We backcountry ski, yeah? Climb up in the mountains? Enjoy a quiet backpack now and again?
Absolutely, so we need to understand mountain weather! This was my thought process going into the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s mountain-weather seminar, happening this week in Leadville.
The CAIC offers ongoing education classes and seminars, in addition to providing statewide forecasts for snow conditions. I trust all of you who snowmobile, ski-tour, and snowshoe have joined the CAIC for the 2010-11 season. If not, do so HERE!
Like all the CAIC events, it’s been a great experience…although I must say, some of the science has been a bit over my head. Serves me right for slacking back in the day. The class is full of guides, patrollers, and forecasters, so everybody’s pretty on it. Staff from the CAIC, along with a couple forecasters from the National Weather Service, have walked us through the science of mountain weather and I’ve learned a ton…and probably missed twice as much. Ouch!
Key to understanding weather is digesting and interpreting the bevy of information available from satellites, weather stations, balloons, and computer-generated models. After the class, I’ll post a link to several of the most frequently used sites and you can incorporate them into your mountain adventures this winter. Beware, though, it’s a ton of info and a bit daunting at first. Trust me!
Stay tuned for links and more info on the class…until then, I’m back to studying.
