AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course in Mammoth
We'll cover the following topics and skills:
- What to do if you're caught in an avalanche
- What to do if your partner is caught in an avalanche
- How to use your beacon, shovel and probe
- Rescue equipment technology
- Rescue techniques for companion and small team rescue
- How terrain affects an avalanche rescue and how to use terrain to your advantage
- Visual search, transceiver search and spot probing
- Strategies for using your gear effectively
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose an AIARE Rescue Avalanche course in Mammoth?
-
Mammoth is an ideal location for an Avalanche Rescue course due to its consistent snowfall, high-elevation terrain, and diverse avalanche-prone landscapes. The area’s open bowls, steep chutes, and tree-lined slopes offer realistic settings for practicing critical rescue techniques, such as beacon searches, probing, and efficient digging methods.
Mammoth’s deep, layered snowpack provides valuable hands-on experience with varied snow conditions, while its frequently changing weather patterns help students learn to adapt rescue skills to different scenarios. This dynamic environment ensures participants leave with a well-rounded and practical understanding of avalanche rescue.
Why choose Blackbird Mountain Guides for your AIARE Avalanche Rescue course?:
-
Choosing Blackbird Mountain Guides for your AIARE Avalanche Rescue course means learning from some of the most experienced and dedicated avalanche professionals in the industry. Blackbird’s instructors are seasoned backcountry guides with extensive hands-on experience in diverse avalanche terrain. We prioritize small group sizes, which allows for personalized instruction and in-depth practice of critical rescue skills, including beacon searches, probing, and efficient shoveling techniques.
We are also the #1 AIARE course provider in the U.S., committed to the highest standards of safety and education. With Blackbird, you gain practical knowledge, confidence, and skills to handle avalanche rescue situations, supported by a team that’s dedicated to your growth and safety in the backcountry.
For more info check out our blog post about what makes Blackbird's AIARE courses different.
This program requires at least 3 participants to run.
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 8:30 am - Meet your guide at the trailhead
- 9:00 am - Cover fundamental avalanche rescue skills
- 10:30am -3:00pm - Instructor rescue demo and participant led scenarios
- 3:00-3:30 - Course ends
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Advanced Resort Riding skills - Including off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions
- Basic Backcountry Touring Skills - Including familiarity with equipment and avalanche gear.
- Basic Fitness - Able to spend an active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of roughly 1 hour between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 3-5 miles and climb 1,000-1,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day.
- Ski/Split Touring & Avalanche Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from us
The AIARE Rescue Course can be taken either before OR after the AIARE 1 Course
Here's what's included with your course:
- Experienced AMGA/AIARE Trained Guide
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Ski/Splitboard Gear
- Avalanche Gear
- Guide Gratuities
Ski/Split Touring Gear
- Alpine Touring Ski or Splitboard Setup - No snowshoes
- Alpine Touring or Splitboard Boots
- Climbing Skins
- Touring Backpack - with pockets for avalanche gear
- Adjustable Touring Poles
- Avalanche Beacon
- Avalanche Shovel
- Avalanche Probe
Know Before you go
Blackbird Mountain Guides offers both scheduled group programs and private programs.
Private programs are simply above and beyond what Blackbird Mountain Guides currently has scheduled. Scheduled courses are not always less expensive. Before booking a trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides, clients are encouraged to review the differences between these types of programs, and to decide what works best for them.
SCHEDULED PROGRAMS
Scheduled Programs have fixed dates, itineraries, objectives, curriculum, and costs. They typically appeal to solo individuals or small groups or who are looking to share the cost of their program with a larger group. Correspondingly, scheduled programs are less expensive for smaller groups (1-2), and they provide the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. If you have a large group (3+), Scheduled programs will often be more expensive. They can fill up quickly, and scheduling flexibility is obviously limited.
Scheduled programs will have advertised dates. All scheduled programs can be run as private programs with private dates/rates as well.
PRIVATE PROGRAMS
Private programs have scheduling freedom. They typically appeal to those who would like some flexibility in planning their own trip or course. In this regard, Itineraries and objectives can be tailored to suit current conditions as well as client goals. Private programs are normally less expensive for larger groups (3+). If you have a small group (1-2) private programs will be more expensive.
AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course Itinerary
8:30 am Meet your guide at Donner Ski Ranch
9:00 am Load the ski lifts and cover fundamental skills
10:30am -3:00pm Instructor rescue demo and participant led scenarios
3:00-3:30 Course close
We'll cover the following topics and skills:
- What to do if you're caught in an avalanche
- What to do if your partner is caught in an avalanche
- How to use your beacon, shovel and probe
- Rescue equipment technology
- Rescue techniques for companion and small team rescue
- How terrain affects an avalanche rescue and how to use terrain to your advantage
- Visual search, transceiver search and spot probing
- Strategies for using your gear effectively
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose an AIARE Rescue Avalanche course in Mammoth?
-
Mammoth is an ideal location for an Avalanche Rescue course due to its consistent snowfall, high-elevation terrain, and diverse avalanche-prone landscapes. The area’s open bowls, steep chutes, and tree-lined slopes offer realistic settings for practicing critical rescue techniques, such as beacon searches, probing, and efficient digging methods.
Mammoth’s deep, layered snowpack provides valuable hands-on experience with varied snow conditions, while its frequently changing weather patterns help students learn to adapt rescue skills to different scenarios. This dynamic environment ensures participants leave with a well-rounded and practical understanding of avalanche rescue.
Why choose Blackbird Mountain Guides for your AIARE Avalanche Rescue course?:
-
Choosing Blackbird Mountain Guides for your AIARE Avalanche Rescue course means learning from some of the most experienced and dedicated avalanche professionals in the industry. Blackbird’s instructors are seasoned backcountry guides with extensive hands-on experience in diverse avalanche terrain. We prioritize small group sizes, which allows for personalized instruction and in-depth practice of critical rescue skills, including beacon searches, probing, and efficient shoveling techniques.
We are also the #1 AIARE course provider in the U.S., committed to the highest standards of safety and education. With Blackbird, you gain practical knowledge, confidence, and skills to handle avalanche rescue situations, supported by a team that’s dedicated to your growth and safety in the backcountry.
For more info check out our blog post about what makes Blackbird's AIARE courses different.
This program requires at least 3 participants to run.
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 8:30 am - Meet your guide at the trailhead
- 9:00 am - Cover fundamental avalanche rescue skills
- 10:30am -3:00pm - Instructor rescue demo and participant led scenarios
- 3:00-3:30 - Course ends
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Advanced Resort Riding skills - Including off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions
- Basic Backcountry Touring Skills - Including familiarity with equipment and avalanche gear.
- Basic Fitness - Able to spend an active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of roughly 1 hour between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 3-5 miles and climb 1,000-1,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day.
- Ski/Split Touring & Avalanche Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from us
The AIARE Rescue Course can be taken either before OR after the AIARE 1 Course
Here's what's included with your course:
- Experienced AMGA/AIARE Trained Guide
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Ski/Splitboard Gear
- Avalanche Gear
- Guide Gratuities
Ski/Split Touring Gear
- Alpine Touring Ski or Splitboard Setup - No snowshoes
- Alpine Touring or Splitboard Boots
- Climbing Skins
- Touring Backpack - with pockets for avalanche gear
- Adjustable Touring Poles
- Avalanche Beacon
- Avalanche Shovel
- Avalanche Probe
Epic Reviews From Adventurers
- Rated 5 out of 5 starsLearned so much
Jan was an amazing guide as always. Learned so much from him and got a lot of practice in!
Betty C.Verified Buyer
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