In the autumn of 2021, Bruce Jamieson and Don Sharaf interviewed a selection of long-time avalanche professionals to see what habits led to their longevity in the mountains and their careers.
Their perspectives provide a collective wisdom that can rarely be found in one place. Over the next few weeks, one video and podcast will be released each week. Have a look, or a listen, and write down some of the anecdotes or lines that resonate for you. It couldn’t hurt to have Sylvia or Liam looking over your shoulder from time to time…
“We work in a dangerous environment but it doesn’t have to be a dangerous job.” Scott Savage
Scott began poking around the mountains in the late 1980’s while earning degrees in Chemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He headed to Big Sky, Montana to ski-bum for a winter before enrolling in medical school… or so he thought. Scott ended up spending the better part of two decades as a Ski Patroller, Avalanche Forecaster, and Snow Safety Director at Big Sky Resort before joining the SAC program in 2012. He has presented at many international avalanche conferences and regional professional seminars and is a regular contributor to The Avalanche Review. Scott is a National Avalanche School instructor, Advisor to the American Avalanche Association, and President of Avalanche Worker Safety. He likes to spend his free time playing in the mountains, on rivers, and on rocks and considers each day that he learns more than he forgets to be a success.
