Hut-Based AIARE Level 1 Course in Crested Butte

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 Crested Butte, CO please refer to the Official Colorado COVID-19 Update 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:

• • A professional backcountry guide/AIARE-qualified instructor
  • Accommodation
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the huts
  • AIARE Level 1 Course manual
  • AIARE field book
  • AIARE Level 1 certificate upon completion of the course
  • Knowledge of the areas/routes you’ll be visiting during the course
  • Rescue access, coordination, and response if necessary
  • A full 2 days in the field and 1 day of online learning

What’s not included:

• • Avalanche safety gear
  • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
  • Snacks

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:
You don’t need to be an advanced skier or boarder, but you do need to be able to ascend moderate slopes using skins. All participants should be comfortable traveling in snow while carrying touring gear. There are no other prerequisites.

For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

• • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
  • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
  • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
    • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
    • Lightweight snow shovel
    • Avalanche probe

For personal items, we recommend bringing:

• Helmet
• Sunglasses or ski goggles
• Gloves and hat
• Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
• Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
• Down jacket or vest
• Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear and socks
• One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
• Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
• Water bottle and 1L of water
• Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
• Food you can eat on-the-go
• First-aid kit
• Sunscreen
• Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-40L backpack)
  Camera — optional

All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:

• • Avalanche safety pack, including the beacon, shovel and probe can be rented from your guide
  • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles can be rented from The Alpineer in Crested Butte
  • Splitboard set-up can be rented from your guide

Gear rental locations are in Crested Butte 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.

Group size:

• • This course is not private. For the group course, the usual guest-to-guide ratio is 6:1. Groups usually consist of 10 people with 2 guides.
  • Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.

AIARE Level 1 Courses in Crested Butte can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • You must be at least 16 years old to participate.

The simplest way to reach Crested Butte is by taking a flight to Denver International Airport. From there, it’s a 4-5 hour drive to Crested Butte, depending on the weather conditions. Renting a car is recommended.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the guide shop or at a backcountry trailhead within 20 min of Crested Butte. You will be informed about the location via email in advance. Be aware that the location may be subject to change based on the weather or snow coverage conditions.