Santiam Pass Ski Patrol

AMN

Change of Location due to wildfire

Oct. 16-18, 2026 at

Hoodoo Ski Area, Santiam Pass, Oregon, camping on site

Avalanche/MTR/N/BC Instructor Continuing Education Refreshers plus more

NSP Center for Learning

There are five classes available for this session. Feel free to register for all that apply to you.

  • ICE – Instructor Continuing Education
    • Avalanche
    • MTR
    • N/BC
  • General
    • MTR Clinic
    • Nordic Skills

Note

  • The course titles likely contain Teacup or Tea Cup or Mt Hood.
  • The location is moved to Hoodoo because of Forest Service closure of the Teacup area due to fire damage. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
  • The “Teacup” courses are still the correct courses. Course titles are unchanged. Searching the NSP course catalogue for “teacup” should still work.

Location

  • Hoodoo Ski Area
  • 27400 Big Lake Road, Sisters, OR 97759
  • Google Map
Early morning, winter photo of Hayrick Butte above the parking lot, Hoodoo, OR. I do not expect snow in October. Matt Strauser

Have with you

  • A copy of your prework, printed and/or on your device
  • Navigation
    • GPS
      • The AMN will use the CalTOPO phone app – this will be used for all AMN activities
      • Also, feel free to bring the device/app that your patrol uses
      • External portable charger for phone
    • Navigation tools
      • Paper pad, pencil, straight-edge…
      • Compass with declination
  • Before you arrive

What to bring for the AMN stations:

  • Things you carry as teaching aids
  • All of the above plus:
  • Avalanche
    • Beacon/shovel/probe
    • Touring backpack
    • You can share the cool things that your carry
  • MTR
    • Harness
    • Personal anchor slings
    • Cool things that you carry
  • N/BC – in your SAR pack or overnight pack
    • Your shelter-in-place kit
    • Your improvised toboggan
    • Your hypo wrap
    • Cool things that are in your rescue pack

It is recommended that you come prepared for an overnight SAR mission. If your patrol does not perform overnight SAR missions, then some of these items may be OPTIONAL.

Items in photo may or may not be provided for you. It is best to bring your own.

Provided for you

  • Camping
    • Space to put up your tent
    • Space to park your vehicle
    • Some 120v/12A electrical plugins for camping and phone charging
    • No permits required
    • Indoor restrooms with TP
    • Limited shower space
  • Printed maps
  • A group meeting space out of the weather

NOT provided

  • Indoor sleeping
  • Camping gear
  • EV chargers
  • Snow

How Can I Help?

  • Area help
    • Bring some paper products: TP/ Paper towel…
  • Potluck
    • Some plugins are available for your crockpot
  • Clean up
    • Take away all trash
    • Helped police and clean
    • Help keep outdoor and indoor spaces neat and clean
    • I am pretty sure your mother does not work here
  • Photos – take and share

Speaking of the Potluck

What to bring

  • Table service to share – paper plates, utensils…
  • A food item to share – you do not need to feed everyone.
Harness, slings, prussiks, carabiners, and DCD.

Nearby

  • Ray Benson Sno-Park – 1 mile
  • The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse – 10 miles
  • Camp Sherman, OR – 20 miles
  • Black Butte Ranch – 20 miles
  • Sisters, OR – 30 miles
  • Bend, OR – 50 miles
  • Sweet Home, Or – 60 miles
  • Corvallis, OR – go Beavers – 90 miles
  • Eugene, OR – go Ducks – 90 miles
  • Salem, OR – 100 miles
  • Portland, OR – 140 miles

Schedule

Friday 16 October

  • 1800 Try to arrive on or before
  • 1900 Evening gathering in South Lodge

Saturday 17 October

  • 0600 Breakfast on your own
  • 0700 Group briefing in South Lodge
  • 0730 Travel to station
  • 0800 Station
  • 1200 Lunch
  • 1300 Travel to Station
  • 1330 Station
  • 1730 Potluck
  • 1830 Debrief and Gathering for evening activities
    • Instructor Development Global Update
    • Dry-land Nordic skills
    • Drum circle

Sunday 18 October

  • 0630 Breakfast on your own
  • 0730 Group briefing
  • 0745 Travel to Station
  • 0800 Station
  • 1200 Lunch and debrief

Questions

  • Should I attend all three sessions, even if I am not and IOR/IT?
    • It is recommended to attend all three as part of the AMN
  • Should I plan to tent camp or sleep in my vehicle?
    • Your choice – there is space nearby for either
  • Do I bring my own food?
    • Yes. Plan to eat Friday PM and Saturday/Sunday AM and noon on your own.
    • The only shared meal is the Saturday PM potluck.
  • Should I bring water?
    • No. There is potable water available. Bring your own bottle for your pack.
  • Is there a stove or oven for cooking?
    • No.
  • Do we go to all three AMN stations as a group or are we divided into smaller groups?
    • It depends on how many of us there are. We will decide on site if needed.
  • Is there refrigeration?
    • There is some (limited) refrigerator space available.
  • Are there bears and mountain lions?
    • I have not seen any, but it is possible.
  • Is there first aid?
    • Ski patrol first aid.
  • What about my allergies?
  • Do I need to attend the AMN?
    • To maintain your instructorship, you must attend a refresher in a three-year period based on a 3-year cycle from when you became an instructor. A topic specific refresher and an ID refresher every three years.
    • You are also required to have taught a class in that same 3-year window.
    • And technically, those instructors should be reviewed by an IT to make sure they are teaching what we want them to.
A vacuum splint.