Avalanche Training – AIARE 2

There is no one single, official, nationally recognized curriculum for avalanche education in the USA. However, there are established curriculum standards and guidelines. The American Avalanche Association (A3) is the non-profit body that has established these general standards for avalanche curriculum, while also certifying curriculum providers throughout the US. A3 oversees professional and recreational avalanche training programs to ensure programmatic quality, consistency, and up-to-date curriculum content. The organization is the U.S. certifying body for avalanche education.

American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) was founded to provide instructors with the tools to educate students about the knowledge and decision making skills necessary to travel in avalanche terrain. The American Alpine Institute’s Avalanche Course instructors are AIARE-trained instructors and will teach the standardized AIARE curriculum on each course.

The AIARE Avalanche Level 2 course builds on the foundations of AIARE Level 1 and AIARE Rescue, helping experienced backcountry travelers refine their ability to assess terrain and manage risk in more complex avalanche environments.  Students will come away with tools and techniques to take them further into the backcountry.

Students Will Learn:

• A deeper understanding of snowpack evolution
• How weather and climate form and change the snowpack
• Recognition and management of uncertainty in avalanche terrain
• How uncertainty influences terrain selection and decision-making both in planning and in the field
• Identifying areas of increased consequence within avalanche terrain
• Use and interpretation of weather, snow, and avalanche observations to locate appropriate terrain in planning and in the field
• How to adjust terrain choices in real time based on ongoing field observations
• How to conduct snowpack tests and evaluate their significance
• Effective travel in a small team and managing field-based risk
• Facilitation of group discussions and collaborative decision-making

This course can be completed on skis, splitboard, or snowshoes.

Prerequisites:

• Prior backcountry travel experience on skis, snowshoes, or splitboard.
• AIARE Rec 1 Course or equivalent experience.
• Avalanche Rescue Course
• Have good physical fitness, including being able to hike for multiple hours with a 20 – 35lb backpack with minimal breaks.
• Be able to dress appropriately for being outside in snowy, winter conditions, and be outside for a full day.
• Be able to maintain your personal nutrition and hydration needs throughout the day (you may not have an official break for lunch – these are often done “on the go” – so you need to be able to manage your personal needs in this regard).

​Avalanche Gear

The AAI Equipment Shop rents avalanche gear, including beacons, probes, and shovels.  They also have backcountry skis and boots, snowshoes, and splitboards for rent.  We also carry packs and ski poles for rent.  See AAI rental pricing sheet.

​The Equipment Shop also sells all necessary snow science gear such as field book, crystal card, snow saw, thermometer, and loupes.

Hybrid or In-Person Courses

We offer two options for our courses:

• Hybrid courses with two online evening interactive lectures on Tuesday and Thursday, plus two in-person field days on Saturday and Sunday, unless otherwise specified.
• Standard courses with one full day in-person classroom session plus two in-person field days.

Winter Backcountry Skills Part 2: Intermediate Backcountry Travel

We offer a combo course of our AIARE Avalanche Level 2, Winter Camping, and Intermediate/Advanced Backcountry Skiing/Splitboarding Course.  It’s the most well-rounded and cost-effective way to build the skills you need to confidently venture into the backcountry at a more advanced level.  To view the available dates, please visit the webpage.

Taking Winter Backcountry Skills – Part 2 as a combined program is the most efficient and cost-effective way to advance your skills. Instead of piecing together separate courses over multiple seasons, you’ll move through a curated progression with consistent instruction and a supportive peer group. This integrated approach saves you time, streamlines logistics, and ensures that each skill builds seamlessly on the last.  This will give you more confidence, experience, and value for your investment.