AIARE LEVEL 1 Avalanche Safety

Education – Winter – 3-Day

(970) 668-8900

Education, Winter

REVIEWS

Learn. Practice. Stay Alive.

The standard AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course is a 3-Day course that combines both classroom and field instruction to introduce participants to the hazards of traveling in avalanche terrain. 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. Our AIARE certified leaders and instructors will teach you how to recognize, manage, and minimize these hazards and reduce risks.

Prerequisites:

This course can be taken on alpine touring skis or splitboard. No prior backcountry experience required but it is highly recommended that participants with touring gear have experience on their setup prior to taking this course. Alpine touring skis and splitboards are available for rent from local shops. Students on skis or boards must be comfortable in steep blue to black terrain at the ski resort.

Price Includes:

Local AIARE Certified Course Leader and Instructors
24-hour course with a 6:1 maximum instructor to student ratio
Student manual and weather-proof AIARE field book
Use of beacon, shovel and probe (if needed)

General Info

Duration: 3 days (.5 day classroom and 2.5 days in field)

Dates:

~~December 7-9 FULL (waitlist)~~
~~December 14-16 FULL (waitlist)~~
~~January 4-6 FULL (waitlist)~~
~~January 11-13 FULL~~
~~February 1-3 FULL (waitlist)~~
~~February 8-10 FULL (waitlist)~~
~~March 8-10 FULL~~
March 22-24 FULL (waitlist)

Price: $450.00 per person

Maximum Participants: 12 (6:1 student to instructor ratio)

Location: Summit County, Colorado

Course Itinerary:

Friday and Saturday: Mix of classroom and field instruction. (16 hrs)
Sunday: After a quick AM planning session you’ll head into the backcountry to practice your skills. (8hrs)

Syllabus

Day One:

Classroom instruction and introduction to avalanche safety and avalanche problems.
Field instruction: Beacon range and companion rescue.

Day Two:

AM Classroom instruction: trip planning, decision making, route-finding techniques, identifying avalanche terrain, how to use your field book, etc.
PM Field instruction: snow pit analysis and tests, and companion rescue techniques in a real mountain environment.

Day Three:

AM Trip planning for day of backcountry travel.
After trip planning we head into the backcountry to put all of the knowledge together in a real backcountry environment.

What you’ll learn:

Trip Planning and Preparation
Reading and understanding the avalanche forecast
Classifications and characteristics of different types of avalanches
Recognizing hazardous conditions
Understanding a mountain snowpack
Basics of route selection and terrain management
Managing risk and decision making
Human factors and influence
Efficient use of beacon/shovel/probe
Companion rescue techniques
Group management