ast 1 & AST 2 avalanche course
sean prockter is an acmg ski guide & Level II certified member of the Canadian avalanche association
he has a professional teaching degree and has been conducting avalanche skills courses for nearly 10 years. join him as you learn how to safely travel in the backcountry in the winter.
**For Advanced Avalanche Skills Workshops, please visit our Winter Programs**
“Incredibly radical AST Level 1 Course!”
“Sean is an able and experienced instructor, who knows his stuff.
You can’t ask for a better introduction to avalanche awareness, and response!”
AST students learning how to dig a Snow Profile with Sean
AST students learning Companion Rescue with Sean
ast 1 avalanche skills training course
**Important Note: You do NOT need to bring skis/splitboard on our AST 1 course as we will all learn on snowshoes. If you have a special request to conduct the course on skis, please let us know and we will work to accommodate that
Available Courses: Jan. 3-4/5 (Prince George, BC), Jan. 15-16th (McBride, BC - 1 spot left!)
Please inquire if you have a group of 4+ (max 8 pax) and would like to take the course with us.
This is a 2-day introductory course to avalanche skills and training. The first day will be in the classroom while the second day is a snowshoe trip out at Bald Hills (elev. gain of 400m). we limit the number of students to 8 for maximum learning potential. Below is what you will receive during the course:
Included classroom materials:
Avalanche Skills Handbook
Companion Rescue Card
Avaluator
Avalanche Canada AST 1 Certificate upon completion of the course
Professional-level avalanche skills instruction. Some topics include:
Reading and understanding the Avalanche Bulletin & ATES
Understanding how weather affects the snowpack
Snow instability tests
Companion rescue training
Winter travel and risk mitigation
rates:
$299 + GST / person
how to sign up:
To run the course, we need a minimum of 4 students. Gather a group of 4 and Contact Us to set up a date & time that works best for you. We reserve the right to add more students to your group up to a maximum of 8. Private options are also available. Alternatively, sign up for one already available by clicking the button below and finding a course in the calendar. See you out in the mountains!
ast 2 advanced avalanche training
This is a 4-day advanced avalanche course designed to build off of the ast 1. we highly recommend you get at least 20 days of backcountry experience before taking this course.
**2024-25 Course Availability: Jan. 6-9th, 2025 (McBride, BC - Sled & snowshoe-based), Jan. 18-19th / 25-26th, 2025 (McBride, BC - Ski-based)
Building off of the skills developed in our AST 1 course, we will delve much deeper into the concept of Avalanche Risk. We’ll focus on terrain recognition, risk assessment and hazard management. These skills will take years to develop, so we will work to provide you the foundation for learning this paramount skill in winter backcountry travel.
Some of the skills we’ll work to develop by the end of the course are:
Demonstrate how to use the decision-making skills of a group to manage avalanche risk.
Use intermediate to advanced concepts to describe the theoretical framework of avalanche terrain and snowpack.
Plan and carry out trips using the seven steps of the daily process.
Organize and lead a companion rescue.
There will be plenty of time to ask questions and get lots of hands-on learning in the field through this 4-day comprehensive course. If you are looking to get serious about traveling in the backcountry through avalanche terrain this winter, then this is the course for you!
rates (min. 4 required):
$695 + GST / person
NOTE: Price includes 4-days of instruction (1 classroom and 3 field days), guidebook and an Avalanche Canada Certificate upon completion
what’s next?
Looking at what to do next after your AST course? Perhaps you’ve taken an AST 1 but aren’t ready for the AST 2 course yet? Check out our Winter Ski Programs for more information!
