Avalanche classes in MN this week

Four Hour Avalanche Class
Specifically for snowmobilers

Avalanche classes coming to Minnesota

Classes are effective, proven and affordable.

Learn: How to avoid the most common mistakes, what equipment works best, human factors involved in avalanche accidents, how to rescue effectively, evaluate terrain, avoid terrain traps, analyze stability and increase your skills in the mountains.


Cost $45 Must sign up in advance

Take the class with those you ride with.

Bemidji
Date: December 2, 2009
Location: Holiday Inn Express. 2422 Ridgeway NW Bemidji, MN 56601
Time: Wednesday 6pm-10pm
To sign up: Email: avalanche@bemidjisportscentre.com

Hutchinson
Date: December 3, 2009
Location: Squeaky’s Grill and Bar 1150 Hwy 7W Hutchinson, MN 55350
Time: Thursday 6pm-10pm
To sign up: Call Alvin 320-587-9505, funsport@hutchtel.net

White Bear Lake
Date: December 4, 2009
Location: Big Tom’s Motorsports. 3696 Scheuneman Rd Ste 1 White Bear lake, MN 55110
Time: Friday 6pm-10pm
To sign up: 651-653-3507 or bigtomsmotorsports@yahoo.com

Four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.

Instructor: Mike Duffy. Level I & II Avalanche instructor Colorado Mountain College, rescue/avalanche team leader/avalanche mission coordinator Vail Mountain Rescue Group, instructor Walter Kirch Avalanche Seminars, graduate of National Avalanche School, National Academy of Winter Guiding, AVPRO. Mountain Snowmobiler for 20 years. Member American Avalanche Association. Trained by BCA and Ortovox.

Course content:
-Introduction to avalanches, statistics, contributing factors.
-Avalanche reports.
-Signs of instability/stability analysis.
-Equipment.
-What to carry and what works best.
-Avalanche beacons.
-Fast and effective single and multiple burial searches.
-Rescue
-Avalanche survival methods
-Deploying avalanche airbag packs
-Effective hasty search techniques.
-Mistakes in rescue.
-Group Dynamics/heuristics.
-Slide show: Terrain Evaluation/terrain traps.
-Preparing for your trip.
-What to do if lost or injured.
-Stability tests.
-Scenarios.

Here's what's coming up in Minnesota Dec 14-18, 2009

Four Hour Avalanche Class
Specifically for snowmobilers

Classes are effective, proven and affordable.

Learn: How to avoid the most common mistakes, what equipment works best, human factors involved in avalanche accidents, how to rescue effectively, evaluate terrain, avoid terrain traps, analyze stability and increase your skills in the mountains.


Cost $45 Must sign up in advance. Discount on avalanche gear for participants.

Take the class with those you ride with.
St. Cloud

Date: December 14, 2009, Monday
Location: Motors n More 1601 Riverside Ave South Sartell, MN 56377
www.motors-n-more.com

Time: Monday 6-10pm

Cost $45 Must sign up in advance. Discount on avalanche gear for participants.

To sign up: Email Jeff Ward: jjjtward@gmail.com or call 320-257-0500


Hope, MN
Date: December 15, 2009, Tuesday
Location: Steele County Snowmobile Trail Assn. 9028 SW 37th Ave Hope, MN 56046. 3 miles south of Owatonna, MN just off 35W. North end of old COOP gas station across from Hope Creamery.


Time: Tuesday 6-10pm

Cost $45 Must sign up in advance. Discount on avalanche gear for participants.


To sign up: Call Jim Fiebiger and ask to sign up with the receptionist507-583-6688


Delano
Date: December 16, 2009, Wednesday
Location: Delano Sports Center 820 Babcock Blvd W (Hwy 12) Delano, MN 55328 www.bikershop.com

Time: Wednesday 6-10pm

Cost $45 Must sign up in advance. Discount on avalanche gear for participants.


To sign up: Email greg@bikershop.com or call Greg Nagle 763-972-2677

New York Mills

Date: December 18, 2009, Friday
Location: 36433 State Hwy 106 New York Mills, MN 56567. Lok for the white Polaris RMK out front.

Time: Friday 6-10pm

Cost $45 Must sign up in advance. Discount on avalanche gear for participants.


To sign up: Email Dave Rogers: drogers@lakesplus.com or call 218-640-1449

Four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.

Instructor: Mike Duffy. Level I & II Avalanche instructor Colorado Mountain College, rescue/avalanche team leader/avalanche mission coordinator Vail Mountain Rescue Group, instructor Walter Kirch Avalanche Seminars, graduate of National Avalanche School, National Academy of Winter Guiding, AVPRO. Mountain Snowmobiler for 20 years. Member American Avalanche Association. Trained by BCA and Ortovox.

Course content:
-Introduction to avalanches, statistics, contributing factors.
-Avalanche reports.
-Signs of instability/stability analysis.
-Equipment.
-What to carry and what works best.
-Avalanche beacons.
-Fast and effective single and multiple burial searches.
-Rescue
-Avalanche survival methods
-Deploying avalanche airbag packs
-Effective hasty search techniques.
-Mistakes in rescue.
-Group Dynamics/heuristics.
-Slide show: Terrain Evaluation/terrain traps.
-Preparing for your trip.
-What to do if lost or injured.
-Stability tests.
-Scenarios.

Thanks to everyone who hosted classes last week in Minnesota. It was great meeting all of you, I had a great time.

The rescue and beacon class at Ski Gull north of Brainerd went very well. The following guys did extremely well in the rescue training:
Will Krough
Cory Soltis
Derek Zimney
Dennis Muggli
Zach Scott
Roger Bergstaler
Jon Ferrian
Zach Hanson
Tony Wells
Kelly Ziegler

These guys were doing multiple burials with no problem. Three guys were finding and uncovering three beacons in three minutes. Very impressive, especially considering the deep burials and rock hard snow. Next class at Ski Gull is January 14th.

Classroom session at Bristow's Janaury 12th 6-10pm

Classroom session at Centre Sports in Sauk Centre January 13 6-10pm

I'll post more info in the next couple of days. Mike Duffy
www.avalanche1.com

Next field session in Minnesota:

Please note that prerequisite is the four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.
If the evening class at Ski Gull fills up, I will try to arrange a class in the morning on the same day.

Four Hour Avalanche Beacon and Rescue Field Session

Outdoors setting. Hands-on training.

Date: January 14, 2009
Location: Brainerd, MN Ski Gull. www.skigull.com 9898 County Rd 77sw Nisswa, MN 56468
Directions
From Brainerd: North on Hwy 371 approximately 4 miles to County Road 77 (Pine Beach Road). Turn west on 77 aproximately 10 miles to Ski Gull on your right.
From Nisswa: South on Hwy 371 approximately 2 miles to County Road 77. Turn east on 77 approximately 7 miles to Ski Gull on your left.


Time: Thursday 6pm-10pm

Prerequisite: Four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.
Learn: To find a beacon in under two minutes, search efficiently for multiple beacons, probe for a victim, search techniques, lead and execute a fast avalanche rescue.
Course content:
Single and multiple beacon searches.
o Search patterns.
o Walk by test.
o Working as a team.
o Accurate pinpointing.
o Effective shoveling
o Common mistakes in beacon searches.
• Probing
o Finding someone without a beacon
o Effective probing and pinpointing deep burials
• Rescue techniques.
o It not just looking at a beacon.
o Analyzing the avalanche and finding the most likely burial point.
o Coordination and step by step procedures for a fast rescue.
o Leadership and team work.
o probing and probe lines.
o Mistakes in rescue.
• Rescue scenarios.
o Group timed rescue.
o Find victims with and without beacons.
What to bring:
• Warm clothes and extra gloves. Dress much warmer than you would expect. We have never cancelled a class due to weather.
• Food and water.
• Sunscreen.
• Your avalanche gear: beacon, shovel, probe.
• Good health, please let us know if you have health conditions or concerns. We will be walking/running up and down hills on the rescue scenario and rescue station.
We supply: Beacons, shovels and probes if you do not have them.
Take the class with those you ride with.

Cost $79 Must sign up and pay in advance. Only ten students. Send check to: Avalanche 1
PO Box 2298 Avon, CO 81620.
Cancellation policy: No refund unless 96 hours advanced notice.


To sign up: Email Mike Duffy: duffyww1@aol.com or call 970-390-9433. Please contact if you have any questions.


Instructor: Mike Duffy. Level I & II Avalanche instructor Colorado Mountain College, rescue/avalanche team leader/avalanche mission coordinator Vail Mountain Rescue Group, instructor Walter Kirch Avalanche Seminars, graduate of National Avalanche School, National Academy of Winter Guiding, AVPRO. Mountain Snowmobiler for 20 years. Member American Avalanche Association. Trained by BCA and Ortovox.

Upcoming classes:

January 12th Bristow's St. Cloud
January 13th Centre Sports, Sauk Centre
January 14th On the snow rescue class. Brainerd

For more info please check schedule page at www.avalanche1.com

Avalanche Classes
Specifically for snowmobilers

Avalanche classes coming to Minnesota January 12-14, 2010

Classes are effective, proven and affordable.

Learn: How to avoid the most common mistakes, what equipment works best, human factors involved in avalanche accidents, how to rescue effectively, evaluate terrain, avoid terrain traps, analyze stability and increase your skills in the mountains.


Take the class with those you ride with.

(step 1)Four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.
St. Cloud

Date: January 12, 2010
Location: Bristow’s 4 miles south of St. Cloud on Hwy 10 www.bristowsinc.com
Time: Tuesday 6pm-10pm
To sign up: Email nick@bristowsinc.com or call Nick 320-253-7878 x 108
Cost: $45 Must sign up in advance

Sauk Centre

Date: January 13, 2010
Location: Centre Sports 43164 Co Rd 112 North Hwy 71 Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Time: Wednesday 6pm-10pm
To sign up: Email mark@centre-sports.com or call 877-246-7898
Cost:$45 Must sign up in advance




(step 2)Four Hour Avalanche Beacon and Rescue Field Session
On the snow. Hands-on avalanche rescue class.

Brainerd

Date: January 14, 2010
Location: Ski Gull. www.skigull.com 9898 County Rd 77sw Nisswa, MN 56468
Time: Thursday 6pm-10pm
To sign up: Email duffyww1@aol.com or call 970-390-9433
Cost: $79 Must sign up and pay in advance. Only 10 spots available. May add a day session if needed.
Prerequisite: Four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.
What to bring:
-Warm clothes and extra gloves. Dress much warmer than you would expect. We have never cancelled a class due to weather.
-Food and water.
-Your avalanche gear: beacon, shovel, probe.
-Good health, please let us know if you have health conditions or concerns. We will be walking/running up and down hills on the rescue scenario and rescue station.
We supply: Beacons, shovels and probes if you do not have them.

Instructor: Mike Duffy. Level I & II Avalanche instructor Colorado Mountain College, rescue/avalanche team leader/avalanche mission coordinator Vail Mountain Rescue Group, instructor Walter Kirch Avalanche Seminars, graduate of National Avalanche School, National Academy of Winter Guiding, AVPRO. Mountain Snowmobiler for 20 years. Member American Avalanche Association. Trained by BCA and Ortovox.

Course content: Four hour avalanche awareness, avoidance and rescue class.

-Introduction to avalanches, statistics, contributing factors.
-Avalanche reports.
-Signs of instability/stability analysis.
-Equipment.
-What to carry and what works best.
-Avalanche beacons.
-Fast and effective single and multiple burial searches.
-Rescue
-Avalanche survival methods
-Deploying avalanche airbag packs
-Effective hasty search techniques.
-Mistakes in rescue.
-Group Dynamics/heuristics.
-Slide show: Terrain Evaluation/terrain traps.
-Preparing for your trip.
-What to do if lost or injured.
-Stability tests.
-Scenarios.

Course content: Four Hour Avalanche Beacon and Rescue Field Session
Single and multiple beacon searches.
o Search patterns.
o Walk by test.
o Working as a team.
o Accurate pinpointing.
o Effective shoveling
o Common mistakes in beacon searches.
• Probing
o Finding someone without a beacon
o Effective probing and pinpointing deep burials
• Rescue techniques.
o It not just looking at a beacon.
o Analyzing the avalanche and finding the most likely burial point.
o Coordination and step by step procedures for a fast rescue.
o Leadership and team work.
o probing and probe lines.
o Mistakes in rescue.
• Rescue scenarios.
o Group timed rescue.
Find victims with and without beacons

www.avalanche1.com​

Still room in St. Cloud and Sauk Centre this week. See above post.