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Show 6 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 8, 2018 SIDESTEP BEING BURIED IN THE BACKCOUNTRY Wikimedia AVALANCHE PREVENTION COURSE AT WSU By NIC SELLS Correspondent For some snow enthusiasts, the best way to experience Utah’s world famous powder is to explore the backcountry. However, there is a killer lurking on the snow-covered hills, glades and runs: avalanches. Only knowledge and preparation can defend those who travel in the backcountry against the threat of an avalanche. Fourteen people have lost their lives in Utah avalanches since 2012, according to the Utah Avalanche Center, a non-profit that forecasts avalanches and provides emergency education. However, that doesn’t keep snow lovers from heading into the backcountry. “I love being out there. I love being away from the crowds. I love skiing powder,” Ben Towery, an Ogden resident and avid backcountry skier, said. While several locals are looking to brave the backcountry environment, others are looking to ensure safety is a priority. Weber State University Outdoor Program Assistant Coordinator Jamie Bernstein said, “The thing about avalanches is that they happen in very specific types of terrain in very specific conditions. If you can learn to recognize those things, you can simply not die.” Bernstein said weather, snow layers and slope angle are all factors that cause avalanches. “Slopes need to be steep enough for avalanches to happen. The slope steepness needs to be somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees,” Bernstein said. Bernstein stressed the importance of learning how to travel safely through avalanche terrain. Fortunately, programs that teach their students how to do so aren’t far away. The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education is a non-profit or- ganization that develops and disseminates avalanche course materials to qualified instructors. The three-day AIARE Level One course prepares students for successful backcountry excursions. The organization’s website says they “gather the latest knowledge, research and ideas in avalanche safety and create avalanche training courses that reflect the needs of today’s backcountry travelers.” Weber State University’s Outdoor Program offers AIARE Level One courses throughout the winter season. Bernstein, an AIARE Level One qualified instructor, said, “Taking one of our courses will help students learn how to find the best snow for skiing in the backcountry and how to get there and play in it safely.” The AIARE Level One course is offered to Weber State University students at a discount. The next course will be held Feb. 24 to 26 at the Bloomington Canyon Yurt in Idaho. There are other educational opportunities for those students strapped for cash “SLOPES NEED TO BE STEEP ENOUGH FOR AVALANCHES TO HAPPEN. THE SLOPE STEEPNESS NEEDS TO BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 45 DEGREES.” JAMIE BERNSTEIN | WSUSA Outdoor Program Assistant Coordinator |