This interactive workshop offers a comprehensive demonstration and tutorial on producing automated Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (autoATES) maps for remote mountainous terrain worldwide. Targeted at practitioners, researchers, and consultants in avalanche science, it equips attendees with open-source tools to generate high-quality digital terrain maps using freely available global data. 

Bring a laptop (with Python and QGIS recommended) to follow along and configure the models for your own use—prior GIS or programming experience is helpful for independent application, but beginners are welcome to observe demos. The session covers the full autoATES mapping workflow as either a half-day (3-hour) or full-day (6-hour) workshop.  

The morning session will focus on preparing input data by downloading digital elevation models and deriving forest canopy cover from Sentinel 2 satellite imagery. The afternoon session will cover mapping avalanche release areas, simulating avalanche runout, and autoATES classification. Participants will come away with a better understanding of how GIS tools can be used to characterize avalanche terrain and the practical skills to apply autoATES mapping in their home snowpack. 

Organizer: John Sykes, Simon Fraser University, Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center, john_sykes@sfu.ca