Winter provides the opportunity for skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and climbers to adventure into the snow covered backcountry terrain. Conquering this terrain can be challenging, exciting, and rewarding. Yet, with a sudden snow slide, the adventurer can become a victim of an avalanche.
Click here for the 2011-2012 Schedule of Avalanche Education Courses
Why take an avalanche course?
In 90% of avalanche incidents, the avalanche was triggered by a backcountry recreationist. Often, the warning signs existed. It’s up to the backcountry enthusiast to learn, understand and respect the warning signs of avalanche conditions. They should develop decision making skills based on critical data, education, and experience.
Backcountry adventurers should be prepared to determine and handle potentially hazardous conditions through education, awareness, preparedness, and practice. Signing up for an Avalanche Education course is an important first step in a continuous education process of making wiser decisions in backcountry terrain.
What to look for in an avalanche education course?
- Choose a course taught by qualified, certified, and experienced instructors. The backcountry experience, teaching experience, and qualifications of an instructor leading a class varies. Your quality of instruction both in the classroom and out in the terrain is very important. Ensure your instructor will be experienced and qualified.
- Choose a course providing outdoor fieldwork along with the indoor classroom instruction. It’s very important to gain actual experience in terrain appropriate to your needs.
- Choose the appropriate course level for you needs. Levels of curriculum range from awareness classes to advanced professional courses.
What is the best avalanche course level for you?
- Avalanche Awareness: Generally an indoor lecture covering basic avalanche information. This class is an optional first step leading to a Level 1 course.
- Level 1 Course: Designed to cover a minimum of 24 hours of instruction with half of the instruction coming from field work. This is the base level of education providing a solid foundation for making decisions in backcountry terrain.
- Level 1 Refresher: Designed to refresh and build on the avalanche education from a Level 1 course.
- Level 2 Course: Designed to build on Level 1 education and introduce the process of identifying current conditions about snow instability based on direct observation skills.
- Level 3 Course: Designed for avalanche professionals after meeting minimum requirements of education and applied experience.
Click Here for a directory of 2011-2012 Avalanche Education Courses
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Thank you for advising backcountry recreationists to take an avalanche safety course.
There are some excellent videos on youtube that show the basics of avalanche training, and as part of the technical skills taught in association with our Adventure Education B.S. degree program here at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO also includes at least a semester of this type training. Worth knowing about if you spend any type of time recreating in the backcountry.
Thank you Jenifer for the great information. For readers interested in the Adventure Education B.S. degree program at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CLICK HERE for a blog post highlighting benefits of the program or CLICK HERE for the college website page on the program.
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