Avalanche Science: Continued Education for Ski Patrol Professionals

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Eric McCue poses for a shot while skiing. He is a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College.

Eric McCue poses for a shot while skiing. He is a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College. Photo: Brendan McCue

Ski patrollers are the stewards of the mountain. On a daily basis, patrollers wear a multitude of different hats—from responding to medical issues and maintaining terrain closures to marking hazards and avalanche mitigation. They go to great lengths to keep the mountain a beautiful and safe place for guests to enjoy and their pride and passion is palpable.

Eric McCue is a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College

Eric McCue is a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College. PC: Brendan McCue

Three years ago Eric McCue walked away from seventeen years of restaurant experience to pursue his passion in snow safety. He joined the esteemed Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and hit the ground running, eager to learn as much about the industry as possible. When he discovered the Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College, he knew the curriculum and experience would help him navigate this new career path.

Riding in the Front Seat of the Industry

The Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College Leadville is changing the way the industry trains and prepares avalanche professionals. The curriculum was developed by industry experts through a partnership with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

"I am learning the most current and pertinent knowledge as it happens," says Eric, who will complete the program in spring of 2020, "and I am able to take that right onto the hill. Rather than chasing the industry, I am riding in the front seat."

The snow industry is quickly growing and changing. Snow science is evolving and the demand for public knowledge and education are at an all-time high. Ski companies are some of the largest corporations on the planet. Education, organization, documentation, and communication are all necessary components of the new industry.

Eric McCue, a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College, during one of the one site class sessions in Leadville, CO.

PC: Brendan McCue

Students benefit from the collective expertise and experience of instructors from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), U.S. Forest Service, and Colorado Mountain College.

"The faculty are some of the most respected individuals in their fields," says Eric, "I get to work side-by-side with one of the leading avalanche forecasting centers in the world. My instructors literally wrote the books on snow study and snowpack assessment."

Flexible Schedule for Working Professionals

The hybrid curriculum is designed for working professionals to succeed without putting their careers on hold. Course work is completed online with three intensive on-campus sessions each year.

"I could not do this if it were not for the hybrid program," says Eric, "If there had been more programs like this throughout my life I may have pursued further education after high school. Being able to log in a few hours a week from anywhere and turn in some deliverables at your own pace is awesome!"

Eric McCue, Ski Patrol for Beaver Creek and Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College, poses for a photo in a snowpit.

PC: Brendan McCue

The CMC Avalanche Science program delivers in-depth knowledge and experiential learning over two winter-seasons. Students acquire professional exposure while earning a Snow, Weather & Avalanche Field Technician certificate from Colorado Mountain College.

"When I moved to Colorado, I was distracted by the mountains," says Eric, "Now I am a 'third year rookie' for Beaver Creek Ski Patrol. This job asks so much of us but it’s all for the noble cause of loving our mountain. It’s the least I can do for all the things the mountain does for me."

Avalanche science program earns international attention

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photo: Innsbruck, Austria

Four faculty members and students from Colorado Mountain College’s avalanche science program traveled to Innsbruck, Austria to attend the ISSW conference, which offers an exchange of ideas between snow science researchers. Photo Rich Rogers

Avalanche science program earns international attention

By Mike McKibbin

photo: Avalanche science program students at conference in Innsbruck, Austria.

CMC avalanche science program students Rich Rogers and Tara Vessella at the recent International Snow Science Workshop 2018 in Innsbruck, Austria. Photo Kelly Elder

At the conference, CMC student Rogers, who works on the ski patrol at Monarch Ski Area, and Vessella, a backcountry ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, answered questions about a poster that outlined the college’s program.

LEADVILLE — For a two-year-old, Colorado Mountain College’s avalanche science program gets around. You could say it has gone international.

Two second-year students and two faculty members participated in the recent International Snow Science Workshop 2018 in Innsbruck, Austria. Students Rich Rogers and Tara Vessella made the trek to Europe with Dr. Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, and Dr. Kelly Elder, U.S. Forest Service research hydrologist.

The conference brings together researchers and practitioners worldwide and rotates among the U.S., Europe and Canada. The goal is to offer an exchange of ideas and experiences between snow science researchers and practitioners.

At the conference, CMC student Rogers, who works on the ski patrol at Monarch Ski Area, and Vessella, a backcountry ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, answered questions about a poster that outlined the college’s program.

“It was not a scientific presentation, but the poster presented the CMC program to the international community,” said Roger Coit, program faculty leader at CMC Leadville.

Coit called CMC’s avalanche science program “a novel model, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world,” and the only one of this duration and content. Students take courses online and make three multi-day visits throughout each winter season to the college’s 10,200-foot-elevation campus in Leadville. On campus and in the rugged mountains that overlook the campus, they meet for intensive classroom time and field studies.

While in Austria, Rogers and Vessella also gained contacts and networked with industry officials. These interactions can help the students land jobs after they graduate from CMC with certificates of occupational proficiency as snow, weather and avalanche field technicians, Coit noted. He said many industry employers are already requesting students for internships and job placement.

“The industry folks find out the skills and talents of our students are what they need for their operation,” he said. “We are preparing students in fundamental workplace safety practices so that they can have long and rewarding careers.”

Coit said the CMC program “is definitely making a footprint with the industry,” partly due to participation in workshops such as ISSW.

“We’ve been very well received across the industry and the work of our students is showing the success of the program,” he said. “We’re making waves.”

Learn about the CMC Avalanche Science Program

Backcountry Guide Seeks Avalanche Science Certification

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Backcountry Guide Expands Critical Skills with Avalanche Science Certification

photo: Chris Peterson, Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College Leadville, is a backcountry guide seeking an Avalanche Science Certification.Chris Peterson was looking to expand his education in snow science and avalanche forecasting when he discovered the Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College Leadville. Having recently earned an Adventure Guide diploma in British Columbia, he knew CMC would give him a competitive edge in the guiding industry while teaching the skills, knowledge and providing the mentorship he was seeking.

Now, almost halfway through the two-year program, Chris has already gained critical skills and hands-on experience while building his professional network.

“I have gained a community of classmates and instructors who all share a similar interest in snow and avalanches,” says Chris, “Not only are we a community within the college but we’re a community within the snow and avalanche industry.”

Taught by Avalanche Professionals

For Chris, it’s the quality of instructors and their professional experience, that puts CMC’s Avalanche Science program ahead of the rest. The curriculum is designed by avalanche professionals from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), CMC and USFS. Notable instructors include Dr. Ethan Greene, the Director of the CAIC, Dr. Kelly Elder, USFS Research Hydrologist, and Roger Coit, EMS and Outdoor Studies faculty at CMC.

“The entire faculty currently works in the snow and avalanche industry in various job types,” says Chris, “This gives students an insight into different positions and opportunities to learn from them in their workplace.”

Faculty connections have created many hands-on learning opportunities outside the classroom for Chris and his peers. He’s collected snow-pit data for instructor Dr. Kelly Elder at the Fraser Experimental Forest and shadowed instructor Becs Hodgetts who is the CAIC highway forecaster for the Monarch Pass corridor.

Flexible Scheduling for Working Professionals

Photo: Roger Coit, Avalanche Science faculty at Colorado Mountain College Leadville, displays avalanche rescue equipment to students. seeking an Avalanche Science Certification

Roger Coit, Avalanche Science faculty at Colorado Mountain College Leadville, displays avalanche rescue equipment to students.

The Avalanche Science program was designed with working professionals in mind. The hybrid curriculum is a mix of online coursework and three on-site sessions each year. Students take classes in meteorology, snow and avalanches, weather observations, forecasting and safety operations over the course of two years. There is also a required field internship and a portfolio seminar.

“I really enjoyed the forecasting class with Dr. Ethan Greene,” says Chris, “We put together weekly weather and avalanche forecasts for a wide variety of applications. The only difference between our class and what the CAIC forecasters do was not having to put the forecast together at 4am every day.”

A low student/ instructor ratio encourages enhanced learning opportunities while mitigating risk during field work in avalanche terrain. Enrollment is capped at 12 students per year, with program entry requirements geared towards current and aspiring avalanche professionals. Current students include a roster of ski patrollers, backcountry guides, rescue groups, and other outdoor professionals.

Classes begin this fall and interested students are encouraged to contact Colorado Mountain College Leadville directly for more information. Email lvaviscience@coloradomtn.edu or call 719.486.2015

CMC Leadville to Launch Avalanche Awareness Twitter Campaign #CMCAviAware

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CMC Leadville to tweet backcountry tips and avalanche facts Feb 25 - Mar 3, 2018

photo of backcounty skis in the snow

Learn more about the Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College Leadville at coloradomtn.edu/avalanche-science

Expert avalanche forecasters are describing current avalanche conditions in Colorado as dangerous, rare and risky. Colorado Mountain College, home to the Avalanche Science program based in Leadville and developed through a partnership with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), sees these precarious conditions as an opportunity to spread awareness. From February 25 - March 3, CMC Leadville will be tweeting avalanche safety facts and figures to spread awareness for backcountry safety, under the hashtag #CMCAviAware posted to the @cmcleadville Twitter account.

CMC’s Avalanche Science program, launched in 2017, was created through a partnership between Colorado Mountain College and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The program has expanded educational opportunities for avalanche professionals, like ski patrol, rescue groups and outdoor leaders. Students observe and analyze snow pack conditions throughout the curriculum, including the exceptionally dangerous snow pack year that Colorado has experienced in the 2017/2018 season.

“We have very tricky conditions right now," says Ethan Greene, Director for the CAIC and faculty for CMC’s Avalanche Science program, “This thick, hard upper layer of snow makes it so we can ski, snowboard and snowmobile across it without much of an issue, but if you hit just the right spot, you will start an avalanche. And because there's this thicker, harder layer on top, it ends up triggering much bigger and more destructive avalanches."

The unique conditions in large portions of the Central and Southern Mountains should cause alarm for backcountry users. Recent storms and new snow have exacerbated the risk for deadly Persistent Slab avalanches. North and east-facing slopes at higher elevations are most dangerous.

"In the Sawatch Range," says Brian Lazar, Deputy Director for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and an instructor for CMC's Avalanche Science program, "Small incremental loading from continued storms is slowly building larger slabs on top of fragile weak layers near the ground. Triggering an avalanche large enough to bury a person is a distinct possibility, with east-facing slopes at higher elevations the most worrisome. The Monarch pass area is most dangerous, with around a foot of new snow Thursday night."

Colorado Mountain College Leadville is a center for avalanche education in central Colorado. In addition to the professional based Avalanche Science program, CMC offers several courses that can teach backcountry recreationists how to recognize unstable snow conditions and avoid dangerous terrain. Due to the growing popularity of backcountry recreation, CMC’s avalanche safety classes fill quickly. Visit Classes to search for CMC course availability or avalanche.state.co.us/education for CAIC avalanche education opportunities.

CMC, Monarch Ski Patrol Provide Avalanche Safety Scholarships for Local High School Students

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photo: Andy Limoncelli and Keagan Cox were the recipients of the Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol CMC Avalanche Safety Scholarship.

CMC and Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol partner to promote avalanche education for high school students.

Thanks to a successful collaboration between Colorado Mountain College and Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol, two Chaffee County high school students were able to expand their backcountry skills and avalanche safety knowledge this winter. Keagon Cox (Salida High School) and Andy Limoncelli (Buena Vista High School) benefited from this unique partnership as CMC scholarship recipients. The scholarship, provided by Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol, allowed Keagon and Andy to enroll in CMC’s OUT-168 Level 1 Avalanche Safety Course that was conducted in Salida and on Monarch Pass over three days in late January.

“The students had to submit a short application,” says Zach Moore, Director of Ski Patrol at Monarch Mountain, “with either an essay, drawing, or multi-media piece on why they want to learn more about avalanches and what they hope to do with that information. From those applicants, we chose the two award winners, Keagon and Andy.”

Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol paid for the student’s tuition, Colorado Mountain College covered the course fees, and Salida Mountain Sports generously provided touring gear for the students.

“It’s wonderful to provide new (and some experienced) backcountry users some real information that they can use,” says Roger Coit, avalanche faculty at Colorado Mountain College, “We provide a great model for recreational safety practices and trip planning that students can use for the rest of their backcountry travel career.”

With more and more people seeking solitude and powder turns, avalanche education is becoming a critical resource for backcountry users. Colorado Mountain College provides a variety of avalanche safety courses, for recreational and professional applications. Courses typically cost between $200 – $600, and provide vital information to allow someone to travel and explore the backcountry in a safer manner. CMC courses tend to be reasonably priced, especially for residents of CMC’s service area.

“We at Monarch Ski Patrol are seeing more and more young adults traveling in the backcountry and asking questions about backcountry safety,” says Zach “We wanted to provide an opportunity for students to get their own avalanche education so they can make informed decisions for themselves when touring. We were very excited to have been able to partner with CMC to help provide this invaluable education.”

Lazar, Brian

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Brian Lazar

Instructor, Avalanche Science; Deputy Director, Colorado Avalanche Information Center
719-486-2015 | blazar@coloradomtn.edu

photo - Brian Lazar

Education

  • M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Colorado
  • B.S. Environmental Science and Biology, University of Colorado

Professional Certifications and Associations

  • Wilderness First Responder
  • American Avalanche Association (AAA), Certified Instructor Pro 1 and 2
  • AIARE, Curriculum Developer, former Executive Director, Board Member
  • AIARE Course Leader Levels 1 - 3
  • Snowmobile Safety Instructor, Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • AMGA training, Ski Mountaineering, Rock, Alpine
  • Type 1 Explosives training, Permit for Avalanche Control, Colorado Dept. of Labor and Employment

About

Brian has been the Deputy Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) since 2010. Prior to his work with the CAIC, Brian was an avalanche educator and curriculum developer as well as the Executive Director with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and former member of the American Avalanche Association Education Committee.

After more than a decade of guiding in a variety of snow climates on both sides of the equator, Brian returned to graduate school where he studied snow and ice mechanics in Alaska’s Chugach Range, and conducted research at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research.

Thanks to a collaboration between Colorado Mountain College and the CAIC, Brian brings his years of expertise in avalanche education to the Avalanche Science curriculum. He looks forward to assisting in individual student development through the program’s unique mentorship structure.

“My hope is that students leave with a core skill set and competency that allows them enter the role as an avalanche professional,” says Brian, “and can easily accept and Incorporate training and mentorship.”

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