Course Details

 Avalanche Skills Training


Avalanche Skills Training Photo

The Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 certification course provides you with a working knowledge of avalanche terrain, route finding, weather observations, snow-pack study, snow assessment skills, Avaluator trip planning and terrain assessment skills and self rescue procedures.

This intensive 22-hour course exceeds the Canadian Avalanche Association’s (CAA) AST Level 1 course format, combining classroom lectures together with backcountry field study sessions. It provides an excellent introduction on how to trip plan and identify and minimize risk in avalanche terrain. These avalanche skill-training courses are recognized by the CAA and are a prerequisite to advancing on to the professional Level 1 Ski Operations course. (Previously known as Level 1 RAC Course)

Your instructor, Russ Turner, is a professional Association of Canadian Mountain Full Ski Guide and Canadian Avalanche Association Level 2 Technician. He has 20+ years of combined professional experience guiding helicopter, snow-cat and ski touring clients as well as instructing Avalanche Certification Courses.

Course Duration: 22 hours of instruction - 2 evening lectures & 2 field days.

*Note: Evening lectures are the evening before and evening of the first field day.

*Note: SRA will instruct Avalanche Courses when groups of 6 or more persons book together. Please call to book a time and location for your group's custom course.

Location: Manning Provincial Park, Apex or Big White Ski Resorts

Topics Include:

  • Avalanche Terrain Assessment
  • Snowpack & Hazard Assessment
  • Weather Observations
  • Research Skills Training
  • Avaluator Card Training
  • Snow Study Skills
  • Backcountry Travel Procedures
  • Navigation & Route Finding
  • Beacon & Self-Rescue Skills

Equipment

provided

The following course materials are included with your registration fee and the following equipment shall be provided;

  • CAA Snow Study Handbook
  • CAA Avaluator Trip Planner
  • CAA Tool Card
  • Notebooks (for sale $21)
  • Evening Lecture Materials
  • First Aid Kit
  • Repair Kit
  • Emergency Shelter
  • Communications Equipment
  • Snow Study Kits including
  • Snow Crystal Study Lens
  • Snow Crystal Card
  • 2 meter Folding Ruler
  • Snow Thermometer
  • Snow Saw

bring

Required Equipment not provided:

  • 40 Liter daypack
  • Avalanche Transceiver (457 Hz frequency w/ spare batteries)
  • Shovel
  • Avalanche Probe
  • Snow Study Notebook (recommended - see above)
  • Skis / Split-Snowboard, Boots & Climbing Skins or
  • Snowshoes & Snow Boots
  • Ski Poles
  • Lunch
  • Fluids (thermos is recommended)
  • Camera
  • Personal Blister Kit
  • Sunglasses, Sunscreen & Lip balm
  • Headlamp & Spare batteries

Clothing

  • Polypropylene / Wool underwear, tops and bottoms
  • Pants (wool, pile or synthetic type)
  • Middle-weight wool or pile Sweater
  • Pile Vest
  • Pile Jacket
  • Gortex Jacket
  • Gortex Pants
  • Down Jacket (recommended)
  • Toque
  • Pair thin gloves
  • Ski Gloves / Mitts
  • Wool Socks

rent

You will need to rent or purchase an Avalanche Transceiver, Shovel and Probe. Many outdoor stores offer this service. In addition, you will need to purchase two 1 way ski lift passes during the course.

Mountain Equipment Co-op Rentals



Booking Policy

general information

registration and payment:

Our programs are reserved on a first-to-pay basis. To secure your course date(s), you may either send a cheque or telephone us directly with your credit card information for the full amount plus 12% hst. Once we have received your payment we will send you your confirmation package explaining where to meet and what to bring (refer to Equipment above).

For Groups, we require a 50% deposit. The balance owing will be due at the time of your course start date plus 12% hst, depending on your final groups’ numbers.

If you use your credit card, we would ask that you bring this with you for the first day of your program and we will take an imprint and leave you a copy for your own records.

Please acquaint yourself with our Booking Policy below.

booking policy

  1. All prices are in Canadian dollars.
  2. Public Courses -100% payment + hst required upon registration.
  3. Group Bookings - 50% deposit + hst required upon registration.
  4. Cancellations made more than 10 days prior to their course date will receive course refunds minus $50.00 administration fee or transfer of course fee to another date.
  5. Cancellations within 10 days prior to course date will receive a 75% course credit towards another course date (non-transferable – conditions apply).
  6. Cancellations within 2 days (48 hours) prior to course date will receive no refunds or course credits.

*No dogs allowed on any of our programs.

All of our public programs run with a minimum of two persons.

Skaha Rock Adventures Ltd. reserves the right to cancel a course at their discretion and a full refund or alternate date will be offered. Participation in any of our programs is continually subject to the discretion of our staff.

booking as a group:

If you are booking as a group, please note that we require one individual to be the spokesperson for that group. That person is responsible for distributing all course information and gathering all course fees from the other group members.

minors:

The spokesperson for the group is responsible to ensure that all minors under the age of 19 years have both the minor and their parent and or legal guardian read, understand and sign our waiver form agreement. Without this properly signed document, clients cannot participate in our programs. See Waivers for more details.

institutional groups and medical forms:

Institutional groups (Schools, Cadets Corps, etc.) must have minors and their parents complete our Medical Form. Otherwise all other applicants must report potential medical problems to Skaha Rock Adventures Ltd. prior to the start of their course.

Waiver

waiver information

download waiver

PDF Icon

Download Waiver. Two pages. Print on letter size (8.5 x 11) paper.

PDF Icon

Download Medical Form. One Page. Print and fill out for Minors and Group Courses.

groups and minors

Waiver forms are an integral part of our programming. Without them we would not be able to operate. If they are not properly completed then they are not recognized by the insurer, which means you may not participate on any of our programs. With your cooperation we can ensure that both the students’ and Skaha Rock Adventure Ltds’ needs are properly cared for.


Students and Supervising Staff may not participate in the program without having read, understood and signed the waiver of liability agreement. Those under the age of 19 years must have a parent or legal guardian co-sign their waiver. This document cannot be altered in any way.


Please remember to bring all completed forms with you. Without a properly completed waiver, your student will not participate in the activities. They will have to wait in the parking lot with a supervisor until the group returns at the end of the day.


COMMOM MISTAKES WHEN COMPLETING THE WAIVER FORMS INCLUDE;

  • Waiver forms must be printed onto ONE SIDE only of a LETTER SIZED sheet of paper with FONT letter size UNCHANGED from what you see. Shrinking this document onto a SMALLER SIZED sheet of paper is UNACCEPTABLE. You need to download/print this document from our website onto letter sized paper for a minor’s parents to sign and bring along with you as long as it has not been altered from the above.
  • Once you have downloaded our TWO PAGE, LETTER SIZED document, ensure you INITIAL THE FIRST PAGE at the bottom before continuing on to the second page and signing at the bottom.
  • We discourage waiver forms that have been signed and then faxed by a parent. However we will accept completed original waiver forms faxed from the parent for the interim, but we MUST have the ORIGINAL non-faxed version of the form sent to us for our record keeping.
  • SIGNATURE OF WITNESS must also be completed at the time that the participant signs their name.
  • A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN must co-sign waiver together with the minor.
  • PARENT’S ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION section must also be completed for minors under the age of 19 years.

course schedule

how to register?
cost (CAD):
ratio:
number of days:
prerequisite:
$230
8:1
2
Yes
All participants should be reasonably fit and able to travel by skis and/or split-snowboard with the use of skins and/or snowshoes in the backcountry