2025-2026 AIARE Courses are open for booking!
This 24-hour SNOWSHOE ONLY course follows the standard AIARE 1 curriculum. The level 1 course is an introduction to managing avalanche hazard. You will learn how to use a repeatable process to manage your risk and learn from your experiences in the backcountry. You will also practice preparing for and carrying out a backcountry tour. The importance of record keeping, communicating, and making continuous decisions about hazards while in the backcountry will be demonstrated while in the field and you will learn rescue techniques if an avalanche occurs and someone is caught.
This 24-hour course is an introduction to managing avalanche hazard. You will learn how to use a repeatable process to manage your risk and learn from your experiences in the backcountry. You will also practice preparing for and carrying out a backcountry trip. The importance of record keeping, communicating, and making continuous decisions about hazards while in the backcountry will be demonstrated while in the field and you will learn rescue techniques if an avalanche occurs and someone is caught.
Who Should Take this Course?
AIARE 1 is for anyone, regardless of their method of backcountry travel, who wants to recreate in or near avalanche terrain. You should be able to travel off-trail on ungroomed or unmaintained terrain and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow, but there are no other prerequisites for this course.
AIARE 1 is a prerequisite for AIARE 2, as well as the Pro 1 course for aspiring avalanche professionals.
Snowshoe only AIARE course — For non-skiers or those very new to skiing who would like to learn avalanche safety. You must be on snowshoes for this course. We are not allowing snowshoers in our other AIARE courses. If these dates don’t work, consider getting a group together to set up a private course.
Course Times/Dates. Please note the order of classroom and field days could change due to weather/snow/road conditions for the 3 consecutive day courses; plan to be available to potentially go into the field on a scheduled classroom day. Zoom sessions are 6-8 PM for evening classroom sessions or 9-11AM and 1-3 PM for day classroom sessions. In person classroom sessions are usually 9AM - 3PM in North Bend.
| 2025-26 DATES | SCHEDULE | CLASSROOM TYPE | MODE |
| Dec 26 - 28 | Fri Classroom; Sat/Sun Field | Zoom | Snowshoe only |
| Jan 27 - Feb 1 | Tue/Th Eve Zoom; Sat/Sun Field | Zoom | Snowshoe only |
Please note that you will only see the START date for the course when you are booking. If the date shows 0 open spots, the course is sold out and you may opt to join the waitlist for that course. You may join as many waitlists as you like.
Why Take Your AIARE 1 with Us?
Our guides have some of the highest quality training and certification in the industry, and you can be sure that we have the permits, licenses and insurance in every location we operate. Our instructors have completed (at least) an AIARE Instructor Training Course and are members of the American Avalanche Association, and many of them are AMGA-certified guides, Wilderness First Responders, EMTs, and/or Leave No Trace educators. You always get a safe, high-quality trip or learning environment with us. You will travel and learn from experts. We've pioneered several alpine climbing routes, ski descents, and traverses and we've written books on backcountry skills and routes.
What You’ll Learn
During an AIARE 1 course, you’ll spend time learning these skills, both in a classroom setting and in the field:
Overall Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
Skills Required: Solid intermediate snowshoeing skills.
Fitness Level: Moderate
AIARE 1 SAMPLE COURSE CURRICULUM
Day 1
Online/Zoom: typically 9:00-11:00am and 1:00-3:00pm OR two evening sessions 6:00-8:00pm
In Person: typically 9:00am-3:00pm (with lunch break) or two evening sessions 6:30-9:30pm
Day 2 - 1st field day - 8am-4pm
Day 3 - 2nd field day - 8am-4pm
Snow Travel Gear
Safety Gear
Snow Study Equipment (required for AIARE Level 2 ONLY)
About two thirds of the time will be spent outside. AIARE guidelines require two full field days.
Although tipping is not a requirement, it is considered standard practice in the guiding industry and is appreciated by our guides. We generally recommend roughly 10%-20% of your course or trip cost or a flat amount that you are comfortable with.
Yes! However, we will only offer the courses when they are full. We define full as the maximum student to guide ratio of 6:1 or 12:2. Therefore, you would have to pay for 6 spots (at our advertised price) even if you have less people. Feel free to get a group together and give us a call or send us an email to find dates that work!
