AIARE Rescue Course – Breckenridge/Vail CO
$295
Location - Colorado, Breckenridge
Dates
December 11, 2021 - December 12, 2021
February 5, 2022 - February 6, 2022
February 12, 2022 - February 13, 2022
February 18, 2022 -
Overview
Are you fully prepared to act swiftly in the unfortunate case of an avalanche accident? When is the last time that you and your touring partners practiced your rescue skills? With coaching from our instructors in realistic scenarios, you will develop and refresh essential rescue skills while also lowering your response time. In this course you will practice using your own avalanche rescue gear and learn about the most current advancements in the field. It’s important to practice, practice, practice, honing your skills to be an excellent, well-prepared backcountry touring partner.
AIARE Avalanche Rescue is an 8 hour course that we’ve adapted into two parts with a 2 hour online evening session followed by an all day field day for hands-on practice with rescue gear and techniques. This course is excellent for both new and experienced backcountry travelers and is designed to be taken on a regular basis as techniques in avalanche rescue are continually evolving with new technology and research. In this course you learn the basics of companion rescue including efficient search strategies with your beacon, strategic shoveling, and effective probing. You will practice responding in realistic scenarios with regular instructor feedback and support. Experienced participants are challenged with advanced topics, multiple burial techniques, and leading scenarios. This course is a great refresher and preparation for the backcountry touring season. Bring your regular ski partners to get ready as a group, or connect with a group of women who are as keen on avalanche safety as you are!
AIARE Rescue pairs well with AIARE Level 1 and is a requirement for AIARE Level 2.
Duration: 1 Online Evening Session, 1 Field Day
Activity Level: Moderate
Required Skill Level: Students must be able to travel short distances in the backcountry and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow and staying warm in inclement winter weather.
Course Dates:
Dec 11th Online Evening Session and Dec 12th Field Day
Feb 5th Online Evening Session and Feb 6th Field Day
Feb 12th Online Evening Session and Feb 13th Field Day
Feb 18th Online Evening Session and Feb 19th Field Day – COED
About the Course
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Our online evening session is an introduction to rescue techniques including equipment, packing list, and an overview of the step by step AIARE Rescue checklist. Learn about any updates to the Rescue Process and improved technology.
The following day we’ll run multiple scenarios outside so you can practice skills and develop muscle memory. The ultimate goal is to increase rescue skills in order to increase a teammate’s likelihood of survival if caught in an avalanche.
This course is a 1 evening, 1 field day specifically dedicated to practicing rescue skills to reduce response time. It is an addition to AIARE Level 1 to learn how to travel in avalanche terrain and use deliberate decision making to avoid avalanche accidents, and a prerequisite to AIARE Level 2.
8:00am - 4:00pm
If you’re new to avalanche rescue, today’s focus is to learn important rescue skills and practice them as many times as possible while building their complexity. These skills include assessing the scene, leadership, using a transceiver effectively and efficiently, up to date probing methodologies, and effective and speedy shoveling techniques. If you are an avalanche rescue veteran this course will review the basics and beyond, introducing more complex and advanced techniques and practicing them as a group or individuals.
What to Expect
- Comfortable and fun learning atmosphere
- Course tailored specifically to the experience level of the group
- Attentive, experienced, & professional AIARE qualified instructors. Your instructor team may include women and men who support our mission of women becoming leaders in their backcountry pursuits
- Realistic scenarios with feedback from AIARE instructors
- Get your rescue skills up-to-par to be the best backcountry partner you can be
- Gain your AIARE Rescue Certificate
- Be ready and fulfill this requirement for your AIARE Level 2 Course
Gear Needed
Backcountry skis or splitboard (or snowshoes, cross-country skis, anything to move on snow), ski poles, ski or snowboard boots, climbing skins, avalanche beacon, avalanche probe, avalanche shovel, backcountry backpack, and proper outerwear and warm layers for field time. You can rent a beacon/shovel/probe backpack from us online. We also recommend our friends at Mountain Outfitters in Breck if you need to rent gear, or Alpine Quest if you are coming from the Edwards/Vail, Colorado Area.
Field Time
Classroom Time
Getting There
FLY: To Denver or Vail/Eagle airport in Colorado.
DRIVE: To our trailheads in the Breckenridge/ Vail area. Our touring locations include Mt Baldy, Loveland Pass, Hoosier Pass, Vail Pass, Meadow Mountain or another of our USFS permitted locations. If you are looking to book lodging, Dillon, Frisco, and Breck are all fairly central to the majority of our touring locations. Exact touring location is weather and condition dependent. You will receive location information from your instructor or the office prior to your course start.
Backcountry Babes is an equal opportunity service provider and employer. Backcountry Babes operates under special use permit from the USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest Ranger District and Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District.