MEASURE U SPOTLIGHT: EASTERN SIERRA AVALANCHE CENTER
Tell us a little about your program/organization.
The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center’s (ESAC) mission is to inform and educate the public on avalanche conditions in the Eastern Sierra. ESAC is a 501c3 non-profit avalanche center that was started in 2005 - this year was our 20th Anniversary! All of our information and resources are provided for free on our website, esavalanche.org. In the winter, we produce a daily forecast from early December to mid April. Anyone can utilize this information to plan their trips into the backcountry, better understand the snowpack, and more. We also host avalanche awareness evenings throughout the winter in Bishop, Mammoth, and June Lake. Locals and visitors are encouraged to attend to learn more about a specific topic, ask questions, and socialize with the backcountry community.
How does your program/organization impact the lives of people in Mammoth Lakes?
ESAC and its forecasters work hard to provide consistent, relevant, and detailed information about avalanche conditions and the snowpack throughout the Eastern Sierra. This information is utilized by backcountry recreationalists along with local and regional agencies, guide services, and others. As the only source of information related to avalanche conditions in this area, we constantly strive to maintain and update all of our information daily throughout the winter.
Your program/organization is a Measure U grant recipient, can you tell us what you use that funding for in your program/organization?
ESAC is incredibly grateful for the support we receive from Measure U. We utilize this funding to pay a portion of the wages for our four forecasters. They work long hours to write the daily forecast, complete field work, collect data on the snowpack, analyze that data, and collaborate with the other forecasters to turn that into the next day's forecast. They also present at our public avalanche awareness evenings and to local guide services and agencies.
Did the Measure U grant funding make it possible for you to offer programming that would not have been available otherwise?
Measure U funding definitely helps make it possible for us to provide the information we do for free to the public. We have found that four forecasters are needed to maintain the quality and consistency of our information and to be in the field consistently to gather the data. Without this funding, we might not be able to support 4 forecasters or might have to shorten the length of time in the winter that we can offer the daily forecast.
How did the Measure U grant funding help your program/organization to provide opportunities for locals to engage with arts/culture/mobility/recreation?
Measure U funding helps ESAC provide information on avalanche conditions to the public. Many locals take part in some form of outdoor recreation in the area, and in the winter they often use our resources for avalanche conditions, observations from the area, weather resources, and more. These resources hopefully help users feel empowered to make a safe travel plan for the day. These are valuable for anyone and everyone looking to recreate in the backcountry or interact with avalanches or avalanche terrain in any way.
What is the next big thing happening with your organization/program?
As ESAC operations wind down for the summer, we are looking for your input! If you utilized any ESAC resources on our website this winter - whether once this season or every day - please consider taking our user survey. Your answers help us plan for next season and better understand what you need as a user. Keep an eye out in the fall for the date for our annual season kickoff and fundraiser - sign up for our newsletter if you want to stay in the loop.
Do you have any words of advice for other programs/organizations that might be looking at applying for Measure U funding?
We would highly recommend setting up a phone call or meeting with Kim. She is always incredibly helpful with any questions we have and takes the time to understand your project or program so she can better help you. And definitely plan to attend the allocations meeting where they go through applications and ask questions of each applicant; it's a great time to clarify any details and share a little about your organization.
About Mammoth Lakes Recreation
Formed in 2014, Mammoth Lakes Recreation’s mission is to deliver cutting edge sustainable recreation, mobility, and arts & culture opportunities and infrastructure for the benefit of the community and natural environment of Mammoth Lakes. For more information, go to www.mammothlakesrecreation.org.