This course is an opportunity to get your hands in the snow and gain familiarity with essential concepts and practices for travel in avalanche-prone terrain. This course offers 11 hours of instruction time, with a midweek evening classroom session at FVCC on Thursday, February 1 and a field day at WMR on Saturday, February 3. We will cover avalanche terminology, identifying avalanche hazards, snowpack and weather factors, trip planning and preparation, simple decision-making tools, backcountry travel protocols, and companion rescue techniques.
Transportation is on your own. Dress appropriately for all weather conditions. Provide your own lunch. You are required to have a fully operational modern avalanche transceiver (457kHz), an avalanche shovel (no plastic blades) and an avalanche probe. You are required to have downhill (or backcountry) skis or snowboard with appropriate bindings. You do not need a splitboard or climbing skins for this course.
Are you confident in your ability to rescue your backcountry partners in the event of an avalanche? These skills are perishable and important to practice every winter, as well as throughout the season. During the morning portion of this clinic, you will rotate between stations practicing the three key pieces of rescue gear: beacon, shovel, and probe. In the afternoon, we’ll put your skills to the test with a mock companion rescue, including a debrief.
This partner rescue clinic will focus on avalanche rescue skills for small recreational groups. Expect outside lectures, combined with hands on training. A rescue clinic focuses on avalanche rescue skills for small recreational groups.
You are required to have a fully operational modern avalanche transceiver (457kHz), an avalanche shovel (no plastic blades) and an avalanche probe. You are required to have downhill (or backcountry) skis or snowboard with appropriate bindings. You do not need climbing skins.
