Winter offers a time of peace and quiet in the mountains.  It also offers a different experience for those who wish to travel into the backcountry.  But the change of seasons presents new hazards for backcountry users.  Avalanches in the intercontinental Rockies present a major hazard for anyone wishing to spend time in the mountains during the winter months.  In this public mini-course, we will outline some of the major factors to consider before traveling into the backcountry when the snow is flying. 

Some of the topics covered during this mini-course are as follows:

• Essential equipment
• Identifying avalanche terrain
• Basic avalanche rescue
• Other hazards to consider during winter months

This course is designed to be a refresher/introduction to avalanche awareness and safety.  It is NOT a certified avalanche rescue course. TSAR highly recommends taking a certified avalanche rescue course (AIARE Level 1) before traveling into avalanche terrain.

Students will have a basic understanding of avalanche safety and awareness.  This course is intended as a refresher for those with backcountry experience, or as a very basic introduction to avalanche safety.  As stated before, this course is NOT a certified avalanche safety course.

This course is intended for participants who have an interest in avalanche safety and awareness, who want to refresh their skills in avalanche safety and awareness, and who would like a basic introduction to avalanche safety and awareness and would like to learn about the field and progress in their knowledge and training.

CLASS SIZE = 12 PARTICIPANTS