Sharing information to provide a safer backcountry experience for locals and visitors to the Eastern Alaska Range.
History: Founded in 2015 The Eastern Alaska Range Avalanche Center (EARAC) is a community funded avalanche center that focuses on the fantastic Eastern Alaska Range. Our goal is to promote education, develop a robust observer network, and improve the meteorological resources in the area. It is important to note that we will not be offering avalanche forecasting; though it is a long term goal. We are happy to be a part of the Alaska Avalanche Information Center's network of Avalanche Centers around the state.
Education: EARAC utilizes local and statewide instructors to facilitate all levels of avalanche education; from avalanche awareness and companion rescue skills up to 4 day Level 2 courses. We offer courses to many local communities including Tok, Delta Junction, Eielson AFB, Fairbanks and Nenana. Have an idea for a course you'd like to see? Let us know!
Observer Network: As an area without an avalanche forecast, user observations are critical to help other users make educated choices about the snowpack. Share what you see; any contribution is a good contribution! Simply sharing a photo from your trip gives other users useful information. How was the snow? Was there a fresh dump? If so, how much? Where were you when you took the photo or swam around in waist deep pow? Did you notice any red flags like recent avalanches or whumping snow?
Please contribute your avalanche, snow and weather observations here or on the EARAC Facebook page!
Weather Resources: We're working to consolidate and improve weather resources the area so that you can have an idea of what has been happening to the snowpack before you even leave home. Area weather stations can tell you about recent snow, wind events, and temperatures.
Christina Twogood
Director & Advisory Board Community Chair
Lifelong Alaskan Christina Twogood is an engineer with a passion for avalanche education. She’s among the first in Alaska to earn her Professional Level Avalanche Certifications in the Motorized field. Christina teaches Snowmachine Avalanche Courses across the state and Eastern Alaska Range privately and with the Alaska Avalanche School. She also collaborates with various snowmobile groups to encourage women riders to get on the racecourse and into the backcountry. Favorite riding zones: The Hoodoos, Maclaren, Turnagain, and Chile.
Mark Oldmixon
Advisory Board Community Treasurer
Skiing as young kid Mark learned to love the fresh air. Mark moved to Alaska in 2006 to pursue his dream of teaching Outdoor Education at University of Alaska of Fairbanks. He and his family work hard and play hard.
Mike Hopper
Advisory Board Community Member
Mike Hopper is an avalanche survivor who runs The Lodge at Black Rapids. He has been recreating in the Eastern Alaska Range for years and is an experience backcountry skier and mountaineer; laying down hundreds of first descents throughout the area.
Mark Lockwood
Advisory Board Community Member
Mark Lockwood is a former president of the Alaskan Alpine Club and the Fairbanks Alpine Ski Club. He began skiing and climbing in the mid-70’s. He assisted in an avalanche rescue on Mt. Washington in 1979 and has strived to learn about the hazard ever since. He moved to Alaska in 1980, working as a geologist, specializing in extreme terrain access. He has assisted with glacial research projects in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, drilling ice cores, digging snow pits, mapping snow and ice crystal structure, and conducting glacial velocity surveys. Mark has trained groups in basic climbing skills, glacier travel, and rescue techniques. He has been responsible for group safety on projects requiring roped travel on steep slopes. Mark has presented Avalanche Awareness seminars since 2003.
Alyssa Enriquez
Advisory Community Board Member
Learning to ski as an adult hasn’t stopped Alyssa from tackling summits, getting folks stoked on exploring the Eastern Alaska Range, and chasing deep pow. Alaska has been home since 2012 and before learning to ski she spent her winters in the mountains on a snowmachine, ice climbing, riding her fat bike really far, or XC skiing. She serves as a director on non-profit boards and enjoys volunteering in the Fairbanks community. Alyssa is a Wilderness First Responder and looks forward to continuing her avalanche education. Alyssa is passionate about outdoor education, photography, getting on the water, outdoor recreation safety, and the mountains!
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- Amazing slopes above College Glacier. Photo by J. Smith
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- Skiers approach Peak 8100. Photo by J. Smith
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- Checking out snow conditions. Photo by S. Carter
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- Above the Canwell Glacier. Photo by J. Smith
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- The Lodge at Black Rapids after a spring storm. Photo by S. Carter
