By the ISSW 2026 Committee
FRESH OFF THE 2023 International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) in Bend, Oregon, and excited for 2024 in Tromso, Norway, the ISSW returns to Whistler, BC, in 2026.
Whistler was only recently awarded the next Canadian event and the local organizing committee has been hard at work in partnership with the Canadian Avalanche Association, and supported by Whistler Blackcomb (Vail Resorts) and the Avalanche Canada Foundation. The five-day event will take place at the Whistler Conference Center (WCC) and will include a field day for professionals and a public workshop. Evenings will be full of a variety of social events, featuring a public awareness fundraiser on the Wednesday and, of course, the final banquet.
We have secured the entire Aava Hotel at the best discounted rates in town as our primary accommodation for the week. Located only steps away from the WCC and Whistler Village, the Aava will provide delegates with a more immersed feel and opportunities to connect—think the Ramada at the CAA Spring Conference. We encourage everyone to book their stay early, park their vehicle for the week, and enjoy everything Whistler has to offer within walking distance.
With the conference being held in late September,attendees will also be able to take advantage of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, which will be open for sightseeing, hiking, and mountain biking in Whistler’s world-renowned mountain bike park. In keeping with the ISSW motto of, “Merging of theory and practice,” our aim for this conference is to create more opportunities for snow and avalanche practitioners to present information about their practices, experiences and/or operations alongside some of the world’s leading snow scientists.
ISSW 2026 will be offering different sponsorship levels and exhibition packages. Please check out our website and contact us if you are interested. We look forward to welcoming everyone from September28 to October 2, 2026!
CO-CHAIRS:
- Nicole Koshure – nkoshure@vailresorts.com
- Tim Haggerty – thaggerty@vailresorts.com
- Jerome David – jdavid@vailresorts.com
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:
- Scott Thumlert (Chair)
- Simon Horton
- Chris Argue
- Curtis Pawliuk