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Ski-Doo Offering Free Avalanche Classes For 16th Year

Snowmobile market share leader Ski-Doo is once again putting its money where its mouth is with another year of free avalanche courses across the North American Snowbelt.

The seminars, led by Backcountry Awareness, are typically held at Ski-Doo dealerships, though Ski-Doo has always stressed that they are also open and free to riders on other equipment. There are 27 individual stops in 13 states on the U.S. tour, and 19 stops in five provinces in Canada. And while a majority of the classes are focused in the West, the tour extends across both countries, with appearances in places like Connecticut, New Hampshire and Quebec.

Ski-Doo started sponsoring the hands-on seminars in 2009 and continues the program to this day as a part of its commitment to rider safety.

Here’s the full press release from Ski-Doo (below), including clickable links where you can find a class near you.

Ski-Doo Avalanche Awareness
The free Avalanche Awareness seminars led by BCA and sponsored by Ski-Doo are coming to dealerships across the Snowbelt.

Ski-Doo invites all riders to free avalanche awareness and avoidance seminars this fall

Valcourt, Quebec – Ski-Doo snowmobiles continues to put action behind parent company BRP’s Responsible Rider program with a sixteenth year of free avalanche awareness seminars designed to help keep riders safe. BRP is committed to creating safe experiences for riders of all brands – at all levels of skill – and education like these seminars is key to making that happen. Backcountry Access (BCA), the leader in avalanche safety gear, shares the same goal and continues their support for the seventh year with equipment and their in-depth knowledge of backcountry recreation safety. Because no one should ride alone, attendees are encouraged to bring their fellow back country explorers with them when attending a seminar.

BRP’s Responsible Rider program addresses safety initiatives across all their product lines and supports the Ski-Doo brand in consistently renewing and advancing rider safety in the backcountry. Seminars have reached over 25,000 snowmobilers to date, and their importance is consistently voiced by attendees, providing testimony to their value for the sled community. The feedback and enthusiasm for knowledge has also helped shape the curriculum and continually update course material to be relevant and entertaining for today’s rider.

BCA will be providing a prize at each stop again this year along with displaying their state-of-the-art safety products from avalanche transceivers to airbags. One lucky winner from each seminar will receive either a Tracker transceiver or BCA’s new Link Mini two-way radio.

Riders are encouraged to bring those whom they ride with most often to the events. The benefit is clear – help raise your group’s awareness of those you ride with and care about, to ensure everyone can track the groups’ well-being and help each other if a situation ever occurs.

In addition to sponsoring in-person seminars, Ski-Doo collaborated with BCA on a useful video series which can be found in the Ski-Doo Owner Zone along with the wide ranging  BCA safety videos available on their website to help advance knowledge remotely. BCA will also be introducing a new video series later this fall called SLEDeducation that is a snowmobile-specific version of their popular Backcountry Basics series.

About the Seminars

The Canadian sessions are led by Marshall Dempster. With 20 plus years of experience in the avalanche and mountain rescue fields, Marshall is a professional avalanche forecaster through the Canadian Avalanche Association. He is a lead instructor for the recreational avalanche skills training program through Avalanche Canada. He is also a level 3 lead guide and member of the board of directors with the Canadian Motorized Backcountry Guides Association, the newly formed certifying body for the snowmobile guiding community. He is excited to share his years of experience and lessons learned in his time spent working and playing in the mountains.

The US sessions are led by Mike Duffy. As one of the most recognized snowmobile trainers in North America, Mike Duffy of Avalanche1.com is an instructor with Silverton Avalanche School, course provider and Pro Member of the American Avalanche Association in addition to being part of the Working Group of Motorized Professionals. He has also taught at the American Avalanche Institute, the Alaska Avalanche School and has trained military teams in winter mobility and avalanche education.  Currently he is lead motorized instructor at Silverton Avalanche School. Duffy has been giving snowmobile-specific avalanche classes since 1996. As rescue team leader in the Vail Mountain Rescue Group, he has more than 30 years of mountain riding and mountain rescue experience. He is also a Backcountry Guide and riding instructor.

Seminars are open to all levels of experience and owners of all brands of sleds. For up-to-date information on locations and times, or to register for a free avalanche awareness seminar, visit the Ski-Doo website (links below) or follow Ski-Doo on Facebook and Instagram.

US: https://www.ski-doo.com/us/en/ski-doo-feeling/events/avalanche-awareness-seminars.html

CA: https://www.ski-doo.com/ca/en/ski-doo-feeling/events/avalanche-awareness-seminars.html

Participants are encouraged to register with the host dealer so they can plan meeting space accordingly and ensure a spot.

About Backcountry Access

Backcountry Access (BCA) is a leading manufacturer of snow safety equipment, including BCA TrackerTM avalanche transceivers, FloatTM avalanche airbags, BC LinkTM radios, MtnProTM snowmobile gear, StashTM backpacks, avalanche probes and shovels. BCA’s mission is to save lives, not just sell products. BCA considers education to be as important as its equipment and delivers all its products with consumer education and knowledgeable customer service. BCA is North America’s most trusted name in backcountry safety.

About BRP

BRP Inc. is a global leader in the world of powersports products, propulsion systems and boats built on over 80 years of ingenuity and intensive consumer focus. Through its portfolio of industry-leading and distinctive brands featuring Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea- Doo watercraft and pontoons, Can-Am on and off-road vehicles, Alumacraft and Quintrex boats, Manitou pontoons and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts and recreational aircraft, BRP unlocks exhilarating adventures and provides access to experiences across different playgrounds. The Company completes its lines of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and apparel portfolio to fully optimize the riding experience. Committed to growing responsibly, BRP is developing electric models for its existing product lines and exploring new low voltage and human assisted product categories. Headquartered in Quebec, Canada, BRP has annual sales of CA$10.4 billion from over 130 countries and a global workforce of close to 20,000 driven, resourceful people.

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