VOLUME 25, NO. 1 • OCTOBER 2006 20 Years of the AMERICAN AVALANCHE ASSOCIATION In This Issue From the President. 2 From the Editor . 2 Photo by Emily Johnston, who AAA News. 3 tells TAR, “The photo of Hunter AAA Board Meeting . 3 Mentorship . 5 was taken from Kahiltna Base, as I recall we had several days Metamorphism . 3 of storm (no flying) so everyone What’s New . 6 was stacked up at base waiting to fly out. I just happened to Crown Profiles Doug Coombs . 8 have my camera in hand when Art Judson. 10 I heard someone shout and saw You Never Can Tell. 12 this slide break loose.” Education Emily just finished her final year SnowPro . 9 of med school and is hoping to Media re-enter the avalanche world in Avalanche Acres . 13 some form. Snow Science Judgment & Decision-making, Part III . 16 NAC 2005/06 Season Roundup Utah Avalanche Center . 19 Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center. 19 Idaho Panhandle National Forest Avalanche Center . 20 West Central Montana Avalanche Center . 20 Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center . 20 Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center . 21 US Forest Service Mt Shasta Avalanche Center. 22 Payette National Forest Avalanche Center . 23 Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center . 23 Mount Washington Avalanche Center . 23 Logan, Utah • Bear River Avalanche Information Center. 24 Northwest Montana & Glacier Country Avalanche Center . 24 Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center . 25 Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center . 25 Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center . 26 Sierra Avalanche Center, Tahoe National Forest . 27 Colorado Avalanche Information Center . 27 The Avalanche Review I heard a sound like a rifle crack. This P.O. Box 2831 entire slope took off below me. I fell Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 straight down about 7 feet to the bed surface. I was looking at this huge mass of snow. It was like I was in the front seat of a Greyhound bus, looking out the window. —Art Judson, p10 u PAGE 2 THE AVALANCHE REVIEW VOL. 25, NO. 1, OCTOBER 2006 VOL. 25, NO. 1, OCTOBER 2006 THE AVALANCHE REVIEW PAGE 3 t THE from aaa president, Russ Johnson aaa news I had the opportunity this summer to attend Rueter (who calls himself an old logger), who with Monty AAA Spring Board Meeting our editorial staff. The photo contest was a success. measures, standards, and revised guidelines. REVIEW two pretty unique if diverse events. The first was Jim Atwater and Norm headed up the control work for the We are looking for a student who will do a school 2. A subcommittee headed by Janet Kellam will work McConkey’s 80th birthday. Jim, the father of well-known 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley. He later went on to run The American Avalanche Association (AAA) Governing project of taking selected back articles putting them on developing a systematic learning progression out skier Shane, was probably one of the first free skiers (you Kirkwood Ski Area (probably was loggin’ in that drainage Board spring meeting was held on April 22, 2006 at online as part of the Moonstone Library and possibly of all the plethora of Level I-III, National School, OCTOBER 2006 • VOL. 25 • NUMBER 1 would have to mention Stein Erikson and Pepi Stiegler as anyway). Also attending the memorial, Leroy Hill was also the White Pine Ski Area and Resort near Pinedale, on a CD for instructors to use in courses. We will look PAWS, and other courses. well). He had first descents in the Bugaboos while his friend on the crew under Monty Atwater, consulted on avalanche Wyoming. In attendance were 13 board members, three into producing a new AAA brochure. 3. A subcommittee headed by Michael Jackson will The Avalanche Review is published each fall through spring by members, and Executive Director Mark Mueller. work on developing mentorship paths and resources the American Avalanche Association, Inc., a non-profit corpora- Hans Gmoser was initially searching out terrain for an infant issues in the Rogers Pass area and became ski school tion. The Avalanche Review welcomes the submission of articles, Canadian Mountain Holidays heli-ski operation. He helped director at Squaw. Represented at this event as well were Research, Mark Mueller for Chair HP Marshall for prospective avalanche specialists. photographs and illustrations. develop and was the initial ski school director at Park City. many whom Norm had affected: Bela Vedasz (Alpine Skills President and Vice Presidents’ Remarks We vote to award $800 to Spencer Logan for tap Later he ran Whistler’s ski school and owned a ski shop International, AIARE), Larry Heywood (Alpine Meadows), President Russ Johnson welcomed the group and Vice compression test research. HP could not attend but The Board reviewed the procedure for appeals of Please send submissions to: Editorial Assistants: Lynne Wolfe –– Editor Ron Matous there. A picture of Jim jumping over a plane is prominently Bill Williamson (Sugar Bowl, Alpine Meadows, Schweitzer), President Doug Richmond gave a report on the National will be here next time. Certified Avalanche Instructor denial. PO Box 1135 Ellie Martin featured in the Goldminer’s Daughter at Alta. Jim Zaloga (Alpine Meadows, Sugar Bowl), Gary Murphy Ski Areas Association Explosives Committee, which is Driggs, Idaho 83422 The party, while missing the recently deceased Hans (Alpine Meadows), Jim Plene (Alpine Meadows), Curtis staying abreast of the ongoing changes in explosive use Awards, Denny Hogan Ski Areas Committee, Bill Williamson tel: (208) 709-4073 and ever-increasing regulation. John Brennan is working Nominations are open, and we discussed fall ISSW Bill will help make sure the ski areas know about [email protected] Gmoser, was punctuated by first-generation ski pioneers. Crooks (Squaw Valley), and the list goes on. Guests included Junior Bonous who ran the ski school at As I step away from this world mid-way through my on an updated, lower-cost avalauncher. award presentations. the PAWS course. Advertising: Production: Sugar Bowl in the early ‘60s and was the initial ski school sixtieth year, I marvel at what a privilege it has been to meet Marcia LeMire Fall Line Design Treasurers’ Report, Dave Ream Education, Don Sharaf Search and Rescue Committee, Mark Mueller for P.O. Box 1400 76 N Main, Suite 208 director at Snowbird (still teaching at age 80); Mike Weigle, and learn from some of these folks and to work with others. Jackson, WY 83001 Driggs, ID 83422 whom Junior hired as an instructor for a couple of years at I took my first ski lesson from Junior Bonous in 1963. I took Our sources of income in order of amount are: Improving avalanche education has been a major Chair Dale Atkins tel: (208) 787-2223 tel/fax: (208) 354-6500 Sugar Bowl and who later ran the ski school at Lake Louise my first avalanche class from Norm Wilson in 1984. To have dues, TAR advertising, donations, SWAG sales. Our AAA focus and will continue to be. An updated avalanche SAR dictionary is in fax: (307) 733-5916 [email protected] before becoming the heli-ski operator we know him as today; shared the Governing Board table with Knox Williams, Don operations fund balance is about the same as last year: The Professional Avalanche Workers School (PAWS) the works, and Dale has been working on fitting [email protected] Leo Grillmair, Hans Gmoser’s great friend and climbing Bachman, Stuart Thompson, Larry Heywood, Liam Fitzgerald, healthy and holding steady at a little over $17,000. was a success and will be offered again this season. avalanche responders into the Department of Business and Subscription Office: partner who came over with Hans from Austria (“with just Onno Wieringa, Mark Mueller, Gary Murphy, Karl Birkeland, Membership and income are growing slowly. Our The first course only had five students, but interest is Homeland Security’s resource typing classification Mark Mueller –– AAA Executive Director expenses are up but so is our income. We lost a little on already strong for the next course at $975 tuition ($875 system and setting up appropriate protocols. We P.O.Box 2831 the shirts on their backs”) and remained his partner in the Craig Sterbenz, Janet Kellam, Ethan Greene, and so many Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 Canadian Mountain Holidays heli-ski operation; and Franz more who solidified the work of people like Monty, Norm, the Professional Development Seminar and the first run for AAA members). It worked out to 60% field time concur with a recommendation from ANENA that tel: (970) 946-0822 Gabl, the first Austrian to win an Olympic skiing medal Ed LaChapelle, and others has been truly an honor. of the Professional Avalanche Workers’ School, but these and 40% classroom time. Somewhat humorously, we beacon manufacturers list useful working range fax: (970) 731-2486 are priority services for our membership and income may need to come up with a new name as some people rather than maximum, but note that there needs [email protected] (silver in the downhill in 1948). Franz was an instructor at As Larry Heywood said at the memorial, “Norm broke the famous Hans Schneider ski school in St. Anton before trail for us in the avalanche industry.” True as it is, the from SWAG sales is allowing us to subsidize them. mistakenly thought PAWS stood for some kind of to be agreement on how range is measured if the coming to Canada with the FIS team. He became the people who followed up the trail brought into full fruition rescue-dog training. Future courses will be limited to 18 figures are to be accurate. Canadian women’s ski team coach and later the ski school the legacy of the well-known pioneers.