The Fourth Annual Snowball fundraiser in support of the US Forest Service Mount Shasta Avalanche Center packed the city park's recreation center Saturday.

Participants enjoyed good music, food and friendship. Good deals were also available on gear during both a silent auction and raffle drawing with prizes donated by local merchants.

The Avalanche Center provides climbers, skiers, snowboarders and other visitors with instant access to avalanche and climbing route advisories, plus online weather data and links for the Mount Shasta area backcountry.

The Snowball is sponsored by Friends of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center, who provide funding for free avalanche educational programs and assist with forecast data and weather information accuracy by purchasing and installing weather stations and needed equipment at sites frequented by winter recreationalists.

“Without the funds from the FMSAC and the public, there wouldn't be an Avalanche Center,” said US Forest Service district ranger Mike Hupp. “This is a great example of a public and private partnership. Community support for the program is self evident. There is no question the forecasts keep people out of trouble.”

FMSAC board member Keith Potts was the master of ceremonies for the event, thanking the businesses for their donations and noting that FMSAC has raised over $30,000 for the Avalanche Center since its inception in 2002.

“More people are in the backcountry than ever before. We need to have avalanche education,” Potts said. “We provide education programs and weather forecasting equipment that wouldn't be there otherwise.”

Potts noted the FMSAC also provides scholarship money for those wishing to attend more advanced avalanche training programs.

Shasta Mountain Guides founder Michael Zanger noted that Mount Shasta has special avalanche conditions and is becoming a destination area for backcountry enthusiasts.

“Mount Shasta has some of the longest avalanche tracks in North America,” Zanger said. “Several magazines have identified Mount Shasta as one of the best backcountry areas in the world. The Avalanche Center is very necessary in keeping people out of trouble.”

The crowd danced to the music of Out of the Blue and Soul Syndicate. Dinner was by the Keith Cool.

Upcoming free avalanche education presentations and transceiver clinics on Mount Shasta take place on the following dates:

Avalanche education presentation - February 2nd at 7 p.m. at the Stage Door in Mount Shasta; and

Transceiver clinics - February 4th and March 5th. Meet at The Fifth Season at 9 a.m. in Mount Shasta and travel to Bunny Flat. Dress appropriately.

Other advanced avalanche training programs are available through College of the Siskiyous in Weed, Shasta Mountain Guides and Sierra Wilderness Seminars, both based in Mount Shasta.

For more information, visit the Friends of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center website at www.fmsac.org. The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center is located on the web at www.shastaavalanche.org.


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