Valcourt – September 23, 2026 -- Ski-Doo, in partnership with Backcountry Access (BCA), is launching its eighteenth year of free Avalanche Awareness Seminars, offering more than 35 sessions across Canada and the United States this winter.
More than 30,000 snowmobilers have attended the program since it began
The seminars, run through Ski-Doo's Responsible Rider program, cover route planning, rescue techniques, safety equipment and forecast resources. Open to riders of any snowmobile brand and any experience level, the free sessions are billed as one of the longest-running avalanche education programs in the snowmobile industry.
Riding partners double as first responders in avalanche terrain
Organizers are urging attendees to bring friends and family, noting that people on-site during an emergency are often the ones best positioned to help. Many seminar stops will include hands-on practice with avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels.
BCA is supporting the seminars for a ninth straight year
BCA, a maker of avalanche safety gear including Tracker transceivers and BC Link radios, is providing prizes at every stop. Attendees can win a BCA Tracker transceiver, probe and shovel set, or a pair of BC Link two-way radios.
Two veteran instructors will lead the sessions on each side of the border
Canadian seminars will be led by Marshall Dempster, a professional avalanche forecaster and Level 3 lead guide with more than two decades of forecasting and rescue experience. U.S. sessions will be presented by Mike Duffy, who has more than 30 years of mountain riding and rescue experience training recreational riders, guides and rescue teams.
Online resources extend the training beyond the in-person stops
Riders can also access avalanche safety content through the Ski-Doo Owner Zone and BCA's video library, including the snowmobile-specific SLEDucation series. Participants are encouraged to register with the host dealer in advance so seminar locations can plan for attendance.