Snow Travel

Snow Travel  Highlights

• Snow Battle (Paint Ball Rules) after Snow pit sciences

• Drawing  Avalanche Types in the Snow

• Build Snow Models to teach Avalanche Triggers

• Down hill riding introducing  team travel strategy

Before arrival you will check snow conditions and come prepared with questions for your guide.  We will have begun to think about this course many days prior in order to become familiar with the changing snow conditions and recent developmets.  Upon arrival it will be time to talk snow science.  Understanding your natural surroundings is everything.  Our physical power is inconsequential compared to the energy of the environment, and out in the Colorado backcountry we are constantly reminded of this fact.  While we are armed with avalanche rescue skills it is imperative that we never need them.  That is what today is all about. Out in the Colorado Winter’s elements, we can greatly improve our chances of staying safe by understanding the signs mother nature gives us.

From the beginning of this course we will  focus on creating and implementing a safe travel plan, discussing group goals, experience & abilities. While constantly identifying options and evaluating consequence of our natural environment. We spend the morning learning the basic of snow travel, how to read terrain, traveling as a group , identifying safe zones and backcountry travel technic. While we travel there is time to  stop to observe snowpack, terrain traps, weather and the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. We have the hands on experience of drawing out diagrams with the snow as our canvas and a natural landscape backdrop.   After this interactive snow session we will continue to climb to an opportune lunch spot.

After lunch  We dig pits to understand the snowpack from top to bottom.  We see many layers of snow after boring down to solid earth and we will begin to learn what slight variations in color, texture and snow type tell us.  As we learn from our guides, a history of the winter will begin to form and we see the story of this location. Our mind expands from a singular point in time to a linear understanding of the past.  As this understanding of the natural environment  grows, so too does our ability to extrapolate future events and avalanche risks.  Our mind pieces together the snows story that sits here in front of us with the reported information from other fellow skiers and professionally generated reports acquired in days past. After we complete this section of the lesson we will have dug out the perfect arena for a snowball fight and we aren’t playing by school yard rules.  This game is single tag, multi round dodge ball rules. You are sure to end this game warm and with a smile on your face.

Toward the end of the day we have covered how to make a trip plan, assess snow, travel as a group and now it is time to put are hard work and  knowledge to use.  As a group we will come up with a plan of how to safely and enjoyably move downhill, discussing line selection and traveling as a group. When we safely arrive back to base the group will debrief on the lessons learn, warm up, change clothes and say our adieus.  Until next time.  You now have obsorbed much of the information you need to travel in the winter backcountry but you will need to put these skills to use.  The next step after  the Avalanche Level 1 course is the Winter Summit trips.

 Snow Travel Skills

• Common Avalanche Triggers

• Red Flag Theory (Identify no go situations)

•  Snow Sciences

• Winter Backcountry Judgment Development

• Terrain Assessment/line selection

Avalanche Level 1 Experiential (Avi 1 Ex) Package ($299)

Below are the three trip components that make up the Avalanche Level 1 Experiential package. Each trip builds on the next to give you the information you need to plan your trip,  assess risk, respond to and avoid avalanches, and more safely enjoy Colorado’s beautiful winters in back country environments by snow shoe, ski, snowboard and snowmobile.  Buy single days course by course or all three days together to save $50.

Avi 1 Ex Prep ($99)

Robust online interactive mulimedia course work to help prepare you for 2 days out in the field learning first hand how to stay safe while out in Colorado's pristine and awe inspiring winter environments.

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Avalanche Rescue ($125)

Get outside in the pristine Colorado backcountry this winter.  Learn the basics to empower you to respond in the case of an avalanche while playing Capture the Beacon and Hide & Go Seek...

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Snow Travel ($125)

You know how to use the gear if you get in an Avalanche situtation.  Now learn how to reduce the chances you will need to use these invaluable skills by learning  to read snow and travel safely

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Pre Trip Information