The Colorado Avalanche Information Center main office is located in Boulder Colorado; however, the massive fiesta on November 9th took place up north in the heart of the River Walk in Breckenridge Colorado. The Voormi crew was in full force along with a sold out crowd of 1500+ backcountry enthusiasts to support the CAIC. Heavy hitters such as BCA and Osprey along with 131 companies were on hand to support the 6th annual CAIC Benefit Bash.
The CAIC is the oldest public avalanche program in the U.S., which began in 1973. The primary purpose of the CAIC is to " minimize the economic and human impact of snow avalanches on recreation, tourism, commerce, industry and the citizens of Colorado." Public education and forecasting are the primary tools used to achieve this purpose. With donations and contributions being the main funding source, this annual event is crucial to the CAIC. Colorado has on average 2300 plus avalanches and 6 deaths per year. The CAIC is a critical aspect to safety in the unforgiving backcountry. This event was a fundraiser to support the cause and we were proud to be a part of the night's activities.
Our host for the evening was dressed to impress in his 3-piece suit saved only for special events, such as this fundraiser and his wedding. Aaron was a gracious, articulate host who fed the crowd a solid amount of fresh gear and kept the energy high. With furious live bidding as one option, guests also had an amazing array of choices to place silent bids on as well. Full avalanche packs, season passes, several boards/skis/splitboards and a plethora of other items had been graciously donated by the sponsors of the event. A fierce bidding war ensued on the burly Voormi High E hoodie with Point 6 sock combo package that was available for silent auction. Happy as always to support a positive cause, we are grateful to the CAIC and the services they provide. We are also extremely grateful for those who attended in an effort to support the CAIC. The event went off without a hitch; great food from local restaurants and delicious Fat Tire beer made for happy people. Big props to the High Country Conservation Center who were able to keep the nights waste limited to (1) bag trash (3) bags recycle and the rest went to compost. Solid work.
As is the nature of our crew here at Voormi, we took this road trip from Pagosa to Breckenridge as an opportunity to do something outdoors and awesome. We decided to climb some ice at Hoosier Pass. After several ascents up the ice formations, we watched as the sun dropped below the snow-topped peaks, signifying our trip had come to an end. We loaded our gear into the truck and returned to our home in the San Jauns. A big thank you to the CAIC and all of the supporting companies. To those in attendance we also thank you. Stable lines for everyone as we excitingly enter the 2013/2014 winter season. Be safe.