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Free avalanche class offered tonight

Southwest Adventure Guides demonstrates rescue techniques for avalanches to a group at the top of Molas Pass. A series of free avalanche awareness courses will be offered today and through the winter.

As we enter the season in which snow is to incessantly pelt Durango, Pine Needle Mountaineering is hosting a series of free avalanche awareness courses starting today, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Pine Needle’s 835 Main Ave. store.

Another free class will be held on Dec. 18 at the same time.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center announced two weeks ago that the state’s avalanche season is already underway, with avalanche forecaster Scott Toepfer saying the first avalanche of the season was reported Oct. 13 just west of Breckenridge in the Tenmile Range. According to KMGH-TV, an avalanche near Crested Butte left some hikers with bumps and scratches. Another avalanche was reported along Independence Pass.

In Durango, tonight’s free classes will be taught by avalanche professionals and “industry experts” with Friends of the San Juans, a non-profit organization.

Friends of the San Juans describes itself as a “grassroots collective of backcountry enthusiasts committed to providing avalanche awareness and education for winter backcountry users in the San Juan Mountains.”

According to Pine Needle, the classes will focus on fostering basic awareness of how to avoid, forecast, safely navigate and rescue oneself from avalanches.

“The courses are a perfect introduction for novices and a great early season refresher for more experienced travelers,” according to Pine Needle Mountaineering’s website.

More workshops are coming in January.

cmcallister@durangoherald.com



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