AAA Vs. AIARE Certification

I'm looking to take an avy 2 course in the upcoming weeks, and have ran into a bit of a fork in the road. I've found a cheap class from a very well renowned snow science professional out at Hurricane Ridge, but the certification would meet the AAA guidelines and result in an AAA Levels 2 certificate, but not an AIARE Level 2 certificate.

What is the difference in these two governing bodies and why would you choose a course from one over the other? As far as i can tell, the classes all teach roughly the same content, and result in a better understanding of snow science, risk factors, group travel planning and risk mitigation for both stages of planning and during, how to report a pit, multiple burial scenarios.

If I'm not incredibly set on getting a level 3 certification, does it matter?

I'd say it doesn't matter for your purposes

The whole certification thing is weird. That said, I would prefer AAA over AAIRE.

Not a pro, but my guess is the biggest difference would be if you wanted to get AIARE Level 3 certified. Homemade Salsa would be a great resource on this, pm her.

I'm familiar with the AIARE curriculum, and the AIARE level 2 is pretty damn good. Do you have an AIARE level 1? If so, I'd find an AIARE level 2. The AAA guidelines are more general than AIARE guidelines. For example, all AIARE courses meet AAA guidelines.

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Originally Posted by CookieMonster

...For example, all AIARE courses meet AAA guidelines.

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There's the deal right there. The AAA sets up the guidelines for courses- levels 1, 2, and 3. Then there are many many course providers who offer courses that in most cases fulfill the AAA guidelines. AIARE simply has and is creating a relatively standardized set of class progressions and curriculum that AIARE course providers then purchase and present locally.

For ANY level 2 to be listed on the Avalanche.org class page, the lead instructor needs to be a AAA Certified Instructor. AIARE course instructors go through specific training to present those classes.

So- go to avalanche.org first- look at the listings. Anyone on there has jumped some crucial hoops, and PROBABLY presents good courses. Ask around for feedback.

Since you don't want to take a level 3 or go on to guiding, then who you choose doesn't matter. If you wanted to take a level 3 and go on to AMGA ski guide certification, you would have to take that level 3 through AAI or AIARE, whose courses have been vetted by the AMGA.

Does that help?

AIARE is a business. Becoming an instructor is expensive and to my knowledge requires you cut a check, pass your tests and practice some teaching.

AAA is a non-profit entity. Becoming a certified instructor takes 10 years of professional experience and a number of industry references.

There is good and bad in both.

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Originally Posted by covert

AIARE is a business. Becoming an instructor is expensive and to my knowledge requires you cut a check, pass your tests and practice some teaching.

AAA is a non-profit entity. Becoming a certified instructor takes 10 years of professional experience and a number of industry references.

There is good and bad in both.

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Now granted the entire avy alphabet soup is very confusing, but misinformation like this doesn't help anyone.

Both AAA and AIARE are 501(c)(3) non-profits.

In quick summary, AAA (among its many other activities) sets forth very broad guidelines for avy education:
http://www.americanavalancheassociat...rogression.php
http://www.americanavalancheassociat...guidelines.php

By contrast, AIARE is focused on taking those broad guidelines and creating from them standardized curriculum and course materials for the different levels of courses.

AAA certifies instructors:
http://www.americanavalancheassociat...instructor.php
http://www.americanavalancheassociat...s_App_2010.pdf
... but has no instructor training, instructor manuals, or anything like that.

By contrast, AIARE provides instructor training:
http://avtraining.org/Instructor-Training/
... and lists qualified (*not* certified, since no tests are involved, except when taking a L3 avy course) instructors:
http://aiare.info/instructors_list.php
... who must have completed the training course(s) plus met other requirements -- including AAA membership, which means that all AIARE instructors are also AAA members.

Do you consider my entire post misinformation or just the part about non-profits vs. businesses?

I think AAA has broad guidelines for education but very specific and challenging guidelines for the experience required to become a certified instructor.

I think AIARE has very specific educational guidelines but their required qualifications for instructor training mostly stand on taking other AIARE courses.

herro? weird, i thought this was an incipient battleground fer shur. oh well. screw AIARE support AAA and try and figure out the difference. peace and love.

AIARE = PADI on snow

there you go ;)

AIARE is a curriculum that instructors pay for to provide...AAA sets a guideline that most providers in the US follow. There are good and bad instructors in nearly every organization...I'd look at the individual course leaders experience first, then what organization and curriculum second. You can't buy experience

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Originally Posted by SeldomScene

There are good and bad instructors in nearly every organization...I'd look at the individual course leaders experience first, then what organization and curriculum second. You can't buy experience

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This is perfect.