Community Conversations: Forecasting safety and fun with the Central Oregon Avalanche Center

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --The Central Oregon Avalanche Center is gearing up for one of its biggest events of the year: the Powder Hound Preview and Fundraiser. Forecaster Ali Miles joined us to share what the center provides and why community support is so important.

Miles says the Central Oregon Avalanche Center, or COAC, serves as an information resource for the region. “We provide avalanche forecasts, snowpack and weather information for our local mountains,” she explained.

When it comes to staying safe in the backcountry, Miles emphasized one key step. “Read the avalanche forecast. We post it every single day,” she said. She encourages people to check it even when they’re not heading out, adding that it’s a quick read that helps users follow patterns through the winter. She also reminds recreationists to carry avalanche safety gear, know how to use it and practice with it, calling that “super, super important.”

COAC also hosts monthly avalanche awareness sessions for the public. “They’re called Know Before You Go,” Miles said. “They’re free to the public, and it’s really a brief overview of kind of the basics.”

The organization’s upcoming Powder Hound event is set for November 19. Miles says the long-running gathering has been part of the community for more than 25 years. “It’s really a film festival, but all the films are submitted by our local community,” she said, describing the general theme as “a lot of enthusiasm for our local outdoors.”

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Avalanche Center relies heavily on community support. “Fundraisers like the Powder Hound are really important to support our operations throughout the year,” Miles noted.

The latest avalanche forecast, safety tips and more details about the Powder Hound fundraiser can be found on the center’s website.