Avalanche Beacon Hunt

Win Great Prizes In the Third Annual Transceiver Skills Contest to Promote Self Rescue Techniques

ROUND 1 – Saturday, March 31st , Entry 4 Tubing Hill
FINALS – Saturday, April 7th, Entry 4 Tubing Hill
In its continuing effort to promote avalanche awareness, Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort and Wasatach Backcountry Rescue are revising the standard Easter egg hunt by offering a beacon hunt for people of all ages, Saturday, March 31st.

Avalanche beacons will be buried in a one-acre area in at Snowbird. Tracker beacons are wrapped in a protective pad to simulate the feel of a buried victim and placed below the snow surface, a snowcat will groom the entire area to hide any tracks.

Searchers will proceed to the buried backpack using their beacons in “search” mode. Groups can work together, sharing the prizes for recovering the beacon.

Following the hunt, prizes will be given to those who located the beacons. Ogio, Backcountry Access, Black Diamond Equipment, Karma Outdoor Clothing and Snowbird are sponsoring Beacon and Eggs and donating the prizes.

“We want to remind everyone that almost all avalanche tragedies can be prevented by becoming educated about safe travel in the backcountry,” states Snowbird’s Roger Kehr. “By offering activities that encourage backcountry awareness, we hope to help the community enjoy Utah’s big mountain terrain even if it is not within resort boundaries.”

The Round 1 event is free and open to all people with a beacon, probe and shovel who want to show how efficient they are at rapidly finding a buried companion if involved in an avalanche. Snowbird encourages other ski resorts to offer similar Beacon and Eggs-type programs. The first place winner from Round 1 at each resort will be invited to participate in the Finals at Snowbird on April 7th.

All participants are required to fill out an entry form between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The hunt starts at 8:15 a.m.

For media information, contact Dave Fields at (801) 933-2041/dfields@snowbird.com or Laura Schaffer at (801) 933-2047/lschaffer@snowbird.com.