Stevens Pass, WA AIARE 1 Course

Get your Level 1 Avalanche training at Stevens Pass, Snoqualmie Pass, or Mt. Rainier.

Washington
Group Course
Ability level: Intermediate, Advanced
Select Your Trip Package:

Questions? Let us help! Call us at 1-866-386-1590

Are you a ski­er, snow­board­er, climber or snow­shoer that trav­els in avalanche ter­rain?

Avalanche Insti­tute of Research and Edu­ca­tion (AIARE) Recre­ation­al I is an intro­duc­to­ry class with lec­tures and two field days that cov­ers the phe­nom­e­non of avalanche, avalanche ter­rain, deci­sion mak­ing, trav­el tech­niques, human fac­tors, and com­pan­ion res­cue. These cours­es are designed for recre­ation­al­ists look­ing to get out and have the nec­es­sary tools to make informed deci­sions about risk fac­tors, and to be able to ask the right ques­tions before head­ing out. And for those look­ing to up their game, it meets the require­ment for our more advanced back­coun­try ski tours.
 
For pro­fes­sion­als, such as entry lev­el guides and ski-patrollers look­ing for essen­tial skills to keep them­selves, and oth­ers safe in avalanche ter­rain, this is the place to start before jump­ing into pro­fes­sion­al lev­el cours­es such as the Lev­el 2 course.
 
At the end of this course you should be able to: 

  • Plan and pre­pare for trav­el in avalanche terrain
  • Rec­og­nize avalanche terrain
  • Describe a frame­work for mak­ing deci­sions in avalanche terrain
  • Apply effec­tive com­pan­ion rescue

Our high­ly expe­ri­enced instruc­tors have been trained by the Cana­di­an Avalanche Asso­ci­a­tion (CAA), the Amer­i­can Moun­tain Guides Asso­ci­a­tion (AMGA), and the Amer­i­can Insti­tute for Avalanche Research and Edu­ca­tion (AIARE). They are the best, most­ high­ly trained instruc­tors!

Select your date and location (Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, or Mt Rainier) from the options provided. 

Plans may evolve with weather & guides' judgement, we strive to find the best conditions each day

ITINERARY

Thursday Evening Lecture

6 – 9pm, Class will be held online via Zoom

- Wel­come and Introductions
- What is AIARE?
- Course objec­tives, goals, and progression
- Intro­duc­tion to the AIARE Deci­sion Mak­ing Frame­work (DMF)
- Case study – small group and class discussion
- Avalanche Types and Characteristics
- For­ma­tion of Lay­ers in the Moun­tain Snowpack
- Avalanche Ter­rain Intro
- Avalanche Dan­ger Scale
- Obser­va­tions and Clue Gathering
- Obser­va­tion Checklist
- The Human Factor
- Plan­ning and Preparation
- Avalanche haz­ard forecast
- Infor­ma­tion gathering
- Trip Plans
- Ter­rain Selec­tion and Trav­el Techniques

FIRST FIELD DAY, SATURDAY

8:30am – 5pm

- Equip­ment – bea­con, shov­el, probe
- Com­pan­ion Res­cue – sin­gle burial
- Shov­el­ing and Prob­ing techniques
- Mul­ti­ple burials

Break

- Group res­cue scenario
- Snow­pack – lay­er­ing, basic structure
- Com­pres­sion Test and Rutschblock Test
- Obser­va­tion check­list and obvi­ous clues
- Quick Tour
- In Lodge: Trip Plans and using the DMF

SEC­OND FIELD DAY, SUNDAY

Sun­day, 8:30am – 5pm

- Full Day Tour
- Trav­el tech­niques and group management
- Ter­rain selection
- Active tests and infor­ma­tion gathering
- Obser­va­tion checklist
- Using the DMF
- Avalanche Course debrief
- Ques­tion and answer time
- Course eval­u­a­tions

What’s Included

  • One three-hour lesson (via Zoom) and two field days
  • AIARE 1 certification
  • Pro­fes­sion­al guid­ing and instruction
  • Climbing/​backcountry per­mits 
  • 20% off rental at evo Seattle or Snoqualmie store
  • 20% discount code at evo.com (exclusions apply)

Not Included

  • Air­fare
  • Trans­porta­tion to and from the trailhead
  • Hotel accom­mo­da­tions
  • Meals
  • Per­son­al gear
  • Guide gra­tu­ities
  • Travel insurance (we recommend World Nomads)

Questions? Contact us!

What’s Included

  • One three-hour lesson (via Zoom) and two field days
  • AIARE 1 certification
  • Pro­fes­sion­al guid­ing and instruction
  • Climbing/​backcountry per­mits 
  • 20% off rental at evo Seattle or Snoqualmie store
  • 20% discount code at evo.com (exclusions apply)

Not Included

  • Air­fare
  • Trans­porta­tion to and from the trailhead
  • Hotel accom­mo­da­tions
  • Meals
  • Per­son­al gear
  • Guide gra­tu­ities
  • Travel insurance (we recommend World Nomads)

Questions? Contact us!

Location Details

The Washington Cascades are part of the greater Cascade Mountain Range, extending from northern California to British Columbia. To offer flexibility and a diverse range of options to clients, Mountain Madness offers courses in several destinations. Closest and most convenient to Seattle is Snoqualmie Pass, while  Stevens Pass and Mount Rainier go a bit deeper and farther east into the mountains.

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FAQs

Do I need any prior training to participate in this course?

No previous training is required to take this course.

How physically fit do I have to be for this course?

This can be a physically demanding course, and your abil­i­ty to enjoy the adven­ture depends on your health and fit­ness, thus it’s recommended that you are in good physical condition.

Who are the guides?

Mountain Madness guides are high­ly expe­ri­enced instruc­tors that have been trained by the Cana­di­an Avalanche Asso­ci­a­tion (CAA), the Amer­i­can Moun­tain Guides Asso­ci­a­tion (AMGA), and the Amer­i­can Insti­tute for Avalanche Research and Edu­ca­tion (AIARE). They are the best, most­ high­ly trained instruc­tors!

Are rentals available?

Yes, rental gear is available and can be rented directly through the evo Seattle or Snoqualmie Pass stores, as well as Mountain Madness. Please inquire for pricing.

What if I need to cancel?

evo will refer to the Mountain Madness cancellation policy. If you need to can­cel your trip, please submit your noti­fication in writ­ing. Your trip will be can­celled from the date we receive writ­ten notice. You will be assessed a can­cel­la­tion fee accord­ing to the fol­low­ing schedule: More than 90 days from trip depar­ture —  non-refundable $200 reg­is­tra­tion fee. 89 days or less from trip depar­ture – 100% of trip cost

What if I need to change the dates of my trip?

All date changes must be received in writ­ing. Changes are deter­mined at MMI’s dis­cre­tion and if approved, must be accom­pa­nied by a new trip reg­is­tra­tion. Any change from sched­uled trip depar­ture can be extreme­ly dif­fi­cult and is sub­ject to all incurred expens­es as assessed by MMI. All date changes are for cred­it only (no refunds) and valid for one year from writ­ten change noti­fi­ca­tion and receipt of new reg­is­tra­tion. A $200 date change fee will be assessed for all domes­tic trips.

When and how do I meet up with the group?

You will receive detailed instructions regarding when and how to meet the group from Mountain Madness.

What is the maximum number of guests on the trip?

There is a maximum of 10 guests for this course. The guest:guide ratio is 5:1, with groups of 10 being split into 2 groups due to COVID.

Is there a minimum age required for this trip?

We will accept par­tic­i­pants 15 years or old­er, if they are accom­pa­nied by a legal guardian. You must be 18 years or old­er to attend a trip on your own.

I need accommodations in Seattle. Do you have recommendations?

Yes, there are plenty of options, depending on your preferences. Near Sea-Tac Airport: Cedarbrook Lodge (4-star), Double Tree Hotel Seatac (4-star), Hampton Inn Seatac (3-star), Hilton Garden Inn Seatac (3-star). Near Mountain Madness: Georgetown Inn (2.5 star), The Grove (2-star).

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