Thanks to the George Gardner Scholarship Fund, I was able to have an amazing experience with the Silverton Avalanche School. I learned so much and am very humbled by the consequences of ignoring the dangers of the winter environment & not following proper protocol. I am much more confident because of the education, training and winter skills I gained at the avalanche school all because of a scholarship given to me by the GGSF.
The instructors at the Silverton Avalanche School were very experienced and knowledgeable which made the experience enjoyable and educational. The Back Country Access shovel, avalanche probe and avalanche transceiver given to me by the George Fund was extremely easy to use and reliable. The avalanche transceiver is simple and very effective in a search situation for a buried transceiver. We learned to use it by burying another beacon under the snow out of sight of our partner and searching for it with our own. The probe is a very useful tool for evaluating snow pack layers and for finding a buried body. The shovel is a very necessary tool to have for digging snow pits or recovering an unfortunate skier that is buried.
I am planning on taking a Level II course with the Silverton Avalanche School next winter because I think it would be a valuable class and make me a more competent and safe backcountry traveler.
Thank you George Fund so much for giving me the opportunity to attend this amazing class and begin learning the necessary winter skills to travel safely in the winter mountains.
Dillon
George Gardner Scholarship Fund 