Intermediate Snowshoeing Course

Please read "COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS" below, including the information about carpooling restrictions this winter.  Before signing up for this course please be sure you have access to a winter-capable vehicle.

The Intermediate Snowshoeing Course is designed for adventurers who want to gain the skills and experience to handle more challenging snowshoe routes and terrain. Intermediate and Strenuous trips are, in many cases, non-technical mountain-climbing routes with mountain peaks for destinations. The course will cover material needed to survive in backcountry terrain, including introductory avalanche awareness and response, incident response, emergency shelters, self-belay and self-arrest skills. This course is open to graduates of Basic Snowshoeing and also to graduates from Alpine Scrambling or Basic Climbing.

Financial Assistance

The Mountaineers strives to serve everyone, regardless of ability to pay. We are committed to providing access to outdoor recreation, education and conservation opportunities for all members and youth in the communities we serve. If you would like to take this course and are experiencing financial hardship or limitations, please apply for financial assistance. Here is more information about the Mountaineers Financial Assistance Program.

What to Expect in the Course

This course includes a lecture and two field trips.   Each field trip is offered for multiple dates and location as shown in the course activity list.  In the event that a field trip must be cancelled due to adverse conditions, backup dates for the first trips are the weekend of February 6-7, and backup dates for the second field are the weekend of February 20-21.  Please note that you must attend the lecture before you can participate in the field trips.  Both Field Trips are are required. 

You must be fit for the more physically demanding courses like Snowshoeing, Alpine Scrambling or Basic Climbing. Try hiking up Mt. Si (8 miles round-trip; 3,550 ft. elevation gain) and see how you do. If you can get to the top of Mt. Si (to the view points in the haystack basin) in 2½ hours or less (barring icy conditions), you are probably in adequate condition for this course.
Current students and graduates of Intermediate Snowshoeing will be eligible to participate in Intermediate and Strenuous snowshoe trips after successful completion of the field trips.

An ice axe is required for this course. Guidelines on how to choose a general ice axe (not for technical ice climbing) will be provided to you at the lecture, or students can go to a local outdoor retailer and request sizing assistance.

Students have three years to complete their requirements for graduation, which are:

• Attendance at the lecture and satisfactory performance at both field trips.
• Successful completion of 3 snowshoe trips, at least two of which must be Intermediate Snowshoe trips.
• Have a current Wilderness Navigation badge.
• Have a current Stewardship badge.
• Have a current Avalanche Awareness or AIARE Level 1 badge.  (Note that the AIARE Avalanche Rescue course does not satisfy this requirement.)

For additional questions, please email the course Primary Leader.
Mountaineers members only.

COVID-19 Considerations

For the 2020-2021 season all Seattle Snowshoeing courses and trips follow The Mountaineers COVID-19 Guidance for WA Phase 2.  All participants must follow The Mountaineers COVID-19 Code of Conduct .   Some Phase 2 guidelines relevant to in-person Snowshoeing activities include:

• Carpooling with people outside your household is not recommended.  See additional notes about carpooling below.
• All participants must wear a mask that can be quickly raised and lowered while on the move.
• All participants must bring hand sanitizer.
• Whenever possible the group will practice social distancing (6' apart).  Masks must be raised when in situations where social distancing is not possible.
• Participants may not attend if they have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have had any symptoms in the prior 14 days.

For the 2020-2021 Snowshoeing season carpooling with people outside your household is not recommended.  Snowshoeing trips, include the field trips for this course, are usually held at locations near mountain passes that require driving on side roads or icy parking lots. Before signing up for this course please be sure you have access to a winter-capable vehicle.  An AWD or 4WD vehicle is best, but a 2WD vehicle with reasonable ground clearance and snow chains can work in benign-to-moderate conditions.   Lack of access to adequate transportation will not be considered a sufficient reason to refund the course fee.