EBS STAFF
BIG SKY – If
you plan to be recreating outdoors this winter, whether that means hitting the
slopes donning skis or snowshoes, or cruising through white stuff on a
snowmobile or fat bike, you’re sure to benefit from lessons taught in an
avalanche course.
A variety of
institutions offer avalanche safety training designed for recreationists as
well as professionals. The recreation-track courses are usually broken into
level 1 and level 2 trainings and are geared for both new or seasoned
backcountry enthusiasts, and cover all aspects of backcountry travel, from trip
planning and communication to recognizing avalanche terrain. Some are geared
especially for snowmobilers, while other courses provide a walkthrough of
rescue fundamentals.
Many
avalanche safety courses are taught in the field so as to give hands-on
experience to the participants. Instructors are usually professional ski
guides, snow safety professionals or avalanche forecasters.
The American
Avalanche Association—known as A3—is a national nonprofit organization that
certifies avalanche training programs and a variety of their curriculums are
offered in southwest Montana. A3 recommends backcountry users begin with an
Avalanche Awareness course, then proceed to Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue. From
there, consider furthering your experience in a Level 2 course.
According to
A3, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S. each year while many more are
injured every winter.
Visit avalanche.org
for more information about avalanche safety courses or check out the Big Sky
Avalanche Foundation for Education on Facebook or Gallatin National Forest
Avalanche Center at mtavalanche.com for information on local courses.
