Field sessions give students an opportunity to put the skills they learned in the classroom to use in actual hands-on scenarios while being coached and mentored by leaders in the industry.
The lessons learned in the field are an essential piece to a student’s over-all avalanche training.
The
American Avalanche Institute will be the course provider for the NAS affiliated field sessions.
2023 / 2024 Dates & Locations:
Alta Ski Area, UT • December 11 - 14
Schweitzer Mountain Resort, ID • TBD
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, NV • February 19 - 22
Registration Fee: $1,199/per attendee
CLICK HERE to visit the AAI website for additional information and to register for a particular field session.
Prerequisites:
- Successful completion of National Avalanche School Classroom portion: The NAS is held in 2 parts – a four and a half day classroom session and a four day field session held in the winter. Participants must attend and successfully pass the classroom session in order to attend these field sessions.
- Students must attend and successfully pass both the classroom session and one of the field sessions in order to receive a Pro1-NAS designation.
- Proof of payment of A3 Pro Course Student Fee
Students are trained and evaluated on the following skills:
- Demonstrate small party avalanche rescue response
- Take and interpret weather station observations
- Utilize morning and evening stability worksheets
- Communicate the avalanche risk to team members
- Assess and analyze avalanche terrain
- Manage a small group in terrain appropriate for the avalanche problem
- Select appropriate snowpit sites
- Systematically execute a snowpit, including weak layer identification and stability tests
- Develop solid observational and documentation skills of snow, weather and avalanche's.