Women of Winter launches avalanche course scholarship for women 

By Bella Butler EBS STAFF

BIG SKY – The organization Women of Winter today launched a scholarship opportunity available to women for an avalanche course in Big Sky.

Eight scholarships are available that will fully fund a three-day American Avalanche Association Avalanche Level 1 Certification course at Big Sky Resort. The Big Sky Avalanche Foundation for Education course is March 4-6, 2022.

“As women, we should be in all places where decisions are made, and in particular, we should have the education to make informed decisions when our lives are at stake,” said Women of Winter founder Chris Walch.

Avalanche Level 1 Certification courses teach students how to recognize and evaluate avalanche hazards, how to perform snow stability tests and how to interpret snow pit data, among other important winter backcountry skills and safety.

To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must identify as women, be able to participate in all three days of the course and comply with all BSAFE and Big Sky Resort COVID-19 requirements. The deadline for the scholarship is Jan. 14, 2022.

All scholarship recipients will receive a one-year subscription GPS app onX Backcountry and all applicants will receive a six-month subscription.  

Women of Winter was founded in Big Sky in 2018 with the mission to “inspire and empower women and girls to get outside, to be courageous and to boldly embrace and pursue their dreams by carving their own paths in the mountains and in life,” according to its website.

Learn more about the scholarship and how to apply here.