avalanche fundamentals

The Level 1 will cover the basics of avalanche hazard awareness and stability assessment. Forty percent of the course is classroom based and the other sixty percent is field based. We will travel in the backcountry, in and around avalanche terrain.

This course focuses on the following:

1. • Recognizing avalanche terrain
   

2. • Travel procedures in avalanche terrain
   

3. • Avalanche transceiver use and rescue skills
   

4. • Reading and interpreting the avalanche hazard forecast bulletin
   

5. • Understanding the basics of mountain snowpack formation
   

6. • Field observations of snowpack, weather, and terrain
   

7. • Use and interpretation of snowpack stability tests
   

8. • Using the avalanche forecast and pertinent observations in an effective
   

decision-making framework.

1. • Learning how human factors, or biases, can influence decision-making
   

time commitment

3 days or 24 hours (2 evenings + 2 days)

cost

$275 ($325 for the Helena course)

recommended reading

Snow Sense, Jill Fredston & Doug Fesler

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Bruce Tremper

Sample Schedule

3 day Level 1 schedule
4 day Level 1 schedule