NRCS School Teaches Snow Sampling and Winter Survival

(L to R) Students Ruben Vasquez of (WY), Fred Cummings (CO), Dennis Waggoner (CO) (holding tub) and Pat Boyd (WY) measure snow during outdoor training.

Students learned proper techniques of measuring snowpack and good winter survival skills during the West-Wide Snow Survey Training School in Tahoe City, Calif. during January 2005. Forty-seven students from nine western states attended this year’s school, conducted annually by NRCS with other federal and state agencies. Students learned skills such as snow sampling, avalanche recognition, cold weather survival techniques and outdoor emergency care. They also slept overnight in a snow cave they constructed. They received certificates upon successful completion of the school. The students, employed in the water resources arena, came from federal agencies such as NRCS, Forest Service and Bureau of Reclamation; state and local agencies; utilities and one tribe from Oregon. Snow serves as a primary source of water in the western United States.

Links...

Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting

Survival In A Snow Cave -Click on Survival in a Snow Cave to see video clip

Soil Conservation Technicians Mickey Cooney (MT)(left), and Katie Oliphant of (ID) prepare an area to build their snow cave.

Soil Conservation Technicians Mickey Cooney of (MT), and Katie Oliphant (ID) begin to build their snow cave.

Aaron Marshall of the Wyoming State Engineer Office in Riverton surveys his surroundings from his partially constructed snow cave.