AIARE LEVEL 1
Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain

There’s no way around it. You sweat. Wear fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin. Unlike 100% cotton that gets wet and stays wet, wicking fabrics help you regulate your core temperature and avoid overheating or chilling. Great examples include EMS® Techwick® T1 and T2 polyester which wicks, packs, wears, and washes like nothing else. Top and Bottom. Light to mid-weight synthetics, snug fit and close to skin.

Mid-layers add mild insulation to help retain heat that your body creates, and are worn between the base layer and insulation if needed. Examples of over base layers are EMS® Techwick® T2 or T3 or any lightweight wool shirt. Top and Bottom. Light-weight fleece or heavy-weight EMS® Techwick®. Power-Stretch and micro-fleece are ideal materials for this layer. No heavy, 300 weight fleece trousers—you will be over-dressed.

Mid-layers add insulation to help retain heat that your body creates, and are worn between the base layer and outer jacket. Examples of insulating mid-layers include a fleece vest, a down sweater, or a synthetic jacket made of Prima Loft® or Thermore®. Jacket only. 200 to 300 weight fleece, heavy weight soft shell or light weight Prima-Loft sweater.

Forget about bulky coats. Wear an outer shell (over your base and insulation layer) to shed water and snow. Layering will give you more versatility, depending on the weather and your activity. Outerwear that is waterproof with increased breath ability will be more adaptable and can help transfer moisture away from your body to keep you dry and protected from the elements. Jackets and pants. EMS System III, Gortex®, or similar waterproof/breathable material. Jacket MUST have an integrated hood. Flimsy “stow-away” nylon hoods are not adequate. Full side zip on pants are very helpful.

This crucial layer is often added when you stop for a break. It helps to maintain your body temperature while you are resting and is essential for keeping you warm on those cold descents and during inconvenient breaks above treeline in high winds. This layer is generally worn over your outermost layers–yes, even over your Gore-Tex® or System Three® jacket.

We recommend having 3 pair of gloves/mittens with you. Glove liners are very useful for the more aerobic approach to your climb. Gloves (like ski gloves) with a windproof/waterproof shell are a must for higher elevations and more technical climbing. Mittens with a windproof/waterproof shell are essential for those colder temperatures at higher elevations (tip: you will not be dexterous in mittens, so if you couple a pair of liner gloves inside your mittens, you can have both!)

You’ve probably heard that most of your body heat escapes from your head. When you’re feeling cold the first piece to add to your clothing system is a hat. This hat should cover your ears and can be made of fleece or wool. Remember to fit the hat so you can wear it under a helmet.

How many times have your feet been way too cold? Wool or wool blend socks are great natural insulators, even when wet. For most cold-weather sports, wear wicking liner socks and mid weight wool or synthetic socks. Make sure you fit footwear with heavier socks for more warmth. No matter how thick your socks are, if your footwear constricts your toes, your blood flow will slow down and cause your feet to be cold–fit your shoes accordingly.

A properly fitted pack will make your day 100 times better! It is essential to have a pack which has a comfortable hip belt to help support the bulk of the weight. Use a pack large enough to stow all of your gear on the inside without having to strap any of your personal gear on the outside where it is exposed to the elements. Tip: Pack your pack with your gear before you arrive and make sure you still have enough room to stow your puffy jacket, gortex jacket, and extra warm layers for the initial hike in. This will save an enormous amount of time in the morning!

When the temperatures drop and the wind picks up, the skin on your face becomes very vulnerable to frost-nip, and even worse, frostbite. Wearing a balaclava adds protection and warmth to your clothing system.

Required for skiers and riders

This is another crucial item for any backcountry trip. Mother Nature doesn’t always provide us with light so we bring our own. Carry an LED headlamp with extra batteries for when She decides to flip the switch. If you are caught in the dark, getting back to your car can take 3-4 times as long without light!

Fuel your body. In the mountains, lunch starts when breakfast ends and ends when dinner starts. In other words, we eat all day. A typical climber or skier will consume about 3,500 calories during the course of a day. Pack foods that don’t freeze hard, cover all the food groups and are easy to eat. Pre-make peanut butter sandwiches, or bring last night’s pizza, and those oh-so delicious candy bars. Carry your bars inside your jacket to keep them warm and gooey.

Wide-mouth water bottles are recommended for winter. 2+ liters is a minimum to keep us hydrated during the day. Please, do not use hydration systems, metal water bottles, or thin plastic, Poland Springs, narrow-mouthed bottles. All of these systems freeze easily making the water unavailable to you. Before coming to the school, please consume ¾ to a liter of water. This will ensure you are starting your day well hydrated.

Crystal screen (black metal preferred), loupe, folding metric ruler, clinometer, celsius thermometer. Items sold individually at www.avtraining.org

Available from AIARE’s online store at www.avtraining.org, or Amazon.com.