Avalanche Safety Instruction Staff

Gary Brill
The courses' originator, Gary Brill, is an avid and active backcountry skier and alpine climber. He honed his skiing skills as a former downhill skier and heli-guide but for the past 24 years has skied almost exclusively in the backcountry. Gary has climbed and skied extensively throughout western North America and has remained an active mountain guide since 1980. He received formal training by successfully passing both summer and winter assistant guide training with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides in 1981. His avalanche training includes British Columbia Institute of Technology Level I and II avalanche courses for ski guides in 1981 and 1982. (BCIT courses were predecessors of Canadian Avalanche Center's programs and have equivalent curriculum to American Avalanche Association level II and III courses). He also has attended several seminars, most recently the 2000, 2002, and 2004, 2006 ISSW conferences. Gary is a Professional Member of the American Avalanche Association and an Affiliate of the Canadian Avalanche Association. A northwest native and lifelong resident, Gary's 35 plus years of backcountry skiing and considerable knowledge of the terrain, micro-climatology and snow pack of the northwest s mountains is reflected in the continual evolution of these courses, presented since 1985. Gary is certified WFR (Wilderness First Responder).
 
       
Jerry Casson
We are very pleased to welcome the return of Jerry Casson as co-instructor in the field, returning to teach for his 8th year. Jerry successfully completed the Canadian Avalanche Association Level I course for ski guides (equivalent to US level II) in 2000 and subsequently attended the 2000, 2002, and 2004, 2006 ISSW conferences. He served his apprenticeship with Gary Brill and with regional avalanche forecasters Ken Kramer and Garth Ferber from the Northwest Avalanche Center. Jerry is an Affiliate of the Canadian Avalanche Association and a member of the American Avalanche Association. Jerry is also an active backcountry skier and alpine climber. Jerry completed his Bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Science in spring of 2004 and is currently involved in the second year of a graduate research project in snow science at the University of Washington. He also has worked as an intern forecaster with the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC). Jerry is certified WFR (Wilderness First Responder).

       


Don Langlois
This is Don's fourth year with us. He has worked as a guide in skiing, sea kayaking, rafting, mountaineering and canoeing and as an Outward Bound instructor, and brings with him superior teaching skills. In 1977, Don began his preoccupation with snowy mountains. Working as winter Park Ranger at Mount Rainier National Park, he gained extensive experience in winter and ski mountaineering. His duties included first aid, search and rescue, backcountry ski patrol, avalanche hazard evaluation and forecasting. Don trained with well-known avalanche experts William Hotchkiss of the National Ski Patrol and Peter Lev of the American Avalanche Institute. More recently, Don trained as Level 1 & 2 with the Canadian Avalanche association, Level 1 ski instructor with the PSIA, Level 1 ski guide with the Canadian Ski Guide Association, hiking guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.  The son of a submarine captain, he worked as a professional mariner, and is a licensed officer in the United States Merchant Marine. Don is certified WFR (Wilderness First Responder). He is an Affiliate Member of the American Avalanche Association and the Canadian Avalanche association.