Classes
2010 Mountain Safety Courses
2010 courses include an introductory class in basic mountain safety. It will be presented at Alpental, Mission Ridge, and Stevens Pass on a total of 5 occasions. A second class in intermediate mountain safety avalanche awareness will be presented 4 times, 2 each at Alpental and Stevens Pass. The introductory and intermediate classes will be taught by Kevin Marston and Corey Rubinfeld with support from other ski patrollers at Stevens Pass and Alpental. The introductory class at Mission Ridge will be taught by Brad Whiting, the Mission Ridge patrol director.
A class on Proper Beacon, Probe and Shovel Usage will be presented 5 times during the month of January at Alpental. The primary instructor will be John Stimberis, a long time professional ski patroller and supervisor for avalanche forecasting for WSDOT. He will be assisted by Rob Gibson, Alpental patrol director and risk manager.
For greater details, see the attached Safety Classes Brochure.
Sign ups are through our website under the Calendar section.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to the overwhelming success of the Proper Beacon, Probe and Shovel Usage Class, an additional three classes have now been scheduled for February 6, 20,and 27. Mr. Stimberis and Mr. Gibson will again be the teachers. Click here to sign up.
View Steven Pass class details http://www.stevenspass.com/Stevens/ski-board/free-mountain-safety-classes.aspx
View Alpental Safety Week details http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/News/Events/1192/Safety-Week-2010
“I just wanted to give you some brief feedback from the beacon class some friends and I took several weeks ago up at Alpental. I wanted to tell you that all three of us thought the class was excellent. The two instructors were totally knowledgeable and totally cool. They didn't talk down to us and they were super fun to be with. In fact, they were the type of dudes I would love to ski with. I also thought the "lab" area was wonderful. Although I have some experience with beacons the hands on digging was really worthwhile. Again, thanks for providing such excellent teaching.” - Peter
“Ten of us joined Stimberis and Rob Gibson (Risk Manager at Alpental, yikes what a job!) for beacon and (wo)manniken search exercises at the Beacon Park today. The setting, tools, weather and instructors were perfect for optimal training, thanks to all. Afterward we were honored to meet David Pettigrew's dad and sister, and had a chance to thank them personally for this valuable snow safety educational resource.” -Silas
2009 Mountain Safety Courses
The APP and the David Pettigrew Memorial Foundation (“Foundation”) partnered in sponsoring mountain safety classes that were given at Stevens Pass in Washington on March 14, 2009 and at Alpental in Washington on March 21, 2009. The classes were geared towards the 10-15 year-old age group and covered the skiers responsibility code; ski area safety, warning signs, and park etiquette; fist-aid basics and injury reporting; off trail safety, skiing with a buddy, tree wells; back-country gear essentials; avalanche and avalanche rescue; and beacons, probes and shovels. The instructors were Cory Rubinfeld (an APP certified ski patroller, professional ski patroller and medical trainer at Stevens Pass, and avalanche instructor) and his co-instructor Kevin Marston (a member of the Foundation and a professional ski patroller at Alpental, a Washington State DOT avalanche forecaster, and the current president of the Back-Country Rescue Canines Association).
The course was free to all participants and class size was limited to 25 students. All of the activities occurred either in classrooms or walking around areas at each location. Each class lasted 4 hours. Corey stated that the students were absolutely thrilled, quoting student comments as “great”, “fun”, “enlightening”, and “cool”.
*DISCLAIMER: Skiing, snowboarding, and all other activities conducted in the mountains are inherently dangerous. The mountain safety classes sponsored by The Foundation and APP with the support of the ski areas will discuss some of those dangers. The classes are, however, limited in time and the amount of information that can be presented. While this information is important and should be helpful to the students, The Foundation, APP, and the ski areas cannot and do not assume any responsibility for any accidents or injuries the students may sustain either skiing, snow-boarding, and in other activities in the mountains now or in the future.
