Women’s Recreational Level 1 Avalanche Course Whitefish, MT

Women's AIARE Recreational Level 1 Avalanche Course in Whitefish, Montana

Our AIARE recreational Level 1 avalanche courses take advantage of the amazing terrain in the Flathead valley to help jump start your touring career. We use a hybrid course model to maximize your time in the mountains and minimize the interruption to your life. The course starts with self guided learning that helps create a strong foundation of concepts prior to your course start. Two days before your course starts, you’ll meet with your instructor for an evening of in-person or virtual learning to solidify the pre-course concepts as well as introduce some important ideas for the field days. The course will then move into the field where you’ll spend two full day tours traveling through the mountains practicing techniques for managing avalanche hazard with one of our certified avalanche instructors.

Women's Level 1 at a Glance

• Location: Whitefish, Montana — Flathead Valley (resort-based field days; two-day lift pass required)
• Level: AIARE Recreational Level 1, women-led
• Prerequisites: None
• Format: Hybrid — self-guided pre-course learning, an evening session, then two full field days
• Season: Winter
• For: Women skiers and splitboarders starting or restarting a touring career

What You'll Learn in the Women's Level 1

• Decision-making strategies for traveling in avalanche terrain
• How to build and execute a tour plan around the avalanche forecast
• Companion rescue skills with beacon, probe, and shovel
• Terrain recognition and group travel techniques on two full field-day tours

Course Format

• Self-guided pre-course learning to build the concepts before you arrive
• An evening session with your instructor, in person or virtual, two days before the field days
• Two full-day tours in the Flathead Valley with a certified avalanche instructor
• Resort-based field days: a two-day lift pass is required and is not included in tuition

Who This Course Is For & Prerequisites

This women-led course is for women skiers and splitboarders who are starting or restarting their backcountry touring careers. Students should expect to travel uphill 1,000–2,000 feet in a day, broken up with teaching, food, and rest breaks. Skinning up the resort a couple of times before the course is a good way to get used to your equipment.

Why Take the Women's Level 1 with The Mountain Guides

• Women-led instruction with certified avalanche instructors
• Field days in the Flathead Valley terrain you actually tour
• Hybrid format that maximizes time in the mountains

Continue Your Avalanche Education

After your Level 1, keep rescue skills sharp with an Avalanche Rescue course every two years. Check availability and course dates below.