A-Basin Beacon basin

**SEAKR** · 02-12-2007, 06:51 PM

A-Basin has recently opened their beacon practice area and I had a chance to use it on Sunday. As I understand, it was funded by BCA (BackCountry Access) with labor by A-Basin patrol. It is located just to the east of the Lenawee lift loading maze and is very easy to use. Open the metal case, turn on the system, select one of about 10 or 12 buried transmitters and start your search. There are a couple of metal probes at the entrance, or use your own. Once you pin-point your search, use the probe and you are rewarded with an audible siren when you hit the buried sensor. Get out there and give it a test.

Thank you to both BCA and the A-Basin patrol.

**FiveLarge** · 02-12-2007, 07:13 PM

Excellent.

I plan to get up there soon for the mid-season tune-up.

**Below Zero** · 02-13-2007, 03:10 PM

Good stuff. Thanks for the info.

**DJMingus** · 02-13-2007, 03:33 PM

Thanks to all involved - these beacon testing sites are a real community service.

**Colorado** · 02-14-2007, 03:55 PM

Link to all BCA sposored beacon training parks:
http://www.bcaccess.com/education/learning.php

**GFP** · 02-18-2007, 08:35 PM

Had my first run through the Beacon Basin today. These BCA training systems really are a great asset to the BC community. Simple to use and the audible alarm when you strike the buried beacon is a great confirmation of a successful search. I recommend that people take advantage of these systems whether at the basin or elsewhere, they're a great way to brush up on skills.

I personally found a couple of the transmitters to be much harder to locate than others, and spent the afternoon pondering why that might be (differing beacon orientations, differing depths, etc?). Curious to hear if others experience the same.

And the statement above about the funding and labor is correct.

**Kenai** · 02-19-2007, 11:57 AM

Kya & I have used the beacon practice area at Breck a couple times. We'll have to give it a try at the Basin, too.

**IridePow** · 02-19-2007, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by GFP

I personally found a couple of the transmitters to be much harder to locate than others, and spent the afternoon pondering why that might be (differing beacon orientations, differing depths, etc?). Curious to hear if others experience the same.

I trained a bit at the Breck site the other day...... could not freaking hit beacon 8 (I think that was the number) even though I probably put about 100 holes in the ground and my beacon showed 0.5m???!

All the other targets we relatively quickly located.
Nice parks to tune up the skills.