AIARE Level 1

CMC DENVER AIARE SCHOOL COURSE: AIARE L1 C4, February 18-20, 2025 

This 24-hour course is an introduction to managing avalanche hazard. You will learn how to use a repeatable process to manage your risk and learn from your experiences in the backcountry. You will also practice preparing for and carrying out a backcountry trip, keeping track of, communicating, and making decisions about hazards while in the backcountry, and learn rescue techniques if an avalanche occurs and someone is caught.

Who Should Take this Course AIARE L1 is for anyone, regardless of their method of backcountry travel, who wants to recreate in or near avalanche terrain. You should be able to travel off-trail on ungroomed or unmaintained terrain and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow, but there are no other prerequisites for this course. AIARE L1 is a prerequisite for AIARE L2.

Our AIARE Course Leader is Karin Pocock.

What You’ll Learn

During an AIARE L1 course, you’ll spend time learning these skills, both in a classroom setting and in the field:

• A repeatable process for managing risk in the winter backcountry
• Identifying avalanche hazard
• Developing a plan for travel in avalanche terrain
• Identifying avalanche terrain
• Build habits to maintain awareness, communicate with your group, and make decisions
• Learn and practice avalanche rescue skills

Families If you are a CMC member and interested in having your family sign up for this course, reach out to us directly.

Club Membership is required to participate in this course. If you are not currently a member, please sign up for membership prior to registering with this course. Benefits of club membership include gear and event discounts as well as access to more classes, trips and events that enhance your experience of backcountry and mountaineering adventures.

Cancellations & Rescheduling Participants should understand and appreciate that these courses are held during the winter season where poor weather and driving conditions may require cancellation or rescheduling of this course. Please refer to the CMC's cancellation policy (see link above) prior to enrolling in the course. While this policy provides our primary guidance for such contingencies, the course leadership will attempt to accommodate enrollee's completion of the course during the current season based on class and instructor availability.

Consider overnighting in either Georgetown or Winter Park for the field days. Get more rest and save drive time on I-70.

Have questions? E-mail Denver AIARE School Director.