Avalanche Level 1 in Cooke City



Skill level
Any level
Group size
1 – 5 people
Come spend three days taking our Avalanche Level 1 course at the Woody Creek Cabin the Absaroka Range just above Cooke City, MT. Located just below the treeline, it’s a great place to learn about terrain and snowpack.
Going into the backcountry is easy and fun. Making safe decisions aren’t always straightforward when you’re in the field. A fundamental part of any backcountry adventurer’s toolkit is avalanche awareness.
During the three-day course, participants will be exposed to techniques and skills required to be a competent backcountry partner. Each day will include a combination of lectures and field sessions. Students will get plenty of hands on experience learning about:
- Snowpack layering and formation
- Snowpack tests and other observations and how they relate to avalanche forecast
- Terrain Identification (avalanche paths, slope shape, aspect, slope angle)
- Terrain management (uphill and downhill travel)
- Mountain Weather Concepts (wind, precipitation, temperatures)
- Snow climates
- Avalanche types and concepts
- Decision making skills
- Interpreting the Avalanche Bulletin (hazard rating and type)
- Beacon use and rescue training
- Skiing some powder!
Prerequisites for avalanche education
All participants need to be comfortable making ascents and descents in a variety of snow conditions.
We also recommend reading
- Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper
- Snow Sense by Doug Fesler and Jill Fredston
All of our coursework is based on the guidelines of the American Avalanche Association.
- For a complete syllabus, click here.