February 26, 2019
IMG AIARE 1 Course at Paradise on Mt. Rainier (Heather Garland)
The IMG AIARE 1 Course spent yesterday and today snowshoeing and skinning through deep powder snow at Paradise on Mt. Rainier. The course objectives included: how to plan a trip into the backcountry, how to choose a strategy to limit avalanche exposure, and how to recognize avalanche terrain.
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- Nate didn’t have a hard time sinking into the snow once he took off his skis (Heather Garland)
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- Nate testing the snowpack after digging a pit (Heather Garland
The team explored terrain in the Alta Vista area, Edith Creek into Paradise Valley, and the western side of Mazama Ridge. They spent time writing down their observations and comparing what they found with the NWAC Forecast, testing the stability of the snowpack by digging, and today they found evidence of what looked like a D2 wind slab avalanche at the top of Golden Gate. You can read their full reports on the NWAC Observations Page.
IMG Guide & AIARE Director of Recreational Programs, Liz Riggs Meder, was Course Leader.
IMG Guide & NWAC Avalanche Awareness Instructor, Nate Berry, was Course Instructor.
You can learn more about how to recognize and avoid avalanche terrain by using the tools in the links below and taking courses.
The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE)
The Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC)
IMG HQ