Tyler’s Backcountry Awareness offers entry-level classes at no charge. These classes run on donations from participants and all our great sponsors! We also offer A.I.A.R.E. Rescue, Level 1, and Level 2 classes, which are much more in-depth. All of our classes are available on snowmobile and snowbike.
Intro to Avalanches
An intro is a great place to start. This class is great for getting your feet wet or for a quick refresher. The intro class consists of an evening in the classroom and then a day on the snow. You can ride either a sled or snowbikes for this class. We’ll discuss the following:
- which resources you have
- how to apply them
- learn the basics of equipment and technologies available
There are no prerequisites for this class. The on-snow will be in the field. Regular gear and food for a typical day ride is required. We will have periods of strong physical activity and periods of learning so layer appropriately. Rescue gear (shovel, transceiver, probe, and a suitable backpack or avy bag) is mandatory and can be provided by our great sponsors upon request. Helmets are required for on snow travel.
Avalanche Rescue Course
AIARE Avalanche Rescue is a one-day, stand-alone course. It is intended to be retaken on a regular basis in order to keep abreast of best practices. New participants will learn the basics of companion rescue. Returning participants will expand their skill set with advanced topics and realistic scenarios. Each participant will have the opportunity to receive professional coaching on their rescue skills. They will also receive a rescue card acknowledging the completion date. Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2 and Pro 1 courses. AIARE recommends that all backcountry travelers keep their skills current by taking an Avalanche Rescue course at least every other year.
AIARE 1
The AIARE 1 is a three-day / 24-hour introduction to avalanche hazard management. Students can expect to develop a good grounding in backcountry travel. They will learn:
- how to prepare for and carry out a backcountry trip
- to understand basic decision making while in the field
- to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person (if an avalanche occurs and someone in the party is caught)