Who We Are SAAC

Who We Are

Our Board of Directors is:

Karl Bausler, Juneau Ski Patrol volunteer, Douglas.
Brian Davies, Eaglecrest Pro Patrol Director, Juneau.
John Erben, Board President, snowboard writer-photographer and painter, Juneau.
Bob Janes, Board Vice-President, retired US Forest Service, interagency Alaska Avalanche Forecast Center in the '70s and '80s, Douglas.
Tom Laurent, retired avalanche worker, Douglas.
George Reifenstein, Juneau Mountain Rescue and CCFR Rope Rescue, Juneau.
Demian Schane, backcountry skier, Juneau, currently in Iceland.
Mark Wilke, Board Secretary-Treasurer, Juneau Snowmobile Club.

Our staff is:

Bill Glude, director and lead forecaster.
Laura Green, second lead forecaster.
Kent Scheler, apprentice forecaster and educational video producer.
Mike Janes, main field assistant, Juneau.
Abbey Norman, administrator.
John Bressette, second field assistant as needed.
Laurie Logsdon, You're the Boss, administrator/advisor on contract.

We contract with Alaska Avalanche Specialists, LLC for their administrative and field staff. This simple no-employee operation maximizes our efficiency in delivering the most service per dollar.

Bill, Kent, Mike, and Abbey, with Laura and John filling in as needed, are our staff for the 2007-08 winter forecast program.

All our fieldwork and recording procedures adhere rigorously to the American Avalanche Association's (AAA) "SWAG" observation guidelines. They are the most current and complete snowpack, weather, and avalanche observations guidelines available, and they are the legal standard for avalanche-related work in the United States. The guidelines were carefully written to be as compatible with international standards as possible while maintaining consistency with the needs and practices in this country.

Bill Glude, director and lead forecaster. Bill is a Professional Member, boardmember, and recognized instructor with the American Avalanche Association.

Bill Glude founded SAAC and has been the director and lead instructor/forecaster for the last 12 years. He's wrapping up his time here with an SAAC website overhaul this fall and a joint project with the Swiss SLF Institute to explore the possibility of using remote exploder devices for avalanche mitigation on the Mt. Juneau urban avalanche paths, then is moving on to focus on his consulting and teaching business, Alaska Avalanche Specialists, LLC.

Bill is a Professional Member, boardmember, and recognized instructor with the American Avalanche Association.

His 30+ years of professional avalanche experience and 35+ years of serious snow study include backcountry ski and heliski and snowboard guiding, and teaching over six thousand students in avalanche courses ranging from basic awareness to Level 3, crew, professional, and guide training.

Bill is actively involved with snow and avalanche research and has published a number of papers, reports, and articles on his studies and on applied snow science techniques.

Bill’s consulting work includes avalanche forecasting for the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), the Alaska Division of Emergency Services, and the Alaska Department of Public Safety. It includes studies, mapping, and avalanche program development for the proposed Lynn Canal road and other Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) projects, avalanche plan development for the CBJ, site studies for the US Forest Service and several tourism operators, and avalanche rescue work for the Alaska Department of Public Safety. It includes forecasting, comprehensive avalanche plan and structural and operational mitigation program development and operation with helicopter and other explosive work for the A-J and Kensington Mines, the Alaska DOT&PF, and several powerplants and transmission systems.

Mike Janes, apprentice forecaster.

Mike grew up in Juneau, where he was one of the most active climbers and backcountry snowboarders. He got started in avalanche work with Level 1 and 2 courses and put in many field days helping us on our research projects. He also completed the Alaska Mountain School's rigorous mountain guide training, the American Avalanche Association's AvPro professionals' course, and has graduated to work on the Kensington Mine project, the Juneau urban forecast, and the Snetttisham power line projects for Alaska Avalanche Specialists. He has helped teach the UAS avalanche courses with Bill Glude and has helped teach the Alaska Avalanche School courses in Southcentral Alaska.

John Bressette, field assistant. John is another Juneau local who has taken Level 1 and 2 courses and heliguide training. He has worked on our research projects like the AK Block study in Valdez, pictured above with the big saw. He is currently working on some joint film projects for the Center and Stellar Technologies, as well as helping with fieldwork, and has worked on the Kensington Mine project for Alaska Avalanche Specialists.

Abbey Janes, right, is our very capable and conscientious administrator, often assisted by her young son Corder and husband Mike Janes, left.

Kent Scheler, apprentice forecaster and former longtime SAAC intern, has been working as an environmental scientist based out of Anchorage for the last few years, but will be back in Southeast with Alaska Avalanche Specialists this winter. Kent has been doing environmental science services including snow and avalanche safety, avalanche education, remote environmental monitoring services (air, water, and soil), environmental site assessment/remediation services, and remote logistics/project management. Kent holds an Environmental Science degree from the University of Alaska Southeast with a minor in mathematics. Kent is a professional member of the American Avalanche Association and is formally trained and certified in avalanche safety, both in the United States and Canada. Kent's professional avalanche background includes snow and avalanche research and publications, avalanche safety education including being a key heliguide school teacher with Bill Glude for AAS, assistant avalanche forecaster, and remote meteorological monitoring.

Laura Green, lead forecaster, worked with us on the Juneau urban forecasting program whenever we needed an extra hand, and has been a regular part of the staff rotation on the Snettisham power line project for Alaska Avalanche Specialists. Based out of Lyle, Washington (near Hood River, Oregon), Laura has a strong background as a forecaster, professional ski patroller, wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, American Avalanche Association professional member, and backcountry ski guide. She has worked in Colorado, the Northwest, and Alaska. She has a strong meteorology background and has a reputation of one of the hardest-core windsurfers in the Columbia Gorge, known for being out long after everyone else has been blown or chilled off the water, and is developing her kiteboarding skills as well.