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Video by David Erickson/Missoulian
Lost Trail ski patroller Morgan Throckmorton has been named as one of nine ski patrollers in the U.S. and Canada to receive this year’s Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund Scholarship.
The Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund, based in Big Sky, is granting nine scholarships totaling $20,400 to enable ski patrollers to access continuing education safety courses. The scholarships are offered to ski patrollers across the country in a competitive selection process, according to a statement released by the Avalanche Education Memorial Fund.
“Working at a small, family-owned ski area like Lost Trail is an incredible opportunity to connect and work closely with the local community,” said Throckmorton. “This scholarship is helping support our mountain by providing the resources for me and others to strengthen our avalanche program and education through professional courses approved by the American Avalanche Association. This support ensures our team has the training necessary to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone and aligns with industry best practices.”
Scholarships were also granted to patrollers at five other ski areas including Sun Valley in Idaho, Stevens Pass in Washington, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, Red Mountain Resort in British Columbia, and Red River Ski Area in New Mexico.
The scholarship fund, named after Darren Johnson, was created by Johnson’s fellow ski patrollers and friends after the seasoned ski patroller died in a 2016 avalanche while helping Montana State University graduate students collect snowpack data. Johnson was a member of the National Ski Patrol and a beloved member of the Yellowstone Club ski patrol for six years.
“Darren was not only a great colleague, but he was an even better friend,” said Lance Stratton, a founding member of the Darren Johnson Memorial Fund and ski patroller at the Yellowstone Club. “His legacy lives on through these scholarships. Our annual memorial events in January have brought light to a dark time for those who worked the day we lost Darren to the mountains.”
Funds for the scholarships are primarily raised through two events held every January in Big Sky: the Beehive Pint Night on Thursday, Jan. 16, and the Waypoint film screening and silent auction on Monday, Jan. 20.
Ski patrollers interested in applying for the 2025 grant cycle can visit https://yccf.submittable.com/submit/04cd1c04-45f9-4ca5-863d-44c4e2b13f8b/darren-johnson-memorial-scholarship.
Members of the public can contribute to the patrollers’ education fund at paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=JEK4RYC2NX4ZW.
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Video by David Erickson/Missoulian
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