BC Banter: IFSA Athlete Education, Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival Registration, Jackson’s Goodwin Cabin, Epic TV Releases Haute Route Video

IFSA and SASS Global Travel Launch Athlete Education Initiative 

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, WASH. The International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA) is partnering with Surf and Snow Sessions (SASS) Global Travel to promote backcountry decision making and avy awareness. At select 2015 IFSA National events, SASS Global Travel, in affiliation with BCA and Project Zero, will be offering a two-part avy-safety educational component. The first stop is Crystal Mountain, Wash. on Feb 27-28, where athletes, teams, family members and IFSA supporters can participate in a multimedia avalanche presentation and avalanche scenario workshop. “As athletes start to take their skiing and riding to the next level, pushing further into the mountains, it is important to make sure education and awareness grow along with ability and skill,” says Pete Conolly, SASS Operations Director & Ski Guide. For the schedule of educational events, read more here.

 

Register for the 13^th Annual Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival

KEENE VALLEY, N.Y. March 7-8 marks the 13^th Annual Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival, which includes guided tours from Cloudsplitter Mountain Guides, an Introduction to Avalanche Safety and Awareness Course and a presentation by Dynafit athlete Jamie Laidlaw. There will also be demos and mini clinics on Otis Mountain on Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Mammut will offer beacon practice, which is open to the public. The Ski Fest is a charitable event, with proceeds supporting the New York State Ski Education Foundation’s Nordic racing programs and the Adirondack Ski Touring Council. Attendees of the Saturday presentaion are also encouraged to bring non-perishable donations for the Keene Food Pantry. Registration for the festival is open now.

 

Forest Service Scales Back Access to Jackson’s Goodwin Cabin

JACKSON, WYO. Due to an effort to reduce harm to wildlife, Bridger-Teton National Forest officials are decreasing access to Goodwin Lake Ski Cabin this Sunday, March 1, instead of the annual March 15 date. Although the cabin, a popular backcountry destination, can no longer be reached via the Twin Creek Area, skiers may still access the cabin from the Cache Creek Trail, which is part of the National Elk Refuge. The access point is roughly 3.5 miles from the refuge’s entrance off Broadway. “This has been an usually warm winter, causing a shift in the distribution of animals and an increase in wildlife activity and exposure to visitors in critical wintering areas,” the Forest Service statement said. “The earlier closure date will help to minimize wildlife disturbances and allow animals to conserve energy until spring when food and shelter will be more abundant.”

Epic TV Debutes Haute Route Freeride Adventure Video

Epic TV highlights The Freireiter Crew and Vaude riders Andi Prielmaier, Berny Stoll, Ingolf Schmitt and filmer Nikolas Lutz as they put a twist on the classic Haute Route, starting in Zermatt and ending in Chamonix. The crew, armed with skis, splitboards, climbing gear and only a tent, finished their traverse in seven days, including scaling Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps (4,810 m). The Haute Route is the highest and longest traverse of the Alps, covering 120 km in distance and 12,000 m in elevation.