Quick Details
Hut-Based Avalanche Safety
This Course is in partnership with Fortune Peak Huts. To register for the course, follow the “book now” link and select the $200 AIARE L2 add-on at checkout.
Experience a fully immersive learning experience this January 17th-20th through our hut-based avalanche education course. This is the best way to take the next step in your avalanche education with an AIARE 2 + 1.5 additional days of valuable touring time for feedback & coaching from your professional instructors.
Join us on this fantastic four-day adventure, based in the cozy Fortune Peak huts. You’ll dive headfirst into decision-making, terrain management, and tour planning like a pro. Get ready to explore some of Washington’s finest terrain – trust us, it’s like no other!
AIARE 2 builds on the frameworks introduced in AIARE 1 and provides backcountry travelers the opportunity to further advance their decision making skills in more complex terrain and situations. Students will evaluate and interpret weather, snowpack, and avalanche observations to choose appropriate terrain and gain experience applying risk management principles in a small group setting. These are invaluable skills to hone as your backcountry journey leads you to bigger and more remote objectives and will build confidence in developing a travel plan when resources are more scarce (such as on a backcountry hut trip!)
AIARE 2 follows a hybrid model, with approximately 8 hours of self-paced, online coursework followed by 2 days in the field. This one is built into the hut trip of your dreams! Enjoy the sauna and group cooking each evening plus 1.5 additional days of touring time. The course is best suited for those who have taken AIARE 1 in 2023 or before, with a minimum full year of backcountry experience and a recent Avalanche Rescue course.
**All of our AIARE Level 2 courses require attendance at an online pre-trip meeting 2 evenings before your course start date. Your instructor will reach out before the course with more information.**
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Day 1: Approach & Afternoon Review
Meet up at 29 Pines Sno-Park and embark on an exciting journey! Snowmobiles will transport you half-way before dropping you off and continuing to the hut with your overnight gear, where it will be waiting for you. Touring the remaining 4 miles/600′ gain will be a nice way to warm up for the days to come. Once at the hut, we’ll regroup, then hit the snowy trails for an afternoon tour. Expect some transceiver practice, snow pit review & a fun tour to stretch the legs. We will focus on snowpack structure and practice documenting snow profiles. Upon returning to the hut, we’ll debrief the day, relax in the sauna, enjoy a meal together, and discuss the next day’s plan!Day 2: Student Led Tour
We’ll spend a full day in the field as you lead the tour planning and decision points. Instructional focus will be on snowpack assessment techniques like hand shears, hand pits, test slopes & adding more tools to your snow pit toolbox all to help you reduce uncertainty. At the end of the day, we’ll debrief, share lessons learned, and plan for the next day’s adventure.Day 3: Student Led Tour
The adventure continues! Today, we’ll focus on teamwork, communication, and making smart decisions as a group. You’ll take the lead again, & instructors will take more of a backseat offering feedback and coaching. Time to practice those vital discussion facilitations at key decision points with the support of professionals. And of course, we’ll end the day with a post-tour debrief, sauna time, and delicious dinner!Day 4: Morning Tour & Exit
Our final morning tour is filled with a mix of emotions – excitement and already a hint of nostalgia. Having completed all of the AIARE 2 curriculum, we’ll all join together for one last adventure. Mid-day, we’ll gather to debrief the entire course and provide you with valuable feedback and resources for your future journeys. And remember, this is only the beginning of your backcountry endeavors! -
- 18+ for adult courses or 16+ with consent from a guardian and Kaf approval
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- Physical ability to hike or tour for 4-5 hours, ascending about 2000′, with a 30lb pack
- Advanced skiing or snowboarding skills (ability to ski or ride black diamond runs in all snow conditions)
- Graduation from AIARE 1 and AIARE Rescue courses
- At least 1 full year of backcountry touring experience applying the principles you used in previous courses
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- A solid understanding of mountain snowpack variations and layering, avalanche formation and release
- How to identify meteorological factors and use temperature/precipitation observations to anticipate snow conditions and weather effects on snowpack
- How to use checklists and bulletins as tools to evaluate hazards, target field observations and assess terrain options.
- How to identify components and their relevance to an avalanche problem, and apply those observations to field decisions
- How to submit observations to the local avalanche center
- Effective trip planning and risk management
- How to be more efficient, more proficient backcountry travelers.
- A solid understanding of mountain snowpack variations and layering, avalanche formation and release
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- ~8 hours of online learning at home
- Snowmobile shuttle halfway to basecamp (4 miles)
- Portering of overnight equipment to the hut
- 3-night hut stay
- 3 excellent meals prepared daily (please bring your own snacks)
- 4 field days with professional AIARE Instructors & Course Leaders
- AIARE Field Book
- Group Snow Study Kit
- 4:1 max student:guide ratio
- Evening sauna sessions
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- Winter touring equipment (skis, splitboard, telemark + skins)
- Transportation to/from the trailhead
- Lunches & snacks
- Personal layers & sauna-wear
- Personal sleep kits
- Beverages (besides water)
- Personal avalanche safety gear: beacon, probe, and shovel
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You will need to provide one of the following snow travel tools:
- Skis, boots, and bindings (Metal edge skis, plastic boots, and Randonee/alpine touring/downhill Telemark bindings). Please note: Cross-country skis will not work for backcountry tours.
- Splitboard with adjustable bindings that move into “tour” mode efficiently (Soft boots are okay, and hard boots are preferred)
Additional equipment needed:
- Personal avalanche safety gear: beacon, probe, and shovel
- Helmet
- Personal layers
- Sleep setup for in the hut (warm sleeping bag)
- Evening hut shoes/sauna-wear
- Extra duffel to carry camp items to hut
- Skis, boots, and bindings (Metal edge skis, plastic boots, and Randonee/alpine touring/downhill Telemark bindings). Please note: Cross-country skis will not work for backcountry tours.
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Transportation and times will be coordinated by email when the pre-trip announcement is sent to all registrants.