“Switch into search mode and come check it out!”
Mayor Bradshaw, recreation director John Kearney, and board president of Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center Ryan Guess were on hand to officially cut the ribbon on the new Ketchum Beacon Training Park at Atkinson Park.
Idaho Mountain Express reports the training facility is comprised of eight targets spread through the outfield of the park’s lower softball field. It features built in transmitters and targets but searchers will have to bring their own beacons, shovels, and probes. A sign with search tips and instructions is located at the base of the park.
“Your beacon is your lifeline when you’re backcountry skiing in avalanche terrain. And so what this park does is gives you a simulated kind of area to work with. It’s better to do it here than it is at 10,000 feet on a 35-degree slope.” –Recreation Director John Kearney
The public is open to the public 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Get out there and practice!
Sawtooth Avalanche Center:
The FSAC is excited to announce the opening of the new Atkinson Beacon Training Park located in Ketchum, ID at the Atkinson Park baseball field. This is a resource open to the public to practice avalanche rescue skills. The park was funded through a partnership of FSAC, the City of Ketchum, Brass Ranch and Arc’teryx.
All you need is a beacon and probe to practice a few rounds of searches. There are directions on the sign or visit sawtoothavalanche.com where we have a video demonstrating how to use beacon training parks.
images from sawtoothavy FB & City of Ketchum FB
