The Avalanche Journal Blog
Find articles from past issues of The Avalanche Journal, and news from the Canadian avalanche industry and beyond.
Interview: Pascal Haegeli Reflects on His Career in Canada
By Alex Cooper An edited version of this interview was published in The Avalanche Journal, Volume 141, Summer 2026. The complete audio and transcript follows. IN 1998, PASCAL HAEGELI CAME TO CANADA as an energetic and ambitious PhD student at UBC’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences. A passionate backcountry skier, he soon decided he “didn’t want to launch weather balloons for
Honorary Member: Bob Sayer
Fostering Participation, Connection, and Shared Responsibility By Alex Cooper and Nora Hughes BOB SAYER WAS MADE AN HONORARY MEMBER of the CAA in acknowledgement of his enduring commitment to the development, safety, and inclusiveness of the avalanche profession in Canada. Bob is a highly respected leader, mentor, and long-time contributor to the Canadian avalanche and guiding community, with a career
ISSW Young Snow Professional Awards Announced
The ISSW Young Snow Professionals Awards were announced, and they include two members of the Canadian avalanche community. Seth Hewie, a CAA Avalanche Practitioner, and Jacopo Borsotti, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University’s Avalanche Research Program, are among the five award recipients. They are joined by Patrick Jenewein of Austria, Leonie Kommerell of Norway, and Itai Sheleg from the
Honorary Member: Bruce Jamieson
Exemplifying Research, Problem-solving, and Professional Service By Alex Cooper and Nora Hughes DR. BRUCE JAMIESON REQUIRES LITTLE INTRODUCTION to CAA members. The founder of Applied Snow & Avalanche Research, University of Calgary (ASARC), Bruce’s work has shaped avalanche science, education, and practice in Canada and internationally. A long-time member of the CAA, Bruce has been an Avalanche Professional since 1984
Rivers in the Sky
By Matt Macdonald, Previous Warning Preparedness Meteorologist with the Meteorological Service of Canada, now Lead Fire WeatherForecaster with BC Wild re Service,and Paul Harwood, District Avalanche Supervisor for the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s North Cascades Program This article was originally published in The Avalanche Journal, Vol. 126, Spring 2021 SOME OF THE BIGGEST SNOWFALLS in western Canada occur when
Automated ATES Risk Communication in K-Country
By Mike Koppang Note: This article was originally published in The Avalanche Journal, Vol. 138, Summer 2025 A GOAL OF THE FORECASTING PROGRAM in Kananaskis has been trying to find different ways to innovate our risk management communication to the public in terms of avalanche danger and terrain management. The avalanche forecast has always been the foundation of this communication
Photo Gallery: 2026 Spring Conference
A collection of photos from the 2026 Canadian Avalanche Association Spring Conference.
Pattern Recognition in Meteograms
By Uwe Gramann This article originally appeared in The Avalanche Journal, Vol. 125, Winter 2020-21 METEOGRAMS, THE DISPLAY OF MULTIPLE weather parameters along a time series, have recently become a very useful decision-making tool for weather-related decisions in avalanche operations. Meteograms are traditionally evaluated based on absolute numbers, but these numbers alone are unable to unlock additional information that is