Avalanche Level 2

Overview

This course combines a thorough AIARE Level 2 curriculum with additional considerations for guiding or leading ski tours in mountain terrain with avalanche hazard. This four-day comprehensive course is based in and around the Sawtooth and Boulder-Smoky Mountains with locations between 6,500 ft. to over 10,000 ft., and is excellent continuing education for those who have completed a Level 1 field course.

Held in the Stanley Basin of central Idaho, our group will have a variety of mountain environments close at hand.  During the four days we develop avalanche skills considered fundamental to becoming proficient as a practitioner and observer, as well as to develop skills for backcountry travel leadership. Course topics include: mountain weather, snow pack processes, snow stability evaluation tests, observation and record keeping to industry standards & avalanche forecasting skills.  Emphases on touring skills include: route planning, group handling/ski guiding techniques, and field-based decision making.

Current Level 1 training and several years of backcountry experience is a pre-requisite to participate.

Schedule/Topics

Day 1:

  • L2 Pre-Test Review
  • Observations Seasonal- Field Book Use/ Record keeping (SWAG)
  • Advanced Companion Rescue/ Updates Technology/ Techniques
  • Observations Practical
  • Snowpack processes/ Weather / Wx & Snow Lab

Day 2:

  • AM Hazard Forecast/ Tour Planning for Day
  • Study Pits- Information Gathering/OBS./ Tests/ Test Pits
  • Snowpack Stability/Terrain Analysis/Backcountry Travel
  • Instability Factors- Data Class for Obs.
  • Graphical Snow Pit Plotting
  • Hazard Forecasting over large Terrain scales
  • Tour Planning Skills- Maps/ Route Selection Pre-Tour

Day 3:

  • AM Hazard Forecast/ Tour Planning for Day
  • Tour to make observations and collect Information
  • Snow Pack tests over terrain/ Tour Scale Observations
  • PM Meeting- Formal Instability Discussion- Daily Summary
  • Avalanche Formation & Release/ Fracture Mechanics
  • Slab Fracture Type and Tests – Decision Tools
  • Human Factors vs. Uncertainty
  • L2 Case Study– FACETS

Day 4:

  • AM Hazard Forecast/ Tour Planning for Day
  • Snowpack Test Review/ Limits/ False Stability
  • Snow Pits II- Other Tests to match Avalanche-Instability type
  • Summarize Snow Observer and Leadership Skills
  • Course Wrap-Up—Feedback

More Info

AIARE level 1 avalanche course