Avalanche Courses with International Mountain Guides

We offer the highest quality avalanche programs available in the Northwest for the serious backcountry skier and climber. Our courses meet or exceed the education guidelines of the American Avalanche Association. The IMG avalanche instructors are well known in the professional avalanche community. They are among the most experienced professionals in avalanche education, forecasting, control, guiding, and research in the industry. Most of our instructors have between 20-25 years of daily operational avalanche forecasting experience. In fact, most of the local avalanche instructors have attended our courses.

For more information on the courses listed below or to inquire about signing up, please contact Paul Baugher at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need javascript enabled to view it

Level 1 Avalanche Hazard Evaluation

Crystal Mountain

This intensive course focuses on the principles of stability evaluation, route selection, safe travel and rescue. The first 2 days includes a combination of classroom and fieldwork. The final day includes application of skills on backcountry tour.

At the end of the program, students should be able to:

• Understand how victims get caught and why
• Identify avalanche terrain
• Understand basic avalanche mechanics
• Recognize weather and snowpack conditions contributing to instability
• Understand principals of route selection based on stability evaluation
• Apply safe travel techniques
• Understand basic self and partner rescue including efficient transceiver use

Please refer to the IMG Avalanche Training PDF for more complete description of the course content.

Level 2 Avalanche Forecasting Workshop

Crystal Mountain

This is the premier advanced course in the Northwest. The course features instructors that are professional avalanche forecasters, with over 90 years of combined experience.

The format of field and classroom allows the participants to focus on forecasting problems specific to the Northwest. With more than 50% of the instruction in the field, an emphasis is placed on skill development and practice. Classroom workshops will contain some problem solving. This course provides the greatest benefit to participants that have completed Level I training and are familiar with avalanche fundamentals.

At the end of the program, students should be able to:

• Identify grain types and processes leading to them
• Identify the weather patterns that develop weak layers
• Understand the importance and dynamics of spatial variability
• Identify complex avalanche terrain and select appropriate routes
• Perform and interpret common stability tests
• Understand the basic elements of field weather forecasting
• Understand the role of human factors in accidents
• Apply objective decision making methods in avalanche terrain
• Perform efficient group rescue

Please refer to the IMG Avalanche Training PDF for more complete description of the course content.

Level 3 Advanced Forecasting, Heli Skiing and Mountain Guide Workshop

Mazama, WA

This course offers guides and strong skiers with some avalanche training, an opportunity to develop and apply their skills in an operational forecasting environment. Field site access by helicopter or snowcat.

At the end of the program, the student should be able to:

• Apply forecasting skills in operational context including how to interpret and communicate snow profile and meteorological information
• Apply physical science to local and regional conditions to focus forecast for specific operations
• Perform and interpret stability tests in realistic time line for guiding environment
• Make decisions on stability route selection and travel technique for groups
• Use group management techniques to reduce overall risk
• Organize a group for effective rescue in multiple burial environment

Please refer to the IMG Avalanche Training PDF for more complete description of the course content.