Educational Events

22nd Annual Snow Ball ~ Fundraiser for the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center ~ live music courtesy of Danny Horton!

Saturday, January 25th, 2025

5:30-7:45 Social/Cocktail Hour, snacks

8:00 Music starts with Danny Horton.  

Tickets $30,  $25 for members, kids 10 & under free

Tickets available at the venue day of, at the Fifth Season ahead of time, and other fine establishments. Or reach out to our executive director to pick some up ahead of time.

Back by popular demand, we will host a social/cocktail hour prior to the headlining band. Our vision is to give guests an opportunity to socialize in a quieter setting before the headlining music starts.

A community tradition and celebration of the winter backcountry recreation season, it is also one of our biggest fundraising events. Come support the Mt Shasta Avalanche Center!

Also on Saturday, the Shasta Ascension Backcountry Race!

Starting the Sunday before, the Silent Auction will run through the Snow Ball with many of the great items on display at the party. The auction will end during the party, so come bid, then pick up your sweet new gear to take home with you!

Danny Horton is a sInger/songwriter living in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains. He has been playing professionally since 1995. Danny toured around the globe reaching number 8 on the European charts while signed to Tiefdruck/Universal. He returned to his home in Blairsden/Graeagle Ca. Where he began a successful solo career playing concert halls, casinos, rodeos, and honky tonks featuring lead guitarist Eric “Rico”Peterson (formerly of Hellbound Glory) and stand up Bassist Chris Beucherie from Dusty MIles and the Cryin' Shame.

Danny's soulful voice has been compared to Chris Stapleton mixed with Johnny Cash. His voice can be weathered vagabond, smooth crooner, and other times hootin' and hollerin'. He knows his vocal instrument well and has emotion and range. His musical sound is influenced by Classic Country, Folk, Classic Rock, with a bit of punk rock aesthetic. He's one of the rare musicians that crosses over and can play a punk show or a honkytonk. Danny pens and sings beautiful songs about his life experiences which he plays on his Martin guitar, while kicking a bass drum and snare drum.

Know Before You Go is a free avalanche awareness program. Not much science, no warnings to stay out of the mountains, no formulas to memorize. In 1 hour, you will see the destructive power of avalanches, understand when and why they happen, and how you can have fun in the mountains and avoid avalanches.

The high energy videos and the jaw-dropping slide show, along with the Q&A chat with an avalanche professional, takes the breath away from adults, children, and everyone in between. 

The KBYG program has 3 parts, an 18 minute video, a slide show, and a Q&A session, all led by a local avalanche professional. The images are eye-catching and pack a punch. Viewers see the destructive power of avalanches, how people get in trouble, and the basics of how to avoid them, all through the eyes of avalanche professionals, pro athletes, accident victims and rescuers, and their peers. We don't preach and we don't tell skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers to stay home - we encourage them to get some education to get out and have fun safely.

The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center will host an avalanche awareness and companion rescue class specifically for snowmobilers!

Spend the day with MSAC professionals as we provide you with avalanche and rescue information specifically catered toward the snowmobiler's mind.

Meet MSAC educators at the Deer Mountain warming hut at 9 am. All riders will get to watch the award-winning Know Before You Go presentation before jumping on their sleds and spending the remainder of the day practicing beacon, shovel and probe skills, terrain identification and management, and scenarios! If you don't have a beacon, shovel and probe, no problem! We will have some for you to use, but...you should get this equipment soon! Demos of several different beacon styles will be available and MSAC staff can help you decide what gear is best for you. This course is not to be missed, free of charge, and does not require a registration.

For more information, call Nick at 530-926-9617 or email nicklaus.meyers@usda.gov or call Casey at 360-301-3040 or email casey.glaubman@fmsac.org

The Mount Shasta Avalanche Center is excited to bring you a new-film double-header! Both of the films being shown this evening are new this season, and are both made by local, NorCal skiers and filmmakers.

A big thanks to Mountain Medics for hosting us for this one. We're excited to bring folks to a new (to us) venue and shake things up a bit!

But some things will never change and, as always, we'll have food and drink for purchase, as well as plenty of raffle prizes and fun to be had! Read on below for a description of these two new films.

Doors at 5:30 pm

Films at about 7 pm

Slopes of Change - In this heartfelt exploration of loss, healing, and the enduring connection to the mountains, Molly Armanino reflects on a challenging ski season marked by personal tragedy and professional highs and lows. Joined by her friend McKenna, who shares a deep understanding of grief, Molly navigates her way through the Freeride World Tour—facing unexpected success, crushing defeats, and the overwhelming weight of losing her brother, Sam.

As she confronts the fear and uncertainty that once made the mountains her sanctuary, Molly learns that skiing isn’t just about triumph or challenge, but about reconnecting with joy. With moments of shared sorrow and fleeting glimpses of happiness, this film speaks to the universal experience of loss, reminding us that, even in the darkest times, hope can be found in the most unexpected places.

Caldor - The summer of 2021 turned California into an inferno. Years of relentless drought culminated in the largest wildfires in the state's history. The Caldor Fire ravaged the Sierra Nevada, destroying homes, ski resorts, and everything in its path. As the fire closed in on Lake Tahoe, professional skier Josh Daiek and the local community were forced to abandon their homes and possessions. No one could have foreseen the extent of the destruction or the profound impact the fire would have on their lives. A year later, just as the community began to recover, tragedy struck again, leaving Josh to grapple with renewed loss and uncertainty. This film delves into the heartache of saying goodbye to your home, cherished friends, and the beloved forest that served as your playground.