Avalanche Training Today: The Professional/ Recreational Split
Anyone interested in exploring the backcountry should seek out formal avalanche training. Whether you are skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or simply hiking around some of your favorite trails it is important to have an understanding about avalanche safety, awareness, and emergency strategies.
When it comes to avalanche training, the number of options and course types can be overwhelming. This guide will explain the different paths of recreational and professional avalanche training courses to help you safely recreate in the backcountry this winter.
REC or PRO?
The REC track—short for recreation—is the starting point for recreationalist and professionals alike. Working professionals like ski patrollers or outdoor educators may be interested in continuing their education with PRO (professional) courses after completing REC courses.
Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue
Level 1 Avalanche Training
The Level 1 course, also known as Avy 1, is the starting point for recreationalists and aspiring professionals. The Avy 1 and Avalanche Rescue courses are the minimum training recommendation for anyone traveling in the backcountry. A Level 1 course is generally a 3-day course with a field component, where students begin to learn about avalanches and snowpack. You’ll study the basics about types of avalanches, and learn to identify hazardous terrain and avalanche conditions.
Most importantly, the Avy 1 course teaches students how to make educated decisions and have meaningful discussions about tour plans, risks, and mitigation. This course offers many opportunities to develop decision making skills in the backcountry and the field component allows students to make real world applications to class topics.
Avalanche Rescue
The Avalanche Rescue course focuses on companion rescue and what to do if someone in your group gets caught in an avalanche.This is a 1- day course with a focus on how to properly use avalanche rescue equipment effectively and make educated decisions in the case of emergency.
There is the opportunity for a lot of hands on practice with companion rescue, avalanche beacon use, and other professional tips. The companion rescue course is a great class to retake every couple years to hone your skills and learn about changes within the industry.
Both Avy 1 and Avalanche Rescue courses have no prerequisites. Students are able to take one or the other in any order, but be aware that any higher level avalanche courses requires both the Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue.
Level 2 Avalanche Training
The Level 2 Avalanche course, also known as Avy 2, allows backcountry users to continue to build off of topics introduced during the level I and rescue courses. This is a great course for the more experienced recreationalist looking to get more tools for their backcountry tool kit.
This course expands on topics about decision making, risk and terrain management, and group travel. Avy 2 courses tend to be particularly fun because most of the participants are excited to dive further into topics and really work on developing their skills.
PRO 1
The professional level 1 course is now the baseline for avalanche professionals. The primary focus of the PRO 1 course is on safe travel, snow and weather observations, and time spent in snow pits. PRO 1 runs for 5 days with a 2 days of assessments. The structure of this course shifts away from the recreational perspective and focuses on professional level risk management, observations, and rescue skills. This is a course designed for aspiring forecasters, ski patrollers, and mountain guides.
PRO 2
The American Avalanche Association describes Professional Avalanche Training 2 (PRO 2) as designed for developing avalanche professionals with several seasons of applied professional experience as well as seasoned professionals who are looking to develop skills applicable to leadership roles within their operation.
The PRO 2 is for experienced workers who desire to continue to develop their forecasting, risk management, and leadership skills. Workers will analyze information from various sources and make operational decisions on multiple spatial and temporal scales.
This course contains a much heavier workload than previous courses and is targeted to those already well into their career as forecasters and snow safety professionals.
Free Avalanche Education Resources
There are many free resources for the aspiring avalanche safety student. These are not substitutes for professional training but it is a great place to start.
The Know Before You Go program is a resource offered by the Utah Avalanche Center and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center/ Friends of CAIC. This is a great introduction to avalanche safety and an alternative to attending a live session.
Avalanche.org provides avalanche forecasts from all across the country, but it has free tutorials and a useful course finding tab.
Many nonprofits and organizations, like Friends of the CAIC, Colorado Mountain School, REI and Ski-Doo, also offer free avalanche awareness seminars.
Most Importantly, remember to check local avalanche forecasts for the area you plan to recreate in. Most of these forecast centers also have climate specific educational resources.
When considering avalanche training courses you will often see American Avalanche Association (A3) and AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education). The American Avalanche Association is responsible for setting curriculum guidelines and AIARE uses those guidelines to develop courses and instructors. People often believe that AIARE is the only course provider but there are other providers that follow the A3 guidelines as well. Colorado Mountain College is an AIARE and A3 certified professional course provider!
Recreational and Professional Avalanche Training at Colorado Mountain College
Recreational Training
Colorado Mountain College offers both the recreational and professional tracks for avalanche training. Recreational backcountry users can begin their avalanche education with Level 1 Avalanche Training (OUT-168), Avalanche Rescue (OUT-268), and progress to Level 2 Avalanche Training (OUT-269).
Avalanche Science: Professional Avalanche Courses at Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College Leadville also offers professional level avalanche training and continued education for current or aspiring avalanche industry professionals. The Avalanche Science program is a two-year certification designed by industry experts from the Colorado Avalanche information Center, Colorado Mountain College, and U.S. Forest Service. Program graduates earn a Snow, Weather & Avalanche Field Technician certificate as well as an American Avalanche Association PRO certification.
Eric McCue poses for a shot while skiing. He is a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College. Photo: Brendan McCue
Ski patrollers are the stewards of the mountain. On a daily basis, patrollers wear a multitude of different hats—from responding to medical issues and maintaining terrain closures to marking hazards and avalanche mitigation. They go to great lengths to keep the mountain a beautiful and safe place for guests to enjoy and their pride and passion is palpable.
Eric McCue is a member of Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and an Avalanche Science student at Colorado Mountain College. PC: Brendan McCue
Three years ago Eric McCue walked away from seventeen years of restaurant experience to pursue his passion in snow safety. He joined the esteemed Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and hit the ground running, eager to learn as much about the industry as possible. When he discovered the Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College, he knew the curriculum and experience would help him navigate this new career path.
Riding in the Front Seat of the Industry
The Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College Leadville is changing the way the industry trains and prepares avalanche professionals. The curriculum was developed by industry experts through a partnership with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
"I am learning the most current and pertinent knowledge as it happens," says Eric, who will complete the program in spring of 2020, "and I am able to take that right onto the hill. Rather than chasing the industry, I am riding in the front seat."
The snow industry is quickly growing and changing. Snow science is evolving and the demand for public knowledge and education are at an all-time high. Ski companies are some of the largest corporations on the planet. Education, organization, documentation, and communication are all necessary components of the new industry.
PC: Brendan McCue
Students benefit from the collective expertise and experience of instructors from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), U.S. Forest Service, and Colorado Mountain College.
"The faculty are some of the most respected individuals in their fields," says Eric, "I get to work side-by-side with one of the leading avalanche forecasting centers in the world. My instructors literally wrote the books on snow study and snowpack assessment."
Flexible Schedule for Working Professionals
The hybrid curriculum is designed for working professionals to succeed without putting their careers on hold. Course work is completed online with three intensive on-campus sessions each year.
"I could not do this if it were not for the hybrid program," says Eric, "If there had been more programs like this throughout my life I may have pursued further education after high school. Being able to log in a few hours a week from anywhere and turn in some deliverables at your own pace is awesome!"
PC: Brendan McCue
The CMC Avalanche Science program delivers in-depth knowledge and experiential learning over two winter-seasons. Students acquire professional exposure while earning a Snow, Weather & Avalanche Field Technician certificate from Colorado Mountain College.
"When I moved to Colorado, I was distracted by the mountains," says Eric, "Now I am a 'third year rookie' for Beaver Creek Ski Patrol. This job asks so much of us but it’s all for the noble cause of loving our mountain. It’s the least I can do for all the things the mountain does for me."
Four faculty members and students from Colorado Mountain College’s avalanche science program traveled to Innsbruck, Austria to attend the ISSW conference, which offers an exchange of ideas between snow science researchers. Photo Rich Rogers
Avalanche science program earns international attention
By Mike McKibbin
CMC avalanche science program students Rich Rogers and Tara Vessella at the recent International Snow Science Workshop 2018 in Innsbruck, Austria. Photo Kelly Elder
At the conference, CMC student Rogers, who works on the ski patrol at Monarch Ski Area, and Vessella, a backcountry ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, answered questions about a poster that outlined the college’s program.
LEADVILLE — For a two-year-old, Colorado Mountain College’s avalanche science program gets around. You could say it has gone international.
Two second-year students and two faculty members participated in the recent International Snow Science Workshop 2018 in Innsbruck, Austria. Students Rich Rogers and Tara Vessella made the trek to Europe with Dr. Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, and Dr. Kelly Elder, U.S. Forest Service research hydrologist.
The conference brings together researchers and practitioners worldwide and rotates among the U.S., Europe and Canada. The goal is to offer an exchange of ideas and experiences between snow science researchers and practitioners.
At the conference, CMC student Rogers, who works on the ski patrol at Monarch Ski Area, and Vessella, a backcountry ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, answered questions about a poster that outlined the college’s program.
“It was not a scientific presentation, but the poster presented the CMC program to the international community,” said Roger Coit, program faculty leader at CMC Leadville.
Coit called CMC’s avalanche science program “a novel model, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world,” and the only one of this duration and content. Students take courses online and make three multi-day visits throughout each winter season to the college’s 10,200-foot-elevation campus in Leadville. On campus and in the rugged mountains that overlook the campus, they meet for intensive classroom time and field studies.
While in Austria, Rogers and Vessella also gained contacts and networked with industry officials. These interactions can help the students land jobs after they graduate from CMC with certificates of occupational proficiency as snow, weather and avalanche field technicians, Coit noted. He said many industry employers are already requesting students for internships and job placement.
“The industry folks find out the skills and talents of our students are what they need for their operation,” he said. “We are preparing students in fundamental workplace safety practices so that they can have long and rewarding careers.”
Coit said the CMC program “is definitely making a footprint with the industry,” partly due to participation in workshops such as ISSW.
“We’ve been very well received across the industry and the work of our students is showing the success of the program,” he said. “We’re making waves.”
Backcountry Guide Expands Critical Skills with Avalanche Science Certification
Chris Peterson was looking to expand his education in snow science and avalanche forecasting when he discovered the Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College Leadville. Having recently earned an Adventure Guide diploma in British Columbia, he knew CMC would give him a competitive edge in the guiding industry while teaching the skills, knowledge and providing the mentorship he was seeking.
Now, almost halfway through the two-year program, Chris has already gained critical skills and hands-on experience while building his professional network.
“I have gained a community of classmates and instructors who all share a similar interest in snow and avalanches,” says Chris, “Not only are we a community within the college but we’re a community within the snow and avalanche industry.”
Taught by Avalanche Professionals
For Chris, it’s the quality of instructors and their professional experience, that puts CMC’s Avalanche Science program ahead of the rest. The curriculum is designed by avalanche professionals from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), CMC and USFS. Notable instructors include Dr. Ethan Greene, the Director of the CAIC, Dr. Kelly Elder, USFS Research Hydrologist, and Roger Coit, EMS and Outdoor Studies faculty at CMC.
“The entire faculty currently works in the snow and avalanche industry in various job types,” says Chris, “This gives students an insight into different positions and opportunities to learn from them in their workplace.”
Faculty connections have created many hands-on learning opportunities outside the classroom for Chris and his peers. He’s collected snow-pit data for instructor Dr. Kelly Elder at the Fraser Experimental Forest and shadowed instructor Becs Hodgetts who is the CAIC highway forecaster for the Monarch Pass corridor.
Flexible Scheduling for Working Professionals
Roger Coit, Avalanche Science faculty at Colorado Mountain College Leadville, displays avalanche rescue equipment to students.
The Avalanche Science program was designed with working professionals in mind. The hybrid curriculum is a mix of online coursework and three on-site sessions each year. Students take classes in meteorology, snow and avalanches, weather observations, forecasting and safety operations over the course of two years. There is also a required field internship and a portfolio seminar.
“I really enjoyed the forecasting class with Dr. Ethan Greene,” says Chris, “We put together weekly weather and avalanche forecasts for a wide variety of applications. The only difference between our class and what the CAIC forecasters do was not having to put the forecast together at 4am every day.”
A low student/ instructor ratio encourages enhanced learning opportunities while mitigating risk during field work in avalanche terrain. Enrollment is capped at 12 students per year, with program entry requirements geared towards current and aspiring avalanche professionals. Current students include a roster of ski patrollers, backcountry guides, rescue groups, and other outdoor professionals.
Classes begin this fall and interested students are encouraged to contact Colorado Mountain College Leadville directly for more information. Email lvaviscience@coloradomtn.edu or call 719-486-2015.
CMC Leadville to tweet backcountry tips and avalanche facts Feb 25 - Mar 3, 2018
Learn more about the Avalanche Science program at Colorado Mountain College Leadville at coloradomtn.edu/avalanche-science
Expert avalanche forecasters are describing current avalanche conditions in Colorado as dangerous, rare and risky. Colorado Mountain College, home to the Avalanche Science program based in Leadville and developed through a partnership with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), sees these precarious conditions as an opportunity to spread awareness. From February 25 - March 3, CMC Leadville will be tweeting avalanche safety facts and figures to spread awareness for backcountry safety, under the hashtag #CMCAviAware posted to the @cmcleadville Twitter account.
CMC’s Avalanche Science program, launched in 2017, was created through a partnership between Colorado Mountain College and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The program has expanded educational opportunities for avalanche professionals, like ski patrol, rescue groups and outdoor leaders. Students observe and analyze snow pack conditions throughout the curriculum, including the exceptionally dangerous snow pack year that Colorado has experienced in the 2017/2018 season.
“We have very tricky conditions right now," says Ethan Greene, Director for the CAIC and faculty for CMC’s Avalanche Science program, “This thick, hard upper layer of snow makes it so we can ski, snowboard and snowmobile across it without much of an issue, but if you hit just the right spot, you will start an avalanche. And because there's this thicker, harder layer on top, it ends up triggering much bigger and more destructive avalanches."
The unique conditions in large portions of the Central and Southern Mountains should cause alarm for backcountry users. Recent storms and new snow have exacerbated the risk for deadly Persistent Slab avalanches. North and east-facing slopes at higher elevations are most dangerous.
"In the Sawatch Range," says Brian Lazar, Deputy Director for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and an instructor for CMC's Avalanche Science program, "Small incremental loading from continued storms is slowly building larger slabs on top of fragile weak layers near the ground. Triggering an avalanche large enough to bury a person is a distinct possibility, with east-facing slopes at higher elevations the most worrisome. The Monarch pass area is most dangerous, with around a foot of new snow Thursday night."
Colorado Mountain College Leadville is a center for avalanche education in central Colorado. In addition to the professional based Avalanche Science program, CMC offers several courses that can teach backcountry recreationists how to recognize unstable snow conditions and avoid dangerous terrain. Due to the growing popularity of backcountry recreation, CMC’s avalanche safety classes fill quickly. Visit Classes to search for CMC course availability or avalanche.state.co.us/education for CAIC avalanche education opportunities.
CMC and Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol partner to promote avalanche education for high school students.
Thanks to a successful collaboration between Colorado Mountain College and Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol, two Chaffee County high school students were able to expand their backcountry skills and avalanche safety knowledge this winter. Keagon Cox (Salida High School) and Andy Limoncelli (Buena Vista High School) benefited from this unique partnership as CMC scholarship recipients. The scholarship, provided by Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol, allowed Keagon and Andy to enroll in CMC’s OUT-168 Level 1 Avalanche Safety Course that was conducted in Salida and on Monarch Pass over three days in late January.
“The students had to submit a short application,” says Zach Moore, Director of Ski Patrol at Monarch Mountain, “with either an essay, drawing, or multi-media piece on why they want to learn more about avalanches and what they hope to do with that information. From those applicants, we chose the two award winners, Keagon and Andy.”
Friends of Monarch Ski Patrol paid for the student’s tuition, Colorado Mountain College covered the course fees, and Salida Mountain Sports generously provided touring gear for the students.
“It’s wonderful to provide new (and some experienced) backcountry users some real information that they can use,” says Roger Coit, avalanche faculty at Colorado Mountain College, “We provide a great model for recreational safety practices and trip planning that students can use for the rest of their backcountry travel career.”
With more and more people seeking solitude and powder turns, avalanche education is becoming a critical resource for backcountry users. Colorado Mountain College provides a variety of avalanche safety courses, for recreational and professional applications. Courses typically cost between $200 – $600, and provide vital information to allow someone to travel and explore the backcountry in a safer manner. CMC courses tend to be reasonably priced, especially for residents of CMC’s service area.
“We at Monarch Ski Patrol are seeing more and more young adults traveling in the backcountry and asking questions about backcountry safety,” says Zach “We wanted to provide an opportunity for students to get their own avalanche education so they can make informed decisions for themselves when touring. We were very excited to have been able to partner with CMC to help provide this invaluable education.”
Chris Peterson was looking to expand his education in snow science and avalanche forecasting when he discovered the 
