Learning to Think Like an Avalanche

Submitted by Geophysical Institute
Phone: (907) 474-7558
02/13/03

For the past ten years, Alaska has led the nation in avalanche fatalities; a staggering statistic given our relatively small population. For the thousands of Alaskans who enjoy outdoor activities in mountainous areas, learning to identify avalanche clues embedded in the constantly changing snowpack could be lifesaving. But given the susceptibility of Alaska’s transportation corridors, power lines and residential areas, avalanches can affect us all.

Jill Fredston, co-director of Alaska Mountain Safety Center, Inc. in Anchorage, will present a free lecture for people of all ages on understanding avalanches at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 18 at the Chena River Convention Center in Fairbanks.

Fredston will unravel the mystery of an avalanche by investigating the scene of a recent avalanche and piecing together critical evidence that give clues as to its origin.

During her multimedia presentation, Fredston will present impressive slides of avalanches that have occurred in Alaska. She will explain how far and fast avalanches can travel, what kind of forces they can generate, and how a sugar snow layer formed in October can kill people in February.

The lecture is the fifth of six weekly presentations included in the 2003 Science for Alaska free public lecture series, coordinated by the UAF Geophysical Institute and sponsored by the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation and the University of Alaska.

All lectures will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in the Chena River Convention Center through the end of February. For more information about the lectures, call the Geophysical Institute at 474-7558 or visit Science for Alaska.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Additional biographical information about Jill Fredston can be found on the Science for Alaska free public lecture series website.

CONTACT:
Jill Fredston, Co-Director, Alaska Mountain Safety Center, Inc.: (907) 345-3566

Lynda McGilvary, UAF Geophysical Institute Information Office: (907) 474-7558