Avalanche Skills Training Programs for Safe Mountain Endeavours

The number of skiers, snowboarders, climbers and snowmobile riders venturing into the mountains are increasing every year. Unfortunately, every winter some accidents take place in the avalanches. The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC), which is Canada’s National Public Safety Organization, believes that Avalanche skills training programs are an essential first step to safe backcountry use in the winter. The CAC develops nationally recognized avalanche course standards and provides the instructional materials to independent instructors who in turn deliver Avalanche Skills Training (AST) programs to outdoor enthusiasts. The Avalanche courses are divided into two levels – AST Level 1 and AST Level 2.

Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Level 1

Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 course covers the fundamentals of backcountry avalanche awareness and companion rescue. The course provides the knowledge required for using appropriate travel techniques in avalanche terrain, carrying out companion rescue, identifying the avalanche terrain and forming the base for further avalanche training. A minimum of 7 hours classroom teaching and 1 day field training are required.

Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Level 2

Avalanche Skills Training Level 2 course provide a framework for intermediate level decision-making based on the most advanced knowledge available. The objectives of the course are: proficient companion rescue techniques, travel techniques in the avalanche terrain appropriate to the avalanche conditions, route finding to take advantages of nuances in the terrain and familiarity with the Avalanche Danger Ratings verification techniques for personal use on a local scale.  A minimum of 9.5 hours classroom teaching and 3 days field training are required.

The Avalanche skills training are an essential first step for safe Avalanche endeavors.