North Idaho Avalanche Course List 2022

idsnowghost · Dec 1, 2014

Updated 1/25/22-- more classes will be added as announced. See full list on the 'Know Before You Go' section.

There's quite a few options to choose from this year for avalanche education in our area!

The AIARE/AAA Level 1 course is a 3 day/24 hour introduction to avalanche hazard management. Students can expect to develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a trip, to understand basic decision making while in the field, and to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person (if an avalanche occurs and someone in the party is caught).

Local Avalanche Courses: (full course list here!)

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: January 15 - 16, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $375

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: January 22 - 23, 2022
Location: Silver Mountain, ID
Cost: $375

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: January 29-30, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $375

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: February 12-13, 2022
Location: Silver Mountain, ID
Cost: $375

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: February 19-20, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $375

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: February 26-27, 2022
Location: Silver Mountain, ID
Cost: $375

AAA Avalanche Level 1 Refresher
Dates: January 17, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $150

AAA Avalanche Level 1 Refresher
Dates: February 5, 2022
Location: Silver, ID
Cost: $150

AAA Avalanche Level 1 Refresher
Dates: February 6, 2022
Location: Silver, ID
Cost: $150

AAA Avalanche Level 1 Refresher
Dates: February 21, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $150

AAA Avalanche Level 2
Dates: March 25-27, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $500

Wilderness First Aid for Winter Backcountry Users
Dates: March 5-6, 2022
Location: Silver Mountain, ID
Cost: $300

Wilderness First Aid for Winter Backcountry Users
Dates: March 12-13, 2022
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $300

AAA Avalanche Rescue Fundamentals
Dates: December 18th, 2021
Location: Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $110

AAA Avalanche Rescue Fundamentals
Dates: December 19th, 2021
Location: Silver Mountain, ID
Cost: $110

More info:
(208) 263-5111
https://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org/friends-ipac-avalanche-safety-courses/

Selkirk Powder

AIARE Avalanche Level 1
Dates: January 8-9, 2022
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $450

AIARE Avalanche Level 1
Dates: January 22-23, 2022
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $450

AIARE Avalanche Level 1
Dates: January 29-30, 2022
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $450

AIARE Avalanche Level 2
Dates: TBD March 2022
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $450

AIARE Avalanche Rescue
Dates: December 18, 2021
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $200

AIARE Avalanche Rescue
Dates: December 19, 2021
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $200

AIARE Avalanche Rescue
Dates: TBD in January/February 2022
Location: Selkirk Powder Lodge, Schweitzer, ID
Cost: $200

More info:
(208) 263-6959
http://selkirkpowder.com/avalanche-courses/

University of Idaho Outdoor Program

AAA Avalanche Rescue
Dates: January 29, 2022
Location: Moscow, ID
Cost: $110 (Students $85)

AAA Avalanche Level 1
Dates: February 19-20, 2022
Location: Moscow, ID and TBD
Cost: $350 (Students $300)

More info:
(208) 885-6810
https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/recwell/outdoor-program

Complete list of local avalanche courses is listed on our 'Know Before You Go' section!

2FUNKY · Dec 1, 2014

My very good buddy is the founder of SOLE. Please support him and his foundation, they do a great course.

PowderPanda · Dec 2, 2014

2FUNKY said:
My very good buddy is the founder of SOLE. Please support him and his foundation, they do a great course.

Dennison is a good guy for sure!

huckandchuck · Dec 14, 2014

Thanks for putting this out there Mike. I've registered for the Jan 16-18 course. Very much looking forward to it.

BTW - I called and spoke w/ Dennison prior to my registration. He was extremely helpful (even though i caught him in the middle of his lunch). Hahaha!

epicpow · Dec 14, 2014

huckandchuck - I am registered for the JAN 16-18 course too. Looking forward to it, have been wanting to take my Level 1 for quite some time now.

PowderPanda · Dec 14, 2014

Love seeing so many people getting there education on!!

huckandchuck · Jan 20, 2015

For what it's worth, I just took the Level 1 class from SOLE in libby. I can honestly say that the experience exceeded my expectations in every facet. $325 is a small price to pay for this program, the entire weekend was packed with invaluable information and crucial hands on experience. I drove back to spokane feeling like I stole from them. Haha! If anyone out there is on the fence about signing up, please pull the trigger. You will NOT be sorry.

PowderPanda · Jan 21, 2015

huckandchuck said:
For what it's worth, I just took the Level 1 class from SOLE in libby. I can honestly say that the experience exceeded my expectations in every facet. $325 is a small price to pay for this program, the entire weekend was packed with invaluable information and crucial hands on experience. I drove back to spokane feeling like I stole from them. Haha! If anyone out there is on the fence about signing up, please pull the trigger. You will NOT be sorry.

Huck&Check,
I passed this on to Dennison. He's much appreciative of it!!! Stoked you got yours done!!! Welcome to the club!

Garret · Jan 21, 2015

huckandchuck said:
For what it's worth, I just took the Level 1 class from SOLE in libby. I can honestly say that the experience exceeded my expectations in every facet. $325 is a small price to pay for this program, the entire weekend was packed with invaluable information and crucial hands on experience. I drove back to spokane feeling like I stole from them. Haha! If anyone out there is on the fence about signing up, please pull the trigger. You will NOT be sorry.

Huckandchuck I also took the Level 1 class from SOLE and I would definitely second your opinion.

Dan H · Jan 22, 2015

I took the SOLE course with huckandchuck and epicpow as well. It was awesome and my first touring experience at all. Looking forward to more.

PowderPanda · Jan 22, 2015

That's so awesome to see the representation here on our site!!! Nice work guys!!
And Garrett.. for a high schooler.. awesome!!

Dan… Welcome to the site!!!

epicpow · Jan 23, 2015

Just to echo what huckandchuck and Dan H said. Thoroughly enjoyed the AIARE Level 1 course that SOLE put on last weekend. Dennison runs a great operation and the course instructors (Kip and George) were extremely knowledgeable, professional and patient with the newbies! I would highly recommend taking the AIARE course from SOLE. I know that I still have tons to learn but this course definitely made me more confident with my decision making in the backcountry!

idsnowghost · Jan 23, 2015

I've heard great things about George D. -- awesome that SOLE was able to bring him in as an instructor!

PowderPanda · Jan 23, 2015

I've forwarded all these comments to Dennison of SOLE. He is super stoked and thanks everyone for the positiveness he's received from Panhandle Backcountry people!!!! The members make Panhandle Backcountry #1!!

Batski · Dec 14, 2015

Here's another option for you guys on a quality avy course.
Myself and 4 of my buddies did a CAA AST 1 course this last weekend.
Our course was organized thru Big Red Cats in Rossland BC and Kootenay Avalanche Courses, Keith Robine is the instructor.
2 full days, 1st day is half classroom half field work, the second day is a Cat ride into Big Red Cats tenure. Then skiing, touring, slope assessments, decision making, beacon searches etc, etc.
Very full day, and you will feel like you have the ability to make the correct decisions when in the back country by the time you are done! I really liked the way the class was taught, the extremely practical way the material was presented and put into practice in the back country.
I don't know what their openings are like for the rest of the season, but the class is $215.00 Canadian which works out to be a real deal with the current exchange rate.
Here is there website if anyone's interested.
http://kootenayavalanchecourses.com/

Batski · Dec 14, 2015

And by the way the skiing/ boarding was EXCELLENT! 1.5 meters or more on the ground where we were on Saturday and it was really coming down in the afternoon. I think they were predicting 10 cm that evening with more on Sunday.

alpineunderground · Oct 2, 2017

Old thread revival alert: So has anyone taken the 4-day, Avalanche Level 1 course through Selkirk Powder? If so, any feedback or reviews?

idsnowghost · Oct 3, 2017

Kevin Davis teaches it, so it should be a quality class!

It's not an AIARE course though, so materials and content will differ a bit. But, I'm pretty sure it still satisfies the pre-req (along with new rescue course) for AIARE's level 2 if you plan to switchover.

IdahoSnow · Oct 4, 2017

I love seeing all of the education options out there! I feel like when I took my Avi 1 there werent as many options and it was a littel more tough to find a local class. Great post and great info!

idsnowghost · Oct 4, 2017

Updated with this year's offerings. Only one Avalanche Rescue course on the books so far, and it's not exactly local. Hopefully this will change soon!

There's also plenty of courses offered just outside of our area in Whitefish, Missoula, Rossland, Nelson, Leavenworth and Snoqualmie Pass.