program helps to mitigate these accidents through implementation of sound knowledge and safety techniques demonstrated to those who have the opportunity to attend the class. This not only creates safer riding conditions for those who choose to go to the back country on snowmobiles, but also helps to reduce or eliminate risks posed to rescuers of uninformed riders. I have been wait-listed twice in an attempt to take this class myself, which shows there is a definite demand and need for more classes in the future. Keenan Smith - 3/8/17
I use Sierra Avalanche Center's forecasts and training all the time, and it's made myself and the community of people I climb and ski with able to venture out into the Sierras much more safely than otherwise possible. They work hard to increase awareness and build a community of people who safely enjoy our national and state parks. Farzad Izadi Kharazi - 3/8/17
I believe this is a great program. It is an asset to the community. It should continue to be funded. Hans Praller - 3/8/17
As an avid Tahoe backcountry user, I understand that conditions in the backcountry can easily be a matter of life and death. The Sierra Avalanche Center provides a service that helps me and other backcountry users evaluate risk and, literally, stay alive. Please fund the Avalanche Center so that it can continue and improve this lifesaving work. Zachary Wasserman - 3/9/17
I would like to voice my support of the Sierra Avalanche Center grant request for 2016/2017 for the purpose of Snowmobile Avalanche Advisory Education. I ride in the Sierras and this it is more important than ever that this training be supported. Record snow levels have increased the danger significantly and these trainings have the potential to save lives of not only riders but first responders would need to respond to a dangerous backcountry location in the event of an avalanche. Please support this important program. Thank you in advance for your attention regarding this matter. Bill Feyling - 3/9/17
SAC provides a vital public service through both their forecasting and their OSV education and safety program. Please include them as a grant recipient. Colin - 3/10/17
I think this is a very important program that needs to continue. Skye King - 3/11/17
I am writing to recommend the snowmobile avalanche advisory, education, training and safety program. I took the snowmobile specific avalanche safety course, which was excellent in providing practical training. I use snowmobiles for recreation and work purposes and found the class very useful. I also found the class helped my friends improve their skills and snowmobile more safely. The class does an excellent job in training people who would otherwise not get any training in avalanche safety. The instructors are excellent teachers, the class is well organized and the most important content is prioritized, making the class efficient and effective. Melissa Thaw - 3/13/17
I strongly support funding the Sierra Avalanche Center. Their work literally is life saving to anyone going into the back country during the winter. Skiers, snowmobile riders, cross country skiers, back country skiers, snow shoe enthusiasts, hunters, hikers, etc. all benefit from the work of this group. Bu providing the grant, lives will be saved and money will be saved by providing the education and avalanche updates to the public that this group provides. Mark Courting - 3/13/17
I appreciate the work the sierra avalanche center does every single day of the winter. The forecasts they provide help keep myself and my closest friends safe by providing the information necessary to know whether or not we should backcountry ski in the first place, and if we go how to choose the safest places to ski. As an avid backcountry skier, I would love to see the Sierra Avalanche Center receive more resources to continue doing and enhance the great work they do. Nicholas Anderson - 3/14/17
I can't overstate the value that the SAC adds to outdoor recreation in the Sierra. They are entirely deserving of any additional resources that they can be granted and would be great to see them expand the services that they are able to provide. Best, Simran McKenna - 3/16/17
The snowmobile avalanche education that Sierra Avalanche Center is providing to the public is amazing! This program is giving people the education that they need before they go into the winter backcountry on their snowmobiles. There is a large number of snowmobilers that do not have any avalanche education and this program is saving lives at every step of the way. This year each course was full, and each one had a long waiting list. The public needs this program to continue. Thank you for helping this happen. Duncan Lee - 3/16/17
I participated in the AIARE 1 Avalanche Course in South Lake Tahoe and Hope Valley, February 24-26, 2017. Course instructors were Travis Feist and Duncan Lee. Training provided by Travis and Duncan was beyond my expectations. Both are very knowledgeable, and have the skills to teach such a difficult subject. Travis demonstrated his field expertise in analysis of snow conditions. Duncan provided several demonstrations of his professional riding skills on a sled. I feel more informed, but after reading the course material I can see there is a lot to be learned. Hope to take additional classes in the future to improve my knowledge. Would like to get riding partners in a course also so they can improve their awareness of required decision skills needed when riding in avalanche terrain. Would highly recommend this course to anyone who rides in the backcountry! Rick Madrid - 4/16/17
I participated in one of the Snowmobile based avalanche education courses. This course was a fantastic learning opportunity taught by very knowledgeable instructors. Both classroom and field study sessions were great. Based on the education I received, I feel much more informed about traveling in avalanche terrain. Being a snowmobile based course was extremely valuable because we (students) were able to see so much more avalanche terrain and snow conditions in a short amount of time. If we were on skis or snowshoes we would have only been able to see a fraction of the conditions. With the increase in snowmobile popularity in the Lake Tahoe area, this course provides an invaluable education opportunity. I hope the Avalanche Center is able to continue to offer this course. Kyle - 3/17/17
This is a very important program that is saving lives daily with the avalanche advisory, as well as teach snowmobilers about avalanche terrain and how to safely travel through the backcountry. There are not many avalanche courses for snowmobilers available here in the Tahoe/Truckee area and these are the people that need the education the most. The amount of distance they cover compared to a back country skier or split-boarder is immense. Snowmobilers benefit greatly by having these programs available to them. Melissa Lee - 3/17/17
Please seriously consider funding the Sierra Avalanche Center (SAC). Please explore their website and videos on YouTube to see the kind of educated advisories they're making. Snow science has come a long way, and more people need it as the backcountry opens up. More backcountry avalanches are being caused by snowmobilers, and their education by SAC will keep all of us safer - those traveling with and without motors. Even with 30+ years skiing and snowboarding and with my AIARE AVI 1 certification, there is a lot I still need to learn and practice. I marvel at how lucky so many wintertime travelers are year after year. People with nearly zero alpine background are suddenly in avalanche terrain on ripping snowmobiles, charging into the backcountry. It's rather nuts, really. Nationally. more than 11 snowmobilers were caught in avalanches and killed over winter 2013-2014. This is a conservative report, as not all incidents are reported/consolidated on avalanche.org Thank you for your work juggling seriously important environmental considerations with seriously fun OHV activities. Thank you for considering SAC and the life-saving education it can provide. Ronnie Colby - 3/22/17
I fully support SAC's work! This group saves lives!!! Clint Schmidt - 3/27/17
I have been an avalanche professional in the Tahoe area for over 20 years. During that time, I've heard many people and organizations discuss providing avalanche education specific to motorized users, but nobody has done it before the Sierra Avalanche Center with this CA OHV grant. Please continue to make this program a possibility by awarding the grant for another season. Travis Feist - 4/2/17
I've watched over the years as snowmobilers have contributed significantly to avalanche fatality rates in the Sierra, and only the Sierra Avalanche Center has provided any outreach and education opportunities to this user group. As a backcountry skier, I have numerous options to pursue avalanche education in the region. If I were a snowmobiler, I would have none without the Sierra Avalanche Center and this CA OHV grant. This program is a vital one, and lives may literally depend upon it. Marissa Muscat - 4/2/17