Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 105
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080

    Beacon Practice Areas List

    Thought I would start a thread for this since there were few threads this year - all of the ones I have found have been sponsered by BCA

    If anyone has updates to these, please post and i will update this post accordingly

    2006-2007 is here, help keep this updated and post when your Beacon Basin opens!

    Closed or Not Open Yet for 05/06
    Open for 05/06
    Complications - Does it exist, where is it, when does it open??


    UTAH
    Snowbird - Link- See Post #20
    The Canyons - Link
    Woodlands (Uintah's!, targeted at sledders) - Link

    COLORADO
    Breck - Link (north of the Vista Haus on Peak 8, near the top of the Colorado SuperChair lift) - see posts below
    Loveland Basin??
    Vail - the top of the Sundown bowl lift

    WYOMING
    Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (base of Rendezvous Bowl) See Post #35
    Teton Pass (Phillips Ridge - unconfirmed exact location) See post #7,#24

    CALIFORNIA

    Kirkwood, CA (located adjacent to the east end of the Plaza)
    Squaw Valley, CA ??

    WASHINGTON

    Crystal Mountain, WA (Campbell Basin Lodge) - see post #37
    Stevens Pass, WA (accesible from the base area. No ticket required up the hill by the Tube City yurt) - no '06 update see post #37
    Alpental, Washington - not for sure yet, see post #40

    MONTANTA
    Bridger Bowl, MT

    BC
    Red Resort (100m from the base area) - see post #39
    Whistler / Blackcomb, BC - see post #29
    Whitewater, BC
    Kokanee Glacier National Park, BC
    Revelstoke, BC ??
    Fernie B.C. - open for 05/06 - see post #28

    AB
    Canmore, AB ??

    AK
    Eaglecrest - Juneau, AK - next year possibly


    Depending on the site, a Beacon Basin features 6 to 14 permanently buried transmitters wired to a central control panel. The panel consists of up to 14 switches for turning the transmitters on and off, plus a remote power supply consisting of 6 alkaline D cells. These sites are hosted by local avalanche professionals and managed by BCA technical representatives. To organize a transceiver training day at the Beacon Basin in your area, contact BCA at (303)417-1345 or steve@bcaccess.com.

    EDIT: Dont forget to bring your own batteries just in case! 6 D cells!

    this is kept updated list per suggestions below
    Last edited by LaramieSkiBum; 12-03-2006 at 12:46 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080
    Beacon Basin Field Instructions <-- link to PDF, here is text version for you peeps on slow connections:

    Beacon Basin Field Instructions
    1. Retrieve batteries, shovel, and probe from issuing authorities.

    2. Uncover the control box at Beacon Basin. It should be marked by a bamboo pole, or other object, that is easy to find. Pay attention not to hit any wires while excavating.

    3. Insert 6 C batteries into control box battery panel.

    4. The beacons are labeled by number. Each switch turns on a beacon. It is possible to have one or all beacons transmitting at once. We recommend a few simple practice searches involving one beacon before advancing to multiple burials.

    5. When a beacon is found, pinpoint it by probing and striking the probe target above the beacon. It is unnecessary to dig up the beacon once it has been found. The searcher can choose to have the beacon turned off or continue searching for other beacons.

    6. When finished searching, please log into the Beacon Basin log book. Note how many hours you or your group practiced searching and the types of search scenarios. Next, remove the batteries, close and rebury the control box, and mark it with bamboo stick or other marker.

    7. Return the batteries, shovel and probe to issuing authorities. Please notify them with any concerns, for example, if transmitters can’t be found or probe targets are buried too deep.


    Tips

    Each beacon is buried at ground level and should have a probe target placed .25m below the surface. Do not dig up the beacons or probe target.

    1. When abandoning your primary search, mark that spot with the fine search marker (wire flag).

    2. Multiple burials: after pinpointing each transmitter with the probe, place a wire flag at the found beacon.

    3. Once all transmitters have been pinpointed in the immediate area, and you suspect others are still buried, return to your fine search point to resume your primary search.

    4. See other side for general transceiver search tips. See www.bcaccess.com for basic and advanced tutorials for those using the Tracker DTS transceiver.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    People's Republic of Shitshow
    Posts
    7,582
    good thread

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    2,870
    FYI

    It is my understanding that Stevens and Alpental do not currently have their beacon basins up and running due to a lack of snow. If it was a normal year they would.

    Stevens is up the hill by the Tube City yurt.
    "These are crazy times Mr Hatter, crazy times. Crazy like Buddha! Muwahaha!"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    golden co
    Posts
    1,191
    fyi again, Arapahoe Basin CO does NOT have a "beacon basin." I wish they did, and it's something I'm mentioning to other patrollers. They have a yearly "beacon bowl", a competition + practice area where CAIC comes and helps out, instructs people, has the control box, etc, but this is only a once a year thing. No season-round beacon basin.

    However, if you were to go to the patrol headquarters at the top of the mountain, a patroller could probably bury a couple of beacons for you. I do it all the time, but still I wish we could get a real, permanent beacon practice field.
    Not on here much anymore. Drop me an email if you want to contact me. Have a wonderful winter!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Huh?
    Posts
    10,910
    Hmmm...I should email BCA and have them help out the folks at Kirkwood. The course could use improvement. The beacons are buried at ground level which is fairly deep after all this snow. This also means that the probe targets are completely useless. Still, it's nice to have.

    Edit: The course is free and is located next to Monte Wolf's Cafe. The control box is under the stairs. No lift ticket required.
    Last edited by Arty50; 02-22-2005 at 02:15 PM.
    "I knew in an instant that the three dollars I had spent on wine would not go to waste."

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Tech Bro Central
    Posts
    3,243
    There's one on Teton Pass, in addition to the one at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. I think it's on Phillips Ridge, but I'm not sure.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Boulder, CO
    Posts
    2,260
    There are a couple things I have not been able to figure out after reading the details on BCAs website.

    Is the beacon basin at the base of the ski area or do you need a lift ticket to get up to it? Do I just walk up to the basin and start using it or do I need to reserve it?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Tech Bro Central
    Posts
    3,243
    Quote Originally Posted by Lurch
    Is the beacon basin at the base of the ski area or do you need a lift ticket to get up to it? Do I just walk up to the basin and start using it or do I need to reserve it?
    The one at Jackson Hole is at the base of Rendezvous Bowl - one tram ride, or a gondola and two chairs. Definitely a lift ticket. No reservations.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080
    Quote Originally Posted by Lurch
    There are a couple things I have not been able to figure out after reading the details on BCAs website.

    Is the beacon basin at the base of the ski area or do you need a lift ticket to get up to it? Do I just walk up to the basin and start using it or do I need to reserve it?
    Snowbirds is just off the road too, but that wouldn't apply to you in colorado i suppose. Same with the sledhead one in the unitahs, again in utah...

    updated the list at the top of the thread per your input guys, thanks! I had herd of the Teton Pass one but wasn't totaly sure about it, couldn't find anything on the net except some blurbs.
    Last edited by LaramieSkiBum; 02-21-2005 at 10:34 PM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5,917
    Good thread - thanks for posting. I will be hitting the Breck Beacon Basin this year a few times to practice.
    "Can't vouch for him, though he seems normal via email."

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    2,870
    The one at Stevens, when it is there, is accesible from the base area. No ticket required.
    "These are crazy times Mr Hatter, crazy times. Crazy like Buddha! Muwahaha!"

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080
    Quote Originally Posted by char
    The one at Stevens, when it is there, is accesible from the base area. No ticket required.
    noted in the first post now, thanks!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080
    bump for spring. Also are any closed down for lack of snow or too much?
    Last edited by LaramieSkiBum; 04-07-2005 at 09:06 AM.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5,917
    FYI - I could not find the one at Breck. I don't think it exists.

    Also there is one at Vail at the top of the Sundown bowl lift.
    "Can't vouch for him, though he seems normal via email."

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080
    top post updated

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Juneau, AK
    Posts
    298
    We are going to be putting something together at Eaglecrest - Juneau, AK. The Juneau Ski Patrol (NSP) is going to buy a practice transmitter set-up for next season.
    assbag

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Cloud City
    Posts
    8,733
    Quote Originally Posted by Below Zero
    FYI - I could not find the one at Breck. I don't think it exists.

    Also there is one at Vail at the top of the Sundown bowl lift.
    It does exist at Breck - I know somebody that's been using it.

    I think they took out the one at Loveland though.

    Great thread...
    Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
    Henry David Thoreau

  19. #19
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5,917
    Quote Originally Posted by SheRa
    It does exist at Breck - I know somebody that's been using it.

    I think they took out the one at Loveland though.

    Great thread...
    Where is it, Mir? The article says it is at the top of the Colorado Superchair, but I could not find it. Is it at that location?
    "Can't vouch for him, though he seems normal via email."

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Cloud City
    Posts
    8,733
    Quote Originally Posted by Below Zero
    Where is it, Mir? The article says it is at the top of the Colorado Superchair, but I could not find it. Is it at that location?
    http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/vi...438&highlight=
    Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
    Henry David Thoreau

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    British Alberlumbia
    Posts
    1,352
    You can add Fernie B.C. to the list. The beacon basin ran from Jan to Apr 05 and is located skiers' right on Giggly Gully run.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Green River, WY
    Posts
    1,080
    bump. Should have enough snow for these soon, post your updates here and I'll update the first post

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Wilson, Wyo.
    Posts
    4,790
    RE: Teton Pass basin...
    The other night (12/8), Rod Newcomb mentioned that only 8 of the 10 beacons are working...so if you're searching for 10, you won't find 'em.

    -e

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    2,071
    Quote Originally Posted by jonpierre
    I was told the one at Loveland was never setup because of lack of snow?

    What? who told you that one?
    "True love is much easier to find with a helicopter"

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    British Alberlumbia
    Posts
    1,352
    The beacon basin at Fernie Alpine Resort has not been put in yet this season and will likely not be on Giggly Gully. We will be putting it in soon, location to be determined. I will keep you posted on where it ends up.
    "if it's called tourist season, why can't we just shoot them?"

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •