AIARE Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2 and Pro 1 courses. We recommend that all backcountry travelers keep their skills current by taking an Avalanche Rescue Course at least every other year.
You must be an advanced intermediate skier/rider for this course and be comfortable on both on and off-piste terrain in a variety of conditions. Here is a good example of intermediate skiers and riders.
Student learning outcomes
At the end of the Avalanche Rescue course the student should be able to:
- Describe what to do in the event of an avalanche incident.
- Identify and be able to use gear necessary for avalanche rescue.
- Set up a realistic scenario in order to practice an avalanche rescue response.
- Improve their response skills and times during and after the course with feedback from instructors and peers.
- Develop a plan for continued practice.
Students will learn how to set up a quick, efficient rescue scenario to maintain skills after the course.
Students who have previously taken an AIARE 1 or an Avalanche Rescue Course will find value in having a professional help them set up a realistic scenario, practice skills in a realistic setting, receive feedback from an instructor, keep up with current best practices, and have an opportunity to practice advanced rescue skills.
Who Should Take this Course
Skiers and riders joining this course must be advanced intermediate skiers or riders who have taken our Backcountry 1.0 course or have had 5-10 days in the backcountry. Skiers and riders must be competent on and off-piste in a variety of conditions. This is comparable to skiing confidently on all blue runs and most black runs in the resort (including ungroomed terrain). This video will give a good example of intermediate to advanced skiers and riders.
Skiers or riders 12-16 years old can join us with a parent. 16 years and over are able to join without accompaniment.
Topics covered
Personal protective and avalanche rescue equipment
- Identify and familiarize students with winter personal protective, avalanche rescue, and self-evacuation equipment and their proper use
- Demonstrate and practice routines to check gear’s function
Demonstrate avalanche rescue
- Introduce Avalanche Rescue Quick Reference tool and apply it to a scenario
- Breakdown and practice individuals skills of avalanche rescue: assessing the scene and taking leadership, using a transceiver, using a probe, and shoveling
Single burial scenarios
- Learn to set up effective scenarios for practice
- Integrate individual skills into a rescue scenario
Patient considerations and evacuation
- Identify potential patient care considerations resulting from avalanche burial or involvement
- Name equipment for self-evacuation and communication to outside resources
- Describe considerations when interfacing with Search and Rescue and Emergency Medical Services
Scenario practice and feedback
- Integrate skills and receive feedback on rescue response from a professional
Advanced topics – Covered depending on student need and interest
- Employ probing on a line with a partner to reduce search times and need for bracketing.
- Apply foundational skills to multiple victim scenarios without close proximity burials.
- Recognize challenges associated with deep burials.
- Employ repeatable method (Micro-strip or 3-circle) for locating close-proximity multiple burials
