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¦ What sort of classes should I take?
I’m all for classroom sessions to get started and to refresh your mindset and knowledge each winter. It is also a great way to meet other serious riders. Look for quality instruction through American Avalanche Association instructors. However, the quality of instruction varies tremendously with some course providers. Make sure your instructor has extensive experience teaching and real-world experience where they had to be professionally responsible for others. You don’t want that person who stumbles through a class that they only teach twice a year.
Take an awareness class and follow that with an eight-hour certified Avalanche Rescue class (prerequisite for level two) or a 24-hour level one and then a level two class. We are riding in avalanche terrain that takes extensive knowledge to make good decisions. Don’t just wing it and hope for the best. I would rather meet you in class than on a rescue.
For continued success, you have to know and understand the avalanche conditions and which terrain is appropriate. You don’t want to fear avalanches, but have the knowledge for the situation and make the right decisions for that day. I pick the appropriate terrain for the conditions, observe, verify the stability with my own tests and ride with trained people. No advanced training and gear, you’re not going with me!