Avalanche Course: Field day 1

Tyler, Jim, Dan O (co-worker) and I registered for an Avalanche course through the company Southwest Adventures.

The purpose of taking the course is to become familiar and risk-assess the variety of dangers while snowshoeing and skiing in the back country. I feel exposing Tyler to these courses at his age is exciting! I hope I am not living vicariously through him; however, he is excited about learning more avalanche details and states he wants a splitboard!

The course is three days long and utilizes the curriculum from the AIARE organization. The first day of didactic instruction consists of: avalanche anatomy, causes, effects, rescues, and risk-assessment. The second day was held at Molas Pass learning how to conduct rescues using tools such as beacons, probes and shovels. The last day will focus on route selection in the back country toward potential ski areas.

Josh, one of two outstanding instructors! (Don't tempt him with beef jerky, he will immediately morph into Sasquatch)



The class heading out. Engineer Mountain in the background. A beautiful day!


Above, Tyler and Jim simulate a search for me buried in the snow. I buried my backpack with my transmitting beacon. They are using their beacons as receivers to find the location.



Tyler narrows the search while Jim uses the beacon to possibly hit the "body". Aaron, on the far right, is another of our outstanding instructors.


After beacon finding we learned about digging snow-pits. These pits provide indictators regarding the various snow layers. The characteristics of these layers are merely one factor in assessing avalanche danger. Pits are 2 meters in length by 1.5 meters wide and the depth can be to the ground; we dug approximately 1.75 meters deep.


Jim and Tyler now identify and examine the layers!



A snap show of the various classmates digging their pits!


Thus far, the class has been priceless! I thoroughly enjoy the education and look forward to taking the Avalanche 2 course! Tomorrow I will post day 3 of the course! Click here to view more pictures from the course located to My Picasa site