The COAC Alex Kollar and Jillian Webster Memorial Scholarships support Pacific Northwest backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and snowshoers in furthering their avalanche education and building life saving skills in their pursuit of mountain adventures. Many of us have struggled to finance the necessary training and education to help save our own lives and the lives of others in backcountry snow adventures. Our goal is to help you get the training and education needed to travel safely in the backcountry.
Jillian Webster was a professional mountain guide with Mt. Shasta mountain guides, a ski patroller at hoodoo, a teacher, an overall gem of a human and one who is loved and dearly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Alex Vincent Kollar was a local extreme outdoor athlete committed to sustainability and the future of our planet. He spent years working with the KEFA Project helping at-risk youth in Rwanda. He was a rider of snowboards and bikes, a paraglider, and a kayaker who gifted our community with a heart of gold, a huge smile, and an indomitable stoke.
In honor of Jillian Webster and Alex Kollar the selection committee will be focusing on applicants who exhibit these qualities and commitments:
- Reverence for the Natural World and a commitment to protect it
- Service to Others in one’s community, be that global, regional, local, or your backcountry crew
- A Zest for Learning and creative expression of this eagerness to educate oneself and others
- Unquenchable Stoke and Passion for mountain adventures
Central Oregon Avalanche Center (COAC) is a non-profit avalanche forecasting center working to meet the demands of our growing backcountry community. We are committed to help our community stay on top of the snow. As backcountry use in the mountains of Central Oregon continues to grow the public needs accurate and useful weather, snowpack, and avalanche information. COAC is meeting this need with –
- Community avalanche education events.
- Online distribution of relevant mountain snow and weather data with professional observations seven days a week.
- Coordination with national and regional avalanche and weather entities that help identify operational shortfalls and associated enhancements to bolster and improve forecasting.
- Provide funding to assist in purchase of relevant equipment and materials identified as best benefit to the general public.
- Organizing local for-profit entities to best serve the local community.
Oregon Ski Guides is a division of Timberline Mountain Guides, Inc. that focuses on ski trips, instructional courses, and guided ski descents of peaks in Oregon and Washington. We are based in Bend, Oregon and we have been a Central Oregon company since 1983. All of our guides have received American Mountain Guides Association training. We take pride in our programs and hope you will come join us for a ski trip this season. From mid-winter powder skiing below treeline to skiing off volcanic summits in the summer our trips span the full continuum of the ski experience. The quality of the instruction and guiding we offer rests on our top-notch staff.
Application Details:
There will be two scholarships awarded. One will be awarded for an AIARE 1 and one for an AIARE 1 or AIARE 2. COAC has reserved course spots through Oregon Ski Guides. The dates for these scholarship spaces are reserved and preset as follows: (all in 2025)
| AIARE1 | February 9-11th | Bend area, 3 days |
| March 9-11th | Bend area, 3 days | |
| AIARE 2 | February 17 – 19th | Bend area, 3 Days |
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS DEC. 1, 2024 & if selected you will be notified no later than Dec. 15.
Upon winning the scholarship you MUST be available to attend one of these pre-reserved slots. These spaces are non-transferable and will be lost if you are unable to attend for any reason.
If you are interested in donating and supporting the Alex Kollar and Jillian Webster Memorial Scholarship please click here to donate.