Level 2 Avalanche Course at Woody Creek Cabin (January 16-19)

$929.00

This Level 2 course will be held January 16-19 at the Woody Creek Cabin. *All of our 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. This 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)


This Level 2 course will be held January 16-19 at the Woody Creek Cabin. *All of our 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. This 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 Details:

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.

  • 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.

Course Topics:

  • 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

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)e difference.

Cabin Amenities:

  • Cooking Utinsils

  • Bunk beds with memory foam mattresses

  • Lighting

  • Wood burning stove and firewood

  • Board games

  • A relaxing atmosphere and amazing views!

  • Water is provided by melting snow in our specially designed snow melt tanks on the wood burning stove or by the spring creek a couple hundred feet from the cabin.