Avalanche 1 Course - A Photo Essay

I took my Avalanche 1 course last year, but I never really used my new found skills the rest of that season. Turns out that a avalanche assessment is like a language - if you don't use it, you forget it.

This year, I decided to start skiing. My roommate found me a great deal on an AT set up...so I suppose I have a bit more incentive to know avalanche hazards and risks if I want to get out there. While I may not be the best skier (yet), or the best back country leader, at least now I know a good decision from a bad decision.

Fellow Program Coordinator Katy Pfannenstein and I snapped some pictures of our recent Avy 1 course. Enjoy!

 Classroom day.

Lining up for a pit-digging lecture. 

 Kurt explaining how flux lines of beacons work. 

 Setting up for a Rutsch Block test.

Determining size of grains.

Going through a companion rescue scenario. 

 More pit-diggin'.

- Dyan Padagas, Program Coordinator