Bend SAW Event Ticket (Nov 2nd, 2024)

Gabe has been working as a forecaster for the Central Oregon Avalanche Center since we started writing forecasts in 2020, and he's been a professional observer since 2013. Gabe also work as an IFMGA guide; taking folks skiing and teaching avalanche courses with Three Sisters Backcountry, and then guiding rock climbing during the warmer months for Chockstone Climbing Guides. He lives in Tumalo with his family and enjoys putzing around the garden and reading all the books that he was supposed to read (but never managed to) when he was in school.

Kacy lives in Ashland, Oregon, where he works as a middle school science teacher. With an extensive background in ski patrolling, he has previously served as the paid patrol director and risk manager at Mt. Ashland Ski Area, as well as the criteria coordinator for the Association of Professional Patrollers, and the International Ski Patrol Community Coordinator for Responder Alliance. He joined Responder Alliance in 2019 as part of their Ambassador Program.

Kacy is a member of the National Ski Patrol, currently serving as the Certified Program Supervisor for the Pacific Northwest Division (PNWD), where he has co-hosted monthly patroller wellness sessions for several years. He is also an instructor and instructor trainer for Outdoor Emergency Care and Outdoor Emergency Transportation.

In addition to his roles in ski patrol and education, Kacy is an active member of Jackson County Search and Rescue, where he serves as an avalanche educator. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys backcountry skiing in the local mountains.

Avalanches and backcountry accidents are a part of recreating in Central Oregon. Experts in snowmobile rescue, mountain rescue, and avalanche response from Deschutes County's Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue will be here to talk about what happens when you call for a rescue, team capabilities, and provide tips for recreating in this area. Presented by Andrew Heide, Justin Borowsky, and Christopher Yucho.

Bruce Jamieson,PhD has worked as a ski patroller, avalanche researcher, ops manager, educator, consultant, and engineer.

He has been working with avalanches for over 40 years, and providing training since 1985.

He is a retired Avalanche Professional with the Canadian Avalanche Association, Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary and a life member (non-practicing) of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.

Now considerably retired, he now dabbles in educational videos and podcasts. He also enjoys sliding on snow and riding a two wheeler on dirt trails.

Dr. Justin Borowsky is a professor of communication at Central Oregon Community College and an avid backcountry skier, he has a special love for both being in the mountains and examining the ways we communicate with each other in these environments. While his previous work focused on developing strategies for law enforcement to use in hostage situations, his current area of interest is in exploring the ways we can enhance our safety in avalanche terrain by improving our communication practices. Justin has a Ph.D. in communication, extensive experience in the mountains, has been a member of a mountain rescue team for the past eight years, and has completed professional avalanche training level 1.

Nina Aragon is a PhD candidate in Water Resources Engineering at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on combining modeling, remote sensing and observations to improve our understanding of mountain snowpacks and downstream water resources in the context of climate change. Originally from Colorado, Nina honed her love of snow and mountains in British Columbia, where extensive avalanche training prepared her for numerous snowboard, splitboard and snowmobile objectives. As a member of the Community Snow Observations science team and the Protect Our Winters Science Alliance, she has had the opportunity to merge her love of science, the backcountry and community.

As a climber, skier, scientist, and engineer, Kevin Grove seeks adventure in remote regions of Central Oregon and beyond. He has a passion for all things related to snow and loves sharing that passion with his physics, engineering, avalanche and snow science students at Central Oregon Community College. His own firsthand experience with an avalanche, loosing several friends to mountain accidents, and becoming a father all caused Kevin to dig more deeply into snow science and, in particular, the psychology of decision-making. He was on the board of Central Oregon Avalanche Center for a decade, working hard to increase avalanche safety in Central Oregon and was Co-Chair of ISSW 2023 in Bend. Kevin is a photographer at heart and loves capturing images of his adventures in the mountains and of individual snowflakes. He has come to realize what matters most is not the quantity of mountains he climbs, but the quality of the connections he has with friends, partners, family, and the natural world. Kevin has an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Montana State University and lives in Bend, Oregon with his lovely wife and two daughters.

Jonas is the owner and operator of Three Sisters Backcountry which provides remote hut lodging, guiding, and avalanche education in Central Oregon. He is a long time AIARE course leader, instructor, provider and a proud member of the Central Oregon Avalanche Center forecast team. After twenty five years of fumbling around in avalanche terrain there have been some "close calls". Jonas will share stories from right here in our local terrain that have had an impact on him and provided valuable learning opportunities.