AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Safety Planning
Mount Baker - Snoqualmie Pass - Stevens Pass | WashingtonField Sessions
We meet from 8am – 4pm
We will meet at 8:00am the morning of our field sessions. Your instructor will provide detailed directions for the meeting point in your pre-course zoom meeting or via email. Course venue may change at any time due to weather, conditions, or road closures.
You are responsible for all transportation
Transportation is not provided. You will need snow tires or chains to get to our course location.
If you are renting a car, please be aware that most car rental agencies do not permit you to use chains with their vehicles. However, you can try to rent a car from Turo and select “all-wheel drive, ski rack, and snow tires/chains” to find a vehicle that is winter ready. Make vehicle reservations well in advance to secure an appropriate vehicle.
Parking
Like transportation, you are responsible for any parking fees at trailheads. Many ski areas now charge a parking fee per vehicle if you do not have a season pass. Check the venue for your course to verify parking fees or requirements. Your course leader will provide details about the field session meeting locations and any required parking permits during the Zoom meeting.
Winter Travel Advisories
Mountain road and mountain pass conditions can change dramatically over the course of a day. Please check the WSDOT website for conditions reports. Participants are responsible to ensure their vehicle meets WSDOT travel standards which could include required snow tires, chains, and/or AWD or 4WD. We strongly encourage carpooling.
Mount Rainier Courses
For courses at Mount Rainier, the group will meet in Ashford, WA. Alpine Ascents will provide transportation from Ashford to the Paradise trailhead in Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Baker Courses
Between November 1 and May 1, all vehicles on Hwy 542 up to Heather Meadows are required to carry tire chains. This requirement applies to all vehicle types in all weather and road conditions. Weather on Hwy 542 is notoriously quick to change, and sudden storms can appear with little or no warning. Please check the WSDOT website for current condition reports.
Snoqualmie Pass, Crystal Mountain, and Blewett Pass Courses
For courses at Snoqualmie Pass, chains/all weather tires are encouraged but not typically required unless mandated by the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The AIARE Online Curriculum
You have a pre-course online curriculum to complement your AIARE I. You will be sent information for accessing your online learning materials upon registration.
The AIARE online curriculum will provide additional learning to help you make the most of your AIARE I. The online course entails approximately six hours of self-paced instruction covering terminology and skills you will use on your course. We strongly recommend spreading out your online curriculum over several days. The more time you spend with the material, the more you will be able to take away from your course.
The online instruction is an integral part of this course; it is mandatory, not supplementary. You will find yourself significantly behind if you do not complete the online portion of the course, and will not receive a course completion certificate.
Please contact [email protected] with any technical questions.
Zoom Meeting
You will have a mandatory Zoom meeting from 7-9pm PST on the Tuesday prior to your first field session. SheJumps courses will have this meeting from 7-9pm on Wednesday. Meeting information is available in your confirmation materials.
This session is designed to prepare students for their field days. You will have ample opportunity to ask questions about course materials and learn the plan for our field days. We’ll also aim to accomplish these objectives.
- Practice using weather modeling and avalanche forecasting websites
- Create a tour plan for our first field session
- Review the gear list
Additional Online Resources
Prior to your course, we recommend becoming familiar with your local avalanche forecast center. In Washington, we are fortunate to have the North West Avalanche Center. If you are unsure of your local avalanche center, Avalanche.org can help you find the nearest avalanche center.
Interactive Online Educational Resources
- Alpine Ascents Avalanche Education Site (access provided to registered students)
- Know Before You Go
- Rescue at Cherry Bowl
- Snow Fall – The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek
- Avalanche Education Tutorial
Gear for AIARE 1
Many items are available to rent through Alpine Ascents’ Gear Department. If you plan to rent from us, you can pick up gear during business hours (9am-4:30pm) on Thursday or Friday before your course.
Food
Students need to bring their own lunches for the two field training days. These are long days, so please plan to bring about 1,000 calories of food.
Here’s a sample lunch pack:
- Cold pizza, fresh sandwich, or burrito
- Bagel with meat & cheese
- Piece of fresh fruit
- Trail mix
- A bakery cookie
- Small bag of chips or similar salty snack
- Cold drink mix for your water
Courses like these require a much higher energy expenditure on a daily basis than what you may expect. Eating well and frequently not only sustains energy levels but also keeps positive morale and attitude. By nature, mountains have periods of inclement weather and it is important that caloric intake be high and regular to help avoid hypothermia and other cold weather or altitude-related problems.
Lodging
Lodging between your two field days (night of Day 1) is not provided. Book lodging wherever you prefer near the course venue, or return home if you live locally. Below are some suggestions based on the venue of your course. We also recommend third party options, like Airbnb.
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is about 55 miles east of Seattle and is a reasonable day trip or an enjoyable overnight.
Summit Inn | (425) 434-6300
Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass falls between the town of Skykomish (16.2 miles away) and Leavenworth (35.2 miles away) and while options exist in either town, the faux Bavarian village of Leavenworth has many more hotels, restaurants, and is a travel destination in its own right.
Bavarian Lodge, Leavenworth | (888) 717 7878
Cascadia Inn, Skykomish | (425) 293 1937
Mount Baker
The closest town to our Baker courses is Glacier, Washington (~ 22 miles). Bellingham, Washington is farther away (~60 miles) but is a much larger town and has more lodging options and restaurants.
Blue T Lodge | (360) 599 9944
Mount Rainier
The closest town to our Rainier venue is Ashford, Washington.
Whittaker’s Bunkhouse | (360) 569-2439
Nisqually Lodge | (360) 569-8804
Alexander’s Lodge | (360) 569-2300
Leave No Trace
Alpine Ascents International practices Leave No Trace principles on all expeditions. As guides, we spend time teaching the environmentally appropriate Leave No Trace principles and practices. There is nothing more rewarding than working hard to get high into the mountains, reaching a pristine campsite, witnessing incredible views, and having the feeling that no one has been there before. Please read the seven LNT principles, and call the office if you have any questions about what you can do to plan ahead.
Tipping
Guides are permitted to accept and greatly appreciate tips. An average tip for the guide team is $50-75.
Please be aware that we are unable to process tips by card. You are welcome to tip your guides with cash or via mobile payment such as Venmo or PayPal.
AIARE Course Certificate
After your course is finished AIARE will send portal instructions for accessing your certificate. If you have not received that email within 30 days of course completion, please email [email protected]. AIARE course certificates are useful for future program eligibility, like for joining other outfitters’ backcountry trips or the AIARE 2.
Backcountry Ski Partner Course
This AIARE Level 1 Course focuses specifically on understanding avalanches and risk management in avalanche terrain, but it does not cover the other skills necessary for backcountry risk management and success. There’s a lot that can’t fit into these weekend AIARE field days. To further develop these other skills, we strongly recommend taking the Intro to Backcountry Touring course after your AIARE Course.
This two-day seminar is an excellent way to integrate your new understanding of avalanche hazard into the bigger equation of having a fun and successful day of backcountry skiing.
AIARE 1 students get $200 off any same season Intro to Touring course and 10% off any next season 6 Day Mountaineering course.
