The Hans Saari Memorial Fund Ski Exploration Grant
The Hans Saari Memorial Fund Ski Exploration Grant encourages ski mountaineers to challenge themselves with new, ambitious ski projects that expand the boundaries of ski mountaineering and provide a better understanding of mountain culture. The Grant is a cornerstone of the Fund and was established to honor Hans’s belief that expeditions are both physically and intellectually challenging pursuits, offering opportunities to explore different cultures and ways of life.

• Grants are exclusively awarded to Ski Mountaineering projects that do not involve motorized assistance once the starting destination is reached
• The technical goal must include the exploration of alpine terrain whether through visiting new places or attempting new descents, but does not need to be at the leading edge of steep ski mountaineering.
• Special Consideration will be given to applicants visiting unskied and unexplored regions and to expeditions attempting historically significant objectives.
• Documentation of the technical and cultural aspects of the expedition are required to create a better understanding and appreciation of the expedition and illuminate the attributes of the mountains.
• Grants are awarded once a year. Deadline for applications is March 1.

The Hans Saari Memorial Fund’s Ski Exploration Grant encourages the development of skills and qualities consistent with Hans’s approach to skiing and travel in the mountains. The grant supports not only skiing and exploration in alpine environments but also encourages creatively documenting the experience. While ski objectives do not need to be at the leading edge of ski mountaineering to receive this grant, proposals that choose to focus on unexplored or unskied objectives will receive special consideration. Repeats of difficult and historic routes will also be considered. Due to the Fund’s emphasis on raising awareness and enthusiasm for ski exploration and avalanche safety, the Grant Committee will also carefully consider the applicant’s plan for recording and reporting the experience to the Board of the Fund and the broader community of skiers.

The application deadline is March 1st. Grant applications may be made online no later than the due date. The Fund may award $15,000 and up to 3-5 grants annually. Grants are awarded once per year. Applicants will be notified of awards by March 30th and will have one year to use the award. Questions regarding the application process may be submitted to info@hansfund.org