Steamboat Powdercats will be offering an AIARE (The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) Level I avalanche course for the 08/09 season.

The AIARE Level 1 avalanche course is designed as an introductory “stand alone decision makers course” for those planning on traveling and recreating in avalanche terrain.  Our instructors are AIARE trained and qualified.  The 24 hours of course work focuses on the basic skills necessary to manage your risk in the winter backcountry.

This Colorado Level 1 course utilizes the AIARE course curriculum. At the end of the course you will be able to:

• Plan and prepare for travel in avalanche terrain.
• Recognize avalanche terrain.
• Describe a basic framework for making decisions in avalanche terrain.
• Learn and apply effective companion rescue.

It is a starting point for anyone thinking of getting into backcountry skiing and riding. It's also great for those who have already have backcountry experience, but have yet to truly hone their snow safety and rescue skills.

This two and a half day (24-hr) avalanche awareness course will introduce the avalanche phenomena.

This is more than an avalanche course as it will educate you to planning and preparation for travel in avalanche terrain, human factors, terrain recognition, "red flag" observations, terrain selection, travel techniques and basic companion rescue

The goal will be to provide you with basic hazard management skills using rule based tools in combination with introductory knowledge based decision making tools...i.e. you will learn a lot!

This is a stand alone course and provides participants a link to the Level 2 AIARE and Level 3 AIARE course for backcountry leaders.

Click here to view a movie clip that Dave Genchi put together, with guide Kate Schaeffer and Eric Deering, lead avy instructor/guide, commentary (high speed connection recommended)

We utilize our snowcats to get quickly into our study areas in the field, thus maximizing our time to learn from the snow. Once out there, we will be traveling to different areas to get a varied picture of avalanche terrain and snow pack. And of course, we'll do our best to get a few turns in as well!