Under Shadow of Federal Uncertainty, NWAC is Strikingly Resilient
The Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC), which serves Washington and Oregon, just dropped its 2024–2025 season report. Despite the challenges imposed by the federal government, a stubbornly weak La Niña, and a continued increase in backcountry traffic, the center still managed to deliver its full slate of forecasts, outreach, and education.
Avalanches are one of the biggest risks that skiers and riders contend with in the mountains, and getting reliable information is a crucial step in staying safe. While on-site snowpack testing and observation is never a bad idea before slapping on your skins, centralized reporting centers like the NWAC play an indispensable role in avoiding rescue situations. Good sense in the backcountry is impossible without good data.
This season, however, the organizations that carry out testing, analysis, and reporting are facing challenges far removed from the mountains and people they serve. The Trump Administration's chaotic hiring freezes, along with unstable federal funding, have added newfound uncertainty.
In an opening letter, Executive Director Scott Schell and Forecast Director Dennis D’Amico acknowledged how uncertain the year began. A seasonal hiring freeze within the Forest Service, NWAC’s longtime federal partner, put the center’s staffing levels in doubt:
"This was NWAC’s 49th season, and it was marked by significant uncertainty and change. In the fall, we faced major challenges related to the Forest Service’s 1039 seasonal hiring freeze. We were unsure whether or not all forecast staff would return for the 24-25 season until just weeks before we began daily forecast operations. Thanks to a full press from many, both inside and outside the Forest Service, including from our organization, we successfully delivered our program as intended this season -- no small feat we can all share pride in. Unfortunately, the challenging environment did not relent this year. We are fortunate to have weathered big changes in the federal workforce over the second half of the winter, although many questions remain unanswered as we head into next season."Let's hope the NWAC and the larger Forest Service can find enjoy some kind of staffing consistency next season. We all depend on it.
La Niña Falls Flat
On paper, early forecasting suggested a classic Pacific North West winter: deep powder, consistent snowfall, and therefore, lots of avalanche mitigation. While La Niña briefly set up in the Pacific, which usually means colder, snowier winters for Washington and Oregon, she didn't quite deliver as most of us had hoped. In fact, this season saw a historic dry spell: 19 days with no measurable precipitation at most NWAC weather stations. Reports describe the forest as a "frozen coral reef" during this period. January was "one of the longest stretches of low [avalanche] danger anyone at NWAC can remember. While powder lovers may cry, we'll take fewer slides as a silver lining.
NWAC By the Numbers
- 1,345 avalanche forecasts published
- 1,498 public observations submitted
- 329 field days logged by NWAC forecasters
Stats paint the picture of an organization stretched but steady, doing what it takes to keep backcountry users informed. For context, NWAC receives nearly 40% of its funds from federal sources.
The Avy App Goes Nationwide
NWAC’s Avy app, designed to put avalanche forecasts in the palm of your hand, is now supporting 10 avalanche centers nationwide and has grown to 30,000 active users.
"The app’s purpose is to provide a streamlined user experience for your core trip planning tools, including avalanche forecasts, weather forecasts, weather station data, and observations. Over the coming years, we hope to add the majority of avalanche centers across the country to the Avy app."
The center is also collaborating with the National, Sierra, and Sawtooth Avalanche Centers on a brand-new website platform, currently in testing and slated for release this fall.
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Growing Education & Outreach
Beyond daily forecasts, NWAC doubled down on education. This season, staff delivered:
- 123 avalanche awareness classes with 3,446 attendees
- 30 trailhead outreach events
- Additional public programs aimed at reaching new backcountry users
“Each class and event welcomed new members into our community and delivered critical knowledge to foster a safer backcountry environment,” the report reads.
NWAC Moving Forward
The report closed with a reminder that community support is as critical as ever. NWAC relies heavily on federal funding, but is supplemented by donations and sponsors to remain solvent.
“Backcountry use continues to grow, while federal support remains uncertain,” they wrote.
For skiers, riders, and snowmobilers who rely on NWAC’s work every time they leave the trailhead, consider donating merely as a recogniton of just how much goes into making safe decisions possible.
