Riders who have completed both Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue courses and wish to enhance their skills are a good fit for the Level 2 course.

We recommend acquiring at least 1-year of skill practice since the completion of a Level 1 course. The course is centered around avalanche hazard evaluation, observation, decision-making, and group management.

Classroom sessions focus on the development of the snowpack, understanding the avalanche problem, including persistent and deep slab instabilities, avalanche mechanics, and utilizing snow and weather resources to trip plan.

Participants in this workshop will be introduced to documentation and record keeping as per the Snow, Weather, and Avalanches: Observation Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States (SWAG) handbook. Instructors seek to study a variety of snowpack conditions, and recent avalanches are used for analysis when possible. Specific topics covered include:

• Decision-making and leadership
• Terrain analysis
• Understanding the avalanche problem and where it is found
• Snowpack observation and stability analysis
• Documentation of observations, field weather and snowpack
• Route selection & safe travel procedures