Course Description

Taking the Avalanche Skills Training 2 course is your ticket to bringing your backcountry riding to the next level.  It is developed by Avalanche Canada which provides the highest standard avalanche education available.

Is this for you?

Are you ready to bring your backcountry skiing to another level? Have you spent a winter or two in the backcountry and ready to make more informed decisions instead of looking to your more experienced peers to make the decisions? This course is for you who has taken an AST 1, is an advanced skier/ rider and have the fitness to hike uphill for 1000-1500m/ day, and have completed a minimum of 20 days of ski touring.

What You Will Learn

This course will teach you to make more informed decisions in avalanche terrain.  Some of the topics covered in this comprehensive 4-day course is: making more advanced snow assessments, decision making, group management, travel technique in avalanche terrain appropriate to current avalanche conditions, fine tune avalanche rescue techniques, becoming more proficient with tools such as the Avaluator, avalanche danger rating scale and the ATES scale.

Details

LOCATION: Revelstoke backcountry and Rogers Pass

DURATION: 4 days

GUEST/GUIDE MAX RATIO: 6:1

PRE REQUISITE: AST 1 or equivalent, ski touring experience and minimum advanced skier

DATES: TBA *Please enquire about custom course dates if you have a group of minimum 3 people.

PRICE: $650 + 5% GST/ person

Itinerary

Day 1 (Online)

Online training course (4-6 hrs) followed by a 2 hour online zoom meeting where we will review the online training component and prep for the following field days. You will have access to the online course component prior to the course dates and it can be completed on our own time.

Day 2-4 (Field days)

We will meet in Rogers Pass Centre, or choosen alternative ski location at 8.00am ready to spend a full day in the backcountry. We will apply the skills we learned online the day before . The field days will be wrapped up and completed around 4.00pm, followed by an online classroom session some evenings.

What's Included

  • Interactive online course 4-6 hours

  • Zoom meeting and pre course planning support

  • 3 full field day of instruction with certified ACMG Guide

  • 1 classroom / online based day with instruction and support from ACMG Guide

  • Avaluator and Avalanche handbook

  • Group safety equipment (communication device, rescue kit, first aid supplies, GPS, maps etc)

What's Not Included

  • Lunch and snacks

  • Personal ski gear (ski touring boots, skis or split-board, skins)

  • Personal avalanche safety equipment (probe, shovel and transceiver)

  • Transportation to and from ski location

  • National Park visitor pass and parking pass for vehicle

  • Insurance (trip cancellation, travel, medical)

Equipment

Travel Equipment

-  ski touring skis / telemark / split board 

-  ski boots / snowboard boots

-  ski poles (with powder basket)

-  ski skins for traveling up the hill (make sure the glue works well)

-  avalanche transceiver with new batteries and spares (need to be a modern 3 antenna transceiver)

-  shovel (no plastic)

-  probe (2-3m)

Clothing

  • waterproof jacket and pants (Gore-Tex or equivalent)

  • soft shell type of jacket for everyday skiing

  • warm insulation jacket (down or synthetic)

  • base layer (wool or synthetic -no cotton, please)

  • light pair of gloves fo skinning and warm pair of ski gloves or mitts

  • warm hat

  • sun hat (full brim or cap)

  • buff, neck tube or balaclava

Miscellaneous

  • backpack (30-40L)

  • googles & sunglasses

  • helmet (optional)

  • small first aid kit with personal medications, blister kit etc. 

  • water bottle(s) 1-2 litres

  • thermos (optional)

  • lunch

  • face mask (COVID)

  • hand sanitizer (COVID)

“Are you ready to push and expand your backcountry skills and take your ski touring to the next level? This course will teach you to make informed decisions in avalanche terrain.”

AST 2 Course photos