Hi, my name’s Eric Spilker and I am a fourth year geography major at UBC.  Besides mapping, I enjoy snowboarding, surfing, kayaking, dogs, and getting out of the city. After a minor injury heals, I will soon be back in the mountains doing what I love most (besides mapping, of course), playing in the snow. Growing up in the Kootenays has given me a passion for the snow, mountains and the related outdoor activities. This, combined with my love for geography, has made this project a perfect topic for me to study.  Being an active, knowledgeable participant in outdoor winter activities, I am aware of the potential threat, as well as the lack of a comprehensive understanding of avalanche dangers.  My goal for this project is to bring added awareness to the field that is only available through a GIS analysis

I am finishing my undergrad degree in December 2005, leaving UBC with a bachelor of science in physical geography.  My interests include: hiking, soccer, snowboarding, and rockclimbing. While at UBC, I have worked as a research assistant for Dr. Dave McClung in the avalanche research group. I hope to someday run my own bed and breakfast or cabin in the mountains.  Being from Brantford, Ontario, I consider Ontario my home, but BC is my future.  The mountains are my destiny.