Mountain Addicts X LOE AST 2 – Fernie

About the Course

All participants must complete a waiver acknowledgement before booking.

Mountain Addicts is joining forces with Ladies on Edge to bring you a Women’s only Avalanche Skills Training 2 Course.

Join a crew of like-minded women for a full four days of avalanche learning & skill development designed to build confidence, sharpen your skills, and connect with others who share your love for the backcountry.

Led by the wonderful ACMG guide Mel Makepeace, the AST 2 curriculum, developed by Avalanche Canada, will build on skills learned in the AST 1 course. It is a 4 day course that includes 1 full classroom session, and three field sessions, with additional sessions in the evening to prepare for the following day’s tour. You will receive coaching on trip planning, navigating, track setting, and more.

Whether you’re looking to push your terrain comfort zone or simply spend a few days diving deeper into learning and laughing with a supportive crew, this is your space to level up, share stoke, and make new touring friends.

Both splitboarders and skiers are welcome!

Click “Book Now” to see full course dates. Please note the date listed is the first day of the four day course.

Book Now

More Info

Prerequisites

The AST 2 builds on the skills and knowledge developed in the AST 1. You should be comfortable travelling in winter backcountry terrain and managing your own equipment for a full day in the mountains.

Before taking the AST 2, you should:

Have completed AST 1 or equivalent avalanche training and experience
Be able to ski tour approximately 800–1200 metres of elevation gain in a full day, depending on conditions and terrain
Be able to ski or ride off-piste terrain in a controlled manner
Be familiar with your touring equipment and able to independently transition between uphill and downhill modes
Be comfortable spending a full day travelling in winter mountain conditions and managing your own clothing, food, water and personal needs

Is the AST 2 right for you?

The AST 2 is a skills-development course, not an introduction to ski touring or snowboarding. The course puts greater emphasis on terrain selection, avalanche forecasting, route planning, observations and decision-making, so you should arrive comfortable managing your equipment and travelling in winter backcountry terrain.

You don't need extensive backcountry experience, but you should be able to focus on developing your avalanche skills rather than learning the fundamentals of touring.

Not sure if you're ready? Contact us before booking. We're happy to help you determine whether your experience is a good fit for the course.

All participants are required to sign a Mountain Addicts and RCR event waiver before participating.

Day 1 - Classroom

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Park Place Lodge, Fernie

This is a typical classroom day format (think desks, power points) and we cover a ton of content! We will discuss terrain travel at length and give you tools for progressive planning and avalanche terrain travel techniques. We will also build on the basics of seasonal snowpack structure that you learned in the AST 1 course.

In the afternoon the class will plan our next day's backcountry trip. We will make a travel plan, rescue plan, and assign gear.

There will be quick breaks throughout the day, and a 30 minute lunch break with options for purchasing lunch nearby.

Day 2 - Field Day

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Fernie Alpine Resort Day Lodge

Our first day in the field is full! We will meet in the morning to review our trip plan and make any necessary changes. Participants will lead the avalanche hazard discussion, including weather observations, as well as a gear check.

Before heading out into avalanche terrain, we will review and practice avalanche companion rescue techniques, including multiple burials, close-proximity burials and deep burials.

A short ski tour will give everyone a chance to route find, make observations, track set, and lead discussions. The focus will be on map and compass use, GPS use, and general navigation. We will debrief the day which includes a hazard evaluation as a means of increasing our level of competency. The group will then begin planning the next day’s objective.

Day 3 - Field Day

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Fernie Alpine Resort Day Lodge

We will spend the day ski touring in the backcountry with a focus on snowpack observations, which includes digging a snow-pit to look at the entire seasonal winter snowpack, snowpack tests to help us identify layers in the snowpack, as well as propagation potential of weak layers. Weather is also a big focus on our second day in the backcountry.

Day 4 - Field Session

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: TBD

Today we will put it all together and get out for a ski tour with an emphasis on skiing! We'll finish the course off with a group companion rescue scenario and course debrief.

What's Included

Your AST 2 course fee covers four days of professional instruction, course materials, and the resources you need to continue developing your avalanche skills beyond the course.

4 Days of professional instruction

Learn with an ACMG Ski Guide or CAA Avalanche Professional in a maximum group size of 6 participants. The small group size means more time for questions, discussion, feedback and hands-on practice throughout the course.

Over four days, you'll work on applying avalanche knowledge in real mountain environments, with a focus on terrain selection, trip planning, avalanche forecasting, observations and decision-making.

Course materials

Your course fee includes:

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper
Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain waterproof field book
AST 2 course certificate

3 months of GRANITE — included free

Your course also includes a free 3-month subscription to GRANITE, maps for backcountry navigation. Use Granite before, during and after your course to build familiarity with the use of offline ready maps that include avalanche terrain layers for slope angle and aspect.

Everything listed above is included in your course fee. Lift tickets are extra and sold by Mountain Addicts at a discounted rate.

Equipment Lists

Required items: Please bring the following on Day 1, Classroom Session

Lunch & Snacks – there will be a lunch break and there is a Boston Pizza on site
Digital Avalanche Transceiver with Fresh Batteries: 3 Antenna type transceiver required, if you are unsure, send us an email indicating the make and model
Paper and pen AND PENCIL for notes (you will be provided with a field book)
Compass
Lap-top (google earth application recommended)
Smart-phone with topographic map/GPS app (GAIA recommended)

Required Items: Please bring the following on Day 2, Field Day

Water: thermos or flask 1-2L, hydration pack not recommended due to cold freezing the tube
Lunch, snacks, tea
Digital Avalanche Transceiver
Avalanche Shovel: collapsible & metal
Collapsible Avalanche Probe
Skis: ‘Alpine Touring with touring bindings’ or ‘Telemark’

Split Board: with split board skins. Please practice transitions from touring mode to riding mode at home before the field day.

Ski Poles: recommended for all modes of travel
Climbing Skins ‘Stick-on type’
Boots: appropriate for your mode of snow travel
Multi-Day Pack: large enough for spare clothes, lunches, shovel, probe, sleeping bag, and share of group gear (first aid kit, breakfast/dinner etc.). 40-60 litre size recommended
Compass
Sunglasses and/or Ski Goggles
Sunscreen
You will be provided with field book, but please bring pencils
It is HIGHLY recommended that you arrive with a GPS App installed on your phone. GAIA is preferred.

The Guides Hut in downtown Fernie have transceivers for rent as well as a limited supply of touring equipment.

During the field day there can be longer periods of inactivity in very cold temperatures. To maximize your learning experience, be sure to bring lots of extra clothing so that you can focus on the course and not the cold. Bring clothing of varying thicknesses that can be ‘layered’ to achieve comfort and versatility. Cotton clothing is not appropriate as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. You may have heard the expression “Cotton Kills”.

Below is a recommended clothing list:

Base Layers (top and bottom): Wool or synthetic materials preferred
Water Resistant Jacket: A quality hardshell for staying dry when it’s dumping is an essential piece of ski touring kit.
Water Resistant Ski Pants: Waterproof pants help keep you warm in the powder. Pants with ventilation that you can open and close are ideal.
Warm Mid-Layer Shirt, Sweater, or Fleece
Insulated Jacket or Vest: A feather down or Primaloft™ insulated jacket is essential for staying warm while taking breaks or when the weather gets really cold. Don’t be afraid to double down!
Socks: wool or synthetic, no cotton.
Wool or Fleece Hat that covers the ears.
Buff: great for protecting your face in cold and windy conditions. Mountain Addicts have buffs for sale.
2 Pair of Gloves: we always recommend ski touring with at least 2 pair of gloves. One pair for sweating in, and another pair for keeping your hands dry and warm.
Ski Helmet: recommended for skiers and riders.

Optional Equipment: Not essential, but feel free to bring anyway

Camera
Chemical hand warmer & toe warmer packets
Snow saw
Snow Study Kit

our Instructors and Guides

The Mountain Addicts team is obsessed with safety. All of our guides are members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). The ACMG is the only internationally recognized professional association of trained and certified mountain guides and instructors in Canada. Our guides come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and Mountain Addicts will find your perfect match.

Mel Makepeace

Ski Guide & Owner

Mel is the owner of Mountain Addicts, an ACMG Ski Guide and Professional Member of the Canadian Avalanche Association. She began her career as a ski patroller in 2008 and now travels the world ski touring and heli-ski guiding. Mel particularly loves facilitating mountain travel confidence in women.

Mountain Addicts X LOE AST 2 – Fernie

About the Course

More Info

Prerequisites

Before taking the AST 2, you should:

Is the AST 2 right for you?

Day 1 - Classroom

Day 2 - Field Day

Day 3 - Field Day

Day 4 - Field Session

What's Included

4 Days of professional instruction

Course materials

3 months of GRANITE — included free

Equipment Lists

our Instructors and Guides

Mel Makepeace

You might also be interested in...

AST 2 – Golden / KHR

AST 1 – Women’s Course Revelstoke Rogers Pass

Mountain Addicts x LOE Ladies Level Up Fernie

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Mountain Addicts X LOE AST 2 – Fernie

About the Course

More Info

Prerequisites

Before taking the AST 2, you should:

Is the AST 2 right for you?

Equipment Lists

our Instructors and Guides

Mel Makepeace

You might also be interested in...

AST 2 – Golden / KHR

AST 1 – Women’s Course Revelstoke Rogers Pass

Mountain Addicts x LOE Ladies Level Up Fernie

Are You Ready To Book Your Place?

Wait!

Do you want to stay in-the-loop on all of our new services and course dates?Join the newsletter and you won't miss out!

Are You Ready
To Book Your Place?

Do you want to stay in-the-loop on all of our new services and course dates?

Join the newsletter and you won't miss out!