SAFE-AS clinics. Photo courtesy of Amie Engerbretson

SAFE-AS (Skiers Advocating and Fostering Education and Avalanche Snow Safety) has just announced its clinic dates for the 2014-15 winter season. SAFE-AS will be running avalanche education seminars for women ages 14 and older (provided they are an intermediate or above-level skiers throughout the month of December.

“These clinics are a great way to learn about avalanche awareness, refresh your knowledge, and ultimately start your season off right,” says avid backcountry and big-mountain skier Michelle Parker. “Learning from our personal stories and experiences, it’s a unique way to get to know the incredible roster of female teachers in an intimate environment. Avalanches are serious and mountains are powerful. We hope to increase awareness and promote education around snow safety in an encouraging setting. We want to build a community of likeminded women by getting a group ladies together and providing a day filled with yoga, education, and a whole lot of fun.”

The SAFE-AS clinic is an avalanche course aimed at having fun, with activities including yoga, classroom and on-hill instruction, great food and an aprés ski party to boot. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) certified instructor, Squaw Valley avalanche forecaster, Alaskan heli-guide and all-around superwoman Lel Tone, in addition to pro skiers Jackie Paaso, Michelle Parker, Elyse Saugstad and Ingrid Backstrom.

“I wish there was something like SAFE AS Clinics around when I first moved out West. Coming from the East coast my knowledge of avalanches was lacking during my first few years in Tahoe. It took the loss of a close friend for me to realize the importance of avalanche education. I love having the opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences in hopes that others don’t have to learn the hard way like I did,” says big-mountain ripper Jackie Paaso.

Dates and locations are as follows:

December 7-8, 2014 at Squaw Valley, California
December 13, 2014 at Crystal Mountain, Washington
December 14, 2014 at Stevens Pass, Washington
December 20-21, 2014 at Copper Mountain, CO

For more information read the press release below or click here.

Press Release provided by SAFE-AS:

Everyone’s favorite season is just around the corner, and with winter’s return comes the highly-anticipated return of SAFE AS–only the most fun, important, and kick-ass way to welcome the winter season!

SAFE AS (Skiers Advocating and Fostering Education and Avalanche Snow Safety) invites women ages 14 and up with intermediate or better skiing or snowboarding ability to an introductory avalanche course bundled up in a fun-filled day of yoga, classroom and on-hill instruction, food, camaraderie, and an apres-ski party with an overflowing prize raffle. The SAFE AS curriculum benefits everyone from seasoned backcountry adventurers with previous avalanche education to the merely curious, as well as backcountry and sidecountry novices and everyone in between.

For the third year in a row, certified AIARE instructor, Squaw Valley avalanche forecaster, Alaskan heli guide, and Warren Miller movie star Lel Tone will lead each one-day snow safety and avalanche course, assisted by professional skiers Jackie Paaso, Michelle Parker, Elyse Saugstad, and Ingrid Backstrom and the expert yoga guidance of Sherry McConkey. Their aim is to provide critical information and education in a fun, open, encouraging environment, with an emphasis on discussion, participation, and hands-on learning.

We put the FUN back into FUNdrasier, giving back to local snow safety charities and organizations doing good things in our communities, such as HighFives Foundation’s B.A.S.I.C.S Safety Program, Sierra Avalanche Center, the Northwest Avalanche Center and AIARE’s Project Zero, while educating and stoking out over 150 women per year, including two scholarship winners for the Squaw Valley stops sponsored by Tahoe Mountain Sports.

We hope to see you (or, if you’re a guy, a woman you care about) there!

December 7, 2014: Squaw Valley, CA
December 8, 2014: Squaw Valley, CA
December 13, 2014: Crystal Mountain, WA
December 14, 2014: Stevens Pass, WA
December 20, 2014: Copper Mountain, CO (new stop for 2014)
December 21, 2014: Copper Mountain, CO (new stop for 2014)

SAFE AS is made possible through the support of many incredible sponsors including:

Summit Ford, MIPS, ABS, BCA, Nature’s Bakery, Mountain Hardwear, ABS, Ortovox, Hestra, Arcade Belts, Flylow, Scott, Nature’s Bakery, Backcountry.com, Helly Hansen, Eddie Bauer, Moment, GoPro, AIARE, Giro, The North Face, Volkl/Marker, Hestra, Coalition Snow, Anon, Kicker, Wildflour Bakery, Tahoe Mountain Sports, and SASS.

More info and registration at www.safeasclinics.org. Hang out with us on Twitter and Instagram at @safeasclinics and on Facebook at facebook.com/safeasclinics.

Contacts:

[email protected]
Elyse Saugstad
Jaclyn Paaso
Michelle Parker
Ingrid Backstrom