Avalanche Courses: Flathead National Forest to Hold Avalanche Courses

With more people than ever heading into Montana's backcountry in the winter, the Flathead National Forest is sponsoring several avalanche awareness clinics over the coming months.

The courses will be held in partnership with the Glacier Country Avalanche Center and will include a workshop for volunteers who are willing to provide field reports on backcountry conditions. Participants will learn how to collect data and evaluate snowpack and weather conditions. They also will be certified to post backcountry observations on the avalanche center's Web site.

Basic and advanced avalanche awareness classes will be offered, as will a series of presentations about winter backcountry conditions and survival. The free courses will be held at the Flathead Forest's offices in Kalispell and at the Whitefish Library.