So it's the very beginning of the season and BottomFeeder already got caught up in an avay, half of my crew got caught up last season and we lost two phenomenal rides early last season too, the common thread is none of them knew what to look for insofar as recognizing the conditions as dangerous. One class can change that. So I'd like to know whose up for getting into a class; I'm going to look into the program that I took for times and pricing, I'll try to sell them on the idea of a group rate. The good news is that this program and the people who run it are world renown experts. Jill Fergason and Doug Feslar. They wrote the book Snow Sense. Anyhow please share your thoughts.
Avalanche classes
- Thread starter AKkatz
- Start date
2
I took a class with Doug about 8 years ago, wouldn't hurt to have a refresher.
There haven't been very many times since the class that I didn't do what I wanted, probably 8-10 times I have gotten to a beautiful big mountain with 3' of fresh and had to say, not today, conditions aren't right. Don't know if I avoided an avalanche or not, but even if only 1 in 10 of those would have slid I may not be here to talk about it.
Knowledge is the best tool to take with you into the back country.
There haven't been very many times since the class that I didn't do what I wanted, probably 8-10 times I have gotten to a beautiful big mountain with 3' of fresh and had to say, not today, conditions aren't right. Don't know if I avoided an avalanche or not, but even if only 1 in 10 of those would have slid I may not be here to talk about it.
Knowledge is the best tool to take with you into the back country.
A
I am in, keep me posted
A
Avalanche School Schedule
My daughter and I went to the lecture series on November 29 put on by the Alaska Avalanche School and it was very good. Kip Melling and Joe were the instructors and they are very good and have a lot of local avalanche pictures. I highly recommend a class with Kip. He's very informative, knowledgable, and down to earth, just like Doug & Jill were.
Anyway, here's the schedule.
http://www.alaskaavalanche.com/Site/Schedule.html
Our next step is Avalanche Level 1 back country hazard & rescue course of which I hope to go to in January.
My daughter and I went to the lecture series on November 29 put on by the Alaska Avalanche School and it was very good. Kip Melling and Joe were the instructors and they are very good and have a lot of local avalanche pictures. I highly recommend a class with Kip. He's very informative, knowledgable, and down to earth, just like Doug & Jill were.
Anyway, here's the schedule.
http://www.alaskaavalanche.com/Site/Schedule.html
Our next step is Avalanche Level 1 back country hazard & rescue course of which I hope to go to in January.
I'm in, lost a good friend at Turny & spent a week out there digging people out. I will never forget that.... Does any one have a link to that avy video back in spring 99? I like boondocking on rolling hills better now, could still slide, but I might stand a better chance than a 2000' wall of snow coming down. Problem is some hills are just to much temptation & the flesh is weak....
B
count me in.
A
Unfourntany I cant make any of the last lectures, but I will be goin to teh level 1 classes. Not sure if will be in January though.
A
R
Count me in for 2.
A
Class
I work with Kip Melling, I'll find out what he can do. Looks like a class of 10 or so?
I work with Kip Melling, I'll find out what he can do. Looks like a class of 10 or so?
N
I'm in for sure
C
I wouldnt mind going to another...
Always good to have a refresher!
Always good to have a refresher!
B
I am in
Count me in as well. Time permiting
0
I have taken
2 of their 3 day snowmachine avalanche classes before I will tell you it will be the best money you ever spent!:face-icon-small-hap
2 of their 3 day snowmachine avalanche classes before I will tell you it will be the best money you ever spent!:face-icon-small-hap
A
I would be interested, and I am sure my dad would be as well.
L
I'm interested in a class
A
Avy Class
We at Alaska Snow Safaris have been thinking about putting a field class schedule together for next season. We will try a pilot program this winter to see how the response goes. We would like to see a one day in the field program on different dates for beginners, intermediate, and advance level's.
We feel that there are plenty of class room environments to teach the concepts. We would like to see a place for riders that can train with beacons and probes in the field, work on route finding and decision making skills as well as practice with some made up scene scenarios.
We are talking now with Carl at the USFS, Blain at the AK Avalanche School, Warren at the Alyeska Resort and our own Mike Buck from Valdez to help with the instruction. I want instructors who are accomplished riders and understand our use and needs.
We have done this type of training for our own staff each year and I always have had requests from other people wanting to tag along with my guides if there is room. I feel that there is more and more interest in this type of program. Please pipe in on any thoughts or if it is even of interest?
I would also like to put a class together for glacier travel since more and more riders are going up onto glaciers and ice fields and might not understand what's going on up there. This would be for route selection, self crevasse rescue, and so on.
I have been holding out on posting anything up for awhile as I collected my thoughts but since we jutst spent today involved with the inter-agency avalanche training in Turnagin Pass, its fresh in my mind and I am even more motivated to get it going sooner than later.
We hope that we can change our current permit to start our pilot program just after the new year and see what happens??? We hope to use our new Placer Base Camp at the corner of the Portage Hwy and Seward Hwy to head out into Skookum, Placer, Squirrel flats, and Grandview depending on the level of the class.
Feel free to PM or post with any questions and we will update as the process moves along.
Chris
We at Alaska Snow Safaris have been thinking about putting a field class schedule together for next season. We will try a pilot program this winter to see how the response goes. We would like to see a one day in the field program on different dates for beginners, intermediate, and advance level's.
We feel that there are plenty of class room environments to teach the concepts. We would like to see a place for riders that can train with beacons and probes in the field, work on route finding and decision making skills as well as practice with some made up scene scenarios.
We are talking now with Carl at the USFS, Blain at the AK Avalanche School, Warren at the Alyeska Resort and our own Mike Buck from Valdez to help with the instruction. I want instructors who are accomplished riders and understand our use and needs.
We have done this type of training for our own staff each year and I always have had requests from other people wanting to tag along with my guides if there is room. I feel that there is more and more interest in this type of program. Please pipe in on any thoughts or if it is even of interest?
I would also like to put a class together for glacier travel since more and more riders are going up onto glaciers and ice fields and might not understand what's going on up there. This would be for route selection, self crevasse rescue, and so on.
I have been holding out on posting anything up for awhile as I collected my thoughts but since we jutst spent today involved with the inter-agency avalanche training in Turnagin Pass, its fresh in my mind and I am even more motivated to get it going sooner than later.
We hope that we can change our current permit to start our pilot program just after the new year and see what happens??? We hope to use our new Placer Base Camp at the corner of the Portage Hwy and Seward Hwy to head out into Skookum, Placer, Squirrel flats, and Grandview depending on the level of the class.
Feel free to PM or post with any questions and we will update as the process moves along.
Chris
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