Get ready for winter with this FREE series of backcountry education workshops!

Learn the basics for safe backcountry travel by attending one or all of these free avalanche education workshops presented by Tahoe Mountain Sports and Ortovox. The workshops will be held at Alibi Ale Works – Truckee Public House. All events will take place outside (weather permitting – meaning no precipitation) for the duration, so please remember to dress warmly and bring extra layers just in case. However, snow dances to stay warm are highly encouraged.

These workshops are for YOU if you like to backcountry ski, splitboard, snowmobile, snowshoe, or just explore snow-covered mountains. There will be 3 workshops held between October and December covering different aspects of avalanche education. Each event is a stand-alone event, meaning you can attend one, or all, but they do not build on each other.

1. Go With the Flow – So you want to be a backcountry enthusiast? – Backcountry 101
2. Trip Planning and Airbags
3. Avalanche Rescue, Beacons & Beers

Join us to get educated, learn about new gear and technologies, and connect with a community of like-minded backcountry travelers.

Go With the Flow – – So you want to be a backcountry enthusiast? – Backcountry 101

Tuesday, October 18th

Join us at our first of three events and learn the basics of backcountry traveling.

This is a great intro to the season as we learn how to plan for a successful day in the mountains from our resident experts of Sierra Avalanche Center. They will talk about avalanche risk management and how to “go with the flow”. You will learn the basics of how to become a backcountry skier/rider, as well as gear basics, education basics, continuing education, how to be a good partner.

Doors open at 6 pm. Give yourself plenty of time to find a parking spot and grab beer and snacks before the formal presentation begins at 6:30 pm.

Bring cash for the huge raffle benefiting the Sierra Avalanche Center, Tahoe’s local avalanche forecasting center which provides a wealth of information to backcountry skiers, riders, and sledders. Their mission is to inform and educate the public about backcountry avalanche conditions in the greater Tahoe area. There will be tons of swag from our event sponsors: Black Diamond, Flylow Gear, Blizzard Skis, Tahoe Mountain School, Blackbird Mountain Guides, Outdoor Research, Fischer, and Mountainflow Ecowax.

Trip Planning and Airbags

Tuesday, November 16th

In our second event of the series, we will learn all about planning a trip into the backcountry. This will include everything from weather, parking, route planning and Sierra Avalanche Center’s Daily Flow.

After we talk all about how to plan for a trip, Ortovox Rep, Jared, will teach us all about airbag technology and how they work. If you have an airbag, BRING IT! You’ll have the chance to pull it for a test run. Mammut, BCA, and Ortovox canisters will be re-filled onsite for free!

Check out how motorized backcountry users “go with the Flow” in this great video from the Sierra Avalanche Center:

Doors open at 6 pm. Give yourself plenty of time to find a parking spot and grab beer and snacks before the formal presentation begins at 6:30 pm.

Don’t forget to bring cash for the huge raffle benefiting Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, the voice for the human-powered winter backcountry community in the Lake Tahoe area, advocating for and informing our community about critical issues affecting winter backcountry recreation in Tahoe. Prizes include swag from our event sponsors: Ortovox, Black Diamond, Flylow Gear, Blizzard Skis, Tahoe Mountain School, Blackbird Mountain Guides, Mystery Ranch, and Dynafit.

Avalanche Rescue, Beacons & Beers

Tuesday, December 6th

What do you do when things go wrong?

Join us for a final event in the Avalanche Education Series to learn the ins and outs of avalanche rescue. The night will begin with a discussion on the essential avalanche safety tools – a beacon, shovel, and probe. We’ll cover how beacons work, best practices when using a shovel and probe, and the role of an airbag in your safety quiver. Then, professionals from Tahoe Mountain School and Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue will lead us through how a rescue unfolds.

At the end of the night, you’ll break up into small groups and have a chance to try out demo beacons and practice your skills in a search scenario. There will also be Garmin and Caltopo stations for you to learn about their mapping, navigation, and safety tools.

Doors open at 6 pm. Give yourself plenty of time to find a parking spot and grab beer and snacks before the formal presentation begins at 6:30 pm.

Bring cash for the huge raffle benefiting the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. They do great work in the Truckee/North Lake Tahoe area conducting conduct fast, safe rescues and educating the public on winter safety. Raffle prizes include swag from Ortovox, Smith, Black Diamond, Flylow Gear, Blizzard Skis, Outdoor Research, Pret, Sidas, Garmin, Tahoe Mountain School, Scott Sports, Dynafit, and Prana.

Avalanche Series Sponsors

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor ORTOVOX for making this series possible! For 30 years ORTOVOX has been the most successful producer of avalanche equipment, backpacks, and merino outerwear for alpine sports throughout the year. Come check out their products at Tahoe Mountain Sports.

Thanks to all of our sponsors including Alibi Ale Works – Truckee Public House, Flylow Gear, Black Diamond, Blizzard Skis, Black Bird Mountain Guides, Tahoe Mountain School, Outdoor Research, Fischer, Mystery Ranch, Dynafit, Spark R & D, Mounaintflow Ecowax, and Garmin.

Please support our nonprofit partners: Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue, and Sierra Avalanche Center.

Ready to take it to the next level? Read about Why you should take an Avalanche Level One Certification (AAIRE Avy 1 Class).