NRSAW

Join us for the 13th Annual NRSAW

Jason Konigsberg

When Do Whumpfs Correlate with Avalanches?

Triggering whumpfs is a primary indicator of unstable snowpack conditions. Although backcountrytravelers and avalanche forecasters rely on whumpfsas a warning sign of potential avalanches, there islittle formal research to confirm this relationship. Jason Konigsberg and collaborators in Colorado studiedwhumpf and avalanche data to analyze correlations and found instances when avalanche observationsincreased yet whumpf observations decreased! Jason brought this important research to ISSW and we’relucky to have him make the trip to Montana to share it with us in November.Jason is a Senior Forecaster for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s Northern Region. Jasonjoined CAIC in 2015. He made the pilgrimage from the east coast to Steamboat Springs in 1999. Jasonjoined the ski patrol at Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah in 2005, and became part of the resort’s snowsafety team. The need formore winter led Jason to spend summers in New Zealand as the snow safetyofficer at Craigieburn Valley ski area and the public forecaster for the Craigieburn Range. Now adjustingto life with only one winter per year, Jason spends his summers riding bikes,combing through avalancheand weather data, and avoiding climates where daytime high temperatures exceed 70 degrees.

Nata de Leeuw

Wind Slab or Storm Slab: When Do We Use Each Term?

Have you ever argued with someone about the interpretation of wind slab and storm slab? If so, you arenot alone! Nata de Leeuw loves a good wind vs. storm slab debate and we can’t wait to hear her thoughtson the topic at NRSAW. Nata will delve into the specifics of how these terms are used in Canada and talkabout parallels to the US avalanche industry.Nata hails from the east side and is very familiar with wind! She began her avalanche career as a skipatroller at Castle Mountain Resort in Alberta. As a grad student at Montana State University (advised byDr. JordyHendrikx), her research focuses on wind slab formation and physical properties, with fieldworkconducted at the Yellowstone Club. Nata presented at ISSW and we are stoked to welcome her to theNRSAW stage.

NRSAW Committee

Thank you to these volunteers and staff for their contributions to NRSAW!

Lloyd Morsett
Erich Peitzsch
Mark Dundas

Jenny Cloutier
Jackson George

Meg Killen
Clare Menzel

Want to join the NRSAW committee? This is a great way to get involved as a volunteer and start the season on a high note!
Email emily@flatheadavalanche.org

PAST SPEAKERS

Public Workshop

LeeAnn Allegretto 

Northwest Montana Winter 21/22 in Review and 22/23 Preview (watch)

Matt Hansen 

Burying the Lede: Lessons Learned From a Career of Writing About People and Avalanches 

Simon Horton 

Comparing Avalanche Seasons: Do More Dangerous Conditions Result in More Fatalities? 

Jake Hutchinson 

When Things Do Go Wrong: How a Little Critical Thought, a Few Shortcuts and Better Practice Will Make You a More Effective and Efficient Companion Rescuer 

Joel Shehan 

Physical Therapy for a Strong, Healthy Season—and Lifetime 

Panel on Regional Avalanche Programs

Featuring Adam Clark, Lloyd Morsett, Blase Reardon, Erich Peitzsch, with moderator Keagan Zoellner 

Pro Night

Gabrielle Antonioli 

American Avalanche Association Resiliency Program 

Matt Hansen 

How to Get the Story Right, and Other Near Misses of a Media Pro 

Simon Horton 

Importance of Snow Depth Data for Snowpack Modeling for Forecasting 

Jake Hutchinson 

30 Years of Balancing Exposure, Risk, and Operational Goals in a Wicked and Ruthless Learning Environment 

Leslie Atkinson 

Pilot’s Peak Snowbike Near Miss  (watch)

Kim Givler 

Physical Therapy for Backcountry Recreators (watch)

Grant Helgeson 

The Ebbs and Flows of a Season and Conditions-First Planning (watch)

Spencer Logan 

2020/21 in Review: Patterns in Education and Experience Levels of People Involved in Colorado Avalanches (watch)

Blase Reardon 

2020/21 in Review: Northwest Montana’s season (watch)

Mark Staples, Amélie Goulet-Boucher, and Parkin Costain 

Topics on Social Media and Avalanche Safety (watch)

Pascal Haegeli 

New Insight into How Recreationists Use and Understand Avalanche Forecasts (watch)

Martina Halik 

Managing Avalanche Risk Over a Multi-Week Ski Traverse: A Practitioners Experience (watch – skip to 60 minutes in)

Jordy Hendrikx 

Powder Arousal and the White Heat Project (watch)

Christiane Hinterman 

Post-Adventure Yoga (watch)

Rebecca Hurlen-Patano, Ken Scott, Jeff Thompson 

Life and Death in the Silver Mountain Avalanche Accident (watch)

Kelly Elder 

Observations: Space and Time, Relevance, Locations 

Henry Finn 

How Do Recreationists Understand Avalanche Bulletin Information? Opportunities for Making it Better 

Aleph Johnson-Bloom 

Wise Ones: Conversations with the Prominent Mentors of the US Avalanche Industry 

Lloyd Morsett 

Riding and Dying in Northwest Montana: An In-Depth Look at Avalanche Fatality Statistics in Our Backyard 

Blase Reardon 

It Could Be Worser Than That: Lessons Learned from Avalanche Near-Misses and Accidents 

Matt W 

Thinking Under Extreme Stress 

Sara Boilen 
Human Factors: Dumb Hearts and Lazy Brains 

Dave Hamre 

Evelyn Lees 
Are You Effectively Solo? 

Caleb Merrill 
The Avalanche Hour Podcast and the Importance of Telling Near-Miss Stories 

John Sykes 
Decision-Making in Side-Country Terrain 

Andrew Beck 
Learning from the Mistakes Pros Make 

Tory Baughan, Travis Berro, Kyle Haugen 
Close Call in the Swan Range 

Zach Guy 
Tricks to Avoid Getting Tricked 

Jen Parsons, Erich Peitzsch 
Perspectives of Experience 

Scott Savage 
Memory 101 for Avalanche Connoisseurs & Aficionados  

Ted Steiner 
What’s Your Call: Managing Uncertainty as a Field Practitioner and Industry-Based Avalanche Forecaster 

Bruce Jamieson 

Terry O’Connor 

Erich Peitzsch 

Diana Saly 

Todd Wharton 

Canyon Creek Near Miss 

Grant Helgeson 

Jordy Hendrikx 

Jamie Musniecki 

John Snook 

Grant Statham 

Open Panel 
Communicating Avalanche Risk & Hazard 

Steve Karkanen 

Tom Murphy 

Greg Pederson 

Erich Peitzsch 

Simon Trautman 

Open Panel: Managing Avalanche Risk in the High-Traffic Backcountry Areas 

LeeAnn Allegretto 

Flathead National Forest 

Brian Lazar 

Eric Knoff 

Bruce Tremper 

Colin Zacharias 

Jordy Hendrikx 

Doug Richmond 

Don Scharfe 

Mark Staples 

Lynne Wolfe