Why should you take a Level 2 Avalanche Course with Beartooth Powder Guides?
- We are leading the industry with guide to client ratios. 1:4 in town courses and 1:5 at the Woody Creek Cabin. This gives you an intimate experience with a skilled guide to get the most out of your course.
- Once you’ve arrived in Cooke City you are in the mountains and ready to learn. Courses offered by other providers require daily driving to access the field sessions.
- Historically we have the deepest and most dependable snowpacks in Montana.
*All Level 2 courses offer curriculum which exceeds the requirements by the American Avalanche Association. Beartooth Powder Guides is an approved American Avalanche Association course provider. To help maintain proper social distancing and ensure that you have the best possible learning experience and outcomes from your course. The Course is a 4 day course that was created for advanced backcountry skiers and riders that want to go deeper into the backcountry and take their backcountry avalanche knowledge and companion rescue skills to the next level. Prior avalanche training and experience required. (Completed Level 1 or experienced backcountry travelers that have attended a basic avalanche course).
**This course includes an 8 Hour Avalanche Rescue Course for students planning on continuing on the AAA Pro Avalanche Education track. (Pro 1)
Course Overview
Experience our unique venue and learn from our experienced instructors by attending our 4-day Recreational Level 2 Avalanche course based out of Cooke City. Nestled in the middle of the Beartooth Mountains and Absaroka Range, Cooke City is just a 3-hour drive from Bozeman through the north end of Yellowstone Park. With great access to glades and alpine terrain alike, Cooke City makes a great venue to learn about terrain and the snowpack.
During the 4 days, participants will elevate their techniques and skills to become an advanced backcountry traveler and partner. This will include a combination of lectures and field sessions, where students will get hands on experience in learning about snowpack layering, terrain management, weather elements, decision making, and rescue skills.
This 4 day (32+ hour) course will be 40% classroom based and 60% field based and includes an entire day dedicated to an objective based ski tour.
The town of Cooke City offers easy access to incredible and diverse terrain, making this a great venue to access great ski terrain while enjoying the comforts of Cooke City in mornings and evenings before and after class. Beartooth Powder Guides is partnered with The High Country Motel and Elk Horn Lodge in Cooke City for lodging, so let them know you are attending one of our classes if you contact them for a room.
Cost: $929 / person
- Location: Woody Creek Cabin, Cooke City, Montana.
- Prerequisites: Completed a Level 1 Course. Students must be fit enough to travel a minimum of 6 miles per day, climbing as much as 2500 vertical feet per day. Students must have Alpine Touring skis, Telemark skis or Splitboard with skins for travel. Minimum one season between Level 1 and taking Level 2.
- Food not included.
RECOMMENDED READING
- Snow Sense, Jill Fredston & Doug Fesler
- Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Bruce Tremper
- Avalanche Essentials, Bruce Tremper
- SWAG- Snow, Weather and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States (SWAG)
Level 2 Syllabus
- The course will include 8 hours spent on advanced avalanche rescue and accident mitigation
- Concepts in avalanche hazard and basic avalanche terminology
- Trailhead checks and travel protocol
- Formation of persistent weak layers
- Understanding avalanche release
- Recognizing avalanche terrain
- Travel procedures in avalanche terrain
- Understanding avalanche release-initiation, fracture, and propogation
- How weather changes the snowpack
- Wet snow metamorphism
- Deeper understanding of human factors and how they can influence decision making
- Making and interpreting the avalanche forecast bulletin
- Applied information gathering and tour planning
- SWAG documentation
- Tracking season snowpack history
- Target observations and snowpack tests to fill knowledge gaps and address current/suspected avalanche character
- Use of an avalanche checklist in the field to provide a system for prioritizing information
- Discussion and working as a team focusing on minimizing possible human factor traps
- Discussion of accident case studies and decision-making scenarios
This course is based on guidelines established by the American Avalanche Association
There are currently no courses scheduled. Check back next year!
Cancellation Policy
Deposits/payments are non refundable. If your reservation or your position in the class can be filled, a refund will be issued minus an $80 administrative fee. Alternatively, if we fill your position in the class or are able to rebook your reservation, you can receive a 100% credit toward future course enrollment, guiding or lodging fees. Please protect your investment and purchase travel insurance at the following links;
