As blissful and peaceful as backcountry skiing may seem, it’s the seasoned backcountry traveler that understands the true risks inherent to the sport. While ski movies make it look like exploring off-piste is all untouched powder and uninterrupted face shots, the reality of backcountry skiing is much more serious. Avalanches result in the deaths of around 150 people worldwide on an average year, and nearly 90-percent of the time the victim or another person in the victim’s party is responsible for triggering the deadly slide.
From understanding what gear you need, to recognizing terrain traps and tell-tale signs of an unstable snowpack, avalanche courses are key for a safe and successful backcountry experience, every time you venture out of bounds. To gain a better understanding of the different avalanche courses available to the ski community and which courses YOU should take, FREESKIER caught up with Bruce Edgerly, co-founder of backcountry safety equipment brand, Backcountry Access.
While it’s easy to find untouched powder just outside of a ski resort’s boundary lines, that holds no correlation to its safety and stability. Whether you’re skiing through a backcountry gate at a resort or breaking trail deep in the wilderness, avalanche education is a necessity. It doesn’t matter who you are or how experienced you think you might be; this critical education is a must-have for anybody “skiing in an area that’s not carpet bombed by ski patrol,” says Edgerly.
In North America, there is the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) and the American Avalanche Institute (AAI) and the American Avalanche Association (A3) sets the standard for these training programs in the United States. In Canada, Avalanche Canada Training (ACT) provides recreational Avalanche Skills Training (AST) courses while the Canadian Avalanche Association provides courses catered to professionals. Generally, these providers offer two levels of recreational courses (1 and 2) and several more advanced courses.
“I’d say the Recreational Level 1 avalanche course is the crux,” says Edgerly. “But everything after that is great [to have] too. In these classes, you’ll learn what avalanche terrain looks like, what information can be found in an avalanche forecast and understand how to interpret it. You’ll then connect what you’re reading in the report to what you’re seeing in the field. It’s not about nerdy stuff like snow pits; rather, it’s all about understanding, reading and interpreting terrain and conditions, and how to navigate effectively through them.”
A recreational Level 2 course expands on the hazard-management skills learned in Level 1, serving as a deeper dive into decision-making and route-finding, and also delves more into the science of a snowpack. Professional-level courses cover all of the aforementioned, general safety topics but add specific elements essential to those who call the mountains their workplace. Often times, these pro-level courses serve as a required certification for entry-level professionals but can also be relied upon for continuing education of seasoned pros. Most avalanche safety courses are generally two to three days and are best completed in-person; you’ll spend time in the classroom and on the mountain, utilizing your new skills in both settings.
Apart from avalanche education courses, though, there are also other classes offered by these accredited institutions, including Companion Rescue. “In a Level 1 course, it’s really basic rescue—one person,” says Edgerly. “In a Companion Rescue course you’ll learn about finding more than one person, how to work as a team, communicate effectively and all the other aspects that go along with a transceiver-led rescue. The use of a transceiver in a search is a small part of a rescue—you gotta mobilize your group, figure out the leader, do the search, probe, shovel as a team, evacuate the person and [sometimes] treat them for First Aid.”
Whether this will be your first year on the skin track or you’re a veteran backcountry skier looking to continue your avalanche education, courses are available all across the country. Below, we’ve broken it down by state and region to help you find the right course, closest to you. FREESKIER and Backcountry Access encourage responsible use of backcountry terrain. Do not leave the resort boundary without avalanche rescue equipment, knowledge of the area and proper avalanche rescue training. If you don’t know, don’t go!
Alaska
Alaska Avalanche School
Anchorage, AK
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, AIARE Avalanche Rescue
AIARE Pro 1, AIARE Pro 2, AIARE Pro Rescue
Alaska Guide Collective
Anchorage and Girdwood, AK
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
California
Alpine Skills International
Truckee, CA
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 1 Plus, AIARE Level 1 Refresh,
AIARE Level 2, AIARE Avalanche Rescue
Expedition: Kirkwood
Kirkwood, CA
AIARE Level 1
California Ski Guides
Bear Valley, CA
A3 Avalanche Level 1, A3 Avalanche Level 2, A3 Avalanche Rescue
Sierra Mountain Center
Bishop, CA
AIARE Level 1, Level 1 Extension,
Avalanche Refresher AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Sierra Mountaineering International
Bishop, CA
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Colorado
10th Mountain Division
Aspen, CO
AIARE Level 1
Apex Mountain School
Avon, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Aspen Alpine Guides
Aspen, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Aspen Expeditions
Aspen, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Companion Rescue
Colorado Mountain School
Boulder, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Irwin Guides
Crested Butte, CO
AIARE Level 1 Prep
Pikes Peak Alpine School
Colorado Springs, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, AIARE Avalanche Rescue
Peak Mountain Guides
Ouray, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2
San Juan Expeditions
Durango, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, AIARE Companion Rescue
San Juan Mountain Guides
Durango, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Silverton Avalanche School
Silverton, CO
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, AIARE Pro Level 1,
AIARE Pro Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Idaho
Avalanche Science LLC
Boise, ID
AS Rec 1+, AS Rec 2+
Payette Powder Guides
McCall, ID
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Sawtooth Mountain Guides
Stanley, ID
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Selkirk Powder
Sandpoint, ID
AIARE Level 1, Avalanche Rescue
Montana
American Avalanche Institute
Bozeman, MT
AAI Level 1, AAI Level 2, AAI Pro Level 1
Beartooth Powder Guides
Cooke City, MT
A3 Level 1, A3 Level 2
Bell Lake Yurt
Bozeman, MT
A3 Level 1, A3 Level 2, Rescue Fundamentals
Montana Alpine Guides
Bozeman, MT
AIARE Level 1
The Mountain Guides
Whitefish, MT
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, AIARE Avalanche Rescue
New Hampshire
Chauvin Guides
North Conway, NH
AIARE Level 1
Eastern Mountain Sports
North Conway, NH
AIARE Level 1
International Mountain Climbing School
North Conway, NH
AIARE Level 1, Avalanche Rescue
Synnott Mountain Guides
Intervale, NH
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
New Mexico
Beverly Mountain Guides
Albuquerque, NM
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2
Utah
American Avalanche Institute
Salt Lake City, UT and Park City, UT
AAI Level 1, AAI Level 2, AAI Level
Red River Adventures
Moab, UT
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
School for International Expedition Training
Salt Lake City, UT
A3 Level 1
Utah Avalanche Center
Salt Lake City, UT
AAI Level 1, Avalanche Rescue
Utah Mountain Adventures
Salt Lake City, UT
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
White Pine Touring
Park City, UT
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue, AIARE Pro 1
Washington
Alpine Ascents International
Seattle, WA
AIARE Level 2, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
American Alpine Institute
Bellingham, WA
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2,
AIARE Pro 1, AIARE Pro 2, Avalanche Rescue
Baker Mountain Guides
Bellingham, WA
AIARE Level 2
Cascade Powder Cats
Leavenworth, WA
AIARE Level 1
Everett Mountaineers
Everett, WA
AIARE Level 1
North Cascade Mountain Guides
Mazama, WA
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2
Northwest Mountain School
Leavenworth, WA
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Stevens Pass
Skykomish, WA
AIARE Level 1
Wyoming
American Avalanche Institute
Jackson, WY
AAI Level 1, AAI Level 2, AAI Pro 1, AAI Pro 2
Exum Mountain Guides
Jackson, WY
AAI Level 1, AAI Level 2
Jackson Hole Mountain Guides
Jackson, WY
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Jackson Hole Outdoor Leadership Institute
Jackson, WY
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Teton Backcountry Guides
Jackson, WY
A3 Level 1, A3 Level 2
Vermont
Adventure Spirit Guides
Burlington, VT
AIARE Level 1
Kingdom Adventures Mountain Guides
East Burke, VT
AIARE Level 1
Petra Mountaineering School
Burlington, VT
AIARE Level 1, AIARE Level 2, Avalanche Rescue
Alberta
Alpinism Mountain and Ski Guiding
Banff, AB
AST Level 1, AST Level 2
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures
Canmore, AB
AST Level 1, AST Level 2
Zacs Tracs
Black Diamond, AB
AST Level 1, AST Level 2
British Columbia
Avalanche Courses Whistler
Whistler, BC
AST Level 1, AST Level 2
Canadian Avalanche Association
Revelstoke, BC
AO Level 1, AO Level 2, AO Level 3
Canadian Powder Guiding (CAPOW)
Revelstoke, BC
AST Level 1, AST Level 2
Colwest Alpine Adventures
Kamloops, BC
AST Level 1, AST Level 2, Companion Rescue
Hangfire Avalanche Training
Quartz Creek, BC
AST Level 1, AST Level 2
Hyland Backcountry Services
Smithers, BC
AST Level 1, AST Level 2, Companion Rescue
Summit Mountain Guides
Nelson, BC
