Backcountry Ski Accidents & Avalanche First Response
Winter 25/26
Backcountry Ski Accidents & Avalanche First Response is the second installment of Whatcom County and Backcountry Medical Guides’ Adventure RX series. Each session is designed to deliver immersive, seasonally relevant, field-based medical training for healthcare providers and outdoor professionals/enthusiasts. The curriculum combines thought-provoking lectures with scenario-based skills practice to strengthen community capacity and professional development in austere environments.
Winter 25/26
Backcountry Ski Accidents & Avalanche First Response is the second installment of Whatcom County and Backcountry Medical Guides’ Adventure RX series. Each session is designed to deliver immersive, seasonally relevant, field-based medical training for healthcare providers and outdoor professionals/enthusiasts. The curriculum combines thought-provoking lectures with scenario-based skills practice to strengthen community capacity and professional development in austere environments.
Winter 25/26
Backcountry Ski Accidents & Avalanche First Response is the second installment of Whatcom County and Backcountry Medical Guides’ Adventure RX series. Each session is designed to deliver immersive, seasonally relevant, field-based medical training for healthcare providers and outdoor professionals/enthusiasts. The curriculum combines thought-provoking lectures with scenario-based skills practice to strengthen community capacity and professional development in austere environments.
Winter in the North Cascades demands a higher standard of preparedness. This immersive training event focuses on avalanche rescue, prolonged field care in snow environments, and high-consequence team dynamics.
Morning lectures will be held in a heated outdoor tent near Mt. Baker Ski Area, followed by on-snow skills stations in controlled terrain with ski patrol and avalanche instructors.
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Avalanche physiology & asphyxia timeline
Hypothermia, frostbite & cold injury management
Group leadership in remote, high-stakes conditions
Beacon/probe/shovel drills with realistic time pressure
Prolonged CPR in hypothermic arrest
Team-based avalanche rescue simulation (live scenario or staged debris field)
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EMTs, Paramedics, RNs, PAs, MDs
Ski patrol, mountain guides, SAR members
Winter outdoor professionals, avalanche educators
Healthcare providers preparing for winter deployment or backcountry travel
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CE/CME certificate for eligible medical professionals
Avalanche gear use (if needed) and field instruction
Guided rescue simulations with experienced instructors