Information Course Goals

The goals of this course are to:

  • Provide a basic understanding of avalanches
  • Review decision-making and risk management in avalanche terrain
  • Review tour planning and terrain assessment
  • Review transceiver use and avalanche victim search patterns
  • Discuss new updates in avalanche research and rescue

Information Curriculum

AAA primary logo          Avy 1 - AIARE

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. They have developed and continue to develop standardized curriculum for a complete program of avalanche courses that meets the needs of students at all levels, from recreational to professional and from novice to advanced.

AIARE has created and will continue to create course materials for instructors and students to maximize the effectiveness of both teachers and learners. They require instructors to meet pre-requisites and attend a training session before they are allowed access to AIARE materials and curriculum. In addition, instructors are required to sign an agreement stating they will abide by the guidelines established by AIARE and they are required to attend regular refreshers to maintain and improve their avalanche knowledge, instructional skills, and their understanding of the evolving AIARE curriculum and materials.

The American Alpine Institute’s Avalanche Course instructors are AIARE-trained instructors and will teach the standardized AIARE curriculum on each course.

Information Pricing

Pricing Guide

Because the program is only offered on a private basis, please see the full private pricing guide for costs.

Inclusions

Guide fees, group climbing equipment, and climbing and backcountry permits.

Exclusions

Transportation, guide mileage, personal camping and climbing equipment, food, frontcountry camping fees, trailhead parking permit, lodging, and gratuities.

​Prequisites

A previous avalanche education course