Time to Take the Next Step in Your Professional Avalanche Education
So you’ve completed AvSAR Level 1…
Avalanche Operations Level 1 is your next step in your professional avalanche education.
The course schedule is intensive and includes a combination of classroom sessions, field exercises, and evening assignments. Expect long days that begin early, challenging winter conditions, and physically demanding fieldwork that requires advanced backcountry travel skills and the ability to perform repeated snowpack observations.
Delivery Format: 40% classroom, 60% field-based
Duration: 7–8 days
Ops 1 lodge-based courses
Lodge-based courses include meals, lodging, and transportation from the staging area to the lodge. The proximity to field study locations provides an enhanced learning environment and direct access to backcountry terrain.
Ops 1 town-based courses
For courses requiring lift access, lift tickets are provided. Students with a season pass are encouraged to bring it. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the course and field locations.
So you’ve completed Avalanche Operations Level 1…
Introduction to Weather and Avalanche Search and Rescue Level 2 are the next steps in your professional avalanche education, and prerequisites for Avalanche Operations Level 2.
Instructing in Avalanche Terrain – Basic is not a prerequisite for Ops 2 but is another excellent course to continue your education and can be used to apply for a CAA Basic Avalanche Educator Membership.
Introduction to Weather
Introduction to Weather provides foundational knowledge for understanding weather in mountainous environments and its connection to snow and avalanche conditions. Students learn to access and interpret weather data, forecasts, and online resources using the forecast funnel approach, moving from large-scale weather patterns to local conditions.
Avalanche Search & Rescue Level 2
The Avalanche Search and Rescue (AvSAR) Level 2 course instructs participants how to manage hazard and risk in AvSAR and how to apply advanced techniques and strategies. It is intended for industry professionals and advanced search and rescue volunteers.
Looking for specialized training?
The Industry Training Program hosts several specialized training courses aimed at avalanche industry and risk management workers with varying levels of operational experience, and across different sectors of the industry.
Resource and Transportation Avalanche Management is a specialized training course intended for personnel who require a solid foundational understanding of avalanche hazards to support workplace safety. Workers from any industry that involves exposure to avalanche terrain will benefit from taking this course.
Advanced Weather
Advanced Weather builds on the foundational knowledge developed in Introduction to Weather and focuses on the weather forecasting process, including analysis, diagnosis, and prognosis. Students are introduced to numerical weather models and learn to compare different models, understand their strengths and limitations, and apply forecast information to mountain environments.
Instructing in Avalanche Terrain – Basic
The Instructing in Avalanche Terrain – Basic (IAT-B) course does not teach the specific Avalanche Canada Training curriculum. Instead, it evaluates whether students have demonstrated the competencies required for CAA Basic Avalanche Educator Membership. Successful completion is one step toward becoming an AST instructor; students must also complete additional requirements before teaching AST courses.
Avalanche Control Blasting
Avalanche Control Blasting (ACB) provides foundational professional training in the safe and effective use of explosives for avalanche control. The course covers regulatory requirements, operational planning and documentation, blast placement and timing, and industry-endorsed procedures for hand charge, cornice, helicopter, and Avalauncher missions. Students also learn how blasting integrates into broader avalanche risk management programs.
Avalanche Incident Management
Avalanche Incident Management (AIM) teaches best practices for managing avalanche incidents. It is intended for avalanche professionals moving into a program management position that is responsible for overseeing operational avalanche responses (e.g., operations manager at a mechanized ski operation, lead forecaster at a ski resort); and search and rescue managers in command of an avalanche search and rescue response.
Introduction to Snow Avalanche Mapping
The Introduction to Snow Avalanche Mapping course provides foundational knowledge and practical skills for identifying, interpreting, and documenting avalanche terrain using standardized mapping methods. Students learn to analyze how terrain features influence avalanche formation and runout, interpret maps and aerial imagery, use digital mapping tools, and apply avalanche mapping conventions to real-world examples.
Instructing in Avalanche Terrain – Advanced
Instructing in Avalanche Terrain-Advanced (IAT-A) evaluates students’ risk management skills to safely deliver intermediate recreational avalanche courses in challenging terrain (e.g. AST 2). The course builds on competencies from previous CAA courses and focuses on developing a morning trip plan, preparing and delivering a lesson, identifying appropriate terrain, managing a student group, and applying the Guidelines for Instruction in Avalanche Terrain (GIAT).
