BY KAREN BOSSICK
Backcountry BASECAMP will make its first-ever visit to Sun Valley Resort today and Sunday, Jan. 22-23.
The weekend-long pop-up festival will include free gear demos, avalanche education, guided tours and a raffle benefitting Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
Forecasters from Sawtooth Avalanche Center will discuss the state of the local snowpack. Sun Valley ski patrol members will discuss uphill travel, snow safety and the life of a patroller. And they may even have a few avalanche dogs on hand to meet the public.
Local backcountry educators will offer free educational clinics to freshen people’s beacon skills.
The pop-up will be held outside River Run Lodge. A raffle will be held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the BASECAMP with 100 percent of the profits going to The Friends of Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
This is the eighth Backcountry BASECAMP Tour. It is a collaboration between Backcountry Magazine, Scott Sports and Nokian Tyres.
Saturday
9 a.m. Basecamp trailer and demos open to public
10 a.m. Beacon safety workshop with Sun Valley Guides or Sawtooth Guides
11 a.m. Meet your local avalanche forecasters with the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
12 p.m. Meet and greet with Sun Valley Ski Patrol
1 p.m. Backcountry Etiquette and Safety workshop with Sun Valley Guides or Sawtooth Guides
2 p.m. State of the Sawtooth Snowpack with the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
3 p.m. Last demos out
4:30 p.m. Basecamp Raffle to support the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
Sunday
9 a.m. Basecamp trailer and demos open to public
10 a.m. Beacon safety workshop with Sun Valley Guides or Sawtooth Guides
11 a.m. Meet your local forecaster with the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
12 p.m. Meet and greet with Sun Valley Ski Patrol
1 p.m. Backcountry Etiquette and Safety workshop with Sun Valley Guides or Sawtooth Guides
2 p.m. State of the Sawtooth Snowpack with the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
3 p.m. Last demo out