When it comes to adrenaline sports in the mountains, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of safety and situational awareness. Any experienced outdoorsman will tell you that you should always hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Avalanche awareness is a fundamental part of a backcountry adventurer’s toolkit and the Jackson Hole AIARE Avalanche Level 1 class will provide you with the foundations for safe travel. Jackson Hole’s harsh and unforgiving slopes and icy streams make it the ideal setting for this educational experience. It’s better to know it and not need it, than to need it and not have it, wouldn’t you agree? Find out more about Jackson Hole Backcountry Skiing from Lily Krass.
Overcome dozens of world class skiing and snowboarding tracks
Take in Grand Teton National Park’s grand vistas and colorful fauna
Test the ice and your ski touring prowess in the magnificent Teton Glacier
Verse yourself in the basics of avalanche safety quickly and efficiently with the AIARE Level 1 Course in Jackson Hole. The course features a hybrid approach, meaning that the first portion of it will be held online, while days 2 and 3 will take place in the field. Learn how to properly read the snow and weather reports, spot and identify hazards and even lead a tour under the watchful eye of a skilled guide!
This comprehensive course is meant to teach you about proper hazard evaluation, decision-making and companion rescue practices in avalanche situations. You will discover techniques for evaluating hazards and managing risks when traversing avalanche-prone terrain.
Day 1: Two days prior to the field education, you will have an online meeting with your guide and introduction to the course. You and the guide will go through the avalanche bulletin and examine the plan for the rest of the tour.
Day 2: In the morning of day 2, you will be learning about proper beacon and probe use, as well as strategic shoveling. After that, the guide will teach you about proper weather and snow observations, testing snow pits and avalanche terrain ID.
Day 3: The final day is reserved for a participant-led tour. You will get the chance to take the initiative and test the skills you’ve learned during the course.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, please refer to the Wyoming Department of Health’s official website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
In order to get the most of this adventure, you need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.
Prerequisites:
These courses are for downhill skiers and boarders. All participants must travel on touring skis or splitboard during the course and be comfortable riding black diamond terrain at the resort or ungroomed backcountry snow on slopes up to 30 degrees (blue square).
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
Ski rental locations are in Jackson, WY and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
AIARE Level 1 courses in Jackson Hole can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
You must be at least 18 years old to participate.
The simplest way to reach Jackson Hole is by taking a flight to the Salt Lake City International Airport. From there, you are a 4-5 hour drive away to Jackson, WY, depending on the weather conditions. Renting a car is recommended, but air travel options to the Jackson Hole Airport are also available. Grand Teton National Park is located roughly 10 minutes from Jackson, WY.
You will usually meet your guides at their Jackson, WY headquarters, after which you will take off for the trailhead in the Grand Teton National Park.
Secure your spot for the following season with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you’ll be the first one to know. Pick the month that suits you best and we’ll let you know once the dates are live—don’t risk missing out on your bucket list adventure!
For set dates, a 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies, and deposits are no longer refundable. The remaining 70% of the amount is paid the latest 3 months (90 days) prior the departure.
