Avalanche Class

Here, in the Valley of Dragons, also known as Hatcher Pass, I spent three days with my fellow backcountry travelers, learning how not to be in avalanche paths.

This is me on our last outing of the class. We are inspecting the layers at the edge of a very recent avalanche. Brian assured me I was not in the photo. Liar. That smile is all about being glad I had not yet slid down the steep slope I just crawled up.

Wow, look at those layers. I wonder what is holding the rest of this snow in place?

Ever wonder if the view is worth the hike while you are slogging up a steep hill? I decided not to turn around and judge it partway up. And I was pleasantly surprised from the top.

'What was I thinking? What was I, blind? Of course I would have to hike up hills in this course. I wonder where my inhaler is?'

This is the way we shovel the snow, shovel the snow, shovel the snow. This is the way we shovel the snow to get our buried treasure. Oh, I had 1.5 hours of sleep the previous night and was feeling a little loopey by the afternoon. Thank goodness I wasn't driving.

'You get over there? Really? Because I get a stronger signal over here. Oh, let's just dig.'

All photo credits to Brian Aho, an awesome member of AMRG who has been in all the training classes I've made it to.