This year, we welcomed over 450 attendees to the Spring Conference! 354 attended in person and another 108 attended online. Many thanks to all the presenters, moderators, sponsors, and members who participated and helped make for an exciting and successful three days in the Okanagan and on the web.
Check out our gallery of photos by Alex Cooper:
Steve Scott, Operations Manager for Great Canadian Tours, was one of the first to arrive at the conference Tuesday morning.

Matt Macdonald, meteorologist and ITP instructor, talks to Stuart Smith, InfoEx Manager.
Mark Grist, Avalanche Techician with the MInistry of Transportation (left), and Cam Campbell, Senior Avalanche Specialist with Alpine Solutions, collect their name badges.
Rob Allison, the sales representative for Backcountry Access (left), speaks to mountain guide Craig Ellis. Craig Ellis 
The moments before the AGM were a social time.
Joe Obad, CAA Executive Director, addesses teh members at the AGM.
Eirik Sharp, CAA President, addresses the members at teh AGM.
Craig Ellis introduces a motion.
The members vote.
Rick Schroeder (left) receives the CAA Service Award from Steve Conger.
Iain Stewart-Patterson (left) receives his CAA Service Award from Jason Smith,
Rosie Denton, CAA Operations Manager, provides her report at the AGM.
Joe Obad, CAA Executive Director, speaks to the members while the board listens.
James Flower, Program Director at Avalanche Canada, speaks on member fees for Avalanche Educators.
Outgoing director Matt Macdonald shares a few last words.
Kelsea Krawetz, a master’s student at Simon Fraser University’s Avalanche Research Program, presents on her research into the impacts of precipitation inputs on snowpack simulations.
From left: Mary Clayton, Wren McElroy, Julie Leblanc, and Dominic Boucher, listen intently.
Colin Zacharias, a mountain guide and avalanche incident investigator, delivers a presentation on what to do following an incident.
Alex Ibbotson, an indigenous snowmobile guide and educator, speaks about fostering diversity and adaptability in avalanche education.
Peter Thurlow, Avalanche Canada Newfoundland Field Team Member, admires the CAA hats.
CAA President Eirik Sharp enjoys the burger bar at the member social.
Joe Obad (left), Deb Ritchie, and Gord Ritchie have a chat at the member social.
The member social burger bar had a long line all night.
The Member Social is a great chance for catching up with friends and making new ones.
Grant Helgeson, Project Director with Avalanche Canada, shares a laugh with Lisa Erven, Meteorologist with Environment Canada and ITP Instructor.
Nic Morantz, Outside Operations Manager with Castle Mountain Resort, and Bree Stefanson, District Avalanche Technician for the Ministry of Transportation in Bear Pass, wait for their burgers.
The member social was sold out.
Simon Horton, Research Officer and Forecaster with Avalanche Canada (left), and David McClung, researcher at University of British Columbia, converse.
Robin Siggers, Fernie Alpine Resort’s Mountain Operations Manager (left) talks to Braden Schmidt from CIL Explosives.
CAA Partners RECCO were in attendance, as usual.
Dominic Boucher, Executive Director of Avalanche Quebec (left), and Gilles Valade, Executive Director of Avalanche Canada, await their turn to present about their respective organizations.
Eva Latsuo, a PhD candidate with Simon Fraser University’s Avalanche Research Program, delivers her presentation on uncertainty amongst forecast users.
There was quite a few capivating presentations this year.
Eva Latsuo, a PhD candidate with Simon Fraser University’s Avalanche Research Program, delivers her presentation on uncertainty amongst forecast users.
Braden Schmidt of CIL (left) presents a cheque for $13,369.86 to Joe Obad, CAA Executive Director. The money is a portion of all CIL sales to the avalanche industry.
A slide from Eirik Sharp’s presentation on using drones to measure snowpack depth in start zones.
The ISSW Whistler 2026 team, from left: Scott Thumlert (Science Committee Chair), Tim Haggerty (Co-Chair), Nicole Koshure (Co-Chair), Jerome David (Co-Chair), Chris Argue (Science Committee), Simon Horton (Science Committee), and Curtis Pawliuk (Science Committee).
Maris Fraser, CAA ITP Manager, speaks to a small group about the new AvSAR courses and ITP course progression.

Mike Koppang, Mountain Rescue Specialist with Kananaskis Mountain Rescue, provides insights into implementing auto-ATES in K-Country.
Brad Roach, a ski guide in training, presents on the importance of being a good follower.
The new CAA Board of Directors, from left: Brad White (Director-at-large), Kate Snedeker (Public Representative), Kerry MacDonald (Membership Committee Chair), Jesse Percival (Secretary-Treasurer), Steve Conger (Vice-president), Eirik Sharp (President), and Sofia Forsman (Director-at-large). Missing are Lea Green (Director-at-large) and Katharine Irwin (Public Representative).




