November 17 & 18, 2015 at 7:00pm
Flathead High School Auditorium
644 4th Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901
DIFFERENT FILMS EACH NIGHT
High Resolution Projection Screen
Cost: $15
Tickets available from our local sponsors:
A presentation of Flathead Nordic Backcounty Patrol
Check out our Facebook Page
TWO NIGHTS of films on our HUGE SCREEN! Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol purchased a brand new screen last year and it is BIG!!! The films will be shown using HD equipment as well! Be sure to get your tickets now, this even does sell out.
Tuesday and Wednesday night at Flathead High School. Different shows each night. November 18th & 19th at 7PM.
Get your tickets, $15 each in advance ($20 at the door), at the following locations:
Kalispell - Rocky Mountain Outfitter & Sportsman
Whitefish - Runner Up, White Room, & Sportsman
Check out our Facebook Page
Thanks to a generous donation by Northern Rockies Avalanche Safety
Workshop (NRASW), Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol (FNBP) has procured and installed four beacon
check stations at popular backcountry access points throughout the area.
Three of the beacon check stations have been installed at backcountry access points off Whitefish
Mountain Resort. One is located at Flower Point, which skiers and snowboarders use to access the
popular Canyon Creek drainage. Other beacon check stations are located at the snowmobile parking
area at the summit of Whitefish Mountain Resort and on Taylor Creek Road, an access point for
Hellroaring Peak. Both Canyon Creek and Hellroaring Peak have been the site of avalanches in the past,
including a fatal avalanche in Canyon Creek in 2008.
The fourth beacon check station is located in Essex at the Marion Lake/Essex Creek trailhead, a popular
location with backcountry skiers in the Middlefork drainage.
The beacon check stations, which run on battery power, automatically check to see if a personʼs
avalanche transceiver is on and working. The person wearing a transceiver must stop within range of the
device. A green light indicates the avalanche transceiver is on and working, a red light means it isnʼt.
Signs also remind backcountry users to carry a shovel and probe and provide tips on avalanche safety,
including contact information for avalanche updates from the Flathead Avalanche Center (http://
www.flatheadavalanche.org/.)
The cost to purchase and install the beacon checkers is $750 per unit. Funding has been provided by
NRASW. FNBP entered into an agreement with Whitefish Mountain Resort and Flathead National Forest
to monitor and maintain the units.
"Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol owes a nod of gratitude to NRASW for providing funding to purchase
the beacon check stations," said Steve Burglund, who is heading up the project on behalf of FNBP. To
date, NRASW has donated $3,500 to fund FNBP's avalanche education and safety efforts. "And a big
thanks goes out to the members of FNBP, who supplied the labor to instal the beacon checkers."
In addition to the beacon check stations, donations from NRASW will be used to purchase a wireless
beacon park that will be installed at Whitefish Mountain Resort. The wireless beacon park, to be located
at the summit of Whitefish Mountain Resort, will be open to the public and free to all users. The intention
of the beacon park is to make it easier for backcountry users to practice with their transceivers. The total
cost of the beacon park is $1,000. The project is slated for next winter.
For more information, contact:
Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol
P.O. Box 433
Whitefish, Montana 59937
nordic-communications@flatheadnordic.org
http://www.flatheadnordic.org
Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol is proud to announce our Annual Fundraiser -
The Banff Mountain Film Festival 2012
Different Shows Each Night!
When: Monday, November 12th, 2012 & Tuesday, November 13, 2012 @ 7 pm
Where: Flathead High School Auditorium
Tickets: $14 per person
Tickets can be purchased at the following sponsor locations (tickets available starting around November 1st):
Kalispell: Sportsman Ski Haus, Rocky Mountain Outfitters
Whitefish: Runner Up Sports, The White Room, Sportsman Ski Haus
For more details on films see the Banff Film Festival Website .
We look forward to seeing you there. Thanks for supporting us so we can support the backcountry community.
Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol is proud to announce our Annual Fundraiser -
The Banff Mountain Film Festival 2011
Different Shows Each Night!
When: Monday, November 14th, 2011 & Wednesday, November 16, 2011 @ 7 pm
Where: Flathead High School Auditorium
Tickets: $14 per person
Tickets can be purchased at the following sponsor locations:
Kalispell: Sportsman Ski Haus, Rocky Mountain Outfitters
Whitefish: Runner Up Sports, The White Room, Sportsman Ski Haus
For more details on films see the Banff Film Festival Website .
We look forward to seeing you there. Thanks for supporting us so we can support the backcountry community.
Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol Wins National Recognition
Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol (FNSP), a local backcountry search and rescue organization, was awarded as the Outstanding Ski Patrol for the 2009/2010 season. The award is presented each year to the outstanding nordic ski patrol amongst all National Ski Patrol (NSP)-affiliated ski patrols in the country.
FNSP was awarded the highly-distinguished recognition based on a variety of components including public service, education, training, past awards received, and activity of members on the local, division and/or regional level. Specifically, FSNP was recognized for their service to the Flathead Valley for responding to responding to winter backcountry callouts related to complex terrain search and/or avalanche rescue. Many of their search and rescue operations take place during the night, in inclement weather and/or during periods of elevated avalanche danger. To meet this responsibility and challenge, patrol members need to be tight knit, well trained, and fully dedicated to being available for unscheduled call outs, usually late in the evening. Bottom line, FNSP is on call 24/7 from December through April of each year.
In the past four seasons, FNSP has been subjected to and involved with multiple complex and dangerous backcountry search and rescue operations as well as avalanche-related recoveries. In 2008, FNSP played a key role a multiple-fatality avalanche incident just out of bounds of the Whitefish Mountain Resort as well as a high-alpine technical mountain search and rescue operation in which the victim was never found. Both of these incidents lasted for multiple days, were under the direction of Federal and County agencies, and involved logistically complex situations. FNSP patrollers were there to assist as needed, committed days of volunteer dedication to each incident, and put forth efforts above and beyond the comforts of home and the call of paid employment.
To improve efficiency, effectiveness, and safety in responding to winter emergency callouts FNSP has been dedicated to establishing well fortified remote and centrally-located rescue caches that are available for immediate rescue situations. These rescue caches have been established in key Flathead County locations where gear can be accessed quickly during remote wintertime emergencies. As of this past season, FNSP patrol as established three well-stocked and updated caches ready for utilization in the county on an as-needed basis. Establishing these rescue caches has been a team effort and has required extensive volunteer hours to improve the chances of a successful search and rescue operation. This past season FNSP received another grant and established a remote rescue cache located at Whitefish Mountain Resort where sidecountry skiing is very popular and human-related avalanche incidents are on the rise.
The generosity FNSP has received locally has been payed forward to NSP in the form of hosting a very well received and successful NSP Senior exam in spring 2010. Which offers patrollers an opportunity to demonstrate their skills on a high-level in a variety of components.
NSP awards are designed to recognize and reward patrollers for outstanding service. FSNP was also awarded The Gold Unit Citation award, presented by NSP's national Chair to any NSP patrol that has performed in any outstanding manner. Additionally, FNSP member Alice Ford was awarded "Outstanding Senior Candidate 2009/2010" by NSP for performance during the Senior Exam.
***
FNSP is a non-profit group of volunteer men and women trained and prepared to respond to any type of winter backcountry emergency. The Patrol's area of responsibility is primarily Flathead County, although the patrol will respond anywhere in NW Montana, or if circumstances indicate, the patrol will respond anywhere their services may be helpful. For more information on FNSP, visit www.flatheadnordic.org. 
For more information, contact:
Dena Rissman - Media
nordic-communications@flatheadnordic.org
906-644-2722
Thanks to a generous donation from the 911 Foundation, FNSP has established a rescue cache in the Middle Fork area near Essex. The Middlefork drainage is a popular recreation area for snowmobiliers and skiers, the railroad also passes through this narrow corridor, which is prime avalanche terrain. The patrol has equipped the cache with the gear needed to effect a more efficient search and rescue effort. As backcountry traffic increases in this area, so has the patrols' readiness to respond. The 911 Foundation has also approved funds that will be used to established a rescue cache near Whitefish Mountain Resort. Thank you to the 911 Foundation for their support.