Recommendations, congratulations and all-around nice words about Zac's!
When we learned that we were in the running for the 2007 Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations Excellence Award for the Oustanding Organized Snowmobile-Related Company of the Year (whew! that was a lot of typing!) I spread the word around our past students and industry contacts.
Randy & I were blown away with the fact that so many of you put such time and thought into your words of recommendation and congratulations. That really means a lot and we thank you.
I have included many of your replies below.
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Zac’s Tracs should definitely be recognized as “Business of the Year” in relation to organized snowmobiling because they believe in what they do…..and what they teach saves lives! They dedicate their time and energy to traveling around in all kinds of weather to “teach” the safety of snowmobiling, the hazards of back country and avalanche awareness. They not only do this from a “classroom” perspective, but they take people out to the back country for field trips to put into practice what they have been taught. Many snowmobilers have purchased, and carry with them all the latest and newest safety equipment they hear about and see in magazines, but most have never “tried them out”. Zac’s Tracs course makes us get the equipment out and teaches, hands on, how to actually use all this safety equipment out in the field by doing mock search & rescue missions. They also teach how to read snow conditions and snow stability by cutting the snow, reading the layers and watching weather changes.
Two days after taking the course from Zac’s Tracs, I was out snowmobiling with some friends and I was put to the real test when my friends were caught in a major avalanche. My buddy and I who took the course together were lagging behind the group looking at and discussing all the warning signs we were taught about two days prior to this outing. We were on our way into the basin to warn our friends that the area was not safe, but just as we approached the basin we stopped in our tracks and had to watch the avalanche bury and kill 3 of our good friends.
Photo: Duane Hildebrand (this photo is unrelated to this incident)
I have been a serious back country snowmobiler since 1981 and since I have taken the course from Zac’s Tracs, I ride much differently and much smarter now than I have in the past. I believe that every back country enthusiast should take the course from Zac’s Tracs…....if my 3 friends had been at the course with my buddy & I, I believe they might still be riding with me today. We NEED Zac’s Tracks out here more than ever. There are more sleds now than ever…....... they are more powerful and go places we never dreamed of going a few years ago! Business of the Year that saves lives and teaches safety…...what could be more important than that!
Claude Legroulx. Crowsnest Pass, Alberta.
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“Lori Zacaruk is Canada’s leading avalanche educator for snowmobilers. Without a doubt there is a tally of people who are alive today and sledding in the mountains who would not be here without Lori’s efforts.”
John Kelly, Operations Manager, Canadian Avalanche Centre
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The information that I needed to be responsible and safe in the backcountry, could not be totaled in a price. The course and the teaching both in class and in the field was awesome. Thank you again for the training. It has proven to be some of the best mountain knowledge that is used every day I go sledding.
Scot Lykins
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I would like to recommend Lori Zacaruk for your Excellence Award for Outstanding Promotion and Development of Snowmobiling. Over the last few years, Lori has done a tremendous job in promoting avalanche awareness and training within the snowmobile community in Western Canada. As an avalanche researcher and developer of avalanche awareness tools, I have found that Lori has been extremely helpful as she is able to provide me with a snowmobile perspective, which is invaluable for the development of effective avalanche safety messages. Only because of her experience and feedback, we were able to the develop the Avaluator, a decision support system for recreationists traveling in avalanche terrain, in a way that makes it relevant and applicable to snowmobile riders. In addition, Lori is one of the most innovative and enthusiastic provider of avalanche courses in the avalanche industry.
I think that the snowmobile and avalanche communities are very fortunate to have a person like Lori who is continuously thriving to promote avalanche safety in the snowmobile sport. While continuously advancing technology allows riders to go further and further into the backcountry, Lori’s work will ensure that they make the right choices and keep coming home from their exciting trips. I could not imagine a better recipient for your award.
Pascal Haegeli, PhD, Avisualanche Consulting
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Zac’s have added greatly to avalanche awareness and rescue training for the snowmobile community in western Canada. Their outstanding contribution, in my opinion, has been to bring this service to those snowmobilers who live in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Like me, these flatland folks are not exposed to mountain issues in their daily lives, and are thus probably at greater risk on their three or four annual outings into the “steep and deep”. Before Zac’s, avalanche safety for me consisted of renting a beacon.
Zack’s Tracks has been a presence at most industry trade shows to promote awareness. To make it easy for participants, they have run training courses in the snowmobilers’ own communities, and have made it painless to attend follow-up field work in the mountains. They have nudged many of us into gaining some of the knowledge that, deep down, we know we should have.
This effort takes thousands of kilometers of driving, and many, many days and nights away from home. The probably meager financial return is not their motivator.
Regards,
Charles J. Jennissen
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
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What you do for this community saves lives every day. Without dedicated people like yourself the industry, families, friends and people in the sport would suffer more loss due to the lack of education you enable us all to have. I and all the people I know greatly respect what you do and I thank you for being who you are. Zac’s saves lives!
Randy’s OK too!!
Grant W., Calgary, AB & Houston, TX
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My name is Lukas Doshewnek and I am an avid mountain sledder from Edmonton, Alberta who enjoys riding in the Canadian Rockies between Revelstoke and McBride, BC. I have ridden for several years without any formal avalanche training. Ignorance is bliss! Upon attending the Edmonton Snowmobile Show I met Lori Zacaruk. She enlightened me on the risks of back country riding and encouraged me to attend her class. Well, I procrastinated for a season about taking her class and then the following year finally did so. My advice to all is if you have the opportunity to attend an avalanche course by Zac’s Tracs, DO IT! Wow, what a great program! Very informative! The class showed me how little I knew about my hobby. We learned about the physical make up of different snow conditions and what they mean to us riders. We learned how to read terrain in order to avoid potential risks while riding and also how to search through avalanche debris as a last resort. I learned many new skills which will require constant sharpening. I also learned that you are only really as safe as the people you ride with. If you get buried, you are depending on their skills. This has changed who I ride with. All of my current riding buddies have been trained by Lori and are confident in each other’s abilities. Knowing more about your environment certainly makes it a lot less frightening.
Thanks Lori!
Best Regards,
Lukas D., Edmonton, AB
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Zac’s Tracs has taken a leadership role in promoting “Safety” in Snowmobiling in Western Canada for years. Snowmobiling and snowmobiles have changed dramatically over the years providing so much more access to backcountry areas and higher terrain that could only be dreamed about in the past. With this access we sled in more snow, increase our sledding season and also increase our risks. Zac’s Tracs have done a wonderful job in educating the snowmobiling community in backcountry safety. It’s not just about avalanche awareness, although this is an important aspect, it is much more.
It is about being prepared for the trip and involves packing the proper safety gear, having essentials such as matches, a saw or axe, extra food, having a trip plan and communicating your plan to others. Lori puts everything into perspective through detailed discussions and informative visuals that make it easy for everyone to understand the principles of safety, learn the basic survival skills and most importantly to remember this information long term. The one-day classroom training is very educational and investing in the second day of “field training” really ties everything together. By going out into the mountains and using our avalanche beacons, shovels, probes and performing cross sectional examination of the snow layers led by Lori and Randy was a very important aspect in learning how to assess and manage/avoid risk areas and perform rescue operations.
The comprehensive training provided by Zac’s Tracs allows everyone to “Sled Safe, Sled Smart” and really have fun snowmobiling in the great outdoors.
Congratulations to Zac’s Tracs for your well deserved recognition. Your dedication and support of organized snowmobiling in Western Canada has made this a better, safer sport for all to enjoy.
Dale Case
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Lori…just a note ,very glad that I took your course in Regina last fall it was a great eye opener . I have worn a beacon for many years ,never really knowing that when the time did come that my chances of finding my buddy were probably slim. They are a lot better now. I write very few emails, just wanted to say that the award was well deserved. There probably has been many lives you have directly saved by your training. I look at snow much different now. I hope you do well.
Steve V., Saskatchewan
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Raising the bar on avalanche awareness is only one of the things you do for the snowmobiling community. Don’t forget to mention the work you did last year with the schools.
Louis Champagne, Calgary, AB
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Your presentations are easy to listen to. Your explanations are very clear. Even school age children enjoy your presentations and get alot out of them (when you do the Sled Smart) program. You tell things how they are. After listening to your presentations one really wants to make sure you are prepared and wear avalanche equipment at all times. We have listened to your presentations more than once and each time they are different but the message is the same – ride safe!!
Good luck
Lorraine P., Red Deer, AB
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A friend of mine contacted Zac’s Tracs about possibly teaching an avalanche awareness course to our prairie riding buddies who frequently visit the big hills and fluffy snow of B.C. In the past we had a lot of trouble getting most of our buddies to even read the Sledding in Avalanche Terrain booklet! Over the course of about a month, I was in contact with Lori several times a week getting information from her and trying to recruit fellow snowmobilers from our big flat Regina area. Lori’s enthusiasm and energy were obvious and it was fun to get to know her and learn from her. We all benefited from her dedication to the cause of promoting safe and fun snowmobiling. I believe we all enjoyed the course Zac’s Tracs provided and hopefully we will all be a bit safer and more aware because of it.
Our field day was a fun snowmobiling outing and we all learned a lot about snow and our equipment. Lori’s sense of humour and energy were always present and I consider her a friend after only knowing her for a short time. She is a big asset to our snowmobiling community. Keep up the good work Lori and good luck in the future.
Nelson Lanaway, Regina, SK
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I wish you luck and truly believe Zac’s Tracs deserves this Award. Very exciting to be considered for an award at a National Level. Your enthusiasm & dedication helps sledders increase their knowledge, becoming better able to enjoy the sport yet keep safety in mind.
For me, I also really appreciate that you are an intelligent, strong woman and an excellent role model for other women who may be intimidated by what they perceive as a male dominated sport. I think that it is when women like you and I are out riding safely and smartly, and every bit as capably as many of the men out on the mountains that we start to break down some of the barriers and stereotypes, etc. It is also amazing for Keith and I, as I am sure it is for you and your husband, to do something that you both love together, and for you, especially exciting is to create a successful business venture.
Beverly P., Saskatoon, SK
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