Ski and Snowboard Club Vail athletes receive Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety (BRASS) avalanche safety training session

Norwegian World Cup skier Atle Lie McGrath, an ambassador for the Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety (BRASS) Foundation, signs posters after a BRASS 101 presentation at Ski and Snowboard Club Vail last Saturday.
Courtesy photo

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail athletes received avalanche safety training at their clubhouse last Saturday from Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety (BRASS) Foundation instructor and former U.S. Ski Team member Anna Marno.

The BRASS Foundation — which was born out of the 2015 avalanche deaths of former U.S. Ski Team athletes Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle — strives “to create a legacy of change in the culture of avalanche education and safety in the competitive and recreational ski and snowboard community.” The non-profit provides free programs and advocates for improved avalanche warning systems worldwide.

Saturday’s BRASS 101 presentation was the first in-person session held in Vail.

During the session, Norwegian World Cup star Atle Lie McGrath — currently a BRASS ambassador — was interviewed by Steve Berlack, Ronnie Berlack’s dad and coach at SSCV. McGrath spoke to the importance of incorporating BRASS programs into snow sports. Afterwards, McGrath stuck around to sign a mountain of posters for audience members.

“Way too many young people connected to Vail Valley succumb to snow dangers and imperfect decisions,” stated Cindy Berlack, Ronnie Berlacks’ mom and co-founder of BRASS. “It is with all of them in mind that BRASS provides these programs. They are intended to inspire all snow-crazed people to sign up for full-length avalanche courses.”

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The BRASS Foundation is offering a free 90-minute online avalanche safety webinar on Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m. The webinar “Evolution from ski racing to powder skier with Marcus Caston” is open to all and will cover avalanche safety in the context of Caston’s journey growing up as a racer to becoming a Warren Miller star. Avalanche safety instructor Scott Schell, executive director of the non-profit arm of the Northwest Avalanche Center, will present. To register, visit BrassAvalanche.org.

Those unable to attend will be able to find a recording of the webinar, as well as past webinars, under the ‘Education’ tab on the the BRASS website.

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