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Expedition Kirkwood Avalanche Education
Kirkwood is rated a Class A avalanche area making it the perfect classroom for our avalanche & backcountry education programs. Expedition: Kirkwood has become one of the West Coast’s largest avalanche education providers, teaching the most current versions of the nationally recognized curriculum from the American Institute of Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE). Our AIARE trained instructors have over 25 years teaching experience and our avalanche programs combined with AIARE specific teaching methods are student centered. The prime goals of these courses are:
• Saving lives through avalanche education
• Increasing public awareness of avalanches and avalanche education
• Providing high quality avalanche education thereby enhancing public awareness and safety
No course can fully guarantee safety, either during or after completion, but the education & knowledge provided by these specialized courses are essential tools for any backcountry adventurer.
AIARE Avalanche Level 1
A 3 day introduction course to avalanche hazard management. Students will develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a trip, understand basic decision making while in the field, and learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person. Course description, equipment list and additional resources.
Cost:
$300 for passholders and $320 with a lift ticket (Day 2 will be spent on hill in bounds. A valid lift ticket or pass is needed).
If the dates above don't fit you or your groups needs, contact us about setting up your own personal Level 1 Course. Flexible dates and mid week options available for groups of 8 people or more. Put your own group together and contact us for dates and special pricing.
Expedition: Kirkwood Avalanche Level 1 Courses have a maximum of 16 participants per course. Make reservations early as these courses do fill up. To make a reservation for this course please call 209.258.7360.
AIARE Avalanche Level 2
The level 2 course is a 4 day program that provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills. The course also includes the introductory and prerequisite components for the professional progression: the level 3 certificate. The level 2 builds from the introductory avalanche hazard management model introduced in the level 1 and adds to it the evaluation of factors critical to stability evaluation. Students must have obtained a level 1 Certificate before taking a level 2 course. Course description, equipment list and additional resources.
Cost:
Dates:
TBD
Backcountry Awareness Course
Our Backcountry Awareness Course is a great introduction to avalanche awareness and will create a solid foundation upon which to build skills in the AIARE Course. Learn the basic skills needed to venture safely inside resort boundaries or into basic lift accessed backcountry terrain in this 4 hour course. Course includes avalanche awareness and avoidance, equipment usage, snow observations and safe terrain travel techniques. Clinics are lead by Expedition Guides and are limited to 8-10 participants. Strong Intermediate through upper skill level needed.
Clinics start at 10:00am sharp and fill up quickly; advanced reservations recommended. For this introduction course, backpack, shovel, probe and transceiver are not required; however, if you have your own gear, please bring it with you. Guides will have gear for demonstration purposes only.
Costs:
$50 (passholders), $80 with a lift ticket.
Dates: Dec 30, 2011; January 15 & 28, 2012; February 12 & 25, 2012; March 4 2012; April 1, 2012.
Beacon Basin
In partnership with Backcountry Access, Kirkwood is pleased to offer Beacon Basin - a state-of-the-art avalanche transceiver training site that features 11 permanently buried transmitters wired to a central control panel which allows users to control the number of transmitters that are activated. Beacon Basin is open to guests every day, free of charge (guests must have their own transceivers). Weather and conditions dependant.
For more information on these or any of our other clinics or courses, visit Expedition: Kirkwood Outfitters (across from the Village Plaza, next to Bub's) or contact us by phone:209.258.7360 or email:expedition [at] kirkwood [dot] com
