When snow flurries fall on Seeley Lake, Montana, snowmobilers zip into the backcountry for another day of powdery bliss. The town, located 50 miles northeast of Missoula, boasts 400 miles of groomed trails through dense woods and over enchanting meadows, right to the foot of steep, snow-filled chutes.

“Five minutes from the trailhead and you’re on really technical stuff,” Karl Zurmuehlen, 50, a local backcountry guide, told 国产吃瓜黑料. “That’s what brings a lot of riders to Seeley Lake.”

But this winter, Seeley Lake’s picturesque trails and snow-covered slopes have become ground zero for a crisis gripping America’s small-but-dedicated community of avalanche forecasters.

In December, the made the tough decision to no longer send avalanche experts to Seeley Lake to test the snowpack. The Missoula-based center, which oversees a huge swath of backcountry in the state鈥檚 center, also announced that its avalanche forecasts for Seeley Lake would be published only sporadically this winter. The decision comes just four years after a in the area.

“I guess avalanche safety is going to become a word-of-mouth thing at Seeley Lake now,” said Zurmuehlen, who’s business, Kra-Z’s, also rents snowmobiles to visitors.

The avalanche center鈥檚 decision to pull back from Seeley Lake is a result of the recent budget and staffing predicament within the National Forest Service. In September, the Forest Service publicly announced for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025. The agency, which manages 193 million acres of American grasslands and forests, also operates or helps fund 14 regional avalanche centers, including the West Central Montana center.

Abandoning one popular backcountry area may seem like a local issue. But forecasters who work within the Forest Service鈥檚 avalanche program told 国产吃瓜黑料 that a larger problem may be looming on the horizon. With the Forest Service’s future left to the whims of national politics, they worry that the agency鈥檚 avalanche program may suffer deeper cuts in 2026 and beyond. If that happens, the Forest Service鈥檚 avalanche centers will have to abandon more recreation areas like Seeley Lake.

This plight comes as more Americans than ever are venturing into avalanche terrain for outdoor recreation. Participation in backcountry skiing and snowboarding soared during the pandemic. The , a trade group for the skiing industry, reported approximately 4.9 million skiers and snowboarders recreated in the backcountry during the 2023-24 winter. That’s up from just 2 million during the 2017-18 winter.

A sizable portion of these skiers and snowboarders rely on the published by Forest Service centers to assess danger. Within the tight-knit circle of avalanche forecasters, the Forest Service budget cut has sparked a debate over funding and managing avalanche safety in the United States.

“Right now is an inflection point,” said Patrick Black, the executive director of the West Central Montana Avalanche Center (WCMAC). “With so many uncertainties for this winter and winters to come, now is the time to revisit the current model for funding avalanche safety.”

How a Federal Shortfall Impacts Avalanche Forecasting

The bad news broke just a few weeks before the first snowfall blanketed the Rockies. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives from the $8.9 billion the agency requested for the 2024-25 fiscal year. On September 16, which was then released to the public, explaining how the massive agency, which , would address the shortfall.

For 2024 and 2025, the Forest Service would no longer hire part-time seasonal workers, except for wildland firefighting crews, he said. Losing these employees, called 鈥�1039鈥� staff in Forest Service parlance, would require the agency to halt a wide range of seasonal duties, from trail maintenance to campsite cleanup.

鈥淲e are not going to do everything that is expected of us with fewer people,鈥� Moore said during the conference.

The news sounded alarm bells within the Forest Service鈥檚 14 avalanche centers, which are based in California, Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and New Hampshire. Seasonal employees perform critical work during the winter at some of these centers. They venture into backcountry areas early each morning to observe snowfall and dig pits into the snowpack, looking for signs of avalanche danger. They work alongside year-round forecasters to process this information and combine it with weather data. And some of them also write the daily avalanche reports that appear online.

鈥淭here was panic,” said Scott Schell, executive director of the Northwest Avalanche Center鈥檚 non-profit organization. The NWAC, which is one of the 14 Forest Service centers, forecasts for Washington State and northern Oregon. 鈥淲ithout our seasonal workers we aren鈥檛 much of an avalanche center,鈥� Schell added.

Collectively, the NFS avalanche program employs approximately 70 workers; 55 are permanent positions or a designation called “seasonal permanent.鈥� The remaining 15 are seasonal positions. Of the 11 employees at the Northwest Avalanche Center, eight are seasonal workers, Schell said. All eight positions were jeopardized by the hiring freeze.

鈥淎valanche forecasts aren鈥檛 produced by machines,鈥� Schell said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e done by people with high levels of expertise.鈥�

The Forest Service also funds and operates the National Avalanche Center, a collection of snow science experts and avalanche forecasters who train staff and coordinate resources between the 14 regional centers. Simon Trautman, the director of the National Avalanche Center, told 国产吃瓜黑料 that his office began working on solutions to the staffing crisis shortly after the call. “People do these jobs because they love what they do,” he said. “And because they believe the work ultimately saves lives.”

But in the days after the announcement, a solution seemed nearly impossible to attain. The Forest Service initially told avalanche centers they could not sidestep the staff cut by simply paying the seasonal salaries from their own coffers. The 14 NFS avalanche centers are funded in part by the agency; each center also raises a portion of its operational budget through non-profit donations, sponsorship sales, or from state agencies.

The ratio of private funding to NFS dollars differs for each center. Trautman said funding from sponsorship sales and non-profit organizations, called “friends groups,” account for slightly more than half of the total budget for the 14 centers. The Forest Service, he said, contributes $2.5 million annually to fund the centers.

鈥淲e鈥檙e essentially a rounding error,鈥� Schell said. “When you consider the impact we have.”

But the Forest Service still manages the centers, which means they are subjected to all agency-wide mandates, including staff cuts. That decision did not sit well within the avalanche program.

鈥淚njuries and fatalities will likely be the result of this cost-saving measure,鈥� Dwayne Meadows, the executive director of the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center, .

Meadows, Schell, and other avalanche center managers pushed back on the cut. Throughout September and into October, they contacted regional forest managers and asked, then begged, to be exempted from the hiring freeze.

鈥淲e are a crucial part of the economy,鈥� Meadows told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淥utdoor recreation is part of what keeps our community going in the winter.鈥�

Pressure mounted from outside the agency as well. In Wyoming, Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both Republicans, asked for the Bridger-Teton center to receive an exemption for its seasonal staff. On October 4, a letter signed by 42 different companies and nonprofits鈥攆rom the American Mountain Guides Association, to Montana鈥檚 Bridger Bowl Ski Area, to Colorado Mountain Club鈥攂egged Moore to allow the avalanche centers to remain fully-staffed.

鈥淔orest Service Avalanche Centers provide crucial tools for public safety and it is critical that these centers operate at full capacity this, and every, winter,鈥� the letter said.

The pressure worked. As the first snowfalls hit the high country, regional managers granted exemptions for the avalanche centers, or allowed them to fund seasonal staff through non-profit funds. The Intermountain Region, which oversees Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, granted exemptions to Bridger-Teton for its two seasonal positions; the Pacific Northwest region, which manages Oregon and Washington State, approved Schell’s request for all eight.

At Montana鈥檚 Flathead Avalanche Center, which oversees the area surrounding Glacier National Park, the Northern Region manager approved one 1039 employee and allowed two seasonal-permanent employees to have their contracts extended. Other centers received exemptions, and by November, all 15 seasonal employees were saved.

The success “significantly helped morale,” Trautman said. “Because of leadership support, we are still in the avalanche forecasting business,” he added.

Patrick Black, the executive director of the West Central Montana Avalanche Center, watched as other centers received exemptions throughout September and October. But as the snow began to fall on the mountains outside Missoula, Black learned that his center, which does not employ 1039 workers, would receive a debilitating cut.

鈥淭here was a brief moment when it seemed like all of us were going to be safeguarded,鈥� Black told 国产吃瓜黑料. “We weren’t included. It was painful to hear.”

How Budget Cuts Hurt Avalanche Centers and the Backcountry Users that Rely on Them

If any avalanche group was destined to fall through the cracks, it was the West Central Montana Avalanche Center. Of the 14 centers affiliated with the Forest Service, it is the only one that operates as a true non-profit.

None of the avalanche center鈥檚 three full-time staff work for the Forest Service鈥攊nstead, they report to a board of directors and are paid by a non-profit called The West Central Montana Avalanche Foundation. The center raises $80,000 of its $120,000 annual budget through grants, donations, and sponsorships; the remaining $40,000 comes in via an annual Forest Service payment.

鈥淚鈥檓 often envious of the other avalanche centers,鈥� Black said. 鈥淭heir friends groups and non-profits are on the hook for a much smaller percentage of their operating revenue.鈥�

But the Forest Service support is still crucial: Each winter the agency gives the WCMAC three trucks to drive to and from forecasting areas, plus snowmobile use, and gas cards to cover fuel costs.

In late October, Black received the bad news from the regional forest supervisor. The Forest Service would not renew its $40,000 annual contract with the center, or provide vehicles or gas.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 sound like a ton of money, but to a small non-profit, losing that was devastating,鈥� Black said. 鈥淭o think we could squeeze any more out of our equation was unrealistic.鈥�

He called a meeting with the center鈥檚 board members to come up with an operations plan amid the cuts. The center would need to rent vehicles for the six-month season, and cover the cost of fuel for hundreds of miles of weekly driving. Those added costs, plus the loss in $40,000, would require a reduction in head count, from three full-time forecasters to one full-time and one part-time.

The reduction in staff would also impact the center鈥檚 area of forecasting. Avalanche forecasters could no longer travel deep into the backcountry to dig pits or test the snowpack. Instead, they鈥檇 need to focus on the most popular trailheads near ski areas and towns.

鈥淲e鈥檙e prioritizing areas that are popular with the non-motorized community, like backcountry skiers and snowshoers,鈥� Black said. 鈥淭he areas where the motorized community goes are too far out.鈥�

And finally, Black made the difficult decision to dramatically reduce the number of published avalanche forecasts in all areas. Prior to 2024, the West Central Avalanche Center published daily forecasts on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For the 2024-25 season, employees will write reports for Saturdays and Sundays only.

鈥淔olks will not know until Saturday morning what we鈥檝e been seeing in the field,鈥� Black said. 鈥淗onestly, I hate to even say this out loud.鈥�

Is it Time to Abandon the Forest Service Model?

In May, Forest Service chief Randy Moore on natural resources and energy to discuss his $8.9 billion budget request for the 2024-25 fiscal year. One by one, Republican and Democratic senators admonished Moore for the agency鈥檚 shortcomings in everything from wildfire prevention to timber sales.

鈥淭here鈥檚 broad agreement on this committee that the Forest Service is not meeting the challenge it confronts,鈥� Barrasso of said. 鈥淭he Forest Service must change course.鈥�

Statements like this continue to cause consternation amongst Forest Service avalanche employees. Amid the change in presidential administration and a shift in power in Congress, there鈥檚 considerable doubt that the agency will receive the future funding it requires to function at its current size and scope. Meanwhile, the Forest Service鈥檚 annual spend on wildfire prevention and mitigation, , is likely to continue to rise.

Avalanche professionals worry that the agency鈥檚 solution to the 2024 staff cuts are temporary, and that additional cuts are likely to occur in the coming years.

鈥淚f I鈥檓 being honest, I鈥檓 not confident that the Forest Service is going to figure this one out,鈥� Black said. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to chart a course for seasons to come, it makes sense to invite new groups to the table to fund these programs.鈥�

Even Trautman, who worked long hours in September and October to save the seasonal employees, worries that the current solution may not last forever. “There are significant unknowns around how we accomplish mission-critical summer work, or if we can hire seasonal and turnover positions for next fall,” he said.

Different funding models do exist within America鈥檚 avalanche centers. In addition to the 14 Forest Service avalanche centers, eight regional centers are operated by separate non-profits. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the country鈥檚 largest avalanche program, receives most of its funding from the state’s Department of Natural Resources, with additional funds coming from private donations, local governments, and the federal government.

The other avalanche center managers who spoke to 国产吃瓜黑料 for this story said that the current crisis has made them consider鈥攁nd even study鈥攆unding models that do not involve the Forest Service.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much more the avalanche program could do if our current structure pointed us toward stability,鈥� Schell said. 鈥淭he amount of hours we spend worrying about funding alone could be put toward creating better forecasts.鈥�

As Black and his board directors sought solutions to the West Central Montana Avalanche Center’s budget crisis, he crunched the numbers to see how it could exist without Forest Service funding or involvement. Like other avalanche centers WCMAC sells memberships to backcountry users that grant them access to events and teachings.

If half of the center鈥檚 2,500 newsletter subscribers became paying members, the revenue would offset the lost Forest Service funds, Black said. Ramping up the center’s sponsorship sales could also boost its budget.

Black said that, if given more time for fundraising, the WCMAC could survive on its own.

鈥淚t feels like we鈥檙e a year ahead of the other centers in having these discussions,鈥� Black said.

Consequences of Forging a New Path

Everyone interviewed for the story admitted that divorcing the 14 avalanche centers from the Forest Service would have consequences. The agency provides liability insurance and legal support to the centers, which help protect them from lawsuits.

鈥淚f someone tries to sue the Forest Service they鈥檙e not going to get very far,鈥� Meadows said. 鈥淚f they sued our foundation with our non-profit insurance, they鈥檇 kill us.鈥�

Jayne Nolan, the executive director of the non-profit American Avalanche Association, an industry group for avalanche professionals, said that the Forest Service model provides greater stability for staff, like health insurance and paid vacation time. Nolan believes that the Forest Service has an obligation to continue managing the centers.

鈥淣early 95 percent of all avalanche fatalities occur on Forest Service land,鈥� Nolan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the job of the Forest Service to reduce these numbers, even as backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling skyrockets.鈥�

Bruce Tremper, who oversaw the Utah Avalanche Center from 1986 until his retirement in 2015 and wrote the seminal avalanche safety textbook, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, says alignment with the Forest Service also gives avalanche centers clout with the general public. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e part of the Forest Service then you have authority and legitimacy that people take seriously,鈥� Tremper said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just another non-profit springing up.鈥� That authority makes backcountry users more inclined to pay attention to its warnings, he said.

Tremper said he endured multiple budget cuts, government shutdowns, and staffing shortages during his 29 years with the Utah Avalanche Center. Learning to exist amid the agency鈥檚 dysfunction is simply part of the job, he said.

鈥淚t took me a long time to figure out the rules and regulations of how to work in a government agency,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a big aircraft carrier and it鈥檚 hard to change direction when you鈥檙e in it.鈥�

But Schell worries that this mindset has stifled innovation, and prevented avalanche centers from discovering better models for funding and management. The Northwest Avalanche Center will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025. And despite the center鈥檚 growth in fundraising and its advancements in snow science and avalanche prediction, the program is still vulnerable to shifts in the Forest Service鈥檚 budget and management structure.

鈥淲e鈥檝e bootstrapped these centers for 40 or 50 years,鈥� Schell said. 鈥淎t what point can we have a durable and sustainable program?”

Schell told 国产吃瓜黑料 that the NWAC would continue to 鈥渓ean into鈥� the Forest Service relationship for 2025 and beyond. Rather than pursue non-profit status or state-run structure, he said the center would instead ask the agency to consider a different operational model for the centers. At the moment, all 14 avalanche centers exist within the Forest Service鈥檚 arcane management structure of regional forests and ranger districts. A center鈥檚 budget and staff size are decided by regional, and not national, managers.

鈥淲e need to find the right people inside the Forest Service to make the whole avalanche program stand on its own,鈥� he said.

Black echoed Schell鈥檚 sentiment. In mid-December, the WCMAC began talks with the Forest Service for a smaller contract, one that included access to vehicles. But the uncertainty, Black said, still gave him considerable anxiety about the future.

鈥淭he whole thing frightens me,鈥� he said.

Whether or not the lack of avalanche reports affects Seeley Lake鈥檚 snowmobilers this winter is yet to be seen. After a few early season storms in November, the lake saw sunshine in December, and the trails at lower elevations were mostly bare in the weeks before Christmas. But Zermeuhlen was confident that business would soon be booming.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be inundated,鈥� he said. 鈥淗undreds of people heading out every weekend.鈥�

The post Inside the Crisis Threatening America鈥檚 Avalanche Experts appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Mother Nature has provided another reminder that avalanches can occur on either side of a ski resort’s boundary.

Earlier this week, patrollers at Colorado’s Steamboat Resort published images and video of a massive avalanche that swept down four closed runs on the morning of Wednesday, November 27. Nobody was injured in the slide, which occurred near the summit of 10,570-foot Mount Werner.

“This is the largest slab avalanche we’ve seen at Steamboat in almost two decades,” patroller Matt Hartsel said in the video.

The slide swept down four advanced and expert runs that start at the top of the Morningside chairlift: Crowtrack, The Ridge, Chute 1, and Chute 2. It occurred after an early-season storm dumped two feet of new powder on the resort in just two days. Nobody saw the actual avalanche.

According to a field report that Hartsel submitted to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the crown of the avalanche was nearly 1,000 feet long, and the slide swept down the steep runs and came to rest on flatter terrain. Hartsel wrote that it broke free from a a weak “faceted” layer of snow that fell early in the season. In his report, Harsel said that patrol detonated explosives on Mount Werner听on Monday, December 2, but the charges did not produce an additional slide.

“No known witnesses, believed to be natural trigger,” he wrote.

Steamboat’s ski patrol urged visitors to respect trail closures鈥攈ad skiers ducked the ropes to descend or climb the terrain during the storm, they could have been injured or killed. “There are areas of our mountain that are not ready to be opened,” patroller Riley Wilkinson said in the video. “Not respecting closures places you and patrollers in danger.”

Steamboat鈥檚 ski patrol has not announced when the area impacted by the avalanche, which is commonly called “Christmas Tree Bowl,” will open for the general public. Loryn Duke, a resort spokesperson, said that it’s often the last terrain on the mountain to open, and sometimes the ropes don’t drop until after Christmas.

“Our patrol teams do avalanche mitigation pre-opening, including hand bombs and ski cutting, to stabilize the snow as much as humanly possible prior to opening and then do daily mitigation as necessary,” Duke told 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别听in an email.

“This type of slide is Mother Nature doing natural mitigation on the slope,” Duke added. “The weak layer has sluffed off and compacted below the slide area. Now we will continue to monitor new snow and determine when the snow is stable enough for skiers and riders to enjoy.”

The slide is another reminder of the avalanche danger that exists during the early season, as the repeated cycle of storms and sunshine create unstable layers in the snowpack, even on runs that lay within a resort’s boundaries. The Steamboat slide occurred just four days after the resort opened to the general public on November 23鈥攃urrently only 36 percent of the trails are open.

But deadly conditions can exist on in-bounds terrain later in the season, even after ski patrollers have conducted avalanche mitigation on trails. Patrollers will trigger slides with explosives, or by slope-cutting鈥攕kiing at a 45-degree angle across a hillside鈥攑rior to a run opening to reduce the risk of uncontrolled avalanches while the terrain is open. On January 10, 2024, a deadly avalanche rumbled down experts-only runs at California’s Palisades Tahoe shortly after patrollers opened the terrain for the season. The slide killed one visitor and buried others.

Avalanche expert Paul Baugher, who ran the ski patrol at Washington’s Crystal Mountain Resort from 1987 until 2016, told听国产吃瓜黑料 that he’s seen glaring similarities between deadly avalanches that have occurred within the boundaries of U.S. ski resorts.听Baugher co-authored a 2023 report titled 听that studied 14 deadly in-bounds slides between 2003 and 2023.

“They happened early in the season, and the worst-case scenario was when they occurred on only a marginally unstable slope,” Baugher said. “If you have a fully unstable slope, ski patrol can do mitigation action and get results because the sensitivity to trigger an avalanche is high. But if you have a marginally unstable slope, you may not be able to get it to slide, and the snow just builds up.”

Baugher told听国产吃瓜黑料 that skiers should always exercise caution when skiing expert terrain early in the season鈥攕pecifically in the days after the runs have opened to the public. He recommends always skiing with a friend, and bringing personal avalanche safety gear: a beacon, shovel, and probe, and the knowledge to use them.

鈥淚f you think danger has been engineered out of skiing at a resort, you鈥檙e wrong,鈥� he said.

The post This Ski Resort Just Recorded One of the Largest In-Bounds Avalanches in Its History appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On January 10, at Palisades Tahoe, an avalanche ripped down G.S. Bowl, a popular run right beneath the famed KT-22 chair, killing one person and trapping many others. As is almost always the case with inbounds avalanches, none of the skiers and snowboarders who were buried did anything wrong. And while investigations are ongoing, Palisades鈥� snow safety professionals鈥攖he patrollers that risk their lives in the predawn gloom tossing hand charges and ski cutting slopes to release avalanches before the public arrives鈥攑robably also did their jobs to the best of their abilities.

After a multiple-fatality slide at Silver Mountain, Idaho, in 2020, I gave some general advice about how to protect yourself inbounds. I also explained why inbounds avalanches happen in 2019 after a similar tragedy at Taos Ski Valley, in New Mexico. The unfortunate reality is that avalanche science is pretty good at assessing the likelihood of slides, but it cannot predict exactly where and when a slope will break loose. Nor will we ever know with total certainty that avalanche terrain鈥攁ny ungroomed slope above 30 degrees, which includes pretty much everything above a blue square in the west鈥攊s 100 percent safe to ski. Mitigation doesn鈥檛 work that way. Resort snow safety teams live in a continuum where they can always be good, but they can never be perfect. In a 100 percent safe scenario, KT-22 would never spin.

The fatal slides at Palisades, Silver Mountain, and Taos highlight a disconnect in ski resort messaging that I’ve witnessed throughout my lifelong involvement with snow sports, including 25 years covering the subject as a journalist. Time and again, I see skiing marketed to the masses as , or as a luxury lifestyle choice for the wealthy. The truth, of course, is that skiing can be hazardous, and sometimes it can be deadly. But rarely have I ever seen resorts communicate the dangers of the sport to customers with the same vigor as they do plugging the fluffy accouterments. Ski resorts should start treating customers like adults, and stop pretending skiing and snowboarding are as safe as a fancy cruise鈥攎inus the hot tub norovirus.

There are reasons why approachability eclipses danger in resort messaging, of course. During my time covering the sport I’ve regularly seen executives promoted to the C-suite from marketing and guest services positions, but rarely have I seen ski patrollers rise to the same levels. Take a look at bios for executives at the two biggest resort companies in the world鈥� and 鈥攊f you want proof.

Yes skiing can be family-friendly and luxurious, but it is also risky to varying degrees. That鈥檚 true of that blue run you just dragged your rookie boyfriend up without a lesson, and it鈥檚 also true of the steep avalanche terrain that you鈥檙e standing on top of waiting for the rope to drop. After a few flurries of inbounds avalanche fatalities in the past two decades, I believe most seasoned skiers and snowboarders understand the avalanche risk. Everyone else should read the lengthy online waiver that greets you before you buy your pass.

Except nobody reads waivers. I鈥檝e addressed the need for skiers to be a bit more self-reliant in previous columns. But I think that marketing departments for ski resorts also need to do a better job of acknowledging and even鈥攅gads鈥攁ddressing the risks: collisions on overcrowded slopes; long falls on iced-over runs; tree well suffocation; and yes, inbounds avalanches. Scan headlines from local newspapers over the past few months you will see of at North American resorts. Communicating the dangers of skiing in an adequate way will require a cultural shift at many resorts. That’s because the business model is about attracting the highest volume of customers and resorts don鈥檛 want to scare anyone off.

Resort skiing has always been a volume play. Lift lines in the seventies were routinely an hour long. They used to sell hot dogs and beer as you waited, and you had time for a second beer. Today, the lines move faster, but the resort conglomerates carry on that volume-first tradition by selling cheap season passes. I鈥檝e argued in the past that those products are good because they can help bring new users, and maybe someday, diverse users, into skiing and snowboarding, which otherwise would have gone into a steady decline. But high volume comes at the cost of the experience and the safety of the guests. Ask any patroller at a resort where you feel as though you鈥檙e dodging other humans like bamboo gates why most accidents happen, and off the record he or she will say, “It鈥檚 the crowding.”

Again, I鈥檓 not calling out any specific ski resort here, certainly not Palisades, which, besides a misguided notion to rebrand one of the steepest ski areas in North America as a family ski hill about a decade ago has a well-earned extreme vibe and, last I heard, one of the best snow safety teams in the business. (I was complicit in that softer marketing. I produced their marketing magazine, which was full of low angle skiing and snot-nosed kids and by edict from above none of the steep skiing the mountain is famous for.) What I鈥檓 calling out is this: Resorts can feel free to market the that they love so much in these days of massive income inequality, but they also need to message that skiing comes with challenges and struggle and self reliance and, yes, risk. Even mellow resort skiing requires as much dedication to skills training and fitness as mountain biking and surfing. Backcountry skiing comes with the gravitas of whitewater, big wave surfing, and alpinism. Skiing on avalanche terrain鈥攏o matter if it’s inbounds or out鈥攕hould take years of skills development to get to that level. Skiing and snowboarding are epic because the sports beat you down. Mountains are iconic because they鈥檙e unforgiving.

Some resorts already get that. They tend to be the ones that market themselves as ski 鈥渁reas鈥� not ski 鈥渞esorts.鈥� Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, which was just purchased by Alterra, and cut skier volume a few years ago to preserve the experience, is one. I hope that management style will continue. Fernie, which is avalanche-challenged by slopes above the resort, is another. Alta, Utah, the birthplace of snow science and avalanche mitigation in the U.S., is a third. When the Alta sheriff tells you to move your car because it will get buried overnight, you tend to pay attention. In Europe, everyone knows that if you ski off-trail you are in the backcountry and you could die.

The corresponding spatial awareness, mountain sense, and self reliance you see at burlier ski areas can and should be encouraged everywhere. When Bridger Bowl, Montana, first opened the short and steep zones that runs above the lower ski area, they required skiers to carry avalanche beacons鈥攖he rest of the avy gear is advised. They carried on that tradition when they opened the steep Slushman鈥檚 zone in the 2000s. There鈥檚 a similar deal at Delirium Dive in Canada鈥檚 Sunshine Village. There鈥檚 only one way to access that legit extreme terrain, and you need gear and a partner to do it. Crystal Mountain, Washington, has a related, if grayer, policy for its Southback zone which they mitigate for avalanches but recommend skiing with avy gear and a partner at the access gates.

My favorite ski area in North America is Silverton Mountain in Colorado. The year Jenny and Aaron Brill opened Silverton, I skied and reported a story there for Powder magazine. The wider industry and avalanche community was predicting doom for the enterprise because every inch of Silverton Mountain is avalanche terrain in one of the most slide-prone parts of the world. The Brills sold Silverton recently, but the ski area they founded succeeded through endless mitigation, a guided-only policy in mid-winter, and a no-bullshit attitude that emphasized showing respect to the mountain. At Silverton, the guides will ridicule you rather than let you get cavalier. This is both hilarious and necessary. When it comes to unguided skiing and snowboarding, Silverton customers treat the terrain like backcountry. At Silverton, you feel a little nervous twinge before you ski. We 蝉丑辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 turn that switch off at fancier resorts just because they have marble counters in the shitters.

It will likely never happen because of legal concerns and greed, but in my worldview, many North American ski areas should require avy gear and partners in certain zones. The requirement brings a lot of benefits. For one, it can reduce the stigma or perceived stigma of carrying safety gear inbounds. In Utah recently during a big storm cycle, I watched a few locals snicker at some vacationers skiing with packs inbounds. Yeah, one skier had a shovel strapped to a hydration pack and didn鈥檛 have high style points, but his mindset was correct. When gear is required for certain zones, more guests will be wearing beacons in transmit mode. That鈥檚 an easy win. And second, like the strenuous hike up Aspen Highlands鈥� eponymous bowl, gear helps to filter skiers. Meaning, the people that probably 蝉丑辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 be skiing your gnarliest terrain might think better of it.

The timing is right for this cultural shift. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding are no longer niche pursuits. There are enough skiers with gear and training to change how avalanche terrain is managed. Hell, while requiring gear won鈥檛 bring your ski area more cash, it will bring more cachet. You can market adventure again instead of pots of molten cheese and those hot stones they put on your back at the spa.

But the bigger benefit in nudging this cultural shift forward is that in carrying gear and trusting in a partner, skiers also learn to trust themselves. If we as skiers and snowboarders do that, then maybe the insanity of an inbounds powder day can move subtly in the direction of smarter skiing, with customers having conversations about the hazards, buddying up, poking around cautiously at times, and looking out for one another. That last bit might be wishful thinking. But even if all ski areas do is require safety gear and partners in certain zones, at the least we鈥檇 be a lot faster on the rescues.

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Your dog loves to do stuff with you. But there are some adventures you simply 蝉丑辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 do with your pup. Here鈥檚 how to make the tough decision to leave your furry friend behind, and how to ensure they have the best experience when they鈥檙e not able to come along.

鈥淚 tell people you鈥檝e got to learn [to speak] dog,鈥� explains , a prominent dog behavior scientist and author. Bekoff鈥檚 latest book, , turns cutting edge science into practical information readers can use to create a better relationship with their best friends. 鈥淏ecome fluent in dog,鈥� Bekoff continues. 鈥淟earning what their behavior patterns and body language mean is key to being a good owner.鈥�

Here are six adventure-driven situations Bekoff says you should never put your dog in outside. Plus, the best possible alternative, if you need to switch to plan B. (And here’s the ultimate dog first-aid kit every pup owner should have on hand, just in case.)

Extreme Temperatures

Dog鈥檚 aren鈥檛 able to cool themselves as efficiently as humans. So, even temperatures that you may find comfortable could be putting your dog鈥檚 safety at risk.

A found that on average, over the course of a 24 hour period, the temperatures experienced by dogs were 1.3 degrees warmer than those experienced by their owners. The study suggests that environmental factors tend to expose dogs to more heat than is experienced by humans. Clothing, shade, and other comforts we take for granted may not be as accessible to our canine friends, even when we share the same spaces.

It鈥檚 hard to put an exact number on the ambient temperature where risks begin. Environmental conditions like humidity, direct sun exposure, and the types of surface a dog walks on all play a role, as do the dog鈥檚 size, age, physical condition, coat, and ability to breathe. One veterinary practice in the United Kingdom says threats to very old, sick, or brachycephalic breeds begin at . are currently en vogue, and the French Bulldog is the .

Owners of healthy dogs should also exercise caution, even in moderate temperatures. If exposed to direct sunlight for several hours, pavement can reach temperatures of 125 degrees even if it鈥檚 only 75 degrees out. That鈥檚 .

The risk all of us are hopefully aware is, of course, hot cars. Again in 75 degree temperatures, a car鈥檚 interior can reach deadly temperatures in as little as half an hour. When it鈥檚 even hotter out, a car鈥檚 interior or a pickup鈥檚 capped bed can become deadly hot in just a few minutes.

A dog enters heat stroke when its internal temperature reaches 105.8 degrees. Mild cases may result in lethargy and weakness, while more serious effects can be seizure, coma, organ failure, brain damage, and death.

Monitor your dog for signs of hot skin, excessive panting, disorientation, bright red gums, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you believe your dog may be overheating, move them to a cool indoor space, provide access to cool water, and wet them with a wet towel or hose. Do not rely only on fans or shade. Since dog鈥檚 don鈥檛 sweat like we do, they鈥檙e unable to cool themselves through evaporation. If your dog鈥檚 condition does not improve immediately, get them to a vet.

All of these risks can compound outdoors, where air-conditioned indoor spaces and water may not be immediately accessible.

Cold temperatures also bring hazards, and can be hard to define a safe limit for. A short coated brachycephalic, old, or sick dog may become uncomfortable in above freezing temperatures. A healthy husky, or similar cold-adapted breed, may feel right at home in sub-zero conditions.

Monitor your dog for shivering, weakness, stiffness, difficulty walking, pale gums, confusion, shallow breathing, and unconsciousness. Be aware that exposed extremities, even on dogs with thick coats, may be subject to frostbite.

Insulated dog coats and booties can help. In addition to outright levels of insulation, it鈥檚 important that any clothing covers as much of the dog鈥檚 body as possible, and that it fits snugly.

And like heat, cold is not simply a number on a thermometer. A variety of additional factors can effect a dog鈥檚 comfort and safety. My Siberian husky-German shepherd mix for instance, who normally loves sub-zero temperatures, encountered sticky snow this winter that immediately caused painful ice build up between his toes, making him to lay down and refuse to continue a short walk. I had to carry him back to the cabin. Had I not been there to help him, the situation could’ve turned out badly.

When in doubt about how your dog may respond to either hot or cold temperatures, it may be safest just to leave them inside, or take them for short, leashed walks only.

“If you think it鈥檚 too hot or too cold for your dog, it is,鈥� Bekoff says simply.

Avalanches

There鈥檚 a couple obvious problems with bringing your dog along on a ski tour.

While you may be trained in judging avalanche risk, and travel equipped with a slope angle map, your dog has neither. And an athletic dog can quickly run onto dangerous terrain, possibly triggering an avalanche, getting themselves buried by one you avoided through careful decision making, or causing you to chase them into a place you鈥檇 otherwise steer clear of.

In the event that your dog is buried in snow, it may seem practical to equip them with an avalanche beacon. But, once buried, there鈥檚 no way for rescuers to tell which signal may be coming from a dog or human, and that could put the life of humans at risk. Never put an avalanche beacon on your dog.

鈥淚f you think it鈥檚 too dangerous, then it probably is,鈥� says Bekoff. 鈥淒on鈥檛 put your dog or yourself in danger.”

Whitewater

Just like with avalanches, taking your dog on the water can jeopardize your own safety. In the even of an accident, having to rescue your dog can cause you to engage in risky behavior.

Putting a life jacket on your dog can help. 鈥淔reeing owners of the need to worry about their dogs in the water actually makes it easier for them to save their own lives,鈥� explained Mustang Survival鈥檚 Lili Colby in an article 国产吃瓜黑料 published last month.

But life jackets cannot eliminate risk, especially in whitewater. No matter how strong of a swimmer a dog is, large rapids may submerge a dog, and they can also become ensnared in rocks or fallen trees or strainers. Some owners tether dogs to boats to prevent them from falling out. This risks trapping them underwater in the event that craft capsizes.

鈥淛ust because your dog will do it, it doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e enjoying it,鈥� says Bekoff. 鈥淒ogs are not adrenaline junkies.鈥� The researcher explains that dogs don鈥檛 necessarily enjoy engaging in risky behavior like many outdoorsy humans do. 鈥淎 lot of what you think brings them joy is actually scaring them.鈥�

Dangerous (or Endangered) Animals

Taking your dog into the outdoors means taking it into the habitat of wild animals. Much of the time, conflict can be avoided by simply keeping your dog in control, and on leash or close to a trail or campsite. But, there are places in which your dog鈥檚 simple presence can have negative impacts on wildlife.

Dogs may be viewed as prey, or rivals, by predators like bears, wolves, coyotes, and all types of wild cat. Those animals may be drawn to the scent or sound of your dog, or its movements, putting the pup at risk of predation, and creating conflict with you, its human caretaker.

Dogs may also act as predators for vulnerable animals like babies of any species. And even if they鈥檙e not catching and consuming something like, say, an adult deer, the deer鈥檚 perception of the dog as a predator may alter its behavior in potentially harmful ways. Those risks to wildlife increase in winter, when wild animals are existing on the edge of survival, and any additional calorie expenditure or exposure to conditions could be deadly.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e gotta respect that you鈥檙e living or recreating in an area that鈥檚 the animals鈥� home,鈥� says Bekoff. 鈥淒on鈥檛 let your dogs out at night, when animals are most active. Train them to come, reliably.鈥�

Bekoff also explains that the mere presence of dogs can alter animal behavior in ways that aren鈥檛 always obvious. 鈥淒ogs can change the travel patterns of these animals, which can then lead to conflict that wouldn鈥檛 otherwise occur,鈥� he says. That can bring wild animals into unexpected contact with each other, with humans, or prevent them from accessing food sources.

While you should always maintain control of your dog outdoors, us dog owners also need to acknowledge that there are places where it鈥檚 inappropriate to take a dog at all. Areas with dense predator populations, nesting grounds, and especially winter habitat, should be avoided entirely.

Long Distances

鈥淧eople think that dogs can just run and run, day in and day out,鈥� describes Bekoff. 鈥淏ut look at wolves, with which dogs share a common ancestor. Wolves don鈥檛 run all day every day, they spend most of the time resting so that they鈥檒l have enough energy when the time comes to catch food or defend their homes.鈥�

While dogs can be incredible athletes, not all of them have the endurance of a sled dog. And this can be particularly true of younger dogs, which may appear to have endless amounts of energy, but can also be damaged if forced to run too far, for too long.

鈥淓specially with young dogs that are really active, you get pad damage, nail damage, and skeletal damage,鈥� explains Bekoff.

His formula for determining an appropriate duration? 鈥淚f a dog is lagging behind, or your have to urge your dog to keep up, then it’s tired,鈥� he says.

Any Situation Where Your Dog Is Unsupervised

Risks a dog faces, even in relatively mundane environments, abound. Some of them include stuff we鈥檝e already covered like hot and cold weather, and wild animals. Others may include poison or choking hazards. Dogs can also easily become trapped or ensnared by fences and other infrastructure, get into fights with other dogs, or run into conflict with unfamiliar humans.

鈥淵our dog is depending on you to keep them safe,鈥� says Bekoff. 鈥淚f you think you 蝉丑辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 leave your dog, don鈥檛 leave it.鈥�

Boarding for Dogs: Tips to Leave Your Pup Behind

Both Bekoff and I agree that, as much fun as it can be to take your dog along on outdoor adventures, sometimes it鈥檚 best to leave them behind. And often that will mean boarding your dog at a kennel.

Finding a good kennel isn鈥檛 as easy as getting a recommendation or reading reviews though. Your dog鈥檚 personality and needs are unique. So while it may require a little forward planning and action, the best way to find the right kennel for your dog is to visit several well in advance of any travel, and find one where your dog seems happiest. Any quality boarding facility will offer, if not require, an assessment, in which you and your dog get to meet the staff, tour the facilities, and interact with other guests. During this time, you鈥檒l be able to determine if the kennel is adequately safe for your dog, and provides the appropriate level of activity and stimulus. The types of play and size of yard that are appropriate for a healthy, active, large dog, may not be the right fit for an old, sick, small, or brachycephalic breed.

Once you have a relationship with a good boarding facility, there are then steps you can take to make your dog鈥檚 stay more comfortable and less stressful.

> Bring Familiar Objects: If your dog has a favorite bed or blanket at home, take that to the kennel for any stays. Check with staff ahead of time to make sure this is allowed.

> Maintain Their Regular Feeding Schedule: Keep food and feeding routines similar to what your dog follows at home. I carefully prep my dogs鈥� unique raw diets ahead of any travel, and seal each meal inside a vacuum bag so they can easily fit in the kennel鈥檚 freezer, and create as little work as possible for the staff. Communicate to them your pup’s normal feeding times.

> Be Cautious About Grooming: If your dog doesn鈥檛 respond well to nail trimmings and bathing, do those at home before any kennel stay.

> Prioritize Exercise Pre and Post Kennel: Give your dog ample exercise before and after boarding. This will help ease entry to any stay, and relieve boredom after.

> Board Your Dogs As Housemates: If you have multiple pups, you can ask that they stay together in a shared room rather than a cage for a small additional fee.

Optimize the Drop-Off

Bekoff also says the drop-off is the most crucial part of ensuring a stress-free experience. 鈥淭ransportation to the place is critical,鈥� he says. 鈥淕et them there as calmly as possible, and make sure they鈥檙e comfortable and settled in before you leave.鈥�

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