AIARE 1 Course on Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Learn how to recognize avalanche terrain, plan a backcountry trip, and make more informed decisions in the mountains with an AIARE 1 course in New Hampshire.
Core Mountain Guides teaches AIARE 1 in the Mount Washington region of the White Mountains, giving students the opportunity to apply the AIARE decision-making framework in a real winter mountain environment.
AIARE 1 is the foundation of recreational avalanche education. The course is designed for people beginning formal avalanche training and for backcountry travelers who want a repeatable process for planning and managing trips in and around avalanche terrain.
Not sure which course is right for you? Compare all AIARE avalanche courses in New Hampshire.
Course at a Glance
Course: AIARE Recreational Level 1
Location: Mount Washington & White Mountains, New Hampshire
Format: ~5 hours online + 3-hour live Zoom + 2 field days
Group Size: Maximum 6 students
Season: December–March
Price: $657 per person
Prerequisites: No previous avalanche education required
Equipment: Beacon, shovel and probe available
What Is an AIARE 1 Course?
AIARE 1 is an introduction to managing avalanche risk while traveling in the backcountry.
Rather than trying to teach students how to predict exactly when or where an avalanche will occur, the course focuses on developing a practical process you can use before, during, and after a trip.
You will learn how to gather information, recognize avalanche terrain, identify relevant hazards, choose terrain appropriate for the conditions, communicate with your partners, and evaluate decisions after the trip.
The objective is to leave with a framework you can continue using and improving every time you travel in the backcountry.
What You Learn in AIARE 1
During the course, you will learn how to:
Develop a plan for travel in avalanche terrain
Identify avalanche terrain and potential consequences
Find and interpret avalanche forecasts
Recognize relevant weather, snow, and avalanche observations
Use the AIARE Risk Management Framework
Make terrain choices as part of a backcountry team
Communicate observations and uncertainty with partners
Practice companion rescue
Debrief a trip and learn from your decisions
AIARE describes Level 1 as an introduction to preparing for and carrying out a backcountry trip while using a repeatable decision-making framework.
Who Should Take AIARE 1?
AIARE 1 is appropriate for people who travel in or near avalanche terrain and have not yet completed formal Level 1 avalanche education.
Students commonly include:
Backcountry skiers
Splitboarders
Ski mountaineers
Climbers and mountaineers
Winter travelers preparing to become more independent in the backcountry
No previous avalanche course is required.
Participants should already be capable of using their chosen winter travel equipment and be prepared for full days outside in winter mountain conditions.
For Core Mountain Guides' ski-based courses, participants should be comfortable traveling uphill on touring equipment and skiing or riding ungroomed snow.
AIARE 1 on Mount Washington
Field sessions take place in the Mount Washington region and elsewhere in New Hampshire's White Mountains as conditions and learning objectives allow.
The Presidential Range contains extensive avalanche terrain and is covered by the Mount Washington Avalanche Center's forecasting and observation program.
That gives students the opportunity to work with real avalanche forecasts, changing mountain weather, wind-affected snow, terrain choices, and observations collected in the field.
The exact terrain used during a course changes with snow, weather, avalanche conditions, and the needs of the group.
The goal is not to reach a particular destination. The goal is to practice a reliable decision-making process in an appropriate mountain environment.
Learn Avalanche Decision-Making in Real Terrain
An AIARE 1 course is not simply a collection of snow science facts.
A major objective is learning how to decide where to go—and where not to go—when the information available is incomplete.
Throughout the field portion of the course, students participate in the planning and decision-making process.
You will be asked to make observations, discuss avalanche problems, evaluate terrain, communicate with the group, and explain the reasoning behind terrain choices.
That process gives you a structure you can continue using after the course.
Train With an IFMGA Mountain Guide
Courses are led by Paul Rachele, an IFMGA Mountain Guide and AIARE Course Leader with professional experience in avalanche education, forecasting, backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, and guiding.
The emphasis is on helping students understand not only what decision was made, but why it was made and how the same process can be applied on future trips.
Small course sizes allow students to participate directly in observations, planning, discussion, and terrain decisions.
AIARE 1 Course Format
Core Mountain Guides delivers AIARE 1 through a combination of independent learning, an evening online session, and two field days.
Before the Field Days
Students complete assigned AIARE learning material and begin developing the background knowledge needed for the field portion of the course.
Evening Zoom Session
The group reviews important concepts, discusses current conditions, and begins preparing for the field portion of the program.
Two Field Days
Students apply the AIARE framework while planning and carrying out backcountry travel.
Much of the learning takes place through observation, group discussion, terrain decisions, and coached decision-making rather than passive instruction.
Frequently Asked Questions about the AIARE 1 in New Hampshire
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Yes. AIARE 1 is the foundational recreational avalanche course and does not require previous formal avalanche training. It is intended to give backcountry travelers a repeatable framework for recognizing and managing avalanche risk.
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No. Avalanche Rescue is a separate one-day course and is not a prerequisite for AIARE 1. Students interested in additional rescue practice can take the AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course in New Hampshire before or after AIARE 1.
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No. AIARE's Level 1 curriculum is intended for people who travel in or near avalanche terrain. Core's scheduled programs use ski or splitboard travel, so participants need appropriate touring ability for the field days.
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Courses are based on Mount Washington in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Specific field locations are chosen according to weather, snow conditions, avalanche conditions, travel conditions, and course objectives.
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Continue practicing the AIARE framework on backcountry trips and develop your companion-rescue skills. The AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course provides concentrated rescue practice. After gaining additional backcountry experience, students interested in more advanced decision-making can progress to the AIARE 2 course on Mount Washington.
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If you are deciding between AIARE 1, Avalanche Rescue, and AIARE 2, see our guide to avalanche courses in New Hampshire for a comparison of the three programs.
Take an AIARE 1 Course in New Hampshire
AIARE 1 gives you a practical system for preparing for a backcountry trip, recognizing avalanche terrain, communicating with partners, and making terrain choices based on the information available.
If you are beginning your avalanche education and want to become a more capable participant in backcountry decision-making, this is the place to start.
2026/27 Schedule
December 12-13 (Evening Zoom 12/10)
December 19-20 (Evening Zoom 12/17)
January 2-3 (Evening Zoom 12/31)
January 9-10 (Evening Zoom 1/7)
January 16-17 (Evening Zoom 1/14)
Jan 30-31 (Evening Zoom 1/28)
February 6-7 (Evening Zoom 2/4)
Feb 27-28 (Evening Zoom 2/25)
March 6-7 (Evening Zoom 3/4)
March 13-14 (Evening Zoom 3/11)
March 20-21 (Evening Zoom 3/18)
March 27-28 (Evening Zoom 3/25)
Contact Core if a program is full or for custom dates.
