What is a beacon park? It is a designated training area containing up to eight buried beacon-transmitting units. These parks feature a control box that allows you to turn on or off all (or some) of the transmitters to simulate different search scenarios. Avalanche...
Blog Archive Month: January 2026
California Mountain Guides Blog Archive
Let’s Geek Out About When Snow Gets Sketchy: Seeing The Signs Of Instability Before The Slide
Much of my previous writing has focused on the subject of risk. I’ve written a good amount about how we perceive it, tolerate it, manage it, and sometimes misjudge it. Over the years, my interest in human psychology and physiology has led me to think deeply about how...
Avalanche Education: A Critical Step for Backcountry Travel
Avalanche education is one of the most important steps anyone can take before spending time in winter mountain terrain. Whether you ski, snowboard, snowshoe, snowmobile, work on ski patrol, or respond as an EMS professional, understanding avalanche risk directly...
The “Summer Trail” Myth: Why Winter on Mt. Whitney is a Different Beast
As a Mountain Guide for 45 yrs., I get calls all the time from folks looking for a mountain guide on the Mt. Whitney Trail. It usually starts because they know there’s a well-built summer trail to the top, so they assume it’s accessible year-round. But there are many...