Winter 2024/25 Course Dates now available for registration.

Avalanche Fundamentals Courses - Salt Lake City, Utah

Avalanche Fundamentals:

Introduction to avalanche awareness, rescue skills and avalanche beacon searches, route finding, snow pack evaluation and minimizing exposure to hazards. Designed as a first avalanche course, or short refresher, this class is ideal for backcountry skiers, snowboarders, mountaineers and snowshoers wishing to make informed route-finding decisions and mitigate risk while traveling in avalanche-prone terrain.

Description:

Friday’s lectures will encompass snow science terminology, avalanche types and formation, rescue, hazard evaluation, terrain, snowpack layering, stability tests, weather, and the human factor. Instructors will use anecdotes, slides, powerpoint presentations, and other visual aids to present these topics. A Q & A forum and plan for the next day will conclude the evening. The field session will be an applied review of the above topics. Students will travel on skins or snowshoes a short distance into the backcountry. Instructors will work with no more than 6 students each to dig snowpits, perform stability tests, practice beacon search and rescue scenarios, travel up and downhill employing avalanche-hazard mitigation procedures, and teaching safe route-finding skills.

How to Register:

Avalanche pouring off Hellgate Cliffs, Alta, Utah

Avalanche pouring off Hellgate Cliffs, Alta, Utah

Photo by Craig Dillon

Course Details

2024-25 Dates

Dec 6 - 7, 2024 Fri & Sat
Dec 20 - 21, 2024 Fri & Sat
Jan 10 - 11, 2025 Fri & Sat
Feb 7 - 8, 2025 Fri & Sat
Mar 7 - 8, 2025 Fri & Sat

Duration

Friday evening lecture (6-9pm). Saturday field session (8am-4pm).

Location

Salt Lake City, Utah

Fee

$259 per person plus tax.

UMA reserves the right to cancel or shorten the clinic if fewer than 2 participants register.

Level

Introductory. No Experience Necessary.

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Utah Mountain Adventures

P.O. Box 521809

Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-1809

Phone: (801) 550 3986

Fax: (801) 486 8505

Email: uma@utahmountainadventures.com

Utah Mountain Adventures | Patagonia Utah Mountain Adventures | Forest Service Backcountry Skiing Utah, by Tyson Bradley