The
Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center (IPAC) welcomes
Jeff Thompson as the new Executive Director.
Jeff joins IPAC with a wealth of knowledge and
experience, including 20 years of snow industry
safety.Jeff comes to the IPAC from central Colorado, where he was the head of Snow Safety for Beaver Creek Mountain. He also brings extensive trails, wilderness, and winter sports experience from his many years working with the White River National Forest.
“I’m excited to encourage involvement from all people and groups who participate in winter recreation – from backcountry skiers to snowmobilers and snowbikers,” says Jeff. He is also looking forward to learning all he can about the IPAC forecast area and the nuances of the area’s snowpack.
In addition to his IPAC role, Jeff will be ski patrolling at Schweitzer Mountain alongside his trusty canine companion Annie – a trained Avalanche Rescue dog. Jeff and his family are thrilled to combine their love of mountains and water here in North Idaho, and are happily settling into the Sandpoint community.
The Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center forecasts avalanche conditions in our beautiful Idaho Panhandle National Forests, and offers numerous avalanche awareness educational opportunities and classes, most of which are free to the public. More information about IPAC, including avalanche forecasts, snow reports, and class schedules, can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ipnf/home.