This panel discussion was part of the Bend Snow & Avalanche Workshop (BendSAW), hosted by the Central Oregon Avalanche Center and originally recorded on November 8th, 2025. The panel brought together Margaret Wheeler, Liz King, Jason Boone and Kevin Grove, moderated by Sara Boilen.

Dr. Sara Boilen is a psychologist based in Northwest Montana and a familiar voice from Slabs and Sluffs. In this episode, she shares the BendSAW panel on grief and loss in the mountain community that she facilitated. Having known grief from a young age, Sara has built her professional (and personal) life around the hard conversations most people avoid. As part of this community, she aims to move the needle toward greater honesty about the risks we take, deeper connection with our partners in the mountains, and even laughter amidst the pain.

We want to extend a huge thank you to the panelists and everyone who attended BendSAW for bringing and allowing for vulnerability in this great community of ours.

About the panelists:

- Margaret Wheeler Margaret became the second woman in the US to complete her full AMGA IFMGA guide certification

- Liz King is the Avalanche Program Director at the American Avalanche Institute

- Jason Boone is a recreational user who took a big risk by getting up on stage

- Kevin Grove is an educator, mentor and deeply rooted in the Central Oregon avalanche community

Resources:

If you struggle with grief, anxiety, depression, or existential pain from your experiences in the mountains, you’re definitely not alone. We know you’re not alone because there are (more than) four organizations entirely dedicated to helping folks just like you feel better. If you want some support, reach out to one of these great organizations, or a coworker, a friend, or someone in your family, and let them know how you’re doing.