UTAH: avalanche courses....?

[Lumpy]

I'd be up for the early Alta course... But if theres enough of us we might be able to schedule one through one of the class providers.?.

[cololi]

if money is a factor, i suggest calling bill. he is very thorough. cololi, have you had bill's class before? would you take it again?

edit: he will tailor a class to the classes needs.

He taught several engineering courses a the U, including the snow dynamics course, which I took. It was full of knowledge, a lot of which I have used, but alot of which I have never used (weight of depositon piles, pounds/foot of pressure it takes to get a slope to fail, calculating the amount of force required to get a certain snowpack with certain slope angles, density, depth etc to slide, and so on). If you have the time to spend, I would highly recommend it. It is basically a semster long course that runs 2 days/week for 3 months.

I also think it would be to have a tailored class that wouldmeet most of our needs. I would probably prefer to take that over the other courses. Any idea what the cost would be?

[AltaPowderDaze]

I also think it would be to have a tailored class that wouldmeet most of our needs. I would probably prefer to take that over the other courses. Any idea what the cost would be?

i'll call him sometime this weekend and ask about it. if he can do it:

When? ~early dec
Where? alta bc --my understanding is that he basically does a tour packed with info.
How much? hopefully between 35-80$ each.
How many? i figure at least 6, but no more than 12.

feedback plz.

[cololi]

I would be in pending the details. Time, location, price, group size all seem good to me.

[Red Baron]

My only concern with that, is that I want a full Level 1 course, and I'm not sure that a "tour packed with info" would count.

I've taken a bunch of one-day things, including the Powderbirds, but they're not enough to keep you seriously safe...so I think a multi-day field/classroom approach is more of what I want for this winter.

[stump832]

i'll call him sometime this weekend and ask about it. if he can do it:

When? ~early dec
Where? alta bc --my understanding is that he basically does a tour packed with info.
How much? hopefully between 35-80$ each.
How many? i figure at least 6, but no more than 12.

feedback plz.

I'd probably be interested in that as well. Count me in.

Baron makes a good point, but this sounds like it'd be good for BC JONGS like me.

[powderwhore]

I took Avi I through AAI and its an excellent course. I'll be taking Avi II this winter with them. Can't beat instruction from the Newcombs and others of legendary LCC stance, they have chutes named after them for god sakes!

[AltaPowderDaze]

My only concern with that, is that I want a full Level 1 course, and I'm not sure that a "tour packed with info" would count.

I've taken a bunch of one-day things, including the Powderbirds, but they're not enough to keep you seriously safe...so I think a multi-day field/classroom approach is more of what I want for this winter.

that's what i mean by "tailor" a class. it would be more expensive for more time(ie. classroom). but when i was going to take the class with him, he was up for whatever we wanted to do. i think those of us that had time for the classroom should do that as well as the outdoors. some of us that go to a lot of trempers free talks could probably skip that and just hit the field day. i think he could do a price break too for those of us who only want the field day. don't get me wrong, you can never know enough about avy's, i just want to make sure that i'm getting my moneys worth. avy II is more my style, but an intro would be a good refresher.

[AltaPowderDaze]

10 character. linky

[Lynx]

damn, i was still at work. or out. wherever i was it wasn't checking the web. anywho. .

has anyone signed up for any of the avi classes yet? i had wanted to do the one that is next weekend but i will be out of town for a wedding. doh...

[Trackhead]

Lynx,

Obviously a class taught by a professional is important. But why don't you just start getting out with folks, dig lots of pits, talk about what you see, discuss route finding, etc.

As a game for myself, I try to 'predict' or 'forecast' what the pit will look like before I even start skinning that day. Then go out and dig some pits and see if you're even close.

Also frequently check all the avy forecast sites for photos of avalanches. You can learn immensly by seeing photos of where they can start, how far they go, etc. Sometimes you can be suprised by just where avalanches actually occur. And it will scare the shit out of you too, which is a good thing.

Like this photo from the other day, taken by a Wasatch local. Look how far back it ripped into the ridge! Perceivably into quite low angle terrain.


And lastly, buy an avalung. Doesn't hurt to have one more adjunct to breath when you're six feet under cement.

[Shredgar]

Friends have taken the level one courses taught by the local ski patrols & AAI. Lots of beacon drills & snowpits. Common comment was not enough routefinding, safe travel & terrain management practice.

Ditto to CS, to learn to get around the Utah bc safely you want the Utah Avalanche Center school based at the WMC lodge at Brighton. If you've read Bruce Tremper's book "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain" you know the curriculum. Intense three days, each is three hours morning classroom, six hours on snow, three hours evening classroom - 12hrs/day. Heavy focus on bc decision making & routefinding skills. Great instructors including the fellow who took the photo above.

There are usually two per year, on the three day weekends of MLK Day in January & Presidents Day in February. Watch the UAC website. Highly recommended, it's more than a level 1 course. For the most fun plan to stay up in the WMC lodge for the weekend.

[Shredgar]

Bump for the UAC avalanche school.

[tele mark]

Lynx: If you want to do the make-your-own-group thing, I've got myself and 2 others who would like to join in on a Level 1 course.

If that doesn't work, I plan to take the Utah Avalanche Center course at the Wasatch Mountain Lodge at Brighton, which is usually in January, I believe. That's a 3 day mix of on-snow and classroom stuff.

The UAFC courses are the best deal going. Somewhere between the AAI level I and II courses. Probably the most knowledgeable instructors around, definitely so if you factor in local experience. It's done over holiday weekends as the course is a full 3 days (most level I courses are only 2 days long). I lucked out and got to spend a day w/ Kimbrough before he retired (full day of beacon practice/mock searches); than a day w/Rick Wyatt, UDOT forecaster and namesake of the Wyatt Couloir (full day of digging pits); and spent the final day touring around w/ Tremper. No other level I course goes into the detail that the UAFC course does, nor do they get together such a noteworthy collection of experienced local riders (Cowboy and Athey instruct as well). When I took the course there we're several students from outside UT (WA, CA, CO) who were taking it for their 2nd time, all felt it was the best course available. If you're looking to get comfortable w/ the BC I'd highly recommend sticking w/ the UAFC course, well worth the wait 'till January.

[Shredgar]

Bump for the UAC, they've posted the January 15 - 17 class:

"Registration for the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center’s 3-day January avalanche class is now being taken at Black Diamond retail."

Edited for speling & dates

[AltaPowderDaze]

i'll be there. anyone else?

[Shredgar]

Bump for the UAC.

Their next course is President's weekend, February 19 - 21.

To register contact Black Diamond Equipment 801-278-0233.