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.
