
BABSI FLASHES FREE RIDER
A film documenting the first flash ascent of El Capitan by BD Athletes Babsi Zangerl...
Add $99.00 more to quality for free Shipping!
$0.00 USD
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2018
Deighton and his partner reached the parking lot, and as they racked their skis, a few of the other headlamps came into view, and trickled down into the lot.
Turns out that Deighton wasn’t the only one heading to school, because the other five backcountry skiers on the mountain that morning were students.
“Sixty percent of high school seniors and 60 percent of eighth graders are going into uncontrolled avalanche terrain,” says Deighton of the student body in Jackson Hole.
“My job as an educator is to help students be career and life ready—and career and life ready in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and in the intermountain west is having an understanding of avalanches.”
Video & Images: Mark Fisher
In the iconic mountain town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a group of motivated high school teachers have started a movement that’s shifting the paradigm for avalanche education. Over the last few years, they’ve been teaching an avalanche awareness class that leaves students with the knowledge needed to thrive in the intermountain west.
On a Wednesday morning, Trevor Deighton—an Exum Mountain Guide, American Avalanche Institute Instructor, and science teacher at the Jackson Hole High School—stepped into his bindings and let his skis glide through the crystalline snow covering the Teton mountains. He was making turns before work in the pre-dawn light, though he wasn’t the only backcountry skier on the mountain. As he descended down through the pines and powder, other headlamps could be seen cutting through the dark.
As Deighton explains, whether you’re a backcountry user or not, avalanches are part of life if you grow up in the mountains. In fact, you can’t drive to Jackson from anywhere else in the world without passing through avy paths. That’s why he and the faculty of Jackson High have created a cutting-edge avalanche education program.
“Every student that graduates from Jackson Hole high school gets the level 1 curriculum—the classroom portion of it,” says Jackson Hole High physics teacher and Exum Guide Garrick Hart. “And any kid who would like to, for free, can complete the field work for a certified level one course through the American Avalanche Institute.”
Since the program’s inception, Jackson Hole High School has had over 2000 students complete an avalanche awareness curriculum. And over 300 students have gone on to complete a full level one avalanche course.
“These programs are the legacy programs,” says Sarah Carpenter, an instructor for the American Avalanche Institute. “This is where we have the potential to have the biggest impact.”
A film documenting the first flash ascent of El Capitan by BD Athletes Babsi Zangerl...
A film documenting the first flash ascent of El Capitan by BD Athletes Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher.
BD Athletes Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher share their story of climbing one of the...
BD Athletes Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher share their story of climbing one of the world’s most mythical trad routes.
BD Athletes Aaron Mulkey and Yannick Glatthard take the new Hydra into the backcountry of...
BD Athletes Aaron Mulkey and Yannick Glatthard take the new Hydra into the backcountry of Montana in search of steep ice and mixed climbing.
Follow Dorian Densmore and Mya Akins for a month-long, exploratory mission in the Chugach Mountains.
Two BD legends walk into the Valley. What happens next? Watch and see.
With ski season kicking off, the QA Lab crew dives deep into the world of...
With ski season kicking off, the QA Lab crew dives deep into the world of electromagnetic interference and how it can affect backcountry safety.
Light is right, but steel is real. So, when it comes to ice screws, what’s...
Light is right, but steel is real. So, when it comes to ice screws, what’s the deal? In this QC Lab, Will Gadd and Matt Berry thread their way to the source of truth when it comes to aluminum vs. steel ice screws.
She was many things—a Stonemaster, an outdoor industry visionary, a physicist. A rock dropped into...
She was many things—a Stonemaster, an outdoor industry visionary, a physicist. A rock dropped into a pond that created ripples, affecting many lives and generations of climbers. This is the story of our unsung hero, our co-founder.
Go ahead, take the whip. You’ve got a trucker bolt just below. But wait …...
Go ahead, take the whip. You’ve got a trucker bolt just below. But wait … you sure about that? In this Gear Myths, Kolin “KP” Powick shares a recent close call, which resulted in an exploration of safety protocol when it comes to sport climbing.
The QC Lab team is joined by IFMGA Mountain Guide Mark Smiley to discuss the...
The QC Lab team is joined by IFMGA Mountain Guide Mark Smiley to discuss the subtle art of building, testing, and using snow anchors.
Follow these expert pointers on how to properly build out your very first trad rack.
A look into the technology and construction of an essential tool for hiking and trail...
A look into the technology and construction of an essential tool for hiking and trail running.
Find out from the experts at Black Diamond, the tips to find the best rock...
Find out from the experts at Black Diamond, the tips to find the best rock climbing harness for you.