The last avalanche forecast for the 2023-2024 season posted on April 21st. Thank you to all who contributed to the avalanche center this season through observations, volunteer time, and/or financial contributions.
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The last avalanche forecast for the 2023-2024 season posted on April 21st. Thank you to all who contributed to the avalanche center this season through observations, volunteer time, and/or financial contributions.
For Winter 2025, SAC plans to offer Intro Days, Level 1, Rescue, and Level 2 avalanche classes for motorized users. These classes are for snowmobilers and snowbikers who ride off-trail and may expose themselves to avalanche terrain. Skiers and snowboarders who use snowmobiles for access purposes, but whose exposure to avalanches occurs primarily on skis or a snowboard, should take a class from one of the region's many non-motorized providers.
SAC classes follow the guidelines established by the American Avalanche Association, so they are recognized throughout the U.S. and are compatible with other avalanche classes. All classes teach the "Daily Flow" avalanche risk management process, and require participants to complete pre-course reading about it. This information is best digested with small bites over several days. Please don't try to cram it all in the night before your class! Avalanche Rescue and Level 2 classes also have videos to watch, as described in the syllabi below.
These classes are free to the public from a mix of SAC general funds and CA OHV grant funds, but require advanced registration (SAC will be using an easier registration system for 2025, but you won’t be able to begin the process until links appear on the registration date and time). Spaces fill quickly, so please read the following information carefully and be prepared to register on the date and time specified. No spaces can be reserved prior to registration, and no waitlists are maintained.
Participants must:
Intro Days are single days for those newer to off-trail riding, or for returning Level 1 participants looking for a single-day refresher (repeating the Level 1 is also encouraged). The same risk management process taught in SAC's other classes will be followed, with an emphasis on identifying avalanche terrain in order to avoid it. Participants should have the ability to ride for a full day, including off-trail in low-angled terrain and straight up/down moderate hills. Some brief side-hilling may be required.
Classes run each day from 9am-5pm. Two of the Intro Days are scheduled to coincide with Lake Tahoe Snowmobilers meetups, and the other two are on the following days and are women's-specific.
Dates, locations, and registration times are the following:
Level 1 classes teach a repeatable risk management process to structure each riding day. Academic topics are covered by the pre-course reading instead of lengthy classroom sessions, so all three days of the class include significant off-trail riding time. Participants should have the ability to ride off-trail in variable snow conditions for three full days. Terrain may be open or treed, with steep ups and downs, and moderate hills and gullies requiring extended side-hilling. Those who struggle with riding ability may jeopardize the experience of others - please do not overestimate your ability, and consider taking an Avalanche Rescue or Intro Day instead.
Classes run each day from 9am-5pm. North Tahoe classes will begin with an indoor session at the trailhead. South Tahoe classes will begin with an indoor session at the South Tahoe Airport, then ride from either Blue Lakes, Tragedy Springs, or Ebbetts Pass (conditions dependent). Level 1 dates, locations, and registration times are the following:
Avalanche Rescue classes provide companion rescue practice for motorized users, and can be taken every few seasons to refresh. Because avalanche avoidance skills should be prioritized over rescue skills, it is strongly recommended - but not required - that a Level 1 class is taken before Avalanche Rescue. Participants should have the ability to ride for a full day, including off-trail in low-angled terrain and straight up/down moderate hills. Some brief side-hilling may be required.
Field sessions run from 9am-5pm. Avalanche Rescue dates, locations, and registration times are the following:
The Level 2 repeats the avalanche risk management process taught in SAC Level 1 classes, for a more experienced audience. It’s intended for those taking a leadership role in their riding groups, for those riding outside of a forecast area, or for motorized professionals (guides, skills instructors, content creators, avalanche workers, etc). Participants should be advanced riders, comfortable in steep terrain with extended side-hilling. Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue classes are pre-requisites, though don’t need to have been taken from SAC and don’t need to have been motorized.
Class runs each day from 9am-5pm, beginning with an indoor session in a mobile classroom at the trailhead. For 2025, SAC is offering a single Level 2 class:
Please contact Travis Feist, SAC's education coordinator, with any questions.
This website is owned and maintained by the non-profit arm of the Sierra Avalanche Center. Some of the content is updated by the USDA avalanche forecasters including the forecasts and some observational data. The USDA is not responsible for any advertising, fund-raising events/information, or sponsorship information, or other content not related to the forecasts and the data pertaining to the forecasts.