Avalanche Safety | Presented by the Utah Avalanche Center

Winter adventures are just around the corner and some trips may take us into the wintery back country. A good understanding of avalanches, their risk, and how to play it safe is a key skill for members of Idaho Hikers and Backpackers.
Join McKinley from the Utah Avalanche Center for this 1 hour online presentation. Know Before You Go is a free avalanche awareness program. Not much science, no warnings to stay out of the mountains, and no formulas to memorize. In 1 hour, you will see the destructive power of avalanches, understand when and why they happen, and how you can have fun in the mountains and avoid avalanches.

About the presenter: McKinley grew up on the icy hills of New York, learning to ride in the Catskill Mountains. He made his way west in 2013 and began exploring the snow-filled mountains around Utah, Montana, and Colorado. His love of backcountry riding brought him to the Snow Science program at Montana State University, where he studied the applications of geographic information systems in identifying avalanche exposure. McKinley began working at the Utah Avalanche Center in 2020 and could not be happier serving the Utah community. In addition to his work at the UAC, McKinley enjoys landscaping in the summer and broadening his guide experience throughout the winter. When he’s not on his splitboard you can find Mack on his mountain bike, casting his fly rod, or exploring new areas for when the snow finally falls.