by Debra McGhan | Mar 11, 2026 | Highlights, News
Hidden beneath the snow…. On a snowy April morning in Alaska’s Hoo Doo Mountains near Paxson, thousands of snowmachine engines shattered the silence in a rolling roar. The sound spread across the valley like thunder, echoing off ridgelines and glaciers as riders...
by Debra McGhan | Feb 5, 2026 | Trail Report
Alaska Safe Riders here with your weekly snow and trail report, brought to you by the Mat-Su Health Foundation. Southcentral’s getting hammered with warm temps and freezing rain this weekend, with more heavy moisture on the way. The good news? Cooler weather and...
by Debra McGhan | Dec 9, 2025 | News
Who would have thought that working in the field of avalanche awareness and forecasting could be so daunting—and sometimes so controversial? When I stepped into this unexpected role in 2003 after my son’s close call with an avalanche in Valdez, Alaska, I discovered a...
by Debra McGhan | Oct 31, 2025 | News
Blue skies and seasonally warm temperatures met Jeremy Johansen as he headed for the Palmer Moose Range on August 22nd to set up his hunting camp. “Normally I just take off and don’t tell anyone where I’m going. But this day my mom asked so I told her.” Just an hour’s...
by Debra McGhan | Apr 17, 2025 | News
When students from an ASR safe glacier travel class heard that a rider had fallen into a crevasse not far from their cabin in interior Alaska, they headed to the scene to see if they could help. Because they were carrying the ropes, harnesses, and safety equipment...
