The AIARE 1 Avalanche Course is a three-day introduction to avalanche hazard evaluation and decision-making for backcountry skiers and splitboarders. Led by professional, certified instructors, this course is designed for travelers who already have backcountry experience and want the skills to prepare and plan for travel in avalanche terrain.
Every AIARE 1 course with Timberline Mountain Guides is led by an AMGA Certified Ski Guide, making us the most highly certified avalanche education staff in Oregon.
Course Overview – AIARE 1
Our AIARE 1 course in Oregon provides a structured foundation in avalanche education, combining classroom learning, field observations, and hands-on rescue practice. Instruction is delivered by AMGA-Certified Ski Guides and AIARE Certified Course Leaders and Instructors, ensuring a professional standard of avalanche education that exceeds typical recreational courses.
Over three days, you’ll learn to:
- Understand how avalanches form and what causes them
- Identify avalanche terrain and common hazard patterns
- Apply modern decision-making frameworks for backcountry travel
- Gather and interpret weather, snowpack, and avalanche forecast data
- Perform effective companion rescue using beacon, probe, and shovel
By the end of the course, you’ll have a practical system for assessing risk and making informed decisions in the backcountry.
Three-Day AIARE 1 Course Structure
Day 1 – Classroom & Companion Rescue
We begin with a half day indoors covering core avalanche theory, terrain recognition, and decision-making frameworks that are best taught in a classroom setting. In the afternoon, we move outside to focus on hands-on avalanche companion rescue.
Using the tools you rely on every day in the backcountry—transceiver, probe, and shovel—you’ll get repeated practice with real-time feedback from certified instructors. The goal is not just competence, but efficiency, confidence, and a clear plan for ongoing rescue practice and skill development beyond the course.
Day 2 – Field Observations & Snowpack Assessment
Day two is spent entirely in the field building the foundation of avalanche assessment through snowpack and weather observations. You’ll learn how to gather and interpret field data, identify red flags, and recognize weather patterns that influence avalanche conditions.
The afternoon is dedicated to digging snowpits, examining snow layering, and performing snowpack stability tests—the same tools and processes avalanche forecasters use to build daily forecasts. You’ll learn the terminology, methods, and context needed to meaningfully participate in avalanche discussions and planning.
Day 3 – Tour Planning & Decision-Making
Day three is a full day of backcountry touring where students take an active leadership role. You’ll plan and execute a tour, practice real-time decision-making, and develop productive communication and group management skills in dynamic terrain.
Under the guidance of some of the most highly trained instructors and guides in Central Oregon, you’ll decide when and where to travel based on observations, conditions, and risk assessment. This day brings everything together—laying the foundation for lifelong avalanche assessment and responsible backcountry travel.
Online Curriculum Included
Before the course begins, all participants will have access to the AIARE online learning module, which takes approximately 4–6 hours. This pre-course work is essential and allows us to maximize hands-on learning during field days.
Completion of the online curriculum is required prior to attending the course.
Student Prerequisites
Participants must meet the following prerequisites:
- At least one season of backcountry touring experience
- Comfortable skiing ungroomed, off-piste snow
- Experience using climbing skins and touring bindings
- Comfortable skiing with a backpack
- Able to manage personal layering, nutrition, and hydration
- Prepared for cold, windy, and stormy winter conditions
If you need a bit more experience, take our First Tracks Course to learn more about touring and to get used to your equipment, or hire one of our guides on a Backcountry Day for a more personalized experience.
Why Take AIARE 1 with Timberline Mountain Guides?
- Every course is led by an AMGA Certified Ski Guide
- One of the most highly certified instructional teams in Central Oregon
- Our AIARE-certified educators are also professional ski guides
- Small group sizes for personalized instruction and feedback
- Real-world learning in Oregon’s complex and varied avalanche terrain
- A supportive, inclusive learning environment focused on long-term progression
Ready to Build a Foundation in Avalanche Safety?
Join Timberline Mountain Guides for an AIARE 1 Avalanche Course in Oregon and gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to travel more responsibly in the backcountry.
