The Everett Mountaineers will offer an AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course starting December 2012. The course is oriented towards recreational backcountry users like skiers, snowboarders, climbers, scramblers and snowshoers.

The course will:

• Provide a basic understanding of avalanches and how to make pertinent terrain and snowpack observations for the avalanche problem at hand.
• Use a framework for decision making and risk management in avalanche terrain
• Focus on identifying the right questions, rather than on providing “all the answers.”
• Give lessons and exercises that are practically oriented, useful, and applicable in the field

The course introduces the different avalanche problems and is more than an avalanche awareness course. Students can expect to develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a trip in avalanche terrain, to make relevant observations, to understand basic decision making in the field, and to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person. The overall goal is to improve decision making in avalanche terrain. It is a basic hazard management course and uses rule based tools in combination with introductory knowledge based decision making tools. The course is a stand alone course, but provides a great link to an AIARE Level 2 avalanche course.

Field Trip. The field trip will be held in the Mt Baker backcountry with optional overnight stay at the Mountaineers Lodge. The field trip could involve cold and wet weather and elevation gain of about 2,000 feet. The terrain is extremely well suited for an avalanche course.

Course Schedule. PLEASE BE ON TIME — we have lots of information to cover.

Dec 19 Wednesday 6:30 - 9:30 pm Avy Lecture #1
Jan 2 Wednesday 6:30 - 9:30 pm Avy Lecture #2
Jan 9 Wednesday 6:30 - 9:30 pm Avy Lecture #3
Jan 12-13 Saturday/Sunday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Avy Field Trip

The lectures will be in the Commissioner Room at Snohomish Co PUD in Everett at 2320 California St, Everett, WA 98201. Please bring pen and paper for taking notes.

Equipment will be discussed at the first lecture. Shovels, probes, avalanche transceivers, and either backcountry skis or snowshoes (snowshoes recommended) are required for the field trip.