AIARE Level 2 Avalanche Safety

AIARE 2 Course Three-Day Itinerary:

Day 1: Lecture day in town at Kaf Adventures (Seattle) 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Also offered in Idaho through our partner: Selkirk Powder Guides.

• This full-day lecture involves instructor and group introductions, followed by 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 2: Making Quality Observations (Field and classroom work)

• 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 3: 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

• 18+ for adult courses or 16+ with consent from a guardian and Kaf approval
• 12-18 for youth courses

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.

• 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

• 24 hours of professional instruction
  
• An AIARE field book
  
• A group snow study kit
  
• AIARE Level 2 curriculum handouts for your home library

• Winter travel equipment
  
• Transportation
  
• Lunch
  
• Personal layers
  
• Personal avalanche safety gear: beacon, probe, and shovel

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

Transportation and times will be coordinated by email when the pre-trip announcement is sent to all registrants.

Consider joining a Skiing/Splitboarding: Intermediate course to spend more time with a professional instructor in the field.