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I'm working on organizing a super-cool all-mag level 1 course/refresher.
Lectures to be in/around Seattle, field work location TBD. Shooting for mid-december.
In:
Char
Squirrel
GS
Josh
Rusty
me
Duder
BC-Flow
Maybe:
Pete
Zee-dash
Ski to be
AD
In spirit:
Rev
Spamming other class instead: PNWBrit ;)
Who's the teach?
Gary Brill is da mang. His latest lvl 1 actually gets you CAA cert, if you want it.
That's who I'm talking to.
You in? You can bring your green hat and big black boards.
I'm in. I was going to take a course this year anyways, might as well be with a few maggots.
Sounds like a good idea. It's been a few years since I took the level 1 class in Vail so a refresh is definitely in order.
I would be interested too!
would it get you the same cert as the week long CAA level I course?
I'm in as well if it is after the 15th of December
Yup I'd be down. Espically if we can get enough field time to get the certs.
Gary's site: http://www.geocities.com/garyabrill/avalanche.html
I'm yer huckleberry. Been a few years since class in AK, so it's all good.
what's CAA certification??Quote:
Originally Posted by joshbu
I definitely need a good course and the ones around here(Poortland/MtHood) have a less than great reputation.
Looking at the website, the lecture portion is 8 hours spread over 3 days. If you were putting together a maggot specific class with the 8 hours in one pop or spread out on top of the field days, I'd be in. I hope/wish it could be a 3 day weeekend.
edited up top.
I'll find out about cert., etc.
I'm interested, but not sure if I'll have the time to do it or not.
What kind of gear is needed for these courses? Any loaner avy gear available? Also, if AT or tele gear is required I'm screwed, too. I suppose I could use snowshoes, but they will suck when everyone else actually get to SKI down! I'm such a freakin' jong :)
Anyway, optics, put me down in the "maybe" category.
Optics be da mang!
And if you want to come out here, there's a level-one equivalency course (no official CAA cert) for $25 put on by the Forest Service in December and again in January. PM if you are interested.
www.proguiding.com have a level one course on 13th & 14th Jan. Normally held at Alpental - AIARE certified. I'd highly recommend these guys to anyone interested.
I believe he has trackers you can rent for ten bucks. Need to bring shovel, probe. But, if you're going to learn the stuff, it's as good a time as any to buy the gear you need to use the knowledge, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by The AD
I mentioned to him that field work will require a location that works for people with varying levels of uphill mobility.
I'm in.
I was looking into taking the field course as well at Stevens this year. Haven't seen any postings yet for this coming season though. Keep me posted.
CAA = Canadian Avalanche AssociationQuote:
Originally Posted by Z
Generally speaking the Canadian certifications are more stringent then the AAA's, and therefore more desireable.
Gary's Level 1 gets you both.
I know he has quite a bit of disdain for certifications, but he does recognize thier place in the pro world.
They are nice to have even if you aren't a pro as just a way to baseline and communicate your level of knowledge and expirence to other b/c travelers. IMHO.
Yeah, I'm not going to have AT equipment either but will have shovel, beacon, probe.Quote:
Originally Posted by The AD
yes please! you can count me in.
I am officially gimpy as of Nov 13 (ACL reconstruct) Would it be of any value to attend the in-class sessions without being able to make the field work? Or should I just wait for when I can take it all together?
Here I go, being all demanding and shit...I start coaching somewhere around Martin Luther King weekend, every Sunday, until end of Feb. If we can do an early session, like mid december, that would be cool!
I sure I mised a link some where, so whats the dizzle?
I could be up fer a avi class
no go for me unless i get a caa cert, and it seems like a lot of work for a group refresher. i gotta save my duckets and get up to canadia for my class this year.
unless of course i could be like a teachers assistant or something. (go ahead, bring the teachers little bitch jokes).
I am not sure what CAA is exactly, but I trust it is respected.
I just want to point out that AIARE is also very good.
Both certify after course completion, and that is important in my book.
So, what's my point?
If you are looking for a course, try and find one that certifies.
Sounds like CAA and AIARE are two options.
Book Suggestion (as supplement or in case a course cannot be found):
Avalanche Safety for Skiers, Climbers, and Snowboarders
by Tony Daffern
There are others, but that one is very good.
Kudos for organizing the avi course. I've done this, and I know the time it takes. It is all worth it, especially because you will have more informed ski buddies to ski with.
Damn you all and your questions and requests. Especially you, GS, but for no specific reason.
-Pete: Sounds like consolidating the lecture to one long-ass day is a possibility.
-GS: I'm aiming for Mid-Dec.
-Z: Sounds like (from Josh's post) the course gets you your CAA cert. I'll confirm.
I'll be talking with Gary friday, will have more details on cost, date options, etc.
Got some more info. from Gary.
PM me your email addys and I'll fwd. all the email for dates discussion, etc.
I would be interested, but I am reluctant to commit to breaking my self imposed rule of never travelling south of Highway 2 unless in dire emergency. How about a Fri-Sat-Sun at the Baker Mountaineers Lodge or some other location outside the city? Cost would be $61 to join, $24 per night or $32 for guests. Might be able to get the snow safety classroom at Baker. Easy walking distance to snow. Or if there is some other location where it would be convenient to run a program without a lot of travelling around, I might be in.
For those of limited uphill mobility, I have an extra AT set up of K2 8611s in a 188 with large fritschi binders and skins.
Someone could borrow that for the class if it'll help.
We could probably do the field work at Stevens, assuming all you Crystal snobs don't mind slumming it.
Since nearly everyone interested is from Seattle and surrounds, I think doing the lecture stuff (which Gary has now said should not be lumped into one day, but maybe 2) at Baker makes less sense to me.
It's looking like the most cost-effective route will be to attend the standard lectures (for a discounted group rate), and do the field work as a private group. If schedule doesn't allow, or people have a strong preference, we can schedule the lecture work on other days, and another location.
There are 2 options for the field day, the standard class is just one day, but if you do an additional day you get all your certs.
When I have everyone's email, I'll send the full info.
Awesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Platinum Pete
Sounds like AT ability is a non-issue for standard field day. Additional (optional) field day can be split into 2 groups, AT-equipped and non.
Bump - need emails for:
GirlSki
Duder
BC-Flow
Ski to be
You should all have a long convulated email.
If anyone else wants info, send me a PM and I'll fwd you in.
Check your emails.
BC-Flow - I have no email for you. If you're still in, let me know.
We'll probably need a couple more people to make it fly.
Duder - tell your friends!
Could we make that a Level 2? I mean really, one doesn't get to play enough with thermometers and little millimeter grids in Level 1 courses.
If Level 2, the doctor is interested...
drC
Sorry, Doc. There's this funny thing about doing level 1 first.
The rest of you maybes, now's the time. If we don't get 10 mags, in addition to being ashamed of you all, we'd need to recruit additional people from the real world.
Hey guys,
Looks like I may have secured some meeting space, courtesy of our Marriott Courtyard / Lake Union (near Westlake/Broad - by Jillian's). I'll confirm the details with Optics before the weekend. Excited to see the difference from the last one I took in Vail a few years ago. And level 1 CAA cert. is a plus.
How many of you are going to pay the extra $ for that?
I'm doing the extra day.
Extra day here.
Thanks for the work on the lecture room!
So, confirmed, I have:
me
josh
rusty
squirrel
bc-flow
girlski
char
duder
duder non-web friend
Maybes:
Z-BO + 1
Duder other friend
We're limited to 12, so that's it for now. We do need 10, so Duder's other friend makes it. I'm leaving the other 2 spaces open for Z+.
We'll send an email around w/address for lecture.
7PM.
Bring cash or check, payment has to happen beforehand.