Avalanche course?

[Peter_Baer]

Any recommendations for an introductory avalanche course (in the Seattle area)? The options I've found so are:

Mountain Madness: 3 lectures, 1 field trip, $125 (http://www.mountainmadness.com/alpine/avalanche.htm)

NW Avalanche Institute: 1 full weekend, $225 (http://www.avalanche.org/~nai/course.htm)

Mountaineers: 1 lecture, 1 field trip, $30 (http://home.earthlink.net/~brenthostetler/Go12.html)

[This message has been edited by Peter Baer (edited 11-30-2000).]

[Peter_Baer]

I just talked to Paul Baugher at the NAI. The NAI courses are pretty much the industry standard for guides and avalanche workers in the NW. They are taught by avalanche professionals who all have at least 15 years operational experience (see http://www.avalanche.org/~nai/staff.htm for credentials). They do not issue certificates per se; the only official certificate you can get is by completing the National Avalanche School, which is a week-long course held every two years (http://www.nsp.org/Education/avalancheschool.htm) and which is what you take if you want to become an avalanche professional yourself.

 

I asked Paul if Gary Brill's course at Mountain Madness is equivalent to the NAI's level I and he said that the content is probably similar but it is more of an awareness course rather than the foundation for a guide-level avalanche education. He described Gary Brill as competent but pointed out that he's not an avalanche professional and that a course taken through him is unlikely to be recognized by anyone outside of WA. Whereas, although the NAI doesn't issue official credentials, their instructors and courses are nationally recognized by other avalanche professionals.

 

The $225 for the level I course at Crystal does not include lodging (but one could stay at a motel in Enumclaw or camp near Crystal). The instructor:student ratio is about 1:8 in the field with a total class size of 25-30. The fee does include lift tickets for both days but (before you get too excited) there is basically no time for extracurricular activity. Most of the field time is spent in Crystal's south backcountry (using your personal ski/snowboard equipment) and you basically only use the lift ticket for one ride up each day.

 

You do not need to have taken the NAI level I course in order to take their level II course, but you obviously want to have had some introductory course, and the NAI level II course builds directly on top of level I. Level II course students are expected to have spent a lot of time (50%) on rescue techniques in their introductory course, which most awareness courses don't.

[gusto]

In addition to avalanche courses can anyone recommend a good book.

[Mike_Palmer]

The best book I have found is Avalanche Safety for Skiers & Climbers (2nd Ed.) by Tony Daffern. We use this for our classes at Cascade Crags and the Mountaineers recommend it also.

[Peter_Baer]

To follow up...

Jakub Kulesza and I took the NAI Level I course last month, and I can say it was worth every cent. The principal instructors were Paul Baugher (ski patrol director at Crystal), and Mark Moore (head of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Institute). The mornings of each of the two days were spent in lecture, and the afternoons in the field. The class consisted of a mix of recreational backcountry skiers and climbers, junior ski patrollers and climbing/skiing guides.

Aside from the thorough introduction to the physics of snow metamorphism, vapor pressure gradients, weather factors, etc., and field experience digging snow pits and doing Rutschblock tests, the most valuable lesson was the rescue scenario. I won't give away any details since part of its effectiveness came from the fact that we didn't really know what to expect. The point we took home was that you have to practice, practice, practice this stuff!

Even if you've read everything about how to conduct a rescue, the fact is that in a high-stress situation you will not be able to put that book-learnin' into practice with any sort of efficiency. This is something your body must remember physically doing many times before. Simple mistakes, like forgetting to make sure everyone in the search party has their beacons set to receive, can cost valuable time (and forgetting to turn it back to transmit when another avalanche hits can cost you your life!). If you're struggling to remember what to do, you're likely to tunnel-vision on the first thing that comes to mind (say, homing in on your buddy's beacon) and lose sight of the big picture (Is somebody keeping an eye on that hangfire threatening to cause another avalanche? Are you missing any clues about where the victim might have ended up? Does somebody have a probe and shovel ready to go once you've pinpointed the beacon?).

I highly recommend the class; unfortunately it's only offered once a year. We will probably take the Level II course next year.

[This message has been edited by Peter Baer (edited 02-20-2001).]

[Rodchester]

I have taken Gary Brill's course and it was excellent. Gary is very well known and is often called by many of the so called avalanche experts.

Many in the park service and forest service refer to Gary as "Mr. Avalanche." When you are known as such, the word "professinal" lacks impact.

It is true that Gary's course focuses more on "backcountry" danagers faced by backcountry travellers, skiers, snowshoers, mountaineers, etc., and less on how to "trigger" or "control" an avalanche near a ski area.

Put simply...if you want to be an avalanche worker take the NAI course. If your focus is backcountry travel...go with Gary.

Those with the most knowledge seem to start with a course like Gary's and then grow by personal study, reading, field experience, and interaction with others who are knowledgeable.

Good luck!!!!

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Have a nice day.

[David_Parker]

My vote is overwhelmingly for the NAI. Like Peter said, the focus is beyond book learning and puts you through the necessary skills in field work. I can't stress how important this is. The best point I got out of my course (Utah, 1984) was how to not be in one!!! I can't believe the idiots around here that think because they have a beacon and shovel, they have a pass to travel in hazardous terrain! I guess the point that was driven home to me through my course was your brain is the best tool to save you from an avalanche and the NAI will teach you what you need to know and you will get hands on practice out in the field....practice, practice., practice!!! DPP

[Peter_Baer]

FYI: The NAI courses focus on stability evaluation, forecasting, and rescue. They are not really the track for avalanche professionals -- for that you would take a course with the Canadian Avalanche Association or the National Ski Patrol. Learning how to play with explosives is a whole different subject...

[Rodchester]

The Mountain Madness course also puts much emphasis on field work.

Sounds to me like these two course are pretty similar.

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Have a nice day.

[goatboy]

I took a level I course from NAI on Mt Hood in january and it was excellent, though the low snowpack did not afford much opportunity for in-depth snowpack analysis, pit digging, etc (which are normally more emphasized parts of the hands-on curriculum). We did do lots of transceiver practice, as the conditions were more appropriate for that activity.

The NAI also offers a level II course (at crystal mt) and a III course (around Mazama, WA). They describe the level III course as being a "guide's" course. In this course, they do practice using explosives to trigger avalanches (as you would in a heli-ski operation or ski resort).

For more info, go to

http://www.avalanche.org/~nai/

Hope that info is helpful.

[Dru]

If you want a book designed for the professional, as opposed to the recreational skiier or climber, I would check out the <b>Avalanche Handbook</u> by Dave McClung and Peter Schearer. They know their stuff. McClung in particular was head of avalanche control in Rogers Pass for 10 years, additionally has climbed 8000m peaks and put up the "Peruvian Headwall" finish to the Price Glacier roue on Shuksan.