Day 1 - Classroom Day
Time: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Best Western Fernie
This content intensive day will start you on your path to making life saving decisions in the winter backcountry terrain. Expect to be sitting for 8 hrs, taking notes, and engaging with the material.
In the morning we will discuss the avalanche phenomena and avalanche terrain. You will learn how to find, use, and interpret, the Avalanche Danger Scale and the Public Avalanche Bulletin. Time is also devoted to understanding human factors, and the major role they play in decision making.
As we plan our field day, you will learn that travelling safely in avalanche terrain starts at home with trip planning. We will also study companion rescue theory and transceiver use.
We will have quick breaks throughout the day, but please bring your lunch as we will be watching a movie during lunch time. *Lunch is also available for purchase at the venue.
Please bring your transceiver to the class room day!
Day 2 - Field Day
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Fernie Alpine Resort, meeting at the ticket office
On day two we put into practice the theory we covered in the classroom. We start the morning with a meeting discussing the Public Avalanche Bulletin and any changes we may need to make to our trip plan.
We will perform safety checks of our rescue gear and head up the mountain on the lifts. We use the lifts to gain elevation to avoid weather conditions that would prevent meeting learning objectives from the valley bottom. We will travel out of the ski area boundary on our skis, however, travel will be limited as our goal is to cover material.
On the mountain you will make field observations, use your Avaluator to identify and manage avalanche terrain, lead the group through terrain, as well as practice transceiver use and companion rescue. There will be two rescue response scenarios, and we will finish the day with a contribution to the Mountain Information Network.
- Each course has a course leader and a practicum for the field day at minimum.
- 8 participants per course.