Advanced Snow Stability and Terrain Evaluation     Course Cost $110

This optional extra field day is a great way to get more practice at terrain evaluation, safe travel and route finding skills, and snowpack observation and testing in greater detail than in our Avalanche Awareness program. After a quick rescue skills check, we will spend the day traveling in avalanche terrain, throughout utilizing safe travel techniques. We will practice various snowpack observational and testing skills including short and/or full snow profiles, demonstrating concepts like grain types, sizes and significance, hardness, and density; and utilizing skills like the rutschblock, compression tests and ski tests, among others. You will learn how to record evaluation data.
 
This field day will be held at one of our locations where the terrain is best for practicing terrain evaluation and route finding skills. You will learn about areas likely to concentrate stress in the snowpack;  the effects of wind on drifting patterns, the result of micro-scale topography; and localized differences in layering. Avalanche Awareness students who complete this extra field day will have met requirements for CAA Recreational Avalanche Certification (CAA RAC guidelines) and for US Level I avalanche courses (AAA Level I guidelines) and will be so certified. This program is offered only to previous participants of our Avalanche Awareness program or equivalent.
 
Instruction ratios will range between 4:1 and 8:1. Sessions are separated when possible into groups of different abilities to maximize student's benefit.
 
While advanced skiers and snowboarders can join intermediate groups, please don't choose an advanced date unless your skiing or snowboarding ability is advanced.

 

To Register, please call the Vertical World at (206) 283-4497 (Seattle), 425-881-8826 (Redmond), or contact Marmot Mountain Works at 425-453-1515
 
2007- 2008 Course Dates:
    To be announced or upon request
 
Advanced Transceiver and Rescue Skills     Course Cost: $110
This field day allows us to focus on transceiver and rescue skills to address this important area in much greater depth than time limitations allow in our Avalanche Awareness course. We utilize the BCA beacon basin for efficiency in the practices. It is an ideal format for those still trying to make a decision on transceiver purchase, needing more practice (and who doesn’t), or for anyone wanting to learn the theory behind transceivers and the fine points of avalanche rescue.
 
You will have the opportunity to practice with transceivers of various brands ( i.e. newer models by Tracker and Ortovox) until you are comfortable with their operation and then will work on multiple and deep burial scenarios, manufacturers' and researchers' pinpointing methodology, and the difficulties encountered when transceivers are buried in various orientations relative to that of the searching transceiver. Of course, you can also provide your own transceiver.
 
We will practice coarse probing and work a complex rescue scenario with victims buried at various depths. For this one day we will join forces with the Level II class, during their rescue skills day. We will spend 1/2 of the day on a tour, emphasizing safe travel. Avalanche Awareness students who complete this extra field day will have met requirements for CAA Recreational Avalanche Certification (CAA RAC guidelines) and US Level I (AAA Level I guidelines) and will be so certified.
 
This program is offered only to previous participants of our Avalanche Awareness program or equivalent.