The Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol (FNBP) is a non-profit group of volunteer men and women trained and prepared to respond to any type of winter back-country emergency. The Patrol's area of responsibility is primarily Flathead County, although the patrol will respond anywhere in NW Montana, or if circumstances indicate, we will respond anywhere our services may be helpful.
FNBP maintains national certification through the National Ski Patrol and partners with the Flathead National Forest and Flathead Avalanche Center to promote avalanche education and awareness in the Flathead Valley. Our members act as an integral part of the Montana Search and Rescue community by joining local Search & Rescue organizations to respond to emergencies in and around the Flathead Valley. Members are experienced in a wide variety of back-country specialties: avalanche rescue and education, mountain travel and education, outdoor emergency care and transport.
Patrol Board
| Trevor Howard | Patrol Representative (21-23) |
| Nathan Basford | Board Member (21-23) |
| Chris Sobin | Board Member (19-21) |
| Kim Weichers | Board Member (19-21) |
| Jeff Shehan | Board Member (21-23) |
| Emily O'Neil | Board Member (19-21) |
| Jackson George | Board Member (21-23) |
Advisors
| Avalanche | Dan'l Moore |
| Awards & Recognition | Emily O'Neil |
| Communications | Jen Carpenedo |
| Education | Conor O'neil |
| Equipment | Trevor Howard (Summit & Flower Point Cache) Jeff Shehan (Summit & Flower Point Cache) Emily & Conor O'Neil (Valley Cache) |
| Film Festival | Dan'l Moore |
| Interagency Liaison | Trevor Howard |
| Media | Dena Rissman |
| Medical Advisor | Melissa Basford |
| Mountain Travel/Rescue | Jerry Lundgren Dan'l Moore |
| OEC | Nathan Basford |
| CPR | Chris Sobin |
| Website/Bookkeeper | Leif Nelson |
About
Flathead Nordic originated in 1975 as the Essex Nordic Patrol serving to patrol the trails of Izaak Walton Inn.
In 1981 we renamed ourselves to better reflect the growth and demand of our services. We played an instrumental role in creating both the Flathead County Avalanche Search Plan and the Northwest Montana Avalanche Information Center. We are the only nordic patrols in the Northern Division of NSP.
The Patrol conducts regular business meetings the first Monday of each month at 7:00 pm from October through April at the National Parks Realty office in Whitefish. We participate in several public education presentations each season.
Training opportunities for candidates and Patrollers include: CPR, Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC), Mountain Travel and Rescue (MTR), Advanced MTR, Avalanche I, Avalanche II, candidate training, skiing skills, toboggan handling, Instructor programs, and senior training. All of these programs are available throughout the Northern Division.