Boulder, CO (September 25, 2007) - Backcountry Access, Inc. (BCA) announced that the sixth annual Avalanche Jam raised record funds this year for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). The benefit was relocated from its previous location at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden to the CAIC’s hometown of Boulder, in the parking lot of local retail icon Neptune Mountaineering.
“By moving the event to Boulder attendance increased, and so we raised more money,” said BCA sales manager Steve Christie. On the silent auction Christie enthused, “it was massively successful! Neptune [mountaineering] was a huge help and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”
The event raised approximately $14,000 for the CAIC, 40 percent more than any previous year. About 500 snow worshippers attended AvJam, consuming 15 kegs of New Belgium beer and copious amounts of Indian food from nearby Tandoori Grill.
Bluegrass headliners Greg Schochet and Friends were joined on stage by BCA’s mandolin-playing Bruce Edgerly for a cameo appearance to promote the silent auction. Generous auction donations came from leading outdoor companies such as Patagonia, Outdoor Research, Marmot, BCA, Rottefella, Dynafit, K2 Telemark, Karhu, Osprey, Ortovox, Voilé, Sierra Designs, Scarpa, Black Diamond, Loveland and A-Basin Ski Areas.
According to CAIC Director, Ethan Greene, “The Avalanche Jam is the single most important fund raising event for the CAIC. We couldn’t continue to serve the citizens of Colorado without the support of BCA, the companies that donate equipment, the volunteers and those who attend the event.”
This year's proceeds will provide the CAIC with much needed funds to offer avalanche education and forecasting for Colorado backcountry users. The CAIC is partially funded by the Colorado Dept. of Transportation, State of Colorado, the Colorado ski industry, and a group of backcountry users called the Friends of the CAIC. For further information on the CAIC, see http://avalanche.state.co.us. For BCA’s latest lineup of snow safety educational materials, visit backcountryaccess.com/education or call BCA at 303-417-1345.
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