Seattle, WA – The Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) has released its 2024-25 Annual Report, detailing a season shaped by federal workforce shortages, variable snowpack, and strong community backing.
According to NWAC’s report, the nonprofit generated $1.25 million in revenue this year, with more than half coming from individual donations. The center spent $1.06 million, allocating nearly half to programs and 25% to management. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service and state partners contributed $792,839 to support forecast center operations.
Membership climbed to 4,041, including 225 new members from avalanche safety courses. Volunteers also played a critical role, logging 1,501 hours across outreach, events, and field programs. NWAC recognized its “Volunteer Give Back Program,” which provided avalanche course access to those contributing more than 30 hours of service.
On the education front, NWAC conducted 123 awareness classes with more than 3,446 attendees and hosted 30 trailhead outreach events, reaching over 2,400 recreationists. Youth programs engaged 812 participants through school partnerships and hands-on avalanche safety training.
Technological growth was another focus. The Avy app, now supporting 10 avalanche centers nationwide, expanded to a user base of over 30,000. NWAC also reported upgrades to eight mountain weather stations, including new snow depth sensors at Stevens Pass and Alpental.
Despite operational wins, the season brought sobering reminders of avalanche danger. Forecast staff published 1,345 daily reports and logged 1,925 field observations. One fatality occurred when a snowmobiler was caught in a large slide near Harts Pass in the East North forecast zone.
Looking forward, NWAC marks its 50th anniversary in 2025. “To keep pace—and to keep providing accurate forecasts, weather data, and outreach—we’ll need your support more than ever,” Executive Director Scott Schell wrote in the annual statement.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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