RIP Valdez Ski And Avalanche Report (1997-2016)
![Pentagon035 copy](http://thompsonpass.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Pentagon035-copy.jpg)
18-Mile East NWS Snotel at its deepest. (2000-2008)
Last season, my number of days skiing per year dropped below the threshhold(80+) that I think is necesssary to produce reliable information for Valdez’s complicated terrain. Today’s social media and crowd sourcing have become the trend of the future. Good luck with that.
![snow-pit-profile](http://thompsonpass.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/snow-pit-profile.jpg)
Bob Athey at his best. (2007)
Bob Athey(UT) was a mentor for my format. Looking at the snowpack from a “natural” perspective has been a challenge to some, but eventually the visual graphics have taken hold in avalanche forecasts around the US. It was an example of how important it is to seek a different perspective of the snowpack other than what others think is acceptable.
![Pentagon018 copy](http://thompsonpass.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Pentagon018-copy.jpg)
Mac, Netscape Navigator, dial-up. The Pentagon(1998))
ThompsonPass.com is not going away. I will keep posting essays on a variety of topic related to skiing, Valdez ski news, and my Opeds. My skins and ski tips will keep on searching for the perfect line. To prevent career burn-out, my goals will depend more on quality than quantity and that’s a good thing!