Course Format, Syllabus, Dates

Quick Overview

[March 2011 update: Preregistration for the 2011-12 L1 course is already overly full at 10 students, but preregistration is available for the wait list, and with eight months to go, pretty good chance of getting into the course as plans and schedules change for other students. We also still have room for the Intro course, i.e., Fall Session only]

The dates for the 2011-12 season are as follows:

November 20 (Sunday) = Fall Session at Northfield Mountain MA

March 3-4 (Sat-Sun) = Winter Field Sessions at Mount Washington NH based out of the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center (PNVC) and Joe Dodge Lodge

The Fall Session is required for attendance at the Winter Field Sessions, although the Fall Session is also designed so that it can be taken by itself, thereby also appealing to students who for whatever reasons are not ready or interested in going on to take the Winter Field Sessions.

Details

The course schedule adopts a component approach, comprising a [very full] one-day Fall Session and a [very full] weekend of Winter Field Sessions. As outlined in the downloadable syllabus (revised March 7, 2011), the Fall Session will start with classroom activities and outdoor rescue practice, then conclude with preparation for the Winter Field Sessions (both to cover gear issues, and to take a fitness-assessment hike).  In addition to your winter gear, bring a lunch, as Northfield lacks any on-site food and you will not have time to travel off-site for food.

The Winter Field Sessions start at 6:30 Saturday morning with breakfast at the AMC's PNVC. (All students are very strongly encouraged to drive up Friday evening and stay in Joe Dodge Lodge.) After some initial discussions, we will head out for a full-day tour (including snowpit demonstrations by the instructors and also student rescue practice), returning in time to put away gear and prepare for the following day. We will reconvene for Saturday dinner at 6:00 in the AMC's PNVC, engaging in course discussions over dinner, then continuing in the diorama room until we are ejected at the 9:00 closing time.

Course activities start up again at 6:30 Sunday morning breakfast followed by another full tour, with the ultimate goal to have all students on the road heading home by 5:00 Sunday afternoon. (All students are required to reserve a bunk at the AMC's Joe Dodge Lodge Saturday night along with Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast. "Lunch" is on your own in the form of regular eating and hydrating in the field while touring, with both food and water always accessible without having to remove your pack.)

Enrollment for the Level 1 Avalanche for Rescue Personnel course (i.e., comprising both the Fall Session and Winter Field Sessions) is capped at 8 students, with preference given first to NSP members. The enrollment cap for the Introduction to Avalanche Safety and Rescue course (i.e., attendance at only the Fall Session) is 8 students, once again with preference to patrollers. Total attendance therefore at the Fall Session is capped at 16 (i.e., 8 Intro students attending only that single day for their course, plus 8 L1 students attending that session as the first of their three in-person days).

Note that students who satisfactorily complete the Intro course yet have a schedule conflict for the affiliated L1 Winter Field Sessions might be allowed to attend the weekend portion of a different NSP Level 1 course, although this is at the discretion of another course’s Instructor of Record. Also, a student who is still on the waitlist for the L1 course could register for the Intro course with the hope that a spot might open up by March if a registered student has to drop out.

Finally, note that dogs are prohibited from both the Fall Session and Winter Field Sessions. Also, attendance at the course is restricted to enrolled students. Friends, family, etc., are certainly welcome to join in the many recreational opportunities available to the public at Northfield Mountain and at Pinkham Notch, but they should not plan on listening in, observing, tagging along, etc. during course activities.