The Utah Avalanche Center will host their second annual Blizzard Ball in support of avalanche forecasting, awareness and education on Jan. 30 at the Deer Valley Resort Snow Park Lodge. The event will be held from 6:30-10 p.m. and aims to unite the backcountry community for an evening of fundraising, live entertainment and a live auction with all proceeds returning to the Utah Avalanche Center to support forecasting and educational efforts. The ball will feature keynote speaker Bruce Tremper, former director of the Utah Avalanche Center, avalanche expert, author and educator. “He has been such a legend in avalanche forecasting and safety across the world. One of the things we’re looking to do this year is really tie everything back to the pretty incredible back country community that we have in Park City, the Wasatch Back, and in state, and how that community not only innovates here in Utah but also globally,” said Kate Waller, development director at the Utah Avalanche Center. “It’s really neat to hear him tell the history of all that and talk about how that continues to have an impact today,” said Waller.Bruce Tremper wrote the bestselling book, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, a guide for avalanche safety and education.  The ball drew inspiration from the center’s Backcountry Benefit, which celebrated its 31st year in September. The Backcountry Benefit brings people together and raises money during the slowest time of year for the center during the off season, but people were looking for something more formal to celebrate the center during the peak winter months, said Waller.The first Blizzard Ball was held at the River Bottoms Ranch in Midway to bring supporters together in a formal fundraising effort. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Utah Avalanche CenterBuilding on the success of last year’s inaugural gala, which was held at River Bottoms Ranch, this year’s Blizzard Ball is aiming higher with a fundraising goal of $30,000.“The purpose of the gala is always to bring the community together in a different setting than what we’ve typically done with the Backcountry Benefit, and say thank you. It’s also a chance to give people an opportunity to engage with other backcountry users and, obviously, raise money to support the UAC mission,” said Waller.The center partnered with Deer Valley Resort and Wasatch Audio Visual to sponsor the event. Deer Valley donated their space at the Snow Park Lodge to help host the event, as well as daily lift tickets to premium-table ticket holders and other donors. “Deer Valley has been an incredible partner, alongside all the resorts across the state who have provided lift tickets and discounts to raise money for the UAC mission. We had both expressed an interest in growing that partnership, and they have been an awesome partner in donating the space and helping on food and beverage costs,” said Waller. The center will use this event to raise money through ticket sales, table sales and auctioned items to put toward their mission. A few of the auction items this year include a pair of skis, outdoor opportunities including a three-day trip to Mount Baker with guide company, Mountain Companions and avalanche safety equipment. Tickets for the Blizzard Ball are available now, with options designed to accommodate both individuals and groups. 140 seats are available across individuals and table tickets. Tickets begin at $250 for individuals with 40 remaining seats, as of Friday afternoon. Tables may be purchased for groups of eight and provide VIP opportunities for donors of different tiers, ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 per table. The post The Utah Avalanche Center to hold annual Blizzard Ball at Deer Valley appeared first on Park Record.