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Winter permit system in effect for Glacier National Park, Canada

There are approximately 130 avalanche paths along a 40-kilometre stretch of Highway 1 running through the park. With the province's avalanche control program, all slopes adjacent to this corridor are closed for the winter.

"The Winter Permit System was implemented to allow individuals with winter permits access to some of these areas when avalanche control is not being conducted or anticipated. The system protects backcountry users from the danger of artillery gunfire, the flying fragments from projectiles, and the resulting avalanches," reads part of the quiz that must be completed, with a score of 100 per cent, to receive an application form for annual permits.

"If you don't have enough time, Daily Winter Permits must be obtained for the day and are only valid for that day," explained Tourism Revelstoke, adding daily permits are only available at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre.
More ... (Revelstoke Review)

Carbon County WY Establishes (Paid) Volunteer Avalanche Team

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office has established a volunteer avalanche educational team to promote winter safety.

During Tuesday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Sheriff Alex Bakken informed the board that he has created a new avalanche educational program with two goals in mind. Given the popularity of snowmobiling in Carbon County, Sheriff Bakken said the primary goal of his new program is to educate winter sports enthusiasts about backcountry safety. He said the second goal of the program is to keep Search and Rescue volunteers up to date on avalanche conditions in the county.

The new avalanche information team is made up of eight volunteers, four from the Sheriff's office and four from Carbon County Search and Rescue. The volunteers will be paid through a grant from the United States Forest Service.
More ... (BigFoot99)

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center hires full-time director

Chris Bilbrey, 44, moved to Sandpoint this summer to take the reins at IPAC, covering North Idaho and far northwestern Montana. The U.S. Forest Service’s decision to bring on a full-time director will free up staffers who had been splitting the director’s duties and allow the center to expand its forecasting offerings this winter. It also means there’s someone who can begin planning for the center’s growth and the future of avalanche forecasting in the region.

He plans to be in the field three or four days a week. That’s the fun part of the job.
More ... (Spokesman-Review)

Recall and Repair for PIEPS Pro IPS Avalanche Transceiver

Black Diamond Equipment®, the North American distributor of PIEPS GmbH, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada, is voluntarily recalling the PIEPS Pro IPS avalanche transceiver due to an issue with the size of the battery compartment. The company is offering to rework the affected device and return it to customers within seven business days of receiving it.

The PIEPS Pro IPS avalanche transceiver may not turn on, or if it does, may inadvertently turn off if it is impacted or jarred. This is due to a loss of contact in the battery compartment if used with AAA (LR03) batteries at the lower end of allowable dimensions. To date, the company has received only a single report from a consumer, with no accidents, injuries, or fatalities associated with this issue. Black Diamond and PIEPS are committed to addressing this matter swiftly and proactively ahead of the upcoming season.

For details such as the affected models and serial numbers, or to initiate a repair, use the links below.
More ... (Black Diamond)
Initiate a return for repair