Course Description: The AIARE Level 2 course builds on your experience as a backcountry traveler. You will learn tools to apply the AIARE Framework, the repeatable process you learned in AIARE Level 1, to new situations and to self-direct your learning after the course. You will learn more skills to connect weather, snowpack, and avalanche processes and identify how these processes relate to observations and making safe travel decisions in avalanche terrain. This enables you to act as a leader within a small travel group and to identify and reduce uncertainty regarding terrain management and conditions.

Why Take Your AIARE Level 2 With Us? We only offer smaller classes with 12 students maximum and 2 instructors. All students will get time in the field with both instructors to maximize learning.  Smaller courses also make the classroom sessions more intimate and allow for more discussion.

Who Should Take This Course: AIARE Level 2 provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision-making skills. The prerequisites for this course are an AIARE Level 1, an Avalanche Rescue course, and a winter of practical experience after taking AIARE Level 1.

What You’ll Learn: During an AIARE Level 2 course, you’ll spend time learning these skills, both in a classroom setting and in the field: 

• Differentiating where specific avalanche hazards exist within the landscape
• Identifying avalanche terrain where consequences may be more severe
• Using and interpreting weather, snow, and avalanche observations to make more specific and safer terrain decisions
• Leadership skills to use in a small team setting, including facilitating group discussion, promoting appropriate terrain selection, and utilizing simple risk management strategies

Visit AIARE’s website here.

$679 per student

Included:  IFMGA/AMGA Ski Guide Course Leader, AIARE Field Book, student resources, use of Ortovox transceiver, probe, and shovel.

Not Included: Transportation, accommodations, food, and guide gratuity.

Required Gear: Alpine Touring Ski/Splitboard setup. Full winter backcountry gear. Snowshoes are not appropriate for this course due to amount of terrain covered. See our gear list on this page.

Need To Rent Gear?
Mountain Chalet (downtown Colorado Springs) is offering a 50% discount on AT/splitboard rentals to our AIARE course participants! Stop by the shop to get outfitted with the latest gear and to lock in your discount.

Prerequisites: Completion of AIARE Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue. Students must be proficient skiers or splitboarders for travel. Skiing/snowboarding black runs at the resort is a must.

Due to high interest in this course, full payment is required at time of registration. AIARE courses are refundable 30 days from course start less a 10% administrative fee.

Winter 2024-25 Course Dates:

Itinerary:

• (Wednesday-Thursday) Evening Classroom Sessions (5:30-8:30pm) in Colorado Springs
• (Saturday-Sunday) Full Field Days Monarch Pass or Hoosier Pass

Locations:

• Monarch Pass or Hoosier Pass (Field Days)
• We recommend lodging near Salida 

Want more education?

• Recreational backcountry travelers will need to take AIARE Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue as prerequisites for the AIARE Level 2 Rec course.
• Aspiring professionals will need to take the AIARE Level 1 Rec and Avalanche Rescue courses as prerequisites for the Pro 1 course. For those without the mentorship of working ski patrol or at a guide service or similar, we recommend students take AIARE Level 2 Rec prior to Pro 1.
• AIARE Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue have no prerequisites and either can be taken first or without the other.