First Avalanche Accident, Adirondack Powder Skiers, Vermont’s Backcountry Forum & Big Skimo Goals in Canada

First reported avalanche accident of the season

Crested Butte, Colo. On Monday, November 3, the Crested Butte Avalanche Center (CBAC) was notified of a slab avalanche on a north-facing slope on Mt. Owen. Two skiers, who were boot-packing up Jenga Chute, were partially buried in the slide but are reportedly uninjured. The slab broke near the top of the couloir as the skiers were about halfway up. The area received 10-12 inches of snow the night before, which fell on surfaces ranging from bare ground to a few feet of snow. Shallow, early-season snowpack is typically a contributing factor to unstable conditions, and it’s never too early—even in the beginning of November—to start thinking about avalanches.

 

Adirondack Powder Skier Association Rallying Amendment Support

Adirondack Mountains, N.Y. The Adirondack Powder Skier Association (APSA), founded by local ski legend Ron Konowitz, is seeking letters of support to amend New York’s State Land Master Plan. Founded in June 2012, APSA is seeking to establish and maintain gladed backcountry ski trails throughout the state’s Forest Preserve Lands, and the Adirondack Park Agency is currently allowing for possible amendments to the State Land Master. “This is an amazing opportunity for the Adirondack Powder Skier Association to show the Adirondack Park Agency the type of widespread support that we have,” Ron Konowitz writes. To submit a letter in support of APSA’s plans to the Park Agency (due December 5), click here.

 

Vermont Backcountry Alliance Hosts Second-Annual Forum

 Rochester, Vt. As wet snow fell at high elevations, the vibe inside Rochester’s Pierce Hall Community Center on November 6 was of exciting things to come. The evening marked the second-annual meeting of the Vermont Backcountry Forum, hosted by the Catamount Trail Association, the Vermont Backcountry Alliance and the Rochester Area Sports Trails Association, and more than 200 skiers and riders attended. “We’re thinking about the future. We care about the future, and that’s why we’re here, and that’s why we’re getting organized,” photographer and VTBC volunteer Brian Mohr said. Check out photos and a recap of the event here.

 

Canada’s fastest skimo racer sets big goals for November

Canada’s fastest ski mountaineering racer, Melanie Bernier, is planning to log 3,000 vertical feet a day through the month of November. Bernier is calling the event “Reach for the Top,” and using the opportunity to raise awareness about ski mountaineering, donate to her favorite charities and fund her own expeditions and training. “November is the most important for training, but also the hardest month,” Bernier says in a recent press release. “With the mixed weather, so-so skiing and short days it’s always difficult to stay psyched. I’m hoping that Reach for the Top will help me keep motivated and focused.” To learn more about her goal, click here.