Utah’s backcountry-ski tribe is entering a new era, as Bruce Tremper, the longtime director of the Utah Avalanche Center, is retiring. Tremper has been the Director of the UAC since 1986, and will hang up his avalanche center logo wear for good at the end of August.
This week, Tremper’s replacement was announced. Mark Staples will now steer the ship and work to “keep us on top.” Staples spent the last eight years with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center out of Bozeman. He also worked with ski patrol and snow safety at Big Sky, conducted several projects for the National Avalanche Center, and he has a MS degree in Engineering at Montana State University with an emphasis in avalanche research.
Bruce Tremper is leaving quite the legacy behind as he goes into retirement. According to the Utah Avalanche Center, he started his career doing avalanche control at Bridger Bowl Ski Area in Montana, then earned a Masters Degree in Geology from Montana State University, studying under the well-known avalanche scientists Dr. John Montagne and Dr. Bob Brown. He then took over as the Director of Avalanche Control at Big Sky Ski Area in Montana and worked as a backcountry avalanche forecaster for the Alaska Avalanche Center. Perhaps he is best known for writing the seminal avalanche books, “Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain,” and “Avalanche Essentials” both published by Mountaineers Books.
Retirement means Tremper will be moving on to snowier pastures, literally. Reportedly, he will remain active with Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center (the UAC’s non-profit branch) and will keep performing snow safety work in the mountains, which will give him more time in the powder, and less time behind a desk.
You can say goodbye to Tremper and say hello to Staples at the annual Black Diamond Fall Fundraiser Party on Thursday, September 10th at 6pm. In its 22nd year, the party is still the largest gathering of the backcountry-ski tribe of the season and will have the usual good times. There will be food from Yoshi’s Japanese Grill, beer from Uinta Brewing, prize drawing, live music from Herban Empire, and a silent auction where you can score huge deals on backcountry gear. The best part is that funds raised from ticket sales and the silent auction go directly to funding avalanche advisories and eduction that we use all winter long.
The party will once again be held in the Black Diamond parking lot at 2084 East, 3900 South in Salt Lake City. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Students get in for $25 with a valid student ID. Pick up your tickets at the Black Diamond Store or REI in Salt Lake. You can also purchase them online at utahavalanchecenter.org/event/22nd-annual-black-diamond-fall-fundraiser