Monthly Archives: February 2012

Kootenay Pass TR

Following the hectic tradeshow season, I decided it was time to get out and do some skiing. With the state of the Colorado snowpack being in shambles though, I opted to head north. My buddy Derek, who is in Spokane studying the law, had been sending me photos of the immense snowpack just north from there, so I opted to fly up there to check it out. We headed past the border and set up camp in a small cabin near Kootenay Pass and spent the next three days lapping excellent, stable powder; it was awesome.… Read more

Rutschblock Test with Donny Roth

Donny Roth takes us through the steps to conduct a proper Rutschblock Test. When not traveling in search of skiing, climbing and cycling destinations, Donny can be found at home in Boulder, CO. He has been entertaining himself in the backcountry for 18 years and is now a guide and runs the website Independent Descents.… Read more

The Austin Report

Good dude and all around shredder, Austin Gibney, sent over this nice piece of split board action. Austin is based out of Crested Butte, and rides bigger lines than you. Last week Austin hopped a flight to Japan to get his own piece of their powder pie. After spending a month with Austin in Krygyzstan, I’m betting his luggage is packed full of Starburst and Hershey bars to keep him powered up.… Read more

Lessons from Genswein: for Experts Only!

As in any professional career, it’s important to stay current on your education. That’s why at BCA we regularly put our sales, marketing and customer service staff through AIARE and CAA avalanche courses. And that’s why I took a two-day workshop at Copper Mountain, Colo. last month with Swiss avalanche rescue führer Manuel Genswein. This is the third workshop I’ve attended with Genswein and my conclusion remains the same: For experts only!

Attending a Genswein clinic is good entertainment: he has a brilliant sense of humor, speaks five languages, and he has a uniquely high-pitched and heavily accented voice reminiscent of the similarly corpulent General Burkhalter in the 1960’s sitcom… Read more

Statement from BCA about “viral” airbag video

The recent avalanche near Montezuma (Colo.) has fueled a media sensation.  The video of Meesh Hytner–captured by Tyler Malay and posted on our website–went viral.  It has been viewed nearly 700,000 times on Youtube, been featured on CNN, Fox News, multiple local and international outlets, and has been seen in Japan, Taiwan and Germany, to name a few. It’s crazy!  We just returned from ISPO (our major tradeshow in Munich, Germany) and walked into a media frenzy.

We normally do not feel compelled to make a statement where accidents and the use of our equipment is involved. But given the viral nature fueled by this stunning and vivid footage, we… Read more

Arapahoe Basin Beacon Bowl and Apres Ski Party

Arapahoe Basin Beacon Bowl & Après Ski Party

Arapahoe Basin, CO – February 4, 2012   Arapahoe Basin will be hosting the tenth annual Beacon Bowl and après ski party Saturday, February 11, 2012.  The event will benefit the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

The Beacon Bowl is an event developed by A-Basin’s ski patrol to teach and test skills for the backcountry.  Patrol will start the day at 9:15 a.m. with the Beacon Bowl competition.  This event is an avalanche transceiver competition designed for both recreational and professional users.

Free beacon clinics with A-Basin ski patrol and Back Country Access will take place from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. An avalanche… Read more

ISPO Part 2: Float airbag video rocks Munich

The European crowd took note this week of the hottest new player in the Euro airbag market: BCA. While we’ve been producing airbags in North America for three years, we only recently got coveted TUV and CE approval to sell them across the pond. At the ISPO show, which ended Wednesday in Munich, Euro retailers especially took notice when we whipped out our secret weapon: footage of our recent airbag save in Colorado. Introducing a new product in a sterile trade show environment is one thing, but showing it working in a violent, real-world avalanche  is 100 times as effective. Talk about cred!

Retailers were upbeat, thanks to a banner… Read more