AIARE 1 + Rescue Avalanche Course | Washington

The Blackbird AIARE 1 + Rescue course delivers all of the essential skills you need to make sound decisions in avalanche terrain and be a great backcountry skiing partner including, field observations, travel techniques, decision-making, and avalanche rescue in our innovative 3 day Washington course at Mt Baker and Snoqualmie Pass.
Overview
Itinerary
Prerequisites
Inclusions
Gear

We'll cover the following topics and skills:

AIARE 1 Course

  • Mountain Snowpack
  • Mountain Weather
  • The Avalanche Problems
  • Trip Planning
  • Snow and Weather Observations
  • Terrain Choice
  • Human Factors and Assembling your Team
  • Trailhead Departure Check
  • Route Finding
  • Track Setting
  • Descent Choices
AIARE Rescue Course
  • 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:

  • 6 Hour Online Course - can be completed any time prior to the pre-field webinar

  • 2 Hour Pre-Field Zoom Webinar - 7:00-9:00pm either the Wednesday before the field days (for weekend courses) or Tuesday after Field Day 1 (for weekday courses)

  • Field Day 1 - AIARE Rescue - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead, 3:00-3:30pm end time.

  • Field Day 2 - AIARE 1 - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead, 3:30-4:00pm end time. Course venue will be determined after Field Day 1, based on weather and snow conditions

  • Field Day 3 - AIARE 1 - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead, 3:30-4:00pm end time. Course venue will be determined after Field Day 2, based on weather and snow conditions

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
Shop Recommended Gear OR Visit our Rentals Page

Here's what's included with your course:

  • Experienced AMGA/AIARE Trained Guide
  • Interactive multi-media curriculum
  • Lifetime access to our Online Course materials
  • 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
Not Included
  • 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 Safety Gear
  • Avalanche Beacon
  • Avalanche Shovel
  • Avalanche Probe
Clothing & Accessories
  • Technical Outerwear (jacket, bibs/pants)
  • Multiple Midlayer Options
  • Gloves
  • Helmet
  • Goggles
  • Beanie
  • Baseball Cap
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Water Bottle / Hydration Pack (2L)
  • Lunch and Snacks

  • Know Before you go

    SKILL LEVELTouring Experience
    ELEVATION3,000’-6,000
    LocationSnoqualmie Pass Mt Baker

    Price $750.00
    Private Programs
    Duration: 3.5 Days
    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.

    Contact us
    Full Itinerary

    Day 1: Avalanche Rescue

    8:45 am  Meet your guide at The Trailhead.  Open with introductions, gear-up and tour into the rescue zone.  We’ll begin with covering gear and fundamental skills before moving into an instructor rescue demo and participant-led scenarios.

    4:00 pm  We'll wind down the program to tour to the trailhead and debrief the major learning lessons of the day.

    7:00-9:00 pm  Webinar to cover AIARE 1 Avalanche Course content.  We may choose to do this section in person depending on where participants are staying for the evening, weather and other factors that will be worked out with the team.

     

    Day 2: AIARE 1: Observations & Snowpack Tests

    8:00 am  Meet your guide and review the plan for the day. The day will center around observations, assessment of weather and snowpack, and evaluating and moving through or near avalanche terrain.

    4:00 pm  We will close the day with a margin of daylight remaining when we hit the trailhead.  Safely back at the cars, we’ll review the day and debrief the decisions we made.  Debriefs are very helpful for building useful experience quickly!

     

    Day 3: AIARE 1: Backcountry Tour

    8:00 am  Meet your guide at the trailhead, ready with weather and avalanche hazard forecasts.  We’ll review the plan for the day, including a discussion of the day’s avalanche problem, the proposed route up and options for the ascent and descent.  The guide will facilitate a Trailhead Departure Check/Beacon Check.

    8:30 am  We’ll begin the tour, making decisions based on our trip plan, weather forecast and the avalanche advisory for the day.  Along the way, we’ll make snowpack and weather observations and open discussions on where we should go and how we should travel. Your guide will provide insights and foster sound decision making as the group navigates the challenges of the terrain, snowpack and weather.  

    4:00 pm  We will once again close the program with a margin of daylight remaining when we hit the trailhead and we’ll debrief the day.  Once we’ve covered the decisions and outcomes of the day, we’ll close the course with thoughts on the best ways to move forward with your backcountry progression! 

    We'll cover the following topics and skills:

    AIARE 1 Course

    • Mountain Snowpack
    • Mountain Weather
    • The Avalanche Problems
    • Trip Planning
    • Snow and Weather Observations
    • Terrain Choice
    • Human Factors and Assembling your Team
    • Trailhead Departure Check
    • Route Finding
    • Track Setting
    • Descent Choices
    AIARE Rescue Course
    • 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:

    • 6 Hour Online Course - can be completed any time prior to the pre-field webinar

    • 2 Hour Pre-Field Zoom Webinar - 7:00-9:00pm either the Wednesday before the field days (for weekend courses) or Tuesday after Field Day 1 (for weekday courses)

    • Field Day 1 - AIARE Rescue - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead, 3:00-3:30pm end time.

    • Field Day 2 - AIARE 1 - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead, 3:30-4:00pm end time. Course venue will be determined after Field Day 1, based on weather and snow conditions

    • Field Day 3 - AIARE 1 - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead, 3:30-4:00pm end time. Course venue will be determined after Field Day 2, based on weather and snow conditions

    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
    Shop Recommended Gear OR Visit our Rentals Page

    Here's what's included with your course:

    • Experienced AMGA/AIARE Trained Guide
    • Interactive multi-media curriculum
    • Lifetime access to our Online Course materials
    • 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
    Not Included
    • 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 Safety Gear
    • Avalanche Beacon
    • Avalanche Shovel
    • Avalanche Probe
    Clothing & Accessories
  • Technical Outerwear (jacket, bibs/pants)
  • Multiple Midlayer Options
  • Gloves
  • Helmet
  • Goggles
  • Beanie
  • Baseball Cap
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Water Bottle / Hydration Pack (2L)
  • Lunch and Snacks
  • the blackbird difference

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    Professional Guides

    Positive Progression

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    epic reviews from adventurers

    View Reviews

    Awesome Experience

    Steve, California

    “Taking this course with Zeb was the best decision! He was extremely friendly, relaxed and knowledgeable and answered all our questions with great patience.

    An Exceptional Course

    Ellen, New York

    “I took an AIARE 1 with Blackbird and couldn't recommend it more. The knowledge gained was well-worth every penny, and then some."

    Too Good For Words

    Andrew, Washington

    Just took the "lift-assisted" Avalanche Rescue course, and it was a fantastic opportunity to act out more realistic rescue scenarios. It was a great refresher and learning experience. Our instructor Evan was knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Highly recommended!

    An Incredible Weekend!

    Jenna, California

    Completed AIARE 1 w/ Blackbird. Instructors were very knowledgeable, experienced, patient, attentive, and down-to-earth in relating to clients across a wide spectrum of ability. Highly recommended. Great group of people!

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