AIARE 1 Splitboard Specific

Learn. Practice. Stay Alive.

Traveling in the backcountry requires a solid understanding of avalanche risk and the knowledge to mitigate these risks through appropriate terrain assessment and decision making. Colorado is home to one of the most complex snowpacks in the entire world, and people come from all across the globe to study the snowpack here. Our local team of AIARE-certified leaders and instructors have an intimate relationship with the local terrain and snowpack conditions where we operate & will teach you how to recognize, manage, and minimize these hazards, and to reduce risks. Avalanche Safety education is the core of our winter operations, and we are pleased to offer education in six Colorado Counties, including ski resort-based and hut-based courses.

Colorado Adventure Guides is proud to be one of the original splitboard specific course developers and providers in the country, supported by Weston Backcountry. Want more? Check out our Splitboard Progression Program! To take this class, students must be familiar with their touring setups and be able to ride at a steep blue or black level on resort. If you are not yet at this level, please check out our 1-Day Intro to Splitboarding Courses!

We offer AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course 3-Day courses in a traditional in-person format that combine advance e-learning, classroom, and field instruction to introduce participants to the hazards of traveling in avalanche terrain. All Level 1 courses include a minimum 24 hours of coursework, and two days on snow.

As an Ortovox Safety Academy partner, our AIARE courses include the complimentary use of Ortovox avalanche safety equipment like their Diract Voice beacon, a shovel like their Beast, an ALU probe, and an Ortovox backpack designed to hold them for easy access.

We want to make sure that you get the education that you need and don’t cut corners in delivering the best product to maximize your benefit!

What You’ll Learn:

• Efficient use of beacon/shovel/probe
• Pre-trip equipment check
• Survival gear checklist
• Weather
• Understanding a mountain snowpack
• Reading and understanding the avalanche forecast
• Classifications of avalanches
• Characteristics of different types of avalanches

Trip Preparation

• Basics of route selection and terrain management
• Trip planning and preparation
• Rescue and emergency preparation
• Group management

Hazards/Rescue

• Recognizing hazardous conditions
• Managing risk and decision making
• Human factors and influence
• Companion rescue techniques