Trigger Point Snow Services

A tragic week that has included avalanche fatalities in CO, CA, UT, AK, and NH leaves us with a lot to ponder as educators, professionals, and recreationists. H...ere are a few reflective words from A3 board member Jake Hutchinson. Took the time to sit and be still for a few minutes this morning. Thinking about my friends who are gearing up to go outside and recover another avalanche victim in the Wasatch. It's a thankless and depressing task and I appreciate what they do. I've been an avalanche professional and educator for nearly 30 years. I watched the evolution of our understanding and the messaging around it, I've learned, evolved and tried various ways to help people understand the nuance of snow and tried to provide methods and tools to help people make better decisions. In the last two years I feel as if the message keeps missing the mark. Despite best efforts, we (educators and forecasters) sound like nagging parents, chicken little screaming the sky is falling, or even worse, Nancy Reagan preaching to 'Just say no'. I think the harder we've tried to not sound like this the more we actually have become what we set out to never be. I don't have the answers. It isn't closing access or more signs. It isn't more apps and gadgets and it isn't over dramatized 'scared straight' type videos and forecasts. As the backcountry explodes, more accidents will occur, is just the law of averages... Anyway, to those mourning the loss, I know it hurts and it sucks and I’m sorry for you. For those going in to do the dirty work, make sure you take care of yourselves and each other. And for everyone else, chill out. It's a ski run and it ain't worth dying for, not in a lean year or a fat one. It's about coming back for more runs day in and day out, year after year and hanging up your boots when you can no longer walk up the hill. Be well. NOTE: Photos are from the San Juan County, Colorado press release on the recovery efforts from Monday’s fatal avalanche on Ophir Pass (2/1/21).

WOW Elkford Snowmobile Association ! Thanks for sharing!

Date day with BIG BLUE! Thanks so much Yamaha Motor Canada Ltd. And Mountain Sledder Magazine! I got to test out the new Mountain Max! So much fun with a bit of fresh and some steep climbs! #greatful #getoutside #yamaha #yamahamotorcanada #mountainmax #sledgolden #outforarip #mountains #mountaintownliving #dateday #lovewhereyoulive

Thanks for sharing Revelstoke Search and Rescue!

Coming at you from Golden this weekend! Sled Golden has teamed up with BC AdventureSmart to get the word out about making informed decisions in the backcountry BC AdventureSmart Golden Snowmobile Club Avalanche Canada... #goldenrules #avalanchesafety #avalanchecanada #avalanches #knowlegeispower #snowmobile #mountainsled #avalancheskills #avalancherescuetraining #knowbeforeyougo

Ok... we fall into this category as well... THANKS Avalanche Canada - "Put your geotag in the parking/staging area. Or if that is too telling, put it on the highway or even the nearest town! The point is, in our VAST forecast regions, it will still be close enough to provide timely, relevant information to others and to avalanche forecasters. You can still include details on elevation and aspect in your actual report, we don’t need to pull them from the geotag." #sharingiscaring

Please remember to dial it back and to play safe. REVSAR had 3 separate sled rescue calls today: First - broken leg requiring advanced medical protocols... Second - multi-trauma requiring advanced medical protocols Third - overdue party Over 120 volunteer hours in one day. Be prepared BC AdventureSmart Be AvySavy Avalanche Canada Be up to date Revelstoke Snowmobile Club

Rider triggered avalanche in our backyard yesterday... Good pics on how wide the weak layer propagated. Heads up out there! This area has seen some use this season but still produced a large avalanche. Thanks for sharing. Glad the folks involved are all good!

Heads up folks! So far we have received almost 3x the overnight precip the avcan purcells forecast is based on... around golden I think we might align more with Yoho’s forecast. #headsuphockey #terrainistheanswer #avysavvy @mountain_motorsports @avalanchecanada @kickinghorsemtn @kickinghorsepatrol

First day of 2021 so we get to claim first into this zone for the year! #happynewyear #anotherfirstanhourfromhome #powpowpow @mountain_motorsports

Heads up folks! The avalanche bulletin for our region (Purcells) is based on much lower snowfall amounts than we have received... And it’s still snowing! Please ensure you take a look at the Glacier National Park and South Columbia bulletins before making your decisions this afternoon! #avysavvy #plowpow

Here’s some food for thought for backcountry recreationalists. Do you and your group have the gear, the training and a plan to be self sufficient if an accident occurs? https://www.theglobeandmail.com//article-into-dangerous-/

A Christmas miracle! Once again @mountain_motorsports enables! #ithinksomeoneisgoingtobuyasled #plowpow #blower

Join in - by donation to Avalanche Canada

Gorgeous morning for CAA ITP LV 1 snow profile Exams! COVID style made this group jump in feet first to individual profiles! Great job! #canadianavalancheassociation #snowprofiles #testday #thatview #avalanchesafety #avalanchetraining #avalanche #snowmobilelife #revy #revelstoke #caa

Back in action with our first AST field day! Beauty day above the clouds with a keen and driven crew. #avysavy #itsgonnagetspicy @avalanchecanada @mountain_motorsports @highmarkbysnowpulse

COVId protocol avalanche training... up an running for the last 2 weekends with Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training. Things running smoothly - thanks to all participants who are working through this and getting trained up! Let me tell you .. a family cohort digging is much more efficient than digging by your self... #familycohort #avalanchesafety #avalancherescue #avalanchetraining #zacstracs #triggerpointsnowservices #quartzcreek

Check out the sled triggered avalanche activity from the Airport at Boulder Mtn. A post to the Avalanche Canada Mountain Information Network would benefit a lot of people. Please share your observations/experiences to help everyone’s decision making! Thanks for sharing Average Sledder! https://youtu.be/iNrWVO7Vu7g

A wise man once told me that when considering avalanche rescue skills there are only 2 things that determine survival - Mental preparedness and physical fitness. What does your training program involve? #dragonwrestling #avysavvy #trainwithus @avalanchecanada @mountain_motorsports

We’ve been busy with AST field days over the last few weeks. We are pumped to start teaching on the week long CAA Operations Level 1! #avalanchetraining #professionallevel #canyoudigit @mountain_motorsports @greatcanadiantours @glacierhouseresort

Do we have any REVY Friends with an air BNB suite Dec 4? Looks like we have a field day AST 1 Dec 5! THANKS!

What is everyone seeing out there??

‘Tis the season to ensure all systems are go! Emergency training and preparedness is critical even when you don’t enter avalanche terrain. Here’s some integral items. What else should be added to the kit?! #getthetraining #getthegear #goingtopowtown @mountain_motorsports @avalanchesafety.ca

Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?! Fresh tracks and faceshots on an AST1 field day last season! #canyoudigit #avysavvy #trainwithus @mountain_motorsports @avalanchesafety.ca @glacierhouseresort

Recent avalanche activity and its location in terrain are critical observations for maintaining situational awareness. Can you identify common trigger points and obvious signs of instability? #avysavvy #avalanchetraining @mountain_motorsports @avalanchecanada

Dropping into a new zone last Feb! Needless to say we were pretty burnt when we got out of there... #cantfreakinwait #avysavvy #terrainisalwaystheanswer @mountain_motorsports

Bring on winter! BIG news.. we are only offering the AST2, Companion Rescue and Managing Avalanche Terrain Courses this year - this brings us outside!! If you would like and AST 1 course visit our partners at Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training or Hangfire Avalanche Training or find one on the Avalanche Canada course finder We are still supporting Zac’s Tracs students by doing AST1 field sessions every weekend, we are just not running AST 1 Classrooms. Britis...h Columbia Snowmobile Federation Golden Snowmobile Club Tourism Golden Avalanche Canada Avalanche Safety Solutions Highmark by Snowpulse ORTOVOX Backcountry Access, Inc. Infinite Powersports Revelstoke Glacier House Hotel & Resort Great Canadian Tours Mountain Motorsports See more

Guess we need to start thinking about snow! Watch for our course schedule out soon!

Also offering COVID friendly #snowservices this winter Blaeberry only ....#gobigorgohome #gobigandgohome #skidsteer #nowthatsablade #snowplow #readyforwinter @granterchris @c21mountaintownliving

From our back door #adventure #explorelocal #goldenrules #goldenbc @granterchris @c21mountaintownliving

Loose a shovel handle anyone? We have it... let me know what it is and you can have it back #beprepared #backcountry #hike #finderskeepers #avalanchesafety #avalancheshovel #keepittight #goldenbc #goldenrules #triggerpointsnowservices Avalanche Canada Golden Snowmobile Club Avalanche Safety Solutions Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training... Hangfire Avalanche Training Mountain Motorsports Banner Recreation & Marine See more

Mountain Logistics with this crewTruck-quad-hike-shuttle-hike-ski-hike-quad-bike-truck... and no break downs! Felt like movie production with Canadian Wilderness Adventures all over again #mt7 #familyhike #goldenrules #goldenbc #mountaintown

T2 UPDATE NOW AVAILABLE: BCA has announced a software update specifically and exclusively for its Tracker2 avalanche transceivers. We recommend that all Tracker...2 owners take advantage of this T2 software update. To learn more and access our T2 software update form, click here: https://bit.ly/3dAk2Lh #backcountryaccess #sendandreturn See more

Grade 1 homeschooling... make a board game! Naturally.... #gorma #goldenbc #dirtbiketrack #dirtbike #dontbreakyourbrakelever #mountaintown #mountainkid

Getting the groove back on the bigger wheels #moto #goldenbc #dirtbike #blaeberrylife #canisendit

April 17 Community Update Dr Trina Larsen Soles 1. There are an additional 43 positive tests for a total of 1618 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in BC. 150 are in I...nterior Health. 119 people are in hospital, 52 of these in ICU. There are no new outbreaks and no new deaths to report today. Five of the Long Term Care facilities have been cleared and one determined to have had a case of influenza not Covid. This leaves 20 affected LTC facilities with active outbreaks. There are now 63 cases from the Mission correctional facility, and 6 of those are in hospital. 966 people have recovered. 2. This week the province changed how they report data on bccdc.ca. There is now an interactive dashboard that illustrates all the cases in the province, including a map of each health authority and details on the cases in each region. 3. Today Dr. Henry and Minister Dix reported on updated modeling for BC. They presented data about the cases and deaths so far in the province. The graphs show that we are over the peak for hospital admissions and critical care admissions. Our hospital and ICU admissions were lower than expected. The rate of new diagnoses has slowed. This has allowed stabilization of those patients in hospital and ICU. This is cause for hope, and it is due to your actions in following the public health directives in BC. 4. The other models presented looked at forecasting possible outcomes depending on our actions going forward. They are considering how to safely reopen the province and it is a complicated and difficult process. The goal is to control transmission and growth, while easing the restrictions currently in place. Again they stated that there will be no relaxing of the orders this month. They discussed how we could reopen schools and businesses and start doing surgeries again. It was very clear that this process will be slow and gradual and will take weeks to months to implement. 5. This morning Prime Minister Trudeau announced a relief package for the oils and gas industry which involves job creation to clean up unused and decommissioned wells and a new program to enable industry to deal with and reduce emissions, particularly methane. The federal government has also dispatched Canadian Forces members with medical training to assist at stricken long term care facilities in Quebec. Bell Canada has donated 1.5 million masks to be distributed to health care workers across Canada. 6. Beginning April 20, all air passengers will be required to wear non-medical masks for air travel. Children under 2 and people with certain disabilities will be exempted. Flight attendants will be provided with protective gear. Symptomatic people will be denied boarding and physical distancing in line ups will be a standard. The Ministry of Transport is also asking passengers on trains, buses and boats to voluntarily wear masks for travel, as well as people traveling in cars with people not in their immediate household. 7. BC is leading the country in a positive response to Covid-19. Your sacrifices have achieved this. Dr. Henry quoted Winston Churchill today saying This is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning. There was very cautious optimism. We have a long road ahead of us and it will require stamina and strength to get to the end of our marathon. A graph comparing outcomes if a slow vs immediate easing of restrictions The Physicians of Golden

Thinking of you @freerange.family #chaselife

Who claimed this great opportunity from Alberta Snowmobile Association this season!? Great benefit! Thank you for your support!

Unusual times we are in. I hope that you and your family are healthy and doing well given the circumstances. Challenging times everywhere. An avalanche friend has reached out for help. Pascal Haegli, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University in BC, is currently leading a team of researchers running a multi-year project to improve avalanche bulletins for North American recreational users. It is important that more snowmobilers complete this survey so our opinions are i...ncluded in the research data. Thank you !!! Stay well! Trigger Point Snow Services Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training

A bit more info on why Avalanche Canada closed down their information to the public at this time...if you are still getting after it perhaps have a read...

Avalanche Trigger... pretty interesting!

Ya our instructor Adam is in Men's Journal with his Avalanche Dog Brooke! No big deal.... way to go! Avalanche Canada Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Follow up to my newsletter last night.. please see important info from Avalanche Canada

The joys of melt freeze and sun crusts! This marks us done our courses for the season thanks everyone who trained with us this year! See you next winter! A huge thank you to our supporters and partners who continue to help us deliver! Highmark by Snowpulse Backcountry Access, Inc. ORTOVOX... Avalanche Safety Solutions Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training Glacier House Hotel & Resort Great Canadian Tours SledRent.ca Infinite Powersports Revelstoke Mountain Motorsports Golden Snowmobile Rentals Golden Snowmobile Club See more

Anyone have one of these? Check it out

A little more on the quartz slide from yesterday with conditions update from one of our instructors. Thanks Sherriff!

Avalanche at Quartz Creek today - sounds like all ok. Still full on winter out there folks... read the MIN for more info..

Our condolences to this sledders family and friends. Posted by Dawn Turner

Watching this... thinking of everyone involved

AST 2 - That’s a wrap! Thanks everyone for joining us for 4 days! See it’s not just all work, you get to ride in this course! See you next season!#ast2 #avalanchesafety #avalanchetraining #revelstoke #revelstoked #revelstokebc #avalanche #avalanchecanada #avalanchecourse #sledsafer #mountains #mountainlife #mountainsledder #highmarkbysnowpulse @glacierhouseresort @greatcanadiantours @ Revelstoke, British Columbia

AST2 Day 2... come on boss it’s too deep for this rescue scenario#revelstuck #letitsnow #highhazard #noproblem #ast2 #avalancheskillstraining #avalanchetraining #avalanchereacue #revelstokebc #avalanchesafety #avalanchecanada @ Revelstoke, British Columbia

According a Government of Canada weather alert, between 15 and 25 centimetres is expected.

AST 2 - Day 1 Rescue Practice and exploring Terrain traps:) #ast2 #avalanchetraining #avalancherescue #mountainlife #avalanchecanada #bcadventures #bcadventuresmart #revelstoke @greatcanadiantours @glacierhouseresort @revelstokesnowmobileclub @bcsnowmobilefederation #sledsafer

Fam jam! All kids lapping the gondy! @kickinghorsemtn #goldenbc #mountaintownliving #skifamily #beautyday

Date day! thanks Husband:) and @mountain_motorsports ... my arms are going to fall off#powday #dateday #goldenbc #quartzcreek #backforschoolpickup @ Golden, British Columbia

Snowpulse Cylinders are fully rechargeable and reusable. The first step to getting set to go again is to change your 'burst' Burst Disc with a fresh one.

This just happens in Revy AST1 today with 306 Riders Union Deep days!

3 spots left this week in Revy! @riders.union @revelstokesnowmobileclub #ast1 #avalanche #avalanchesafety #avalanchetraining #avalanchecanada #getoutside #mountainsledding #revelstoke #revelstokebc

Reimbursement Program with @altasnowmobile WHO knows about thisTake a course and get paid! For real! !FREE AST1 or AST2 training for FREE! For Alberta Snowmobile Association members: The ASA reimbursement program is available again this season. ASA members can submit their AST receipt along with a certificate of completion from an Avalanche Canada recognized course provider. Fifty randomly chosen members will have their AST1 or AST2 course fees FULLY REIMBURSED. Ove...r the last couple seasons the ASA didn't receive the full 50 submissions so EVERYONE that took advantage of the offer had their training fees paid in full. That's $350-$700 back in your pocket. Wow! Check out the upcoming Level 2 in Revelstoke Jan 30-feb 2 (only a couple spots left) What an amazing opportunity! Avalanche Canada Alberta Snowmobile Association British Columbia Snowmobile Federation - BCSF SLED Sicamous Revelstoke Snowmobile Club Revelstoke Search and Rescue Golden Snowmobile Club Tourism Golden Revelstoke Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training

No way! Help us track these down! For Golden Snowmobile Rentals

Thanks AST1 students this past weekend for braving the wind! Great group at quartz! #ast1 #avalanche #avalanchesafety #avalanchetraining #goldenbc #sledgolden @ Golden, British Columbia

Just hearing about this avalanche from Merritt area. Thinking of family, friends and rescuers at this time. Please check out avalanche.ca and understand the cautions at this time.

Happy New Year Revelstoke!! Wow!!thanks for sharing Infinite Powersports!

Considerable Hazard and new storm enroute... what are you seeing out there?

My POW day #shortwinchrope #powday #deepdriveway #getstuck #getunstuck #goldenbc

Anyone riding Boulder today? Heads up folks with this new load we are going to see things moving

Airbags! Always a hot topic Always love the reactions Thanks Revelstoke for our annual AST1 early season classroom - to the field tomorrow Glacier House Hotel & Resort Great Canadian Tours SledRent.ca Revelstoke Snowmobile Club Zac's Tracs Avalanche and Snowmobile Training Avalanche Safety Solutions Highmark by Snowpulse... Backcountry Access, Inc. See more

Thanks all! We do have a couple of last minute seats open if anyone may be interested... looks like this will be our last AST 1 classroom session of the season.