Adirondack Community
Avalanche Project
adk avy is a place where Adirondack winter enthusiasts gather to submit snowpack and avalanche observations.
Mission of the Project
To increase awareness of avalanche hazards in the Adirondacks and share snowpack, avalanche, and weather observations to help our community mitigate the risks of winter recreation.
Our Work
Adirondack Community Avalanche Project is a community sourced collection of snowpack, weather, and avalanche observations. We rely on the expertise within our backcountry community to collect and share observations from the field. You can submit and view observations via the observation page on our website. We pursue partnerships and opportunities to increase avalanche education opportunities in the High Peaks region. Through this work we hope to amplify the conversation about avalanche awareness and preparedness in the Adirondacks. We encourage organizations and individuals to be proactive in their communications about avalanche risk.
Meet The Team
Your friendly neighborhood backcountry enthusiasts providing you with a community hub to share observations.
Caitlin Kelly
On a good day in the Adirondacks, there is nowhere else in the world Caitlin would rather be skiing.
In 2014 she took her AIARE 1 course in the Tetons with St. Lawrence University. There she earned course credit and a deep love for snow science, backcountry travel, and powder skiing. After graduating she put down roots in the Adirondacks, while also traveling the west in the winter to ski and test gear with Powder Magazine.
She has been on the Whiteface Mountain Ski Patrol for 3 seasons, while also working with other patrollers to assess snowpack and safety on the mountain's slide terrain. She has multiple years of experience working on public lands, and is also a freelance writer, with work appearing in Powder, Freeskier, The Ski Journal, and other local magazines.
She currently holds her AIARE Avalanche 1, AIARE Companion Rescue, and WFR Certification
Nate Trachte
A transplant to the Adirondacks, Nate moved to Lake Placid in 2008 to attend National Sports Academy as an alpine ski racer. Although he was not born in the 'Dacks, his passion for winter began at Whiteface Mountain's Kids Campus, where he first got on skis right around the time he began to walk.
After graduating high school he attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Living in the San Juan Mountains he fell in love with human powered skiing, and has been backcountry skiing since 2013. After leaving Colorado he went on to obtain a Master's Degree in Environmental Education from Western Washington University and the North Cascades Institute.
In 2019 he came back to the Adirondacks to work as a place based environmental educator. He is passionate about getting young people outside and helping them build skills as outdoor leaders. When he is not in the field teaching you can find him, rediscovering his home mountain range on skis, a bike, or in a canoe.
Nate has completed his AIARE Avalanche 1, AIARE Companion Rescue, NSP Avalanche Level 1 for Rescue Personnel, and Wilderness First Responder certifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my observation once I submit it?
Your submission will be posted on the observations page for the general public to view.
Where is the avalanche forecast?
Unfortunately for us there is no avalanche forecasting service that covers us here in the Adirondacks. In fact, the main driver for the creation of this project was the absence of an avalanche center who could provide an avalanche forecast. Avalanche forecasts are created by professionals using; weather models, snowpack data, daily observations in the field, etc.
Why are you doing this?
We are running this project to increase awareness of avalanche hazards in the Adirondacks and to share snowpack, avalanche, and weather observations to help our community mitigate the risks of winter recreation.
Where does my donation go?
Your donation will go to improving and maintaining this site. You can help us dream big and develop the future of the program. There are real humans running this who would greatly appreciate your support.
Have more questions?
Contact us at adkcommunityavyobs@gmail.com to get more information on the project.