What you get in this adventure: Experienced, certified guides with extensive knowledge of the area 3 days of avalanche education and field practice What’s not included: Technical backcountry ski touring equipment Transportation to the field sessions Resort pass Accommodations All meals and snacks

How fit do I need to be?

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.

What equipment do I need to bring?

For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring: Alpine touring, telemark, or snowboarding boots (can be rented) Skis or splitboard with compatible binding for boots (can be rented) Climbing skins (can be rented) Ski poles (can be rented) Basic avalanche safety gear (can be rented) Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon Lightweight snow shovel Avalanche probe For personal items, we recommend bringing: Helmet – optional Long sleeve synthetic — medium to expedition weight long underwear Softshell or fleece jacket Shell jacket with a hood Puffy jacket with a hood Synthetic or wool long underwear bottoms Shell pants — full side zips and built-in gaiters Socks — synthetic or wool, sized for your boots and blister protection Liners — optional, but recommended Gloves – 3 pairs: 1 light, 1 medium, 1 heavy pair Medium weight ski hat Baseball hat or visor for sun Buff or a neck gaiter Backpack (30-40 liter ski pack) Thermos or insulated water bottle Food you can eat-on-the-go Sunglasses Ski goggles Extra prescription glasses/contact lenses Sunscreen Lip balm Headlamp and extra batteries Laptop computer Camera — optional

Can I rent equipment?

All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent: Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel, and probe can be rented from your guide Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots, and poles can be rented from your guide Splitboards can be rented from your guide Ski rental locations are in Whitefish 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 sizes and age requirements

Group sizes and prices: This course is not private. For group courses, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6:1. Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows. Avalanche safety courses in Whitefish can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements. Min. age requirements: If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.

Getting there and meeting location

To get to this tour in the Whitefish area, most people fly into Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) , 15 minutes away from Whitefish, MT. From there, you should rent a car, or take a taxi or shuttle to Whitefish. Your evening session will be held in a virtual classroom setting on Day 1 at 6pm. Course field sessions will be held in the Canyon Creek area near Whitefish Mountain Resort. You will meet your guides at the WMR base lodge ticket window at 8:30am for each field day.

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Whitefish | Montana

AIARE Avalanche Level 1 Course in Whitefish

2 days | 5.00

From $495 ()

Those prepared to rough out the fog and bitter cold of winter in Whitefish, Montana, can expect to find some of the finest backcountry skiing and boarding in the “last best place on Earth”. Whitefish permeates a rough sort of charm—you don’t go there for five-star luxury ski resorts, you go there for the cheap lodging, the great pancakes, and the miles upon miles of ungroomed powder. However, the Montana backcountry can be treacherous, and the threat of an avalanche always looms over those who choose to trade the resort for the wilderness. And if things go south, you should be ready. Take an AIARE Level 1 Course in Whitefish and master the fundamentals of avalanche safety while blazing your own trail down some crazy slopes.

Adventure Highlights

Improve your skillset on 3,000 skiable acres of quality light dry powder
Amazing views of Flathead Lake make learning avalanche safety a treat
Enjoy some breathtaking descents in Whitefish’s winter wonderland

Duration

2 days

Season

December through March

Group size

Up to 6 people

The adventure, day by day

Download itineraries

Refine your avalanche safety knowledge and become a safer, more competent backcountry adventurer with this AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course. Spend day 1 reviewing the fundamentals of avalanche safety with an experienced instructor, and 2 days putting your education to use on the varied backcountry terrain near the Blacktail Mountain Resort.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

This comprehensive course was designed for people looking to build a foundation for safe backcountry travel, with a focus on hazard evaluation, decision-making, and companion rescue in avalanche terrain. It includes proper instruction for basic safety and protocols for safe backcountry travel. After a quick introductory class, your days will be spent learning the skills and tools you need to navigate the backcountry and evaluate the snowpack when trudging through avalanche terrain.

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Adventure, packed to go

AIARE Avalanche Level 1 Course in Whitefish

Adventure Brochure

Adventure brochure

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Meet your guides

Seasoned pros, local legends, and passionate adventurers—your trip is in the best hands.

5.00

The Mountain Guides

The Mountain Guides have been leading mountain adventurers in the Western US since 1968. With some of the most experienced mountain guides in the country, TMG leads hundreds of people every year in the mountain ranges of Wyoming and Montana, the canyons and towers of Utah, on Cody’s South Fork ice falls, the cliffs and crags of Boulder, Colorado, in Red Rock, Nevada, and City of Rocks, Idaho.

What others say about this adventure

5.00 (4 reviews)

Greg R.

|February 2026

Great experience, not only covered all materials but also learned soft skills necessary for the back country. The entire experience was managed very well and even when we went over time it was still value add. I look forward to my next booking!

John H.

JHMG knows their stuff! My instructors provided a wealth of knowledge for us to learn from and an awesome attitude that kept everyone stoked!

Clinton C.

Very professional! Excellent instructors with a wealth of knowledge and most importantly, they know how to facilitate growth of one’s mountain sense.

Show all reviews

Greg R.

|February 2026

John H.

JHMG knows their stuff! My instructors provided a wealth of knowledge for us to learn from and an awesome attitude that kept everyone stoked!

Clinton C.

Very professional! Excellent instructors with a wealth of knowledge and most importantly, they know how to facilitate growth of one’s mountain sense.

Ben W.

Knowledgeable instructors and in a setting that inspires. I learned a lot during my course and look forward to putting my new knowledge to use exploring on snow in the Tetons and beyond.

Things to know

What you get in this adventure:
- - Experienced, certified guides with extensive knowledge of the area
  - 3 days of avalanche education and field practice
What’s not included:
- - Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
  - Transportation to the field sessions
  - Resort pass
  - Accommodations
  - All meals and 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, telemark, or snowboarding boots (can be rented)
  - Skis or splitboard with compatible binding for boots (can be rented)
  - Climbing skins (can be rented)
  - Ski poles (can be rented)
  - Basic avalanche safety gear (can be rented)
    
    Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
    
    Lightweight snow shovel
    
    Avalanche probe
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
- - Helmet – optional
  - Long sleeve synthetic — medium to expedition weight long underwear
  - Softshell or fleece jacket
  - Shell jacket with a hood
  - Puffy jacket with a hood
  - Synthetic or wool long underwear bottoms
  - Shell pants — full side zips and built-in gaiters
  - Socks — synthetic or wool, sized for your boots and blister protection
  - Liners — optional, but recommended
  - Gloves – 3 pairs: 1 light, 1 medium, 1 heavy pair
  - Medium weight ski hat
  - Baseball hat or visor for sun
  - Buff or a neck gaiter
  - Backpack (30-40 liter ski pack)
  - Thermos or insulated water bottle
  - Food you can eat-on-the-go
  - Sunglasses
  - Ski goggles
  - Extra prescription glasses/contact lenses
  - Sunscreen
  - Lip balm
  - Headlamp and extra batteries
  - Laptop computer
  - Camera — optional
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
- - Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel, and probe can be rented from your guide
  - Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots, and poles can be rented from your guide
  - Splitboards can be rented from your guide
Ski rental locations are in Whitefish 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 sizes and prices:
- - This course is not private. For group courses, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6:1.
  - Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.
Avalanche safety courses in Whitefish can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:
- - If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
To get to this tour in the Whitefish area, most people fly into Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), 15 minutes away from Whitefish, MT. From there, you should rent a car, or take a taxi or shuttle to Whitefish.

Your evening session will be held in a virtual classroom setting on Day 1 at 6pm. Course field sessions will be held in the Canyon Creek area near Whitefish Mountain Resort. You will meet your guides at the WMR base lodge ticket window at 8:30am for each field day.
Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
- - If Client cancels the Booking anytime prior to thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a full refund, less a $50 processing fee.
  - For cancellations fourteen (14) to twenty nine (29) calendar days in advance, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount paid when Booking.
  - After that deadline, Client is not entitled to any refund. Any reimbursable expenses arising out of the Booking incurred by Guide prior to the date of cancellation (including but not limited to plane tickets, car rental payments, and lodging or transportation fees) are non-refundable as soon as they are incurred by the Guide.

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