Friends of Berthoud Pass

Friends of Berthoud Pass is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3), not a conventional trip club. Formed in 2003 by ski patrollers and backcountry riders, it works to preserve public winter recreation at Berthoud Pass through safety education, access advocacy, and land stewardship. Its education program began in 2004 and now offers more than twenty free classroom avalanche-awareness sessions ahead of full-day, on-snow sessions each winter.

The classes follow industry guidelines while remaining an introduction rather than a substitute for AIARE Level 1. Volunteers teach the curriculum, pursue advanced training, and help sustain the peer-education model. Beyond classes, the organization has advocated for amenities and continued public access, supported highway and public-land projects, and organized annual cleanups and Leave No Trace outreach at one of the Front Range’s busiest backcountry zones.