BCA and the American Avalanche Association name recipients of the 2022-2023 Women’s Specific Pro Training Scholarships

January 17, 2023

Denver Colo., (January 17, 2023) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Backcountry Access (BCA) and the American Avalanche Association (A3) are happy to announce that Megan Guinn, Katy Lanfri and Caroline Carlson have been chosen as the recipients of the 2022-2023 Women’s Specific Pro Training Scholarships for snow science and avalanche safety.

This opportunity was made possible by BCA and A3 partnering with the goal of supporting professional development of female-identifying avalanche workers. The scholarship will provide each recipient up to $1,500 in tuition support that can be applied this season to higher education in the snow and avalanche safety field.

Lanfri, Guinn and Carlson will now have the opportunity to pursue their own areas of interest in the betterment of their careers, with Guinn focusing on snow science and avalanche forecasting, Lanfri focusing on avalanche education and guiding, and Carlson focusing on ski patrol-related education.

Guinn plans to put her scholarship money toward her ongoing internship with the Chugach Avalanche Center and notes, “Taking my PRO 1 is a necessary step in my professional career in the avalanche and snow industry.” Lanfri, a ski patroller in Bend, Oregon, will be working toward becoming an avalanche education instructor. “Taking my Avalanche PRO Level 1 will be an invaluable experience as a pro patroller and aspiring AIARE instructor and ski guide,” she explains. And for Carlson, a PRO Level 1 course with Silverton Avalanche School is in her future: “I applied for the BCA women’s scholarship in order to ensure I could access quality training for the good of my team as a new leader in our patrol.”

“Caroline, Katy, and Megan bring a different focus and skill set to the industry and they each will be utilizing their scholarship to further their career and benefit not only themselves but their teams and the general public,” says Jayne Nolan, Executive Director of the American Avalanche Association and a member of the scholarship selection committee. “We are thrilled to support these three women as they continue their careers in the avalanche industry and we are extremely grateful to Backcountry Access for their continued partnership.”

Backcountry Access Co-Founder Bruce Edgerly is excited about the prospect of supporting female professionals in a traditionally male-dominated field. “There’s no reason why this field shouldn’t reflect the demographics of the rest of the working world,” says Edgerly, a recent member-elect to the A3 board. “We’re ecstatic to help A3 in its efforts to diversify the workforce in our industry.”

About Backcountry Access

Backcountry Access (BCA) is a leading manufacturer of snow safety equipment, including BCA Tracker avalanche transceivers, Float avalanche airbags, BC Link radios, MtnPro snowmobile gear, avalanche probes, and shovels. BCA’s mission is to save lives, not just sell products. BCA considers avalanche education to be as important as its avalanche safety equipment and delivers all its products with consumer education and knowledgeable customer service. 

About the American Avalanche Association

The American Avalanche Association promotes professionalism and expertise within the avalanche industry for the benefit of all who work, play, or travel in avalanche country.