AIARE Avalanche Aware – Golden, CO
Build a Better Understanding of Avalanche Risk
Join Colorado Adventure Guides at Bentgate Mountaineering in Golden for AIARE Avalanche Aware, an introductory avalanche awareness clinic designed to help winter recreationists better understand avalanche hazards, recognize avalanche terrain, use the avalanche forecast, identify obvious warning signs, and determine appropriate next steps in avalanche education.
No previous avalanche education is required.
What You’ll Learn
- How avalanches form and where they can occur
- How to recognize avalanche terrain and terrain traps
- How to read an avalanche forecast
- How danger ratings, weather, and recent observations inform travel decisions
- Five common warning signs of avalanche instability
- Basic strategies for avoiding avalanche terrain
- What education and skills to pursue next
Reading the Forecast & Recognizing Red Flags
Participants will learn where to find the most important information in an avalanche forecast, including danger ratings, travel advice, elevation, weather, observations, and recent avalanche activity.
We’ll also discuss five obvious signs of increasing avalanche danger: wind-drifted snow, rapid warming, heavy snowfall or rain, cracking or collapsing snow, and recent avalanches.
Avalanche Terrain & Safer Choices
Avalanches occur on and below steep, snow-covered slopes. The clinic introduces participants to start zones, avalanche tracks, runouts, terrain traps, and basic tools for recognizing terrain where avalanche exposure may exist.
The goal isn’t to turn one evening into a full avalanche course — it’s to help you recognize when avalanche terrain may be present and understand when additional training is needed.
What Comes Next?
Your next step depends on how you plan to recreate.
If your goal is to avoid avalanche terrain, useful skills include terrain identification, map reading, winter travel skills, and first aid.
If you plan to travel in or around avalanche terrain, you’ll need additional training in avalanche rescue, risk management, forecast interpretation, terrain selection, and group communication.
Travelers entering avalanche terrain should also carry and know how to use a transceiver, probe, and shovel.
Who Should Attend?
Ideal for backcountry skiers and splitboarders, snowshoers, snowmobilers, winter hikers, mountaineers, and anyone who recreates around steep, snow-covered terrain.
No previous avalanche education required.
Reserve Your Free Spot
Space is limited. Advance RSVP required.
Event Team:
- Organizer: Colorado Adventure Guides
- Presented in partnership with: AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education)
- Hosted at: Bentgate Mountaineering
Explore all free Avy Savvy Winter Clinics →
Ready for formal avalanche training? Explore CAG Avalanche Courses →