>>2841306
>Actually was hoping to take some mountaineering instruction in the whites this past winter but it didn't work out. Hope to get up there this season.
Unless you plan on doing something like the flume slide, lions head or huntington you probably dont need a mountaineering course. It builds good skills but there aren't a ton of hikes in the whites that require real mountaineering experience (crampons, ice axe, ropes ect.)

like >>2841309 said, common sense and checking the forecast is most of what you need to keep safe. The other part is bringing the right tools, especially traction. Snowshoes, Microspikes and poles ect.