Basic Snowshoeing Equivalency

Equivalency permits members with appropriate levels of previous training and experience to bypass the Basic Snowshoe course. The process involves an application, a short email or phone conversation, an in person - on snow trip, and if approved, an equivalency fee. The review process may take a week or more, depending on schedules.

To apply for equivalency locate  the "APPLY" button found in the "Register Participant" section on the right side of this page. Complete the online application to provide details of your snowshoeing experience, and click Submit.  By selecting Seattle as your home branch your application will be forwarded to the Seattle Snowshoe Committee Equivalency team for response. 

A current Avalanche Awareness badge (or higher) is also required.  It is not necessary to have this badge to apply for equivalency and start the equivalency process, but the badge must be completed before equivalency can be granted.

Equivalency candidates are usually requested to volunteer as an Assistant Instructor at one of the Seattle Branch Basic Snowshoeing Course field trips to demonstrate proficiency and become familiar with the Seattle Snowshoe program. If you can’t make it to these field trips, we will try to set up a date with recognized trip leader for on snow trip to demonstrate your skills, enjoy the beautiful winter landscapes and as mentioned earlier to get familiar with our program.