Provided by Utah Avalanche Center
Accredited by the American Avalanche Association, this course meets national standards for avalanche awareness education.
Course Overview
Avoiding avalanches is the best way to stay safe in the backcountry, but accidents can happen. If your partner is buried, you have only minutes to act, and an effective rescue is challenging. You can’t rely on ski patrol or outside help; it’s up to you to be prepared.
This four-hour, on-snow course teaches the essential steps of avalanche rescue and how to use your gear efficiently. With a low student-to-instructor ratio, you’ll receive personalized coaching and multiple opportunities to practice real-life scenarios.
After registering, you’ll gain access to our Student Portal, which includes pre-course materials, detailed course information, avalanche education resources, and more.
Who Should Take this Course?
This course is for anyone heading into the backcountry, no matter what mode of transportation you use. This course is ideal for beginners or as a refresher for those who don’t regularly practice rescue skills or are looking for the most up-to-date rescue techniques.
What is Required for this Course?
Please bring your own avalanche rescue gear (transceiver/shovel/probe). If you need to borrow any of these items, let us know in advance so we can make arrangements.
Course Goals
- Understand the steps and procedures of an avalanche rescue.
- Understand how to use an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel properly.
- Perform a full avalanche burial rescue in less than 10 minutes.
- Understand how to continue practicing rescue skills individually and with partners.
Cancellation Policy
Our cancellation policy can be found here. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
Winter Weather and Avalanche Hazard Policy
In the event of extreme winter weather and/or dangerous avalanche conditions, the UAC reserves the right to reschedule courses to maintain the safety of our students and instructors. If a course needs to be rescheduled, we will work with students to find the best rescheduled date and refund students who are unable to attend.