Avalanche experts meet Oct. 1

 A regional workshop on avalanche safety will be held for the first time in the Flathead Valley at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish on Oct. 1.

The Northern Rockies Avalanche Safety Workshop will feature five of the region’s most prominent avalanche experts presenting practical safety information and research.

There will be demonstrations on skills for staying safe in avalanche-prone terrain.

“The number of winter backcountry enthusiasts in our area has increased dramatically in recent years and skill levels have progressed exponentially with each new season,” said Ted Steiner, a local avalanche expert and chairman of the event.

“At the same time, our winter backcountry community has experienced an increase of avalanche-related incidents. This event is meant to help answer the ‘what can we do’ question when it comes to improving the margin of safety.”

Featured speakers include Don Sharaf, co-owner of the American Avalanche Institute and lead guide for Valdez Heli-Ski Guides; Doug Richmond, Bridger Bowl ski patrol director; Jordy Hendrikx, director of the Snow and Avalanche Laboratory and professor of earth sciences at Montana State University; Lynne Wolfe, certified AAA instructor at the American Avalanche Institute and editor of the Avalanche Review; and Mark Staples, an avalanche forecaster for the Gallatin National Forest.

The event will be Oct. 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a fee of $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

Participants can register online at:

http://avalanchesafetyworkshop.com/index.asp