Itinerary
Ski Mountaineering and Avalanche Leadership Part 1 Itinerary
Please keep in mind that this is a standard, yet loose, itinerary. It is subject to change depending on conditions, weather, group dynamics, pace, and summit strategies.
Program Details
Ski Mountaineering and Avalanche Leadership Part 1 (SMALP) is your gateway to safe, confident travel in winter backcountry terrain. Designed for skiers and splitboarders ready to move beyond resort boundaries, this comprehensive progression integrates essential uphill and downhill travel skills with industry-standard avalanche education. By combining our Intro to Backcountry Skiing or Splitboarding course with AIARE 1 and AIARE Rescue, you’ll gain essential movement skills, decision-making tools, and rescue techniques all in one streamlined progression. You’ll learn how to use your gear efficiently, read snow and terrain, make informed decisions in variable winter conditions, and execute effective companion rescue techniques—giving you the foundational skills and judgment needed to begin exploring avalanche terrain with confidence.
Itinerary
Day 1
Rendezvous at the American Alpine Institute equipment shop and Intro to BC Ski
Plan to meet your fellow climbers and instructor(s) at the AAI Equipment Shop promptly at 7:00 am. Your Guide and an Equipment Specialist will take the time to go over your gear, finalize rentals and purchases, review the itinerary, and ensure everyone is adequately prepared.
As soon as the rendezvous is complete, we will travel to Mt. Baker. We will cover the following topics on this day:
- Introduction to touring equipment
- Skinning techniques and transitions
- Route selection and terrain awareness
- Basic navigation and track setting
- Group management and travel protocols
Day 2
AIARE Avalanche Level 1 Classroom Day
Plan to meet at the AAI Equipment Shop promptly at 7:45 am for a full classroom-based day.
Over the course of the lecture, we will cover the following topics:
- Basic characteristics of avalanches
- Types of avalanches
- Intro to how avalanches form and release
- Avalanche terrain
- Trip planning and preparation
- Decision-making framework
- Analyzing case studies
- How to gather relevant observations
- Risk mitigation and education
- Effective teamwork and communication
Day 3
Avy Rec 1 Field Day 1
The group will meet promptly at 7:45 am at the Mt. Baker, Upper Heather Meadows parking lot behind the Mt Baker Ski area. The rendezvous location will be the backcountry access point near the bathrooms. The field days will cover concepts introduced in lecture, but with a hands-on field application, as well as introducing additional topics such as:
- Companion rescue
- Travel techniques
- Identification of avalanche terrain
- Conducting snowpack tests
- Analyzing snow profiles
You can expect to be traveling on skis, board or snowshoes roughly 3-5 miles maximum, with many breaks in travel for instruction and skills application.
Day 4
Avy Rec 1 Field Day 2
The group will meet promptly at 7:45am at the Mt. Baker, Upper Heather Meadows parking lot behind the Mt Baker Ski area, and will end no later than 4:00pm. This day will continue and build on the skills from the day before, as well as wrap up your education with a quick application tour in the surrounding area. You can expect to be traveling on skis, board or snowshoes roughly 5 miles, potentially more or less depending on your groups tour objective, with many breaks in travel for additional instruction. Expect more elevation gain than the day before.
Day 5
Avy Rescue Day
The group will meet promptly at 7:45am at the Mt. Baker, Upper Heather Meadows parking lot behind the Mt Baker Ski area, and will end no later than 4:00pm. This day will be spent running through different avalanche scenarios and putting the skills learned in the previous days into practice.
Topics covered on this day include:
- Avalanche transceiver use and signal search techniques
- Fine search, pinpointing, and strategic probing
- Efficient shoveling methods and excavation strategies
- Organizing and leading a companion rescue
- Rescue scenario practice with instructor feedback
- Using rescue gear effectively under stress
- Considerations for multiple burials and complex rescues
- What to carry in your rescue kit
- How to maintain rescue skills over time