People
Andy Anderson
Forecaster

Andy has been a forecaster at the Sierra Avalanche Center since 2006. Andy’s past forecasting experience comes from southeast Utah where the snow is light and shallow. In previous lives, Andy has been a ski patroller in the Northwest, an English teacher in Chile, a ski bum in the Tetons (funded by flipping burgers in Jackson Hole), a climbing ranger at Rocky Mountain and Mt. Rainier national parks, and a climbing guide. When not forecasting avalanches, he spends his time running long races and trying to keep up with his wife and son on the rocks and in the backcountry. Andy spends his summers teaching technical rescue classes and playing in the mountains.

Brandon Schwartz
Forecaster

As Lead Forecaster, Brandon directs and oversees the avalanche forecasting and field observation portion of the the Tahoe National Forest Sierra Avalanche Center program. Brandon has been with the program since its inception in 2004. He comes with a background in multidisciplinary guiding, avalanche education, and wilderness emergency medicine instruction. Growing up in Colorado, attending college in Washington, and living in Idaho gave ample opportunity to see the many traits of snow in the Rockies, Cascades, and Tetons. He lives with his wife and son in Truckee.

Steve Reynaud
Forecaster

Steve started working for the Sierra Avalanche Center during the winter of 2006/2007 as a professional field observer and then as an avalanche forecaster in 2015.  He really enjoys being out in the mountains during big Sierra storm cycles conducting observation work.  Steve is also a local ski guide and a long time member of the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team.  He is a certified ski mountaineering guide with the American Mountain Guides Association and an avalanche educator through the American Institute of Avalanche Research and Education.  Steve lives in Truckee with his wife and family.