How Not to Die - Backcountry Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Winter in the backcountry brings its own set of challenges. As temperatures drop and daylight fades, risks increase, and preparedness becomes paramount.

Think you could survive an unanticipated emergency while enjoying your winter adventures? Confident that you know what to pack for any situation that Mother Nature throws your way? How Not to Die is a one-of-a-kind interactive event hosted in partnership with REI, King County Explorer Search and Rescue, Washington Trails Association, and Kula Cloth. Join us to test your backcountry survival know-how in unexpected scenarios!

• Adventure Scenarios: designed to teach you trip planning skills, plus weather and avalanche essentials and know-how from experts.
• Interactive Survival Challenges: Test your skills as we throw you into imaginary “backcountry emergencies” like tumbles into frozen creeks, avalanches mishaps, weather nightmares and unexpected falls. Will you pack the right gear to survive an unanticipated night in the cold?
• True Stories of Misadventures: Hear gripping stories from King County Explorer Search and Rescue of real life rescues – Learn from others’ mistakes so that you can be avoid being their next mission.
• Outdoor Know-How: Learn to pack like a pro, layer effectively for winter, what to carry for medical emergencies and how to stay safe, warm and dry.
• Winter Safety Tips and Emergency Planning: Learn strategies to handle cold temperatures, avalanche risks, and snow-covered trails. Make sure you're prepared to prevent and manage common winter hazards, from frostbite and white outs to snow blindness and hypothermia.
• What to Do If Something Goes Wrong: Learn how to contact Search and Rescue (SAR) in an emergency and how to provide crucial information so that they can find you or a loved one.

• Cold Weather Fashion Show: Join REI for a hilarious, yet educational stroll down the catwalk -- where winter fashion will meet winter faux pas! Our REI models will strut the essentials —base layers, mid layers, outerwear —while our fashion police keep an eye out for any cold-weather fashion crimes -- highlighting what to wear AND what not to wear.
• Make a Custom Kula Cloth: Bring an original photo, art or just a really great idea and create your own custom Kula Cloth, for a splash of fun!

Why Attend?

• Expert Advice and Essentials: Gain insights on what gear is critical for winter adventures, including avalanche safety equipment, emergency shelters, and cold-weather sleeping gear.
• Learn Skills that Could Save Your Life: Perfect for hikers, backpackers, and anyone ready to travel into the backcountry this winter.

In Partnership with King County Explorer Search and Rescue, REI, Washington Trails Association and Kula Cloth

Since the pandemic, the Kula Academy has hosted nearly 600 classes and events. We’ve hiked sections of the PCT, summited volcanoes, paddled wild rivers, camped under starlit skies, painted, jumped into cold water for no good reason and danced — A LOT! Along the way, we’ve removed heaps of garbage from the Mountain Loop Highway, planted deciduous and evergreen trees, and taught people how to leave the world a better place. It's a corner of the universe where adventure, creativity and stewardship collide!

Whether you’re here to master winter camping, learn “How Not to Die” doing the things you love, or simply because a pee cloth brought you our way, doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re here! And we’re glad that our paths have crossed. We hope that you’ll join us on our adventures because you’re the missing ingredient in our trail mix. Come ready to laugh, learn, and leave with new friends and hopefully a deeper connection to others, yourself, and the world around us.

Check out all of our . And if you're interested in teaching a class, feel free to reach out to [email protected]

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

REI, 222 Yale Avenue North, Seattle, United States