This stock image shows South Sister in the Cascades west of Bend and the Deschutes National Forest. 

When it comes to snow, most people come to Bend to ski or snowboard on it.

Come October, hundreds will arrive here not to recreate on snow but to discuss avalanches, snow science and how a warming planet is impacting snow cover.

The bi-annual International Snow Science Workshop is scheduled to be held Oct. 8-13 at the Riverhouse on the

Deschutes.

The symposium is designed to bring together some of the world’s foremost snow science experts to present papers and conduct workshops.

Snow science is key to helping us understand how and when avalanche events occur and can also help in explaining global snow cover and its impact on glaciers and water supplies.

The workshop allows participants to learn from each other and gain knowledge about recent technologies related to snowpack and avalanches.

The symposium will cover a range of topics, including avalanches and new technologies that can help mitigate problems associated with avalanches. Climate change, snow hydrology, and remote sensing are also on the agenda.

“ISSW is the premier gathering of avalanche safety and research professionals from around the world,” said Zoë Roy, co-chair of the workshop.

The International Snow Science Workshops have been held nearly 20 times since the first one in Banff, Canada, in 1976. The most recent in-person event was held in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2018, and prior to that, a workshop was held in Breckenridge, Colorado, in 2016.

The pandemic canceled the 2020 workshop, which was scheduled to be held in Fernie, Canada. An online version of the event was held instead. In 2024 the event is planned to be held in Tromsø, Norway.

Bend was selected to host the event after a committee, dispatched by Visit Bend to the Breckenridge event, made a pitch to host a future workshop, according to Roy.

Matt Warbritton, a Portland-based hydrologist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, said the workshop will help snow experts and the public better understand the impacts of snow science on recreation and resource management.

“I look forward to attending the workshop in person to ensure that our data end users in Oregon continue to benefit from advances in snow science,” said Warbritton.

Organizers say more than 1,000 people will attend the event. The workshop includes a gala dinner, an exhibit hall for snow-related products, and a movie night at the Tower Theatre. One free day in the middle of the event is available for participants to explore Bend.

Registration for the event opens on March 1. The organizers are also accepting sponsorship applications, available through their website, www.issw2023.com.