- Intermediate Skill Level Intermediate
- Ages 18+ Ages Ages 18+
Traveling in a winter environment has inherent risk. Snow conditions dramatically change throughout the winter, affecting snow stability. Learn to recognize avalanche terrain and more.
Quick Details
Avalanche Safety Level 2
Our AIARE 2 course provides higher level backcountry training and advances avalanche decision-making skills. The AIARE 2 is a three-day course for those who have taken an AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue and have had at least a year of backcountry travel experience.
The AIARE 2 provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills by applying their skills to new terrain and situations. Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2. It is highly recommended that participants gain at least one season’s worth of backcountry travel experience between taking the AIARE 1 and AIARE 2.
Dates for 2023:
January 14 and 22 – This course will be held on 2 non consecutive days. This will offer a unique educational outcome for students. Held at Snoqualmie Pass.
January 28-29 – This course will be 2 consecutive days at Mt Hood.
**All of our AIARE Level 2 courses require attendance at an online pretrip meeting 2 evenings before your course start date. Your instructor will reach out before the course with more information.**
**Please note any course operating within the Mt. Hood National Forest is run through the Northwest School of Survival. Kaf Adventures is a booking agent for their programming**
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AIARE 2 Course Itinerary:
This course will be one online learning day, and 2 field days. AIARE is still rolling out details of the online learning day and we will forward those to you as they supply them. Please allow 8 hours for the online learning day.
Online learning day covers:
- This full-day online curriculum covers an overview of avalanche types and characteristics. We will introduce case studies to analyze avalanche incidents. Course progression includes:
The Changing Mountain Snowpack
- AIARE 1 Review
- Mountain Weather
- The Layered Mountain Snowpack
- Trip Planning Review
- Snow Profiles in the Field
Day 1: Meet in the field 7 am – 6 pm: Making Quality Observations (This is the beginning date showing on our calendar for registration)
- Avalanche Formation and Release
- Interpreting Weather Data, Snow Surface Conditions, and Snow Profiles
- Craftsmanship, Relevancy, and Verification of Snow Observations
- Risk Management in Small Groups
- Snowpack Test in the Field
Day 2: Meet in the field 7 am – 6pm: Applying Observations to Field Decisions (Fieldwork)
- Traveling in the Field as a Small Team
- Field Risk Management and During Action Review
- Communicating Observations to our group, other travelers, and local experts
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- 18+ for adult courses or 16+ with consent from a guardian and Kaf approval
- 12-18 for youth courses
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The AIARE 2 is a three-day course for those who have taken an AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue and have had at least a year of backcountry travel experience. The AIARE 2 provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills by applying their skills to new terrain and situations. Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2. It is highly recommended that participants gain at least one season’s worth of backcountry travel experience between taking the AIARE 1 and the AIARE 2.
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- A solid understanding of mountain snowpack variations and layering, avalanche formation and release
- How to identify meteorological factors and use temperature/precipitation observations to anticipate snow conditions and weather effects on snowpack
- How to use checklists and bulletins as tools to evaluate hazards, target field observations and assess terrain options.
- How to identify components and their relevance to an avalanche problem, and apply those observations to field decisions
- How to submit observations to the local avalanche center
- Effective trip planning and risk management
- A solid understanding of mountain snowpack variations and layering, avalanche formation and release
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- 16 hours of professional field instruction
- 8 hours of online curriculum (delivered in email, following your registration confirmation)
- An AIARE field book
- A group snow study kit
- AIARE Level 2 curriculum handouts for your home library
- 16 hours of professional field instruction
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- Winter travel equipment
- Transportation
- Lunch
- Personal layers
- Personal avalanche safety gear: beacon, probe, and shovel
- Winter travel equipment
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You will need to provide one of the following snow travel tools:
- Snowshoes with waterproof boots (we recommend insulated boots)
- Skis, boots, and bindings (Metal edge skis, plastic boots, and Randonee/alpine touring/downhill Telemark bindings). Please note: Cross-country skis will not work for backcountry tours.
- Splitboard with adjustable bindings that move into “tour” mode efficiently (Soft boots are okay, and hard boots are preferred)
- Additional equipment needed:
- Personal avalanche safety gear: beacon, probe, and shovel.
- Personal layers
- Personal avalanche safety gear: beacon, probe, and shovel.
- Snowshoes with waterproof boots (we recommend insulated boots)
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Transportation and times will be coordinated by email when the pre-trip announcement is sent to all registrants.
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Consider joining a Skiing/Splitboarding: Intermediate course to spend more time with a professional instructor in the field.
