Part 3 - Avalanche Hazard Management - AIARE Level 1 Course

Learn how to safely navigate mountain terrain in snow country! This course will teach you how to use avalanche safety equipment, assess conditions, and work in a group over 2 days of classroom instruction and 2 days out in the field + plus a stay in a cabin near the field days!

Begin your avalanche education with our AIARE Level 1 program through Cascade Mountain Ascents. This four-day course meets the highest standards in avalanche education and provides backcountry skiers and riders with an introduction to avalanche hazard management. The AIARE Level 1 course provides students with tools for basic tour planning and travel techniques, decision-making in the field, and avalanche rescue techniques.

Day 1 and 2 Classroom: February 14-15, 6pm

We’ll put in two days of class sessions to get ready for the field. Lectures will build on pre-course materials and will cover avalanche basics, terrain, decision making. These sessions will be interactive and engaging, so come ready to learn and participate!

Day 3 and 4 Field days: February 18-19

We’ll spend a full day in the field covering snowpack observation and rescue skills. Our second field day will focus on moving with the group, terrain recognition, and communication. We will implement a tour plan and practice our group management during up and downhill travel. The day will conclude with a debrief and feedback to help students keep learning beyond the course close.

Included: Student handbook, field notebook, evening lectures and field instruction

The field sessions will be held at Hurricane Ridge near Port Angeles (a 3 hour drive from Seattle). We will be renting a house for participants to stay in from Friday-Sunday to make it easier to get to the field locations. This will be a shared house, meaning you will have to share rooms with other participants. Carpools are encouraged!