AIARE Avalanche Refresher Course
Mount Baker - Snoqualmie Pass - Stevens Pass | WashingtonAIARE Avalanche Refresher Course
- Mountaineering School
- Pack Weight: 20 lbs.
- 1 Day
- Gallery
- Dates & Pricing
Avalanche education skills don’t stay sharp on their own. The AIARE 1 Refresher is a one-day, field-based course that puts you back in the driver’s seat — planning and leading a real backcountry tour under the eye of a certified AIARE Instructor, working the full AIARE Decision-Making Framework in live terrain and conditions.
Recommended for:
- Backcountry travelers who completed an AIARE 1 or equivalent course but haven’t practiced formally in a season or more
- Touring groups seeking to align on communication strategies, risk tolerance, and travel protocols before the season begins
- Experienced travelers returning to the backcountry after an extended absence
Course Highlights
Decades of Experience: 30+ years of experience leading courses throughout the Pacific Northwest
Expert Guides: 6:1 student-to-guide ratio with an experienced guide
Flexible Learning: Online pre-course component for additional review in terrain management, communication, and rescue fundamentals
Varied Terrain: Multiple venue locations across the Cascades
Avalanche Rescue Scenarios: Features avalanche companion rescue and applying local forecasting tools
Development: Students leave with a structured plan to continue avalanche education
Women’s Programs: Women’s-only courses available in partnership with SheJumps
We had an excellent instructor who provided opportunities to confirm our understanding of each concept.
He had great relevant experiences to share that drove the point home and made each technique memorable.
All instructors were great and knowledgeable!
Sam’s an impeccable teacher with an amazing teaching style.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the basic overview of avalanches
- Learn efficient use of avalanche safety equipment
- Avalanche companion rescue single rescuer and companion rescue
- Practice techniques for executing a backcountry avalanche rescue
The Alpine Ascents Way
Our course dedicates a full field day entirely to companion rescue skills and their real-world application
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Partnerships with AIARE, A3, and SheJumps
We uphold the highest national standards and practices in avalanche education
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Course Locations
All courses based in the Pacific Northwest with easy access and varied terrain for hands-on instruction
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The Alpine Ascents Way
Our AIARE 1 Refresher course is a full day in the field, focused on renewing skills for making and executing a plan in avalanche terrain. Participants spend the day on a real backcountry tour refining technique with AIARE-certified Alpine Ascents instructors, ski patrollers, and certified ski guides, all teaching directly from the national AIARE and A3 Avalanche 1 curriculum. Our team brings deep local knowledge, strong instructional backgrounds, and a genuine passion for helping skiers and riders improve their rescue proficiency.
Instruction is practical, hands-on, and real-life. Students plan and lead a backcountry tour under the guidance of a certified AIARE Instructor, applying each element of the framework in real terrain and conditions.
Our Partnership with AIARE & A3
Alpine Ascents is proud to partner with The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) to provide avalanche education courses. AIARE is a nonprofit established in 1998 specializing in the development of avalanche education curriculum. AIARE’s mission is to save lives through education for recreationalists and professionals. Our instructors are certified by AIARE to teach avalanche education.
Alpine Ascents is a recognized American Avalanche Association provider. Our AIARE courses meet the national standards set by the American Avalanche Association (A3) to deliver high quality and proven curriculum with experienced educators. A3 providers are held to the highest industry standard for education and risk management. Additionally, A3 providers guarantee small class sizes and hands-on field experience.
Women’s Only Courses with SheJumps
Since 2020, Alpine Ascents has proudly partnered with SheJumps as the guide service for their fundraising climbs, avalanche courses and Snowpack Scholarship, and mountaineering and rock climbing programs. We value this partnership and are glad to support SheJumps in their mission.
SheJumps is dedicated to welcoming women, girls, and non-binary folks into outdoor spaces, and aims to empower women through educational experience and inclusive spaces. We partner with SheJumps for women’s only Avalanche Rescue courses each season, where participants learn from and alongside other women and non-binary folks. Please indicate SheJumps in the notes section of your application to join.
Mount Baker
Mt. Baker (10,781 ft), the highest point of the North Cascades, is a heavily glaciated dormant volcano. The twelve active glaciers of Mt. Baker cover an area exceeding 20 square miles. Mt. Baker is unique in its great mass of snow and ice and easy accessibility. This combination creates a perfect training ground for backcountry skiing and riding.
- Setting the world record for recorded snowfall in a single season (1,140′ in 1999), Mt. Baker remains one of the snowiest spots in the Pacific Northwest and the world
- The Heather Meadows area offers prime ski tours for skiers/riders of all ability levels, from wide bowls, to tight trees
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass (3,100 ft), is located less than an hour from Seattle and offers a convenient escape from the city. A combination of high snowfall, easy accessibility, and desirable slopes and epic couloirs make Snoqualmie Pass one of the best zones in Washington and exceedingly popular with backcountry travelers of all experience levels.
- The roadside ski tours around Snoqualmie Pass and beyond are unusually steep and access excellent terrain
- Many consider Snoqualmie Pass to be one of the densest ski touring areas in the country by pure volume of runs
Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass (4,062 ft) is set deep within the Cascade Mountains off of Highway 2. This zone is known for deep powder and phenomenal tree skiing. Alpine terrain hidden high above the tree line offers skiers of all abilities a playground that has everything from large open bowls to steep narrow couloirs. Convenient roadside access provides an easy entry to sustained long vertical ski runs and the some of the highest quality snow in the state.
- Yodelin, a retired ski area just northeast of Stevens Pass, is a favorite zone featuring open glades and liberally spaced trees
- The Stevens Pass backcountry area has a convenient and short approach
AIARE Avalanche Refresher Course Blog
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Local Impact
Alpine Ascents maintains close ties with the Northwest Avalanche Center ‘NWAC’. We firmly believe in NWAC’s mission to equip our community and reduce the impact of Avalanches. As a supporting sponsor, you’ll find Alpine Ascents hosting ski education days with NWAC, collaborating on NWAC Avalanche awareness webinars, and contributing in-kind donations each year. Many of our guides/instructors also work with NWAC.
