Avalanche Terrain Avoidance

This is for the Feb. 18, 2023 - ATA Course

Location: ATA Denver takes place at the AMC, 710 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401   Conference Rooms C-D

Time: 7 a.m. to 11:30 pm. in Golden then the afternoon field trip at Jones Pass Road 1-5 p.m.

This seminar requires no prerequisites. We are planning for in person classroom lectures this year. This registration is for in-person classroom and field session on the same day.
This course is required for CMC leaders who wish to lead trips in snow covered, non-avalanche terrain. 
This is a 4-hour seminar and a 4-hour field day for those who wish to AVOID avalanche terrain. The field day for each session is directly after the morning lecture. Students should bring the regular 10 Essentials and be prepared for winter conditions in the field.

The Field Sessions are a required part of the ATA seminar.
In order to AVOID avalanche terrain, you must be capable of RECOGNIZING IT. This is why you take ATA.

The Class Objectives are as follows:

• Understand why Colorado has the most dangerous avalanche conditions in the U.S.
• Learn what an avalanche is and what factors contribute to an avalanche.
• Understand and apply the current avalanche forecast.
• Recognize and avoid avalanche hazards.
• Use tools for planning a successful trip.
• Learn from a case study of an avalanche accident.

Learning Outcomes

• Putting together classroom information with field application to check weather and avalanche forecast and make sound planning decisions to avoid avalanche prone terrain.
• The field exercise allows students to use slope meters to assess slope angles and determine potential avalanche-prone terrain and non avalanche-prone terrain as well as to determine route findings.
  • These techniques can be taught with or without snow conditions
• We will give a short map tutoring session. Being able to read maps is critical to the content of the materials presented.