Valdez Avalanche Center
Annual general membership meeting May 5
5:30pm
 VAC Financial Report
Fiscal year July 1 2014- date $50,268.10 income $39,142.91 expenses
(estimation)
See pie charts below.
In-Kind Donations:
1/5/15
11/5/14
1/26/15
In-Kind
In-Kind
In-Kind
Valdez
Valdez
AAIC
Ortovox
KCHU
Copper Valley Telecom
$1,000.0012, 3+ Used Avalan
$3,600.00snow forecast report
$719.40cell phone wireless s
Valdez Fundraisers for Mike O’Leary Scholarship Fund raised: $1319.54
 Funding, fundraising, and budget for 2015-16
Budget for 2015-16 still needs drafting; we hope to operate very similarly to this year. An
annual membership drive will increase local support and donations. Right now we have 60+
individuals and businesses who have donated and joined as members in the last 3 years.
Please renew your membership if you have not already and encourage others to do
the same. Thank you!
Pete has been working with the City on the idea of our support from the city be in contract
form, rather than a grant. This would help our year-year budgeting. The biggest challenge
this year was taking on paid employees. We are working out the bugs and look forward to a
sustainable future with paid employees.
Mark Kelly had an idea to look into the Mine at 18 Mile for future contract needs.
Also partnership with the motorized community will increase our fulfillment of mission.
 Report from 2015-16 VAC season forecasting and education
We added a responsibility and task for our forecasters this season by partnering with the City in
observing weather at the new Blueberry Weather Plot. With NWS no longer collecting climate data in
town, we needed a source for precip amounts, snow depth, temperature, wind, and sky cover. Monica
and Kevin shared the task of 1-2 daily observations and updating the forecast box. We also shared
that data with the Valdez Star who published it in their Enviro Box each week.
The big break through in forecasting this season was a change in how we present the forecast
information. We now have the avalanche problem(s) first with Sensitivity, Distribution, Likelihood,
and Size. Followed by the Danger Trend, Forecaster confidence, and THEN the Avalanche
DANGER. Thanks to Kevin, Monica, Elise, and Pete for improving our product. They also
developed a forecasters’ rubric that help facilitate the drafting and publishing of the forecast.
Having a team is growing our community relations, our observation pool, and the overall
success of our center. Thank you.
VAC Events and Education
2015
Jan.16 Backcountry Film Festival ~30 attendees
Jan. 25 Avalanche Companion Rescue class 2 students
Jan. 12 Herman Hutchens Avalanche Safety 49 students
Jan. 14 Copper Valley Telecom Avalanche Safety 76 participants
Jan.19 Valdez High School 75 students
Jan. 26 Valdez Snowmachine Club training
Feb. 21 Valdez Healthier You Avalanche Safety 4 participants
Feb.23-March 11 Alyeska Pipeline Avalanche Safety Training 150 participants
Mar.25 City of Valdez Avalanche Awareness 18 participants
Mar.26-27 Valdez High School Marine Tech class Avalanche Awareness 14 students
Mar.30 Focus Homeschool Avalanche & Snow Science 8 participants
April 3 Alaska Snow Kite Festival Avalanche Awareness 25 participants
April 4 Beacons & Eggs ~60 participants
May 1 Gilson Middle School Wilderness Challenge ~137 participants
~750 people reached with Avalanche Information and safety messaging
We had more than 40,000 unique visitors to our website this season. More than 400 average during
peak season.
AAIC events and education we helped with
2014
October ISSW : 4 ISSW papers and posters presented by AAIC members
Nov.3-5 Fairbanks Avalanche Safety Workshop at UAF 24 participants
Nov.3-5 Fairbanks Avalanche Awareness Instructor Training 9 participants
Nov. 6 Alaska Avalanche Summit
Nov. 7 ASAW AAIC member, Sarah Carter presented on the Damalanche
Nov. 8 AAIC Board Retreat
Nov. 11-Dec.2 PWSCC AIARE Avalanche Level 1 6 students
Nov. 22 Jeremy Jones' HIGHER film raised money for avalanche scholarships ~80 attendees
Nov.29 WINTER PROJECT film raised money for avalanche scholarships ~75 attendees
Dec.12-14 Backcountry Babes Women's AIARE Avalanche Level 1 AAIC instructor, Sarah Carter 11
students
2015
Feb. 13-15 Backcountry Babes Women's AIARE Avalanche Level 1 AAIC instructor, Sarah Carter 8
students
Feb.27-March 1 UAA AIARE Avalanche Level 1 8 students
March 6-9 PWSCC AIARE Avalanche Level 2 8 students
March 14-16 Black Rapids AIARE Avalanche Level 1 11 students
April 3-12 Tailgate 157 participants
April 9-12 Arctic Man
April 18-19 Hill Climb
AAIC Awareness Events & Trainings with VAC: ~600 participants plus Arctic Man
AAIC Level 1 & 2 students: 58
 Public outreach and brainstorming
Partnership with many community entities this season widened our audience and awareness.
Some of the key partners are: Copper Valley Telecom, Alyeska, KCHU, City of Valdez, Parks &
Rec, Healthier You, PWSCC, Valdez City Schools, Valdez Snowmachine Club, and Tailgate.
We partnered with KCHU to air a Thursday-Monday avalanche report at noon. This received
great feedback and we hope to continue it next year. KCHU was also very supportive in
including our events on the billboard and PSAs for avalanche safety. KVAK has also expressed
an interest in airing something similar.
Many volunteers came out to help with our events. Special thank yous to Raeann Krugger,
Carrie Mercier, Elise Leahy, and Ryan Chalker.
Ashley Chaffin has expressed interest in wanting avalanche education and becoming more
involved. She is a prime ambassador for the motorized community. We will be working with her
to possibly offer more training and outreach.
Sara Von Bargen has approached us with an idea to join the Valdez Snowmachine Club Search
& Rescue team with our center. Sean Wisner is looking into the details of this.
 Staffing and Interns for 2015-16
Kevin Salys is probably going to return (he worked 5 days a week this season)
Monica Morin intends to continue (1 day a week)
Sarah Carter will be available for 2-3 days a week.
Elise Leahy will continue to come in for contracts and instructional events
Andy Nagel will Intern for 2015-16

Thank you all for your interest. If you have more to contribute to this summary,
please respond to all with an email or give Sarah a ring. Thank you and enjoy
your off-season. As usual we will begin publishing forecasts again when we reach
avalanche threshold, which some seasons has been as early as October.