Blown-In — A semi-regular look at the latest ski and outdoor industry news bits is a collection of press releases, new products, and interesting stuff circulating on the interweb that catches our attention.
This edition of Blown-In features recent avalanche activity, Black Diamond gets subpoenaed, the Hilaree Nelson Education Scholarship and the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Scholarship Award.
Elevated Avalanche Activity
Fatality and Near Misses in Utah, Idaho and Montana
Following “Dry January,” fresh snowfall across the West kicked off heightened avalanche activity in numerous locations.
Inbounds avalanche activity at Snowbird shut down lift operations on February 7. Nearby, at Solitude Resort, skiers ducking a rope set off an avalanche requiring a ski patrol response. Still in Utah, one skier died, and a second was injured in a soft slab avalanche in Silver Fork between Alta and Solitude.
Moving on to Montana, avalanche control work at Big Sky Resort resulted in the burial of the Swift Current 6 chairlift terminal.
Finally, A massive avalanche in Idaho blocked Idaho’s SH-21 between Grandjean and Banner Summit on February 9.
Black Diamond Subpoenaed Over Avalanche Beacon Recall
Black Diamond and its parent company, Clarus Corporation, face legal troubles following a subpoena related to an investigation by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) around their response to the recall of Pieps avalanche beacons with faulty switch issues.
2025 Hilaree Nelson Education Scholarship
Blizzard-Tecnica is proud to announce the fifth annual scholarship for women looking to advance their ski education – the W2W Hilaree Nelson Education Scholarship. From avalanche safety to ski instruction, guiding, and related pursuits, the program welcomes applications from introductory courses up to top-level certifications to encourage all women skiers to pursue their individual goals.
Rocky Talkie Opens Search Rescue Scholarship
Rocky Talkie opened applications for their 2025 Search & Rescue (SAR) Awards. Open through February 28, 2025, the initiative provides grants to underfunded SAR teams across the United States and Canada to support rescue operations.
Since its founding in 2019, Rocky Talkie has pledged $2 per radio sold to support SAR teams, with the first official award granted in 2020. To date, the program has provided over $156,000 in grants, helping SAR teams acquire equipment, invest in training and expand operations.
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