Archives West Finding Aid

The John Hoagland avalanche publications collection (1933-1990) contains published technical reports and monographs related to avalanche research and the impact of avalanches on alpine skiing. Boxes 1-2 contain publications and books, including U. S. Forest Service pamphlets. Boxes 3-7 contain the National Avalanche School manuals for the years 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, and 1983. The National Avalanche School was a four day program consisting of lectures, discussions, and laboratory work sponsored by the U. S. Forest Service and held in Reno, Nevada. The first time such training was offered by the Forest Service was in 1971 and the classes were open to U. S. Forest Service officers and directors, as well as ski patrolmen, ski area planning consultants, and representatives from established ski areas. The courses covered all aspects of avalanches, including avalanche zoning and dynamics, fracture line profiles and snow pits, advanced snow physics, dogs in avalanche rescue, and meteorological fundamentals. As the use of national forests for winter sports intensified, the scope of the course studies became more extensive. The collection became the responsibility of John Hoagland in his position as a Winter Recreation Specialist at the Regional Office of the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Boxes 8-11 contain memos, correspondence, news clippings, reports, and manuals relating to Avalanche control and safety. Three departments within the United States Forest Service dealt with the issue of avalanches. Department 2340 administered "Privately provided Recreation Opportunities" such as Ski resorts. Administration was managed through Department 2350. "Special Use Permits" were the concern of Department 2720. An example of a special use permit was for the building of the Jackson Hole Ski Resort.