Ski-Doo snowmobiles continues to put action behind parent company BRP’s Responsible Rider program with a sixteenth year of free avalanche awareness seminars designed to help keep riders safe. BRP is committed to creating safe experiences for riders of all brands – at all levels of skill – and education like these seminars is key to making that happen. Backcountry Access (BCA), a maker of avalanche safety gear, shares the same goal and continues their support for the seventh year with equipment and their in-depth knowledge of backcountry recreation safety. Because no one should ride alone, attendees are encouraged to bring their fellow back country explorers with them when attending a seminar.
BRP’s Responsible Rider program addresses safety initiatives across all their product lines and supports the Ski-Doo brand in consistently renewing and advancing rider safety in the backcountry. Seminars have reached over 25,000 snowmobilers to date, and their importance is consistently voiced by attendees, providing testimony to their value for the sled community. The feedback and enthusiasm for knowledge has also helped shape the curriculum and continually update course material to be relevant and entertaining for today’s rider.
BCA will be providing a prize at each stop again this year along with displaying their state-of-the-art safety products from avalanche transceivers to airbags. One lucky winner from each seminar will receive either a Tracker transceiver or BCA’s new Link Mini two-way radio.
Riders are encouraged to bring those whom they ride with most often to the events. The benefit is clear – help raise your group’s awareness of those you ride with and care about, to ensure everyone can track the groups’ well-being and help each other if a situation ever occurs.
In addition to sponsoring in-person seminars, Ski-Doo collaborated with BCA on a useful video series which can be found in the Ski-Doo Owner Zone along with the wide ranging BCA safety videos available on their website to help advance knowledge remotely. BCA will also be introducing a new video series later this fall called SLEDeducation that is a snowmobile-specificversion of their popular Backcountry Basics series.
About the Seminars
The Canadian sessions are led by Marshall Dempster. With 20 plus years of experience in the avalanche and mountain rescue fields, Marshall is a professional avalanche forecaster through the Canadian Avalanche Association. He is a lead instructor for the recreational avalanche skills training program through Avalanche Canada. He is also a level three lead guide and member of the board of directors with the Canadian Motorized Backcountry Guides Association, the newly formed certifying body for the snowmobile guiding community. He is excited to share his years of experience and lessons learned in his time spent working and playing in the mountains.
The U.S. sessions are led by Mike Duffy. As one of the most recognized snowmobile trainers in North America, Mike Duffy of Avalanche1.com is an instructor with Silverton Avalanche School, course provider and Pro Member of the American Avalanche Association in addition to being part of the Working Group of Motorized Professionals. He has also taught at the American Avalanche Institute, the Alaska Avalanche School and has trained military teams in winter mobility and avalanche education. Currently, he is lead motorized instructor at Silverton Avalanche School. Duffy has been giving snowmobile-specific avalanche classes since 1996. As rescue team leader in the Vail Mountain Rescue Group, he has more than 30 years of mountain riding and mountain rescue experience. He is also a Backcountry Guide and riding instructor.
Seminars are open to all levels of experience and owners of all brands of sleds. For up-to-date information on locations and times or to register for a free avalanche awareness seminar, visit the Ski-Doo website (links below) or follow Ski-Doo on Facebook and Instagram.
- U.S.: https://www.ski-doo.com/us/en/ski-doo-feeling/events/avalanche-awareness-seminars.html
- Canada: https://www.ski-doo.com/ca/en/ski-doo-feeling/events/avalanche-awareness-seminars.html
Participants are encouraged to register with the host dealer so they can plan meeting space accordingly and ensure a spot.
