Update
- November 14, 2001
An Update from the Avalanche Center (www.csac.org)
November 29, 2001
Fall Fundraising Auction In Progress: http://www.avalanche-center.org/auction/
Online in html: http://www.avalanche-center.org/Organization/updates/
Translations: https://translate.google.com/
(To translate this update enter the webpage URL above and then follow the link on the translated page.)
Quick Contents:
- Fall Fundraising Auction In Progress!
- New Things on the Site
- How you can Help
Fall Fundraising Auction Begins
Our auction is in full swing! The auction page is:
Things are closing each day, so don't wait! We are also still adding the last few things. Big items include several pairs of snowshoes and several packs. Books and magazine subscriptions have been going for cheap this year. And a few items are plentiful that every bidder will probably get one (Nikwax Glove-Proof and Ski-Tote stomp pads for example).
To encourage people to check out the auction we have just added an Ortovox M2 beacon starting at $185 with a $1 bid increment. If this helps stimulate enough interest we may add a few more items like this, such as other models of beacons, probe poles, etc.
New Things on the Site
The season is starting to get going and we've become busy updating information already.
In the Incidents section we added the fourth
and fifth incidents this week. A snowboarder from K2 Snowboards had
a very close call on Mt Rainier and has written a long account of it
all. Two snowboarders in Colorado weren't so lucky, one ended up in
a lake while the other survived. These
are posted in our Incidents section and have also been added to the
searchable database. For the last 6-7 years we have maintained the most
extensive listing of accidents from around the globe, making them
searchable and sortable will create a unique resource.
We have also been working on cleaning up last seasons incidents. Each one is being put into the same new format used this year and they will be added to the searchable database. All incidents since April 1 2001 are now complete. We should have those from March 2001 entered in the database in the next few days to a week.
In the Bulletins (Current Conditions) section section most regions of the US have now issued early season bulletins, and some are issuing information regularly but still infrequently. Most of our systems for mailing and posting these bulletins has been put into use and is working ok, including the insertion of links from key terms in the bulletins to our glossary.
In the Education section we have been working
some more on the never-ending glossary project. At this point we are
going through each page and making sure they are all on a consistent
template. As part of
this process some terms are being eliminated or combined. We have added
some courses to our listings as well. This year we are asking major
course providers to contribute $35 or more, not much for a full seasons
listing when you compare it to a one-issue listing in print media. Most
have decided that this is too much, but the ones who take avalanche
safety resources seriously have often contributed more. Thanks especially
to Sierra Wilderness Seminars and Alpine Skills International. You can
find their courses and those offered by some others as well in our searchable
listings.
Another behind-the-scenes area we have spent a lot of time on is shared
and remote computing. Keeping the site running all winter with a main
operation in Oregon, a store manger in California and a couple board
members in Vancouver is tough. The hectic travel schedule of the director
in winter adds to the frenzy. We've been working on getting pc-anywhere
running without giving up the firewall, we've got our notebook wired
to work through a cell phone, and we're getting a small UPS so the office
computer will weather the frequent brief power cuts we have. This whole
area of computing resources is one example of what it takes to keep
things running - it isn't something one person can do in a couple hours
a day.
(Which has been implied by a few people at times.) It's also an example
of the kinds of things our operating costs go into.
How you can Help
In each update we like to suggest ways in which you can help our efforts.
Right now the biggest thing you can do to is to participate in our fundraising auction. Please spread the word on any online forums you are part of, any clubs you are a member of, and among your friends.
Remember that you can always support our work by contributing to our nonprofit organization, buying your safety equipment from us, telling your friends about us, and just by visiting the site regularly.
Think Snow, Think Fun, Think Safety
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www.avalanche-center.org |
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