Please Consider a Year-end Gift!

Friends of NWAC Update

December 2012

The holidays are upon us and winter is in full swing! We hope all of you have gotten out to enjoy some of the great snow that has fallen the past couple of weeks.

It's been a busy fall for the Friends, and things aren't letting up as we get ready to enter 2013 and what we hope is going to be a great winter with abundant snow and minimal persistent weak layers!

It's Time to Renew

If you were a member of FOAC last year but have not yet renewed, now is the time! We hope you appreciate the emailed forecasts and we don't want to cut you off, but we reserve those for paying members of FOAC. Please take a moment and click on the graphic above to renew your membership or donate.

And for those of you who have not become a Friend in the past, we encourage you to do so as you contemplate your year-end giving. Your gift to the Friends helps us support NWAC, manage and improve the website, and offer over 75 FREE avalanche awareness classes.

Oh...and to those who have joined or renewed recently, don't forget to use your membership card for discounts at Second Ascent, Feathered Friends, Outdoor Research or the Mountain Shop...and plug in your discount code at the Mountaineers Books when you are doing your Christmas shopping!

FOAC Logo Wear!

You asked for it, and now they are here...just in time for Christmas! The new FOAC mugs, caps and t-shirts are now available on our website when you join FOAC at the "Moderate Hazard" level and above.

We'll also be selling them at upcoming events if you are already a member but want to show your pride. And if you can't make an upcoming event, drop us a line at friends@nwac.us and we'll do our best to set you up!

Education Corner

Colin Zacharias class

The FOAC avalanche education program is in full swing. We've already offered 28 avalanche awareness classes and there are many more to come. If you have a group that's interested in hosting one of our FREE avalanche awareness classes, please contact Scott Schell, FOAC Program Director at scott@nwac.us.

We are also excited to have kicked off our new education series for experienced backcountry users...Going Deep: A Series of Backcountry Decision Making Workshops. This 6-workshop series is aimed at providing tangible solutions to improve decision making in the backcountry and is designed for both pros and experienced recreationists with some previous avalanche education.

We held the first session on December 6 at the Outdoor Research retail store with Canadian avalanche guru Colin Zacharias. The class sold out with 90 people and was a resounding success. Make sure to set aside the evening of Jan 16th for the next installment of the Going Deep series with local guide and American Mountain Guides Association president Margaret Wheeler who will be presenting "Dealing with the Dangers of Doing without Thinking: Managing Desire, Bias, and Group Dynamics in High-risk Terrain".

Keep an eye on the FOAC calendar for the dates and locations of our upcoming awareness programs and the rest of the Going Deep series.

Upcoming Events

It's going to be a fun-filled winter! We have a full schedule of events in the works to bring the backcountry community together this season. Get out your calendars and pencil these in...

Put your beacon skills to the test and compete for over $2000 in prizes at the Mt Baker Beacon Rally on January 6.

Vertfest 2013...the biggest and best backcountry skiing and riding festival in North America...is scheduled for February 16 and 17 at Alpental. Tickets are available here.

Can't wait until February for the original Vertfest? Head south and check out the inaugural Vertfest Bachelor on January 19!

March is going to be busy for you splitboarders. The Oregon Splitfest is on the board for March 8-10, and the Mt Baker Splitfest is scheduled for March 22-14.

And lest you non-splitboarders feel left out in March, we also have a couple of events for everyone in the works in Portland and Leavenworth in March, but they are still in the planning stages. If you live in Pdx or Leavenworth and are interested in helping out, drop us a line at friends@nwac.us!

And last but certainly not least, the 5th annual end-of-the-season Snowball Dinner and Auction is locked in for April 5th. Hope to see you there!

FOAC Strategic Plan

We have big plans! For those of you who donate to FOAC and want to know the details of where your money is going, we encourage you to take a look at our recently completed 5-year strategic plan. We want you to know that you are supporting an organization that plans to be around for a long time and is working toward some ambitious goals!

The Friends of NWAC

Got a friend who would like to receive updates on NWAC? Help us get the word out by forwarding this e-mail below.

Thanks to these guide services and avalanche education outfits who support FOAC. Click on the links below for their latest class offerings.