A tragic accident has turned into an effort to raise awareness to be prepared while recreating during the winter in Idaho. On January 10th of 2018, Summer Anderson's husband, Adam was in Island Park snowmobiling when he was killed in an avalanche.
"After that I really became aware of how little awareness there was and how few people are riding without the proper gear just because lack of knowledge or the expense of the gear, I was really shocked of how many people came to me after I lost my husband and said you know I lost my brother. I lost my son. I lost my best friend," said Summer Andersen.
"My little idea turned into a bigger idea and as we go, we evolve and we have provided five bags for riders to use for free in Island Park where my husband died and that includes an avalanche bag, probe beacon and a shovel and you know those are really expensive. They're well over a thousand dollars per bag."
With the help of the sawtooth avalanche center, she hopes to help educate.
"The friends of the avalanche center teach avalanche awareness courses throughout the Twin Falls, Boise and Wood River Valley up to Stanley area and those are usually two hour avalanche awareness courses that go over the basics of avalanches on how to keep yourself out of harms way from avalanches," said Ethan Davis, USFS Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
"I was able to post warning signs the avalanche project purchased and designed. We've put those up at all the trails in Island Park and you know we've just got really good things coming down the line and just to help raise awareness and hopefully keep more people safe," said Anderson.
If you would like to check out awareness courses, head to Sawtooth Avalanche Center on Facebook.
