Level 1 Avalanche Class in the Sawtooths

[ski_faster]

This last weekend I went and took my Level 1 Avalanche Class with http://www.sawtoothguides.com/
The guides where Kirk Bachman and Erik Leidecker. We met at the Stanley Ranger Station at 8:00AM on Friday. The course was taught from a hut in at the base of Williams Peak. We watched a movie at the ranger station and had some discussion and then started our trek to the hut. Here is our objective. The middle peak is Williams.


On the hike up you could see Mt. Heyburn.


You could turn around and see Redfish Lake.


There was some great views of the Sawtooths on the way up the skin trail.


That night we did some beacon practices and had a couple hour class discussion on snow metamorphism, terrain, snowpack, and weather. I woke up the next morning and took this picture looking up at Thompson Peak (I think?)


Before we went out we did some weather observations. That day we split into two groups one group went to the skiers summit, and the other group went to the Marshall Lake Basin. I decided to go to Marshall Lake basin because, Wiunnbd said that if I had the chance to go over there. It did not disappoint. Here is a picture looking up at Williams Peak and Upper Marshall area.


Here is a couple shots that get skied later in the season. Pinner and KB are some of the names.


We dug a pit on the way to Upper Marshall and did a Compression Test and we got CT28 Q2T Shear at 40cm down. We got to Upper Marshall and had lunch and then got to ski down it was a little wind affect up top but got pretty good once we got down a little bit. We hiked out of Marshall basin and went to the Christmas area and dug another pit and made a couple laps.


That night we talked about our tours. Had a discussion on avalanche hazard and evaluation. The next day we did some more beacon searches and focused on multiple burials. We had a mock scenario with multiple burials. After that we had a debrief and review of topics and decended back to the Stanley Ranger Station. Overall excellant class with great people. Plus our chef (Sara) cooked up some great meals.
Couple more pictures of the terrain.

[wiunnbd]

way to go ski_faster!

Thanks for the photo's, now lets get out and tour again...

[Yossarian]

nevermind, I suck at the internet.
Looks nice!

[Orange Julius]

SMG's Level II Avalanche/Tour Leadership course is also excellent.

[Conundrum]

Hey Ski_faster

Right on! Those guys know their stuff. I just signed up for their Level II class. And yes, Sara can cook (we did a trip last year with Sara, and her boyfriend Eric).

[assgasorgrass]

Right on ski faster! I have looked at that course. Looks really well done. Thinking hard about the Jan. dates.