Backcountry Awareness At Snowbird

The annual Backcountry Awareness Dinner & Silent Auction will be at the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird Friday, Feb. 13, 2009 as part of Backcountry Awareness Week Feb. 9-15.

Inspirational speaker and paralympian Chris Waddell takes top-billing as the keynote speaker at Snowbird's Backcountry Awareness dinner Feb.13. The well-spoken athlete will tell how he overcame a life-changing college skiing accident to become the most decorated male skier in Paralympic history, as well as preview his historic attempt to be the first paraplegic to summit Kilimanjaro in March.

There will be a book signing by Bruce Tremper (Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain), dinner, silent auction, and live entertainment. It's been a tough year for the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center and they're putting out the call to all of their supports. The $75 ticket will go to fund their backcountry programs.

You can take part in the Backcountry Awareness Clinics which begin Feb. 14 with a free Basic Avalanche Transceiver Skills Clinic at 5 p.m. in the Alpine Room. Bring your own avalanche transceiver if you have one, or use one of Snowbird's. The Basic Avalanche Skills Clinic, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., is on Feb. 14 as well. $69 per person includes clinic, lunch and ski pass. Call 801-933-2147 or register online. Limited space is available.

There are also Intermediate Avalanche Skills Clinics, a Backcountry Skills Seminar (Feb. 21) and Beacon Contest.
Register for everything or get more information at the Snowbird Activity Center 801-933-2147.