TYLER’S BACKCOUNTRY AWARENESS SITE LAUNCHED
Avalanche: A word that is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous terms in snowmobiling. This season, hundreds of avalanche accidents have been reported and US avalanche fatalities are now approaching ten. Last year, the US reported 34 avalanche-related fatalities, with almost a third being snowmobilers. All outdoor enthusiasts are trying to lower these numbers, but every enthusiast needs a little help in the right direction. Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness, a non-profit organization, has just released their website which aims to educate backcountry winter recreational users of the risks and offer an introduction to educational resources.
The majority of current avalanche programs are skier-based, and rightfully so, as skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers represent two-thirds of the fatalities and accidents. Skier-focused education is still very applicable to snowmobilers, but snowmobile-specific resources need to be improved. Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness (TBA), developed by Brian Lundstedt in Fort Collins, Colorado, is leading the charge to help improve these resources after an avalanche forever changed Brian’s life. His brother, Tyler had an undeniably contagious passion for snowmobiling and on January 21, 2012, Tyler and his brother Jordan were snowmobiling outside Steamboat, Colorado when tragedy struck. Both brothers were caught in an avalanche. Despite extensive rescue efforts, Tyler perished. Jordan survived to tell the story.
Brian, along with his family, friends and community, have turned this tragedy into an opportunity to provide educational resources to backcountry users for avalanche safety and survival skills to avoid future tragedies. Brian diligently worked with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) to develop a set of avalanche education courses that focus on motorized users. Avalanche pack manufactures ABS and BCA are fully supporting Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness. Industry experts like Matt Entz with Mountain Skillz, Tim Brown and Spencer Logan with CAIC and Brian Lazar of AIARE are not only working with Brian to develop his skills and a curriculum focused on snowmobilers and backcountry users, but are also donating goods, services and/or financial backing to support his cause. These resources allow TBA to put on free educational seminars.
“All of this support is great” Brian quips, “but we are still hungry for donations. We want the community and public to understand that every dollar we receive or make goes directly towards putting on these educational classes and to get out warnings and information. Our goal is to educate everyone that goes into the backcountry. While our motorized-specific curriculum is still under development, we wanted to get our website out to raise awareness and provide people an easy place to find all of their avalanche resources. We have links to the major avalanche centers in the United States, along with reviews and write-ups on various manufacturers’ safety equipment. We’re always looking for people to help.”
For more information, please visit their website at www.tylersba.org, or email them at info@tylersba.org.
http://www.joydigger.com/2013/02/15/tylers-backcountry-awareness-site-launched/
Avalanche: A word that is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous terms in snowmobiling. This season, hundreds of avalanche accidents have been reported and US avalanche fatalities are now approaching ten. Last year, the US reported 34 avalanche-related fatalities, with almost a third being snowmobilers. All outdoor enthusiasts are trying to lower these numbers, but every enthusiast needs a little help in the right direction. Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness, a non-profit organization, has just released their website which aims to educate backcountry winter recreational users of the risks and offer an introduction to educational resources.
The majority of current avalanche programs are skier-based, and rightfully so, as skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers represent two-thirds of the fatalities and accidents. Skier-focused education is still very applicable to snowmobilers, but snowmobile-specific resources need to be improved. Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness (TBA), developed by Brian Lundstedt in Fort Collins, Colorado, is leading the charge to help improve these resources after an avalanche forever changed Brian’s life. His brother, Tyler had an undeniably contagious passion for snowmobiling and on January 21, 2012, Tyler and his brother Jordan were snowmobiling outside Steamboat, Colorado when tragedy struck. Both brothers were caught in an avalanche. Despite extensive rescue efforts, Tyler perished. Jordan survived to tell the story.
Brian, along with his family, friends and community, have turned this tragedy into an opportunity to provide educational resources to backcountry users for avalanche safety and survival skills to avoid future tragedies. Brian diligently worked with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) to develop a set of avalanche education courses that focus on motorized users. Avalanche pack manufactures ABS and BCA are fully supporting Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness. Industry experts like Matt Entz with Mountain Skillz, Tim Brown and Spencer Logan with CAIC and Brian Lazar of AIARE are not only working with Brian to develop his skills and a curriculum focused on snowmobilers and backcountry users, but are also donating goods, services and/or financial backing to support his cause. These resources allow TBA to put on free educational seminars.
“All of this support is great” Brian quips, “but we are still hungry for donations. We want the community and public to understand that every dollar we receive or make goes directly towards putting on these educational classes and to get out warnings and information. Our goal is to educate everyone that goes into the backcountry. While our motorized-specific curriculum is still under development, we wanted to get our website out to raise awareness and provide people an easy place to find all of their avalanche resources. We have links to the major avalanche centers in the United States, along with reviews and write-ups on various manufacturers’ safety equipment. We’re always looking for people to help.”
For more information, please visit their website at www.tylersba.org, or email them at info@tylersba.org.
http://www.joydigger.com/2013/02/15/tylers-backcountry-awareness-site-launched/
