How to Prepare for an Avalanche Course

I don’t know about you, but lately I have found myself daydreaming of deep powder lines and hippy turns in the trees. Last weekend I got out the puffy jackets and started tuning my board. And of course, shred videos are now playing on the daily!

We are feeling your stoke at RMOC as the phones have started ringing and snow safety courses are starting to book. I want to start off by saying that it is awesome to know that folks are seeking training before heading out into the backcountry. After many years working as an avalanche professional, I would like to recommend a few important steps to consider before booking your first avalanche safety course.

Practice Using Your Gear

First of all, make sure that you know how to use your gear. And this means more than just practicing it one time in your living room. Get outside and try peeling those skins off in the wind, putting your splitboard back together on an uneven surface, and getting your foot into tech bindings while on a slope. Several ski areas are now allowing uphill travel in some capacity, and this is a great place to get out and practice with that rad new gear. Knowing how to efficiently use your own gear will make it easier to focus on the topics relevant to avalanche safety. This will also allow the group to travel more effectively and hopefully allow time for some pow turns on the course! High quality splitboards and skis designed specifically for the backcountry can be found at Weston Backcountry

Learn To Ski or Ride a Natural Snowpack

Which leads right into the next step – make sure that you can travel safely and confidently in backcountry terrain. Off Piste snowpacks see little to no skier traffic. This means that there is no consolidation in the lower layers which creates a ‘bottomless’ effect that can be quite difficult to navigate. Even a 20” day at your local ski area may feel bottomless, but there is a base or foundation to work with. Wallowing around in 100cm of unconsolidated snow is a whole new experience. So how do you practice this without any avalanche training…?

At the very least, find some obscure terrain at the ski area to ride around. Hopefully something with trees that will require some precision turns. Another great option would be to find an experienced backcountry traveler to take you out on a mellow tour into safe terrain that will allow you to practice making turns in variable snow conditions.

Experience is Necessary

I cannot express enough how heavily experience and local knowledge plays into the backcountry travel equation. Sure, avalanche courses are great for setting a framework of information that should be considered in the backcountry environment. But there is no substitute for a backlog of knowledge about the local terrain, weather patterns, and snowpack data.

You will learn to make your own observations in an avalanche course, but hopefully you can also find a mentor in your area that is willing to guide you in the decision-making process during the early stages. Most of us enjoy sharing the backcountry with others and will take newbies out free of charge. But it would be a nice gesture to at least treat them to dinner or provide trailhead refreshments, especially if you want them to take you out for another tour 😊

Bottom line is that avalanche education is a lifelong journey, so you might as well take your time and enjoy the ride. Your local guide service should hold a wealth of resources if you need help navigating this process. At RMOC we offer a variety of products designed to meet the needs of folks who are new to the backcountry, including gear rentals. We also have a series of Backcountry Intro courses for skiers and splitboarders who are ready to start travelling out of bounds. You can learn more at Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center – RMOC