If reading a sign could save your life, would you let it? 

That’s the goal of 10 new avalanche beacon check stations built in memory of backcountry rider and hillclimb racer, Rob Kincaid, who was killed in an avalanche while riding in Idaho in 2020.

Donated on behalf of the Hunter Houle Memorial Foundation, the “Got Beep?” avalanche transceiver check stations remind riders to make sure their avalanche beacons are functioning and transmitting signals prior to hitting the backcountry’s potential avalanche terrain.

“More than anything, this is a nice double-check for us in remembrance of Rob and Hunter,” said Dave McClure, a KLIM Backcountry Team athlete who was riding with Kincaid when he was killed. “We still need to do our beacon checks in the parking lot, but this is in case somebody forgets or something.” 

The 10 24X48-inch beacon check stations, which will be adopted out to local communities, were completed last month. 

For Idaho Parks and Recreation’s OHV Education Coordinator, Rich Gummersall, who helped facilitate the sign build, the signs are part of a culture shift toward safety. 

“Right now we’re at the shift in our users’ mindset,” Gummersall said, adding that there were 40 snowmobiler fatalities versus five skier fatalities in Idaho from 1997 through last year. “If you think about the days when seatbelt laws became required. It wasn’t grandpa teaching the grandkids; it was the grandkids teaching grandpa. That’s where our motorized population is right now. We have young people that are technologically savvy and more aware of how things work, and they’re more open to that mind shift toward safety.” 

Riders who approach the 24X48-inch signs will check for an illuminated green circle when their avalanche beacon is properly functioning. A malfunctioning beacon displays a red “X,” indicating the user needs to double check their equipment. The BCA transceiver checker is powered by a 24-inch solar panel with battery backup and can reach about 9 to 12 feet. 

“This is a specific design to ensure the individual utilizing the check station knows for certain it is their transceiver the check station is reading,” Gummersall added. 

The sign also reminds riders: “You are responsible for your own safety.” 

“The check station is that piece of the culture shift that’s the in your face piece,” Gummersall said. “It starts that thought process. We introduce people and we actually have that safety check piece to it.”

McClure, who attended the recent sign build in Idaho Falls, said if one of these beacon check stations would have been in the pass on Kincaid’s last day, a tragedy could have been prevented. 

“That’s what we’re trying to show with these signs,” he added. “It’s just another form of checking to prevent a tragedy.”

The avalanche sign donation is a first for the Foundation to do something like this, said Charlene Houle, Hunter’s mother. The Foundation is named after Hunter Houle, an 18-year-old cross-country snowmobile racer, who died riding his snowmobile in 2017.

“With Rob’s death, that hit us hard. It crushed us. Because Rob was bigger than life,” Charlene added. “Rob and Dave were somebody that both Hunter and Lucas, Hunter’s little brother, looked up to. Hunter wanted to always go out and ride in the mountains – that was his dream spring break – to ride in the mountains with Rob and Dave. Those two are the only two that I would allow them to go with just because it was my fear of something happening.”

The Foundation, dedicated to Hunter and his love of racing, works to help those in need, advance education and engage in charitable purposes.

“Hunter grew up with a lot of opportunities offered to him,” Charlene said, “And the more that we can give opportunities and help other people out, that’s what we really strive for, just to make life better. And with this connected with Rob, it was just a no brainer. Anything to help people enjoy the outdoors and snowmobiles in winter and keep them safe and coming back to their families.” 

Local Idaho Falls volunteers from Idaho Single Track Alliance and Madison County Search and Rescue joined Idaho Parks and Recreation, KLIM and Avalanche Alliance, on the daylong sign build.

“This is a big deal,” said Madison County’s Max Radford, who volunteered at the sign building event. “To save people’s lives and give people a way of avoiding avalanche danger.” 

Radford added that all riders should learn to use their beacons and other avalanche safety gear like shovels and proves as well as they do their snowmachines. 

“If they’re not following the proper safety, they’re going to start shutting us down,” said Mike McCarthy, a ISTA volunteer who snowbikes all winter and rides motorcycles all summer. “We’re at a point where they’ll start locking it up if people don’t learn the safety end of it. There’s a lot of people out there that don’t understand avalanche danger.”

Charlene said she hopes the signs can save one family from going through a tragedy. 

“A lot of times in death, a lot of people have the, ‘What if? What if we had been a little bit more prepared, what if we would have seen and had something to help us with this, then this wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “You can’t find a better family than the snowmobile community. Everybody is right there whenever there’s a need.”

Getting information to the people who need it is part of this, said Moroni Burton, commander of Madison County Search and Rescue whose daughter, Emely, also attended the sign-building event. 

“Having the ability to say, ‘Hey, my gear actually works,’ because we’ve left, as search and rescue professionals, we’ve left the trailer and gone halfway down the ride and said, ‘Oh, hey, did we check beacons?’” 

Just having a reminder on the side of the trail can make a life-or-death difference. 

“‘Hey, where’s your gear? Where’s your equipment? We need to do this, check your batteries, check your beacon, make sure everybody’s up to par before we actually get up there,” Burton added. “You don’t have to have a check station to check a beacon. I’ve heard too many stories of people who have equipment and leave it at home or don’t put batteries in or forget to turn it on. Information, the reminders, are important.” 

The 10 industry-standard beacon check station signs are now available for adoption by snowmobile clubs, search and rescue, athletes or ambassadors to enhance safety in parking areas.