The 2017 Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop was held this year for the first time at Snowbird. I think it was the best one yet. I pondered why the venue change, as it limited the amount of participants (the South Towne Expo Center had plenty of room for everyone). But I suppose the aesthetics of…
Tag: Craig Gordon
Get avy savvy at 9th annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop
If you are a backcountry skier in Utah, then you would be advised to attend the annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop, or USAW. In its 9th year, USAW will once again gather the backcountry skiing, riding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling community at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy for a day of avalanche education….
Video: Snowmobile Avalanche Safety
Did you know that snowmobilers are the most at-risk backcountry user group for avalanche fatalities? With sled technology getting better, which allows easier access to steep slopes, absolutely no snowmobiler who ventures into the backcountry should go without avalanche safety training, along with the appropriate gear: beacons, shovels and probes. In an effort to raise…
Video: How to Avoid an Avalanche
Avalanche danger is downright spooky right now in Utah, so it is fitting that KSL Outdoors featured a story about how to stay safe in avalanche terrain. In it, they follow the Utah Avalanche Center’s Craig Gordon as he leads the Freeride Avalanche Workshop at Snowbasin. It’s a short bit that really generalizes the intricate…
Thoughts on the Freeride Avalanche Workshop at Snowbasin
The Snowbasin Freeride Avalanche Workshop happened over the last few days, and I was lucky enough to be able to attend Tuesday’s session while on assignment for KSL Outdoors. When I wasn’t busy shooting video for a TV story, I soaked in all the good avalanche and safety information I could, which was invaluable. The…
Video: 2012-2013 Utah Backcountry Review
Ah, those guys over at the Utah Avalanche Center sure know how to take a serious thing like avalanches and make them lighthearted and fun. Well, more avalanche forecaster Craig Gordon than anyone else. Of course he doesn’t really take slides lightly, but for the past few years, he and his cohort, Trent Meisenheimer, compiled…