Provided by Utah Mountain Adventures
Designed to be the first step in your avalanche education, this course is ideal for backcountry skiers, snowboarders, mountaineers and snowshoers who want to make informed route-finding decisions and mitigate risk while traveling in avalanche-prone terrain. The course begins with a three-hour lecture the evening before your field day, which will provide an introduction to the topics you’ll explore in the mountains.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Virtual Lecture
The Friday evening lecture 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 a plan for the next day will conclude the evening.
Field Session
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. Students will dig snow pits, perform stability tests and practice beacon search and rescue scenarios. Everyone will travel up and downhill employing avalanche-hazard mitigation procedures and teaching safe route-finding skills.
This course not only covers avalanche rescue (a must-have before being in or around avalanche terrain). Furthermore, it presents the tools to start identifying avalanche terrain and utilizing your local avalanche advisory to determine the best tours in the future. After completing this course, you can feel confident enough to start choosing tours within your knowledge and ability, while also being more of a part of the decision-making with friends in the field.
MAX STUDENT : INSTRUCTOR RATIO:
6 : 1
SCHEDULE:
- Friday Virtual Lecture: 6 pm – 9 pm
- Saturday Field Session: 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
COURSE DATES:
- Dec 4-5, 2026 (Friday-Saturday)
- Dec 18-19, 2026 (Friday-Saturday)
- Jan 8-9, 2027 (Friday-Saturday)
- Feb 5-6, 2027 (Friday-Saturday)
- Mar 5-6, 2027 (Friday-Saturday)
COST:
- $299 plus tax
COURSE PREREQUISITES:
- No backcountry experience is necessary.
- Previous resort skiing or snowboarding experience is required for participants using skis or a splitboard.
- Practice skiing or riding off the groomed runs (in deeper, soft and variable snow conditions) is recommended for participants using skis or a splitboard.
MEETING LOCATION: Meeting location is generally at the UMA Office in Cottonwood Heights or at a trailhead in Little Cottonwood Canyon or Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside Salt Lake City, Utah.
TRANSPORTATION & PARKING: Transportation will not be provided. Most canyon parking lots require a parking fee and we encourage carpooling for the overflow lot. Feel free to reach out to the other participants in your group to carpool.
- Register here or contact Utah Mountain Adventures:
- [email protected]
- 801-550-3986
- UtahMountainAdventures.com
