David Court, a Geography and Bren alumnus and a Computing and Network Technologist for the Institute for Computational Earth System Science, combines a love of alpine sports with eco-tourism. But let him speak for himself:
I spent several years skiing and climbing in the Alps before attending UCSB in the early 90’s. Returning to the US was initially difficult, but I became much more excited about the idea once I discovered that the Geography department offered courses in snow hydrology. At that time, the program was led by Jeff Dozier who was an avid skier and accomplished climber himself. He also had an incredible group of graduate students who were equally enthusiastic about their work, as well as the mountains in which they did their research. As a result of my direct experience with these people, I became more interested in the integration of ecology with remote sensing and ultimately returned to UCSB where I graduated with a Masters degree in Environmental Science and Management at the Donald Bren School in 2000. The following year, I began working at ICESS where I continue to assist Dave Siegel, Stephane Maritorena, and Norm Nelson with their research regarding ocean optics and satellite algorithm development. Despite the fact that I have changed my focus away from the alpine environment, I feel fortunate that I can still apply the principles of my education to my current job.
Of course, as you might expect, after several years of living in Santa Barbara, I began to miss the Alps. To compensate, I would plan trips each winter season, visit old friends, and ski as much terrain as one could cover within two weeks of designated vacation time. Eventually, friends from Santa Barbara began to come with me, and, after several successful adventures, they convinced me to make a business of it. The next year, I created Alpine Exposure, a small business that provided high-quality winter vacations for a wide range of skiers and snowboarders – all in small communities steeped in history and traditional mountain culture. But there was more. I found it extremely important to include the various elements of my education – everything from pointing out the drastic changes in the local glaciers to participating in global programs which use business proceeds for environmental protection programs.
Today, Alpine Exposure is a thriving business that is part of 1% For the Planet (a global movement of 1,243 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 2,010 environmental organizations worldwide), and I now run it with my wife Christi who not only helps with the organizational duties but also stands in as our private chef and personal concierge. Together, we spend our winters in a small village just outside of Chamonix, France, but we still continue to provide a number of programs and social events here in Santa Barbara which, this year, included The Backcountry Film Festival – a series of ski and snowboard shorts, each with their own environmental message. Soon, our daughter will be three years old and, in addition to be being a great skier, we’re hoping that she’ll be able to see these places as they are today.
