BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Kamchatka Peninsula juts 200 miles into the Pacific Ocean in the Russian Far East, boasting the southernmost expanse of Arctic tundra in the world.

It’s famous for its abundance and size of its brown bears, which can weigh more than 1,400 pounds and stand nearly 10 feet tall. This sparsely populated UNESCO World Heritage zone, part of the Pacific’s Ring of Fire,  boasts hot volcanoes and ice even in summer.

And, until 1990, even Russians were forbidden to enter the area, which is a military zone, let alone foreigners.

Ketchum’s Mike Hattrup, who is with the American Mountain Guides Association, will take you on an armchair tour at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at Ketchum’s Limelight Hotel. Tickets are $15, available at the door, with the money benefitting the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.

The event is hosted by Zenergy Health Club, Spa and Boutique and Sawtooth Avalanche Center.

DIGGING DEEPER

The Sawtooth Avalanche Center will hold a free presentation titled “Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at Soldier Creek Brewing Company in Fairfield..

Forecaster Scott Savage will discuss why most avalanche accident victims knew they were doing something dangerous but chose to do it anyway. And he’ll talk about how to prevent such accidents from happening.