My Nonprofit Reviews

Great people doing great work. As a lifeguard and Big Wave surfer, I understand the importance of preparedness when stepping into the wilderness. The Dodav’s are committed to making sure everyone has a fun and safe time in the Backcountry!

I first met Alex and Natalia while I was attending their annual contest at Bear Valley in memory of their son, Nikolay Dodov. I was invited up by my friends Mikey and Danica. The first thing I noticed about Alex and Natalia was how kind and friendly they are and I think everyone can agree. They are people who put themselves second to others around them and are truly givers in this life. I’ve had the fortune of getting to ride with them out in the backcountry once at Mount Shasta and another time at their home in Bear Valley. It’s been a great experience every time and I have learned a lot from them.

My first experience with the classes they teach was an in-person class at my local Junior College in Santa Cruz. What truly stood out to me the most was the emphasis on looking at this practice as a life long endeavor. The idea being that the mountains are always in charge and nobody is above the laws of nature and it’s going to take a while to gain confidence out there. This truly impacted me in a powerful way because it is similar to what I teach my students at my Surf School, safety being the priority above all else. I think so many people want to experience the highs of riding down a backcountry slope and throwing up huge roster tails of snow without wanting to go through the steps to get there. As we have seen by the number of fatalities in the back country recreation space, I think it is paramount for people to be instructed by a team that not only has an incredibly strong grasp on the mountain environment but also a heavy emphasis on the importance of safety and being prepared for worst case scenarios. And this is what I took away from this course, they truly helped set a solid foundation for all of us who participated. This was my first class on Avalanche Awareness and safety but I feel it gave me a sold base of understanding and inspired me to take the next steps in getting my Avalanche certifications. I would 100 percent recommend this course to anyone out there interested in learning about the mountains and how to be safe in Avalanche Terran. And if you do have the chance to take a class with their foundation please say hello and give them a big hug. They are truly some of the most friendly and loving people on this earth.