AIARE 2

$750.00

3 Full In-Person Days with At Least 65% of Time Spent in the Field

Courses displaying “Out of Stock” are FULL. Please contact us to be waitlisted.

SKU: N/A

Description

  • Participants must have the ability to effectively operate their machines in avalanche terrain. 
  • An AIARE 1 Course (strongly recommended) or equivalent Level 1 training is required.
  • A winter of practical experience and / or 2 fully filled out field books after the Level 1 course is highly recommended before taking the AIARE 2 course.
  • AIARE or AAA approved one-day Avalanche Rescue Course.

Locations:

  • Vail Pass (from Camp Hale)
  • Summit County (Spring Creek, Tiger Road, Deer Creek)
  • Buena Vista (East Cottonwood Pass)
  • Crested Butte (Kebler Pass*, Taylor Park / West Cottonwood Pass)
  • Lake City (Slumgullion Pass)
 
Selecting a Course Location
“OPEN” Courses: If a course is listed as “OPEN,” participants can choose the course location from the list below. Simply include course location(s) in order notes.

 

Course Location Selected: A course that has a specified location behind the date (i.e February 12 – Vail Pass) has already had a specific location selected.

*Kebler Pass is only available to member’s of the Gunnison County SnoTrackers. Contact us for membership details. 

 

How to Register

1.) Choose a date (and location if the date is still showing “Open”) from the drop down menu.

 

2.) Pay for the course (in-full) using Apple Pay or by using the cart. Once payment is received you will receive a “You’re In” confirmation email. Curious about our cancellation policies? Check them out here.

 

3.) Within 48 hours of paying for the course, you will receive an additional email with access to a google classroom that has been created specifically for your course. Once logged into the google classroom, start by completing the registration form, and reviewing MMS’s waiver and cancellation policy. 

  • Review AIARE 1 material
  • Differentiate where specific avalanche hazards exist within the landscape and identify avalanche terrain where consequences may be more severe.
  • Use and interpret weather, snow, and avalanche observations to locate appropriate terrain prior to entering and while in the field.
  • Demonstrate leadership skills within a small team that include facilitating small group discussion, promoting appropriate terrain selection, and utilizing simple risk management strategies.
  • Implement a basic forecasting framework that can be used in conjunction with and in the absences of local supporting avalanche information.
This course will cover the following topics: 
The goal of the AIARE 2 is for Participants to be able to assess uncertainty in avalanche terrain. Participants will build upon what they learned in the AIARE 1, along with the experience they have gained since their course. They will use this experience to now facilitate, instead of just being a participating member of, a group managing its risk in avalanche terrain.

Participants will spend more time assessing uncertainty and creating a plan in response to it that includes using terrain margins. Participants will begin to use information from a variety of sources including the advisory to begin to form their own opinions about the hazard. Participants will refine their long term skills to prepare for backcountry travel by building trip option catalogs and developing systems to Track the Season’s Conditions.

In addition to reviewing the material provided online, course Participants will track the avalanche advisory for a week prior to the course using a spreadsheet with question prompts (provided online or by the Instructor). Course Participants also have the option to take a pre-course quiz online that helps them review the AIARE 1 material.

Avalanche Rescue is not covered in detail on this course. However, a pre-ride assessment in which the student is expected to be able to effectively conduct a mock rescue is required. For this reason, recent attendance (AIARE recommends within one year) on an Avalanche Rescue course is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2 course.

This course blends a combination of optional self-paced online learning with a short digital meet-up and 3 days in the field to meet AIARE’s course outcomes.

  • Average 6-8 hours of optional self-paced online learning to review AIARE 1 materials and prep for AIARE 2.
  • A 1-hour pre-course zoom (usually the Tuesday before your course, check in google classroom).
  • Three full in-person days (typically from 8a to 4p).

 

Sections & Learning Tools

Google Classroom:

Once you have paid for your course, you’ll receive access to a google classroom. This classroom is where you’ll have access to the AIARE Online portion of the course as well as a number of other important resources throughout the course including all course logistics.

AIARE Online Learning:
For the level 2, the online learning component is optional but highly recommended. It includes a review of AIARE 1 material as well as some material that will help students prep for the AIARE 2. Students who opt to use the online material will maximize their learning and the value of their AIARE 2.

Webinar:
Your course includes a pre-course zoom. This time will be used for introductions, to review course logistics, and to review course topics as well as answer any questions that may come up during the online learning.

Field Days:
Day 1: Focus is for students to begin to apply the AIARE Framework to new situations. Students will do this by better understanding the type of information received from avalanche centers and how gaps in that information can be filled in by observations from the field. Instructors will help provide the link between assessing uncertainty and terrain choice using the tools of the AIARE Framework. 

Day 2: The focus of Day 2 is to continue to applying the AIARE Framework with an emphasis on analyzing terrain and consequences of an avalanche in terrain. Participants will use maps and online tools to assess terrain and build a terrain catalog as well as go in the field to assess terrain and consequences. Groups will practice altering terrain choice based on uncertainty. Participants will practice facilitation on a full day ride.

Day 3: The goal of day 3 is a participant led rid day that ties it all together. Participants will practice facilitation of the AIAR Framework on a participant -led ride and work to identify sources of uncertainty, especially those stemming from their ride group.

AM Meetings:

Each morning before going into the field, students will participate in a professional AM Hazard Analysis & Ride Plan. AM meeting locations are typically decided by the instructor and are often held at local coffee shops, power sports retail shops, or trailheads (weather dependent).

 

Day 3 Debrief:
The final course debrief wraps up the course and may occur in the field or at a nearby establishment.