Basic Snowshoeing Course

The Basic Snowshoeing Course offers an introduction to safe and enjoyable winter travel for the beginner. It is designed for people who want to get a taste of snowshoeing and pick up solid foundational skills. Topics of instruction will include selection and use of proper equipment, conditioning, where to go, what to rent, winter travel, avalanche awareness, safety, and choosing an outing. Students will be eligible to participate in Beginner and Basic rated snowshoe tours with the confidence of having a foundation in winter travel. Beginner and Basic rated snowshoe tours have different strenuousness ratings varying from Easy to Moderate to Strenuous or Very Strenuous. Participation in more strenuous tours may be dependent upon your fitness level.

Course Expectations and Requirements

Important note: To fully register and graduate from this course you need to sign up for each of these 3 separate course components, and complete one other component outside of this course:

1. Register for this Basic Snowshoeing Course and pay the course fee.
2. Sign up for an available Lecture. This is a 2.5 hour Lecture on a weekday evening at the Seattle Program Center. Also note that attendance at the lecture is mandatory in order for you to take the Field Trip. There are NO exceptions.
3. Sign up for the Field Trip Preview session. This is a one hour virtual session on a weekday evening. Attendance is mandatory in order for you to take the Field Trip.
4. Sign up for an available Field Trip. This is a full day Field Trip on a Saturday or Sunday at the Grace Lakes area at Stevens Pass.  
5. Successfully complete the Avalanche Awareness Course, a 1 - 2 hour class that is an introduction to understanding and avoiding avalanches. The Avalanche Awareness Course requirement can be completed before or after the Field Trip, but must be completed in order to graduate. The Mountaineers is hosting NWAC for several lectures this year and also offers an online self-guided option. 

Space  on the field trips is limited, so please sign up early to ensure you get the dates that work for you.

Link to Mountaineers Financial Assistance Program

Things to consider before signing up:

1) While this is a foundational course, a moderate physical conditioning level is necessary. The field trip involves approximately 3-4 miles of travel round-trip and up to 600 feet total elevation gain on snowshoes. This is the equivalent of approximately 6-8 miles and up to 1,200 feet elevation gain if wearing hiking boots on trail.

2) If you are new to the outdoors and the Ten Essentials , expect a moderate level of investment in equipment and clothing ($200-600 for new or mostly new items). Used but quality gear and clothing is a good way to begin building your inventory. It is also always wise to rent or borrow snowshoes before investing in them. Check the Required Equipment list in advance to begin preparing for the items you will need for this course and for snowshoeing in general. (We will also cover clothing and gear in detail during the lecture.) 

Graduates of this course are eligible to join Beginner and Basic snowshoeing trips., as described above. Those desiring to join Intermediate snowshoeing trips, which require additional skills and backcountry knowledge, must take the Intermediate Snowshoeing  course offered in January/February after completing this course.

COVID AND CARPOOLING POLICY:

There are currently no restrictions in place. The lecture and field trips will be held in person, and the trip planning meeting will be held remotely. Masks are optional. 

We encourage participants to carpool for the field trips, as parking can be limited. We do not facilitate carpooling, however course emails will include information on ways participants may  arrange carpooling amongst yourselves.