The AIARE 1 is a decision making course for backcountry travelers wanting to learn to manage their personal and group risk and conduct the most effective companion rescue possible in the event of an accident. We offer courses this year out of Mammoth Lakes! These are the best Level 1 courses in the country, developed and taught by the most experienced AIARE qualified instructors in the industry.

The Level 1 is a three day, 24-hour introduction to avalanche hazard management that will:

• Provide a basic understanding of avalanches
• Describe a framework for decision making and risk management in avalanche terrain
• Give lessons and exercises that are practically oriented, useful, and applicable in the field.
• Teach to ask the right questions, rather than look for the “answer.”
• Students can expect to develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a trip, to understand basic decision making while in the field, and to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person (if an avalanche occurs and someone in the party is caught).

A final debrief includes a knowledge quiz to test student comprehension and to give feedback to instructors on instructional tools. Students are encouraged and counseled on how to apply the skills learned and told that no course can fully guarantee safety, either during or after course completion. A link is made to a future AIARE 2 course.

Winter 23 /24 Course Dates:

December 15-17
December 27-29 (Weekdays)
January 5-7
January 13-15
January 24-26 (Weekdays)
February 2-4
February 17-19
March 1-3
March 15-17
March 22-24
April 5-7