NSAW 2021 - Spencer Logan: Avalanche Fatalities in 2020 - 2021

Spencer Logan, Avalanche Forecaster and Research Lead at CAIC
Avalanche Fatalities in 2020-2021
The 2020-21 avalanche season was the deadliest in nearly a century. What factors made the season so exceptional? How was it similar to previous years? This presentation will examine last season in the context of longer trends and patterns of avalanche accidents, the unstable snowpack conditions spread across the western US, and the background of the COVID pandemic.
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This is the Northwest Avalanche Center's fifteenth annual Northwest Snow and Avalanche Workshop (NSAW). Filmed in October 2021
NSAW is the region’s largest gathering of snow and avalanche professionals and backcountry recreationists who work and travel in avalanche terrain.
NSAW covers topics on recent scientific research, technical innovations, avalanche safety, and mountain experience. Talks will range from scholarly research to every day application; all attendees, regardless of experience, will walk away with new tools for the backcountry.
NSAW is an opportunity to hear from leading avalanche practitioners and take the next step in your backcountry education. As a result of Covid-19 NSAW will be held virtually over the course of two weeks with three distinct sessions. Although we cannot gather in-person, this format presents a unique opportunity to connect with the ever growing backcountry community of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.