Classroom

The classroom session offers intense learning and interaction in a lecture and workshop environment. The workshops give students an opportunity to discuss and clarify lecture concepts and to use those concepts in problem-solving and decision-making exercises.  Students are trained according to current best practices in the snow and avalanche industry, utilizing US Observation Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States.

The next classroom session will be held in October 20-24, 2019, in South Jordan, UT.

Classroom session topics include: 

• The Avalanche Hazard & Risk Conceptual Model
• Mountain Snowpack
• Avalanche Formation & Release
• Snow Pits, Snow Profiles & Interpretation
• Mountain Meteorology
• Weather Data Collection & Forecasting
• Avalanche Hazard Evaluation
• Explosives & the Snowpack
• Avalanche Protection Fundamentals
• Ski Area Considerations & Oversights
• Operational Avalanche Rescue
• Avalanche Rescue Technology
• Wet Snow & Wet Avalanches
• Difficult Avalanche Problems - Deep Slab & Post Control Releas

 Sample Agenda from 2017  The 2019 agenda will be posted by June 1.