Alaskans live in a world of snow and this winter of 2023-24 is shaping up to be an epic one. With the record amount of snow comes lots of interest in recreating in the mountains: skiing, snow machining, snowshoeing, dog sledding and more. To help people make good decisions in avalanche terrain, the Chugach National Forest Service’s Chugach Avalanche Center, Chugach State Park and Friends of the Chugach Avalanche Center have hired additional avalanche forecasters. They join host Paul Twardock to discuss what is new with their forecasts and outlooks. Joining Paul is Wendy Wagner: Director of the Chugach Avalanche Center, Mary Gianotti: Chugach front range forecaster, Mik Dalpes: Seward area forecaster, and Daniel Krueger: Seward area forecaster. On the second half of the show APU faculty Anne St Claire discusses her research on how people are using avalanche forecasts.
HOST: Paul Twardock
GUESTS:
1st segment:
Wendy Wagner, Director, Chugach Avalanche Center
Mary Gianotti, Chugach front range forecaster
Mik Dalpes, Seward area forecaster
Daniel Krueger, Seward area forecaster
2nd segment:
Anne St Claire, APU faculty, avalanche researcher
LINKS:
Chugach Avalanche Center Staff
Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
Simon Fraser University Avalanche Research
Alaska Avalanche Information Center
Alaska Avalanche School
Avalanche.org
American Avalanche Association
The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies
BROADCAST: Thursday, January 25th, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, January 25th, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT
Paul Twardock is a Professor of Outdoor Studies at Alaska Pacific University, where he has worked since 1988. He is the author of Kayaking and Camping in Prince William Sound and help found the Alaska Sea Kayaking Symposium/Paddle Sport Fun Day. At APU he teaches a variety of undergraduate classes included Sea Kayaking, Recreation Program Design, Nordic Skiing, The Business of Recreation, and Wildland Ecosystems and Human Impacts. Paul received his BS in Outdoor Recreation from Western Illinois University, went to work instructing for NOLS in Alaska, then received his MBA from APU. Paul’s research includes monitoring of campsites in Prince William Sound and Chugach State Park for human impact, trail use in Chugach State Park, and the Alaska Recreational Boating Safety Incident Database. His passions include sea kayaking, river boating of all sorts, hiking, mountain running, climbing, skiing of any kind, and birding. One of his last adventures involved a mule ride.
Paul is one of several hosts for Outdoor Explorer
