The Avalanche Hunters

by Montgomery M. Atwater

A member of the U.S. Forest Service describes the accomplishments of the snow rangers and explains the work of avalanche research centers

Genres: Nonfiction

235 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1968

About the author

Montgomery "Monty" Atwater (1904-1976) was born in Baker City Oregon and privately educated at Phillips Exeter and Harvard College. An avid mountaineer and outdoorsman in all seasons, he lived the life that he wrote about. His first love was the wilderness, and those who cared for and protected it were the subject of his writings, particularly the dedicated members of the United States Forest Service. Following graduation from Harvard, and prior to World War II, Atwater honed his writing skills as a freelance journalist and author of adventure fiction for young readers, penning numerous stories that appeared in popular magazines of the era, some of which were serialized and subsequently published as full length novels. During this time, Monty earned his living as a cattleman on the Bear Creek Ranch, located near Ennis Montana, where he bred livestock, served as a hunting and fishing guide, and briefly operated a dude ranch. In the snowy winter months, skiing became his primary passion. During the second World War, Monty served as a captain in the US Army's 10th Mountain Division and was wounded in action. Following the war, he was offered the position of Snow Ranger for the avalanche-prone ski area at Alta, Utah. During his ten years at Alta, he became known as the North American pioneer in avalanche control and forecasting. Atwater went on to serve as the Snow Ranger at Squaw Valley, California in preparation for and during the 1960 Winter Olympics. Later in life, he served as a consultant for avalanche safety and control matters in various regions of the globe, and was engaged heavily in South America. Atwater is known as the co-inventor of the Avalauncher, a pneumatic device currently in use at numerous recreational ski areas as a means of preventative avalanche control. In 1979 he was inducted into the Skiing and Snowboarding Hall of Fame. He is also the namesake of the prestigious National Ski Patrol's Montgomery M. Atwater Award for excellence in matters relating to avalanche safety. Beyond his many works of fiction, Monty Atwater is also the author of the first definitive handbook of avalanche control written in the English language, as well as works elucidating the history of the US Forest Service, and the history of the development of avalanche control methods.