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Anyone in B Ham need to take an avvy level 1 course?

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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
I gotta take the class, anyone else need to take it too? We could carpool. AKA we use your car and I give you money and/or weed and/or food.
Jan 9 2009 7:05PM
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Elijah.
Posts: 9322 - Karma: 76
Which one are you taking?
Jan 9 2009 7:56PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Dunno yet. Any one that somebody will take with me, assuming the said person has a car or ride. Do you need to take it?
Jan 9 2009 8:04PM
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Elijah.
Posts: 9322 - Karma: 76
I took that last year up at Baker. Some gaper asked, "how many tree wells do you think there are on Mt. Baker?". That sums up the class.
Jan 9 2009 8:07PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
fuck me sideways.
Jan 9 2009 8:15PM
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Elijah.
Posts: 9322 - Karma: 76
It's not all that bad. Just depends on who's in your class. A couple days last year it was mostly NS'ers.
Jan 9 2009 8:18PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
seven?
Jan 9 2009 8:56PM
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Elijah.
Posts: 9322 - Karma: 76
The instructor answered with something along the lines of, "There's only one or two..." then cracked up.
Jan 9 2009 9:34PM
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ShreddingthaGnar
Posts: 454 - Karma: 18
I was thinking of taking an AIARE level 1 class in February, but alas i am without a car as well. Theres always the hobo bus for those of us without cars.
Jan 9 2009 11:42PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Well I just need to take any one at Baker/Bellingham.  How much is that one in February?
Jan 10 2009 3:35AM
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laughdamon
Posts: 1133 - Karma: 10
I'm pretty sure the outdoor center host's one later in the season.  I believe $125 for students.
Jan 10 2009 3:35PM
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ShreddingthaGnar
Posts: 454 - Karma: 18
They are offering 4 this season and i think 125 is a little low, maybe more like 250
Jan 11 2009 5:17PM
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masterexploder
Posts: 477 - Karma: 11
ya i gotta take one too but i dont have a car. I will piggyback you to the class though if you gimme a zip
Jan 11 2009 6:17PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Haha
Jan 11 2009 8:45PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
here's a much cheaper avy course that will give you way more of what you actually need. in fact, its free.

have you friend go over a hill out of sight and bury their pack with their beacon in it (how deep depends on how much you want to work for it). then they ski to the bottom of the hill. they yell for you to ski, and you ski over the hill. as soon as they see you, they yell "avalanche" and you stop, switch your beacon to find, and start your panic-assed search.

your friend at the bottom should be holding their breath the entire time. if they have to take a breath before you find their pack, they might want to consider a new BC partner.
Jan 11 2009 9:08PM
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Elijah.
Posts: 9322 - Karma: 76
This is a good idea for practice, but you really do need to take an avalanche class because there's a lot of information you absolutely need to have on lock down before you even think about going out of bounds. This and having beacon skills are essentials.
Jan 11 2009 11:28PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
im not saying not to take an avy 1 course.  its going to teach you that you dont know shit about snow science.  and that will hopefull scare you enough to become more cautious and respectful of the danger.

and honestly avy 1 isnt going to give you that much more than completely comprehending "snow sense" by jill fredstona and doug fesler" and "staying alive in avalanche terrain" by bruce tremper.  except its someone telling you the stuff and you can ask them questions rather than trying to study solo from a book.  however the avalanche expert will simply tell you "it depends" when you ask if certain conditions will lead to all-over stability and you can go charge the zone. 

take it, learn how much you don't know.  and then go practice body recovery as much as you can.  geeking out on snowpack science wont help when it actually slides. 


Jan 12 2009 12:13AM
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*542*
Posts: 1224 - Karma: 19

snowpack science is useless for most people in the backcountry.  if you dig a pit to see how easy it will slide, thats good.  you should have an idea what the layers are doing according to recent snowfall and temperature changes anyways.

it matters how fast you can dig out your friends, but not nearly as much as saying "no" before dropping into a sketchy line.  just because two people have beacons and they can search super fast doesnt make them invincible.  lost equipment, broken bodies, and death can happen no matter how fast you dig someone out.  pay attention to conditions, make smart decisions, and dont get too stoked on the snow and you should do alright.  leaving super epic runs untouched is hard, but skiing another day is more valuable

Jan 12 2009 12:31AM
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Elijah.
Posts: 9322 - Karma: 76
Agreed completely to V and 542.
You better be able to bet your life on you and your partners beacon skills.
Jan 13 2009 12:25AM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
I think I'll still take that class yo.
Jan 13 2009 2:33AM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
Grade A post. Very well phrased.
Jan 13 2009 2:59AM
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