Avalanche Terrain Avoidance

*** TO REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE, YOU MUST FIRST COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION QUESTIONNAIRE AND SUBMIT IT TO THE COURSE DIRECTOR.  YOU CAN ACCESS THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND SUBMITTAL INFORMATION BY CLICKING THE BLUE 'APPLY' BUTTON ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS PAGE.  THANK YOU. ***

The 2024 NoCo ATA workshop will consist of: (1) an evening Classroom Session and (2) an all-day Field Trip. The Classroom Session will be the evening of December 10; participants may choose either the Saturday December 14 or Sunday December 15 Field Sessions (space permitting). Participants may attend the Classroom Session without a Field Session, but a certificate of completion (badge) will only be issued to those who attend both sessions.  Course fees will be waived for active Northern Colorado Trip Leaders.

The Classroom Session will include a slideshow presentation, group discussions, and a route planning exercise for the workshop field trip.  Specific topics will include:

• Overview of avalanche occurrence with a focus on Colorado

• Causes, types & characteristics of avalanches

• Nature of the risks

• Factors affecting avalanche risk (slope, terrain, temperature, wind, cornices, tree density, human factors)

• Recognizing and avoiding potential avalanche terrain (route selection and slope angle measurements)

• Internet resources for planning such as the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) website and ratings, snowfall data, NWS forecasts, and Caltopo as a mapping & general terrain evaluation tool.

During the field trip we will observe actual avalanche terrain from nearby areas while avoiding avalanche risk. Wintertime hazards in addition to avalanches will also be discussed. Estimation and measurement of slope angles will be practiced, and numerous examples of potentially risky (e.g., slopes, gullies, road cuts, cornices, etc.) and avalanche-free areas will be identified and discussed. Clues as to what constitutes avalanche terrain versus non-avalanche terrain will also be discussed. We will finish with a short drive to one or more parking areas to observe the characteristics of various avalanche paths exhibiting historic slide activity and which should be avoided.

For the Field Session, participants may use either snowshoes or skis (Nordic or AT). Whatever equipment is used, field trip participants must be reasonably fit and able to handle deep, ungroomed snow in moderately steep terrain (up to 20-degree slopes).  The field trip will have have a CMC snowshoe rating of 'easy'.

This course will not include training for travel within avalanche terrain or search and rescue techniques covered in more comprehensive courses (e.g., AIARE 1).

Note for CMC Trip Leaders: This course is also designed to meet the educational requirements of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) for trip leaders who lead routes in snow-covered terrain that is not avalanche-prone. The full CMC avalanche education requirements for trip leaders can be found here: CMC Avalanche Education Policy Document.  Course fees will be waived for active Northern Colorado Group Trip Leaders (contact the Course Director for a registration code).