Spotted™

The snowpack on Crying Hill above the Mandan trees fractured and approximately 200 feet slid approximately 50 to 60 feet downhill last week in the first reported avalanche in the Bismarck and Mandan area this snow season. Incidentally, the Huff Hills Ski Patrol is hosting Allen Rabbit, a representative from the National Ski Patrol who will be teaching an avalanche training and snow safety course on Friday and Saturday. Dan Schaefer, a local NSP representative, said the class will cover the following areas: snow safety in general but focusing on mountain conditions; search and rescue techniques; and training with a transceiver beacon. Outdoor training will be at Huff Hills Ski Area south of Mandan. "It's really a diverse course," said Schaefer "and this is a good introduction."