I agree with Alex. I climbed for a few years in the Cascades and tried to mitigate avalanche risk by self-teaching, book learning, consulting NWAC, etc. Then, I started skiing more than climbing and decided to enroll in an AIARE level 1 course. It has been an eye opener, especially when it comes to decisions about micro-terrain features, group think, and how rapidly things can change out there. I realize now that in the past I just got lucky and "got away with one" or maybe even two or three... Be safe not sorry. A course may seem expensive and unnecessary, but it's not when you consider the consequences. It's not only your life that you need to think about but also that of your partners and other people that may be recreating nearby.