Mark Staples and his co-workers aren’t getting paid, but they continue to show up for their jobs every morning.
You see, it’s winter in ski country, and Staples and his colleagues are avalanche forecasters. But they work for the federal government. Hence: No paychecks, for now.
This time of year, Utah mountains are crawling with snowshoers, snowboarders, snowmobilers and skiers who rely on advisories posted by the Utah Avalanche Center, which provides guidance for safe travel through the backcountry, especially in the Central Wasatch.
Supervised by Staples, the forecasters are employees of the U.