Our innovative Lift-Accessed Avalanche Rescue Course in Tahoe provides next level rescue skills above and beyond what you can learn in a touring-based rescue course. Our program brings you into realistic avalanche terrain using ski lifts to eliminate approach time and position you at the top of a simulated avalanche debris field.
Lift tickets are included in the price.
Lift-Accessed AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course - Private
Overview
Itinerary
Prerequisites
Inclusions
Gear
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
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 8:30 am - Meet your guide at the ski area (either Donner Ski Ranch or Tahoe Donner)
- 9:00 am - Load the ski lifts and cover fundamental avalanche rescue skills
- 10:30am -3:00pm - Instructor rescue demo and participant led scenarios with the opportunity to ski laps in between
- 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
- Expert Guide
- Innovative curriculum
- Lift Ticket
- Digital AIARE certificate of course completion
- Unlimited access to online course material
Tahoe Backcountry Skiing Gear List
- Avalanche Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird
- Ski/Split Touring Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Tahoe Sports Hub - use code BLACKBIRD10 for 10% off at checkout.
Know Before you go
Price
$345.00
Private Programs
Duration: 1 Day
View Full Itinerary
Private Programs
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.
Full Itinerary
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
Here's the schedule for your course:
- 8:30 am - Meet your guide at the ski area (either Donner Ski Ranch or Tahoe Donner)
- 9:00 am - Load the ski lifts and cover fundamental avalanche rescue skills
- 10:30am -3:00pm - Instructor rescue demo and participant led scenarios with the opportunity to ski laps in between
- 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
- Expert Guide
- Innovative curriculum
- Lift Ticket
- Digital AIARE certificate of course completion
- Unlimited access to online course material
Tahoe Backcountry Skiing Gear List
- Avalanche Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird
- Ski/Split Touring Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Tahoe Sports Hub - use code BLACKBIRD10 for 10% off at checkout.
Participants posing for a photo above Donner Lake during the Blackbird AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course at Donner Ski Ranch
Rescuers performing avalanche rescue and transceiver search during the Blackbird Lift Accessed AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course
Rescuers probing after a transceiver search during the Blackbird Lift Accessed AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course
Rescuers probing after a transceiver search during the Blackbird Lift Accessed AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course
Rescuers performing an avalanche rescue during the Blackbird Lift Accessed AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course at Donner Ski Ranch
the blackbird difference
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