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Avalanche Courses Curriculum

For all our courses, we focus on the practical application of the course content with lots of practical examples and accident case studies. Another focus is on interpretation of the avalanche bulletin, the weather forecast and other web-based sources of information (ACMG Mountain Conditions Report).

New since the 2006 / 2007 season is a Canadian decision making tool
called "The Avaluator".

Based on the terrain rating for your intended ski or snowmobile tour (easy, challenging and complex) in combination with the hazard rating of the official avalanche bulletin, the Avaluator will help you decide if you should do a particular trip or not.
During a trip, the avaluator card reminds you of adverse factors that you might be encountering and again helps you with your decision making as to proceed or not.
While common in Europe, this "decision framework" is a revolutionary, research-based approach to decision making for winter backcountry recreationalists in North America - we are very excited about introducing this new tool to our students!

Avalanche Safety Training 1(2 Days - 16 hrs)

Day 1: Classroom day (see curriculum below)

Day 2: Field Day - Itinerary (Curriculum below):
AM:
- Morning meeting, review of the weather forecast and the avalanche bulletin
- Car-pool to trail head.
- Equipment check with transceiver test
- Transceiver practice - single and multiple burials - small party self-rescue
- Lunch Break
PM:
- Stability Evaluation: Snow pits (site selection, layer identification).
- Shear tests (rutschblock, compression, shovel, burp)
- Hasty tests (probing, hand shear etc.)
- Test limitations
- Terrain recognition, route finding, safe travel techniques, hazard recognition
- Group management and human factors
- Group rescue scenarios, multiple burial and probing
- Course conclusion and critique

AST 1 Curriculum - Topics and Allocated Time
(in accordance with the standard set by the Canadian Avalanche Association)

Avalanche Safety Training 2 (4 Days - 30 hrs)
Objective of our advanced course is to give you the tools to make the crucial decision for your own ventures into the back country: Go or don't go. While sticking to the CAA Course guidelines, we emphasize the Canadian version of the European decision model
- The Avaluator.
We will focus on the three decisive factors in evaluating stability and overall hazard for the recreational back country traveler:
1) Hazard Rating according to the avalanche bulletin
2) Slope steepness and exposure to hazard from above
3) Slope exposure and shape

Graduates of our Introductory Avalanche Course can skip the first classroom day and attend the last three days at a pro-rated price.

AST 2 - Topics and Allocated Time
(in accordance with the standard set by the Canadian Avalanche Association)