WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Are you a skier or snowboarder who needs to brush up on your basic avalanche preparedness skills?

The Mount Baker Ski Area’s Mountain Education Center is hosting a free course to hone your basic avalanche awareness and rescue skills on Saturday, Jan. 11.

A season pass or lift ticket is not required to participate in the course. Head to Chair 1 at the Heather Meadows Base Area beforehand for an in-person registration.

Participants will test out a transceiver and learn what it takes to locate and uncover a buried beacon on the slopes. The Beacon Rally course will run from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and will be followed by a raffle.