AIARE 1-day Rescue Course

An AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course is essential training for anyone who skis, splitboards, snowshoes, climbs, or travels in avalanche terrain. This hands-on, one-day course teaches the practical companion-rescue skills needed to respond quickly and effectively if someone in your group is caught and buried in an avalanche. Based near Snoqualmie Pass, our course offers convenient access to professional avalanche-rescue training for backcountry travelers from Seattle and throughout Washington.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to use an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel as part of an organized rescue response. We’ll practice beacon searches, coarse and fine searching, pinpoint probing, strategic shoveling, scene management, communication, and the steps to take if you or another member of your group is caught in an avalanche. The focus is on developing efficient, repeatable systems that you can rely on when time and clear decision-making matter most.

Students will complete realistic avalanche-rescue scenarios individually and as part of a small team. These field-based scenarios provide opportunities to improve search times, refine rescue techniques, identify common mistakes, and receive direct coaching from an experienced AIARE instructor. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your equipment, stronger companion-rescue skills, and a practical plan for continuing to practice after the course.

The one-day AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course is appropriate for both new and experienced backcountry travelers. It is an excellent introduction for anyone learning to use avalanche rescue equipment and an important refresher for experienced skiers, splitboarders, climbers, and snowshoers who want to keep their skills sharp. AIARE Avalanche Rescue is also a prerequisite for AIARE 2 and AIARE Pro 1 courses.

Avalanche rescue skills are perishable, and regular practice is critical. AIARE recommends completing an Avalanche Rescue Course at least every other year to stay current with rescue techniques, equipment, and best practices. Whether you are preparing for your first season in the backcountry or have years of experience, this Washington avalanche rescue course near Seattle will help you become a faster, more capable, and more dependable backcountry partner.