The Flathead Nation Forest has announced Zach Guy as the new director of the Flathead Avalanche Center.
Guy is currently the director of the Crested Butte Avalanche Center in Crested Butte, Colorado. Hecomes to the Flathead with a master’s degree from Montana State’s snow science department and six years of forecasting and snow safety experience working for Irwin Guides and the Crested Butte Avalanche Center. Guy will be stepping into his new position later in the season, coming in behind Erich Peitzsch, of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), who is stepping down as director to pursue his PhD research in snow and avalanche science. Peitzsch will continue to support FAC part time and maintain an applied research collaboration with the USGS and FAC.
Todd Hannan, who is in his fourth year as an avalanche specialist with FAC, has stepped in as interim director and will lead the FAC and the daily forecasting operations, along with Avalanche Specialists Mark Dundas, Peitzsch, and Seth Carbonari. Guy Zoellner will provide support to the FAC as an observer, along with Jenny Cloutier as the education coordinator for the Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center (FOFAC). FOFAC helps support FAC financially as well as promoting avalanche education programs in northwest Montana and beyond.
The purpose of the local avalanche center is to inform and educate the community and businesses about the impact of snow avalanches on recreation, tourism, and industry. The goal is to help provide the public with current avalanche, snowpack and mountain weather information, as well as provide basic avalanche education and educational resources. FAC provides winter backcountry travelers the tools they need to stay alive and recreate safely in avalanche terrain. For information visit www.flatheadavalanche.org or call the hotline at (406) 257-8402.