Recreational Level 2 Avy Course

For those who have already taken a Level 1 course and want to take the next step in their mountain education, Big Sky Backcountry Guides is offering a Recreational Level 2 Avalanche Course. Based in and around Big Sky, we'll be visiting several different backcountry areas, and working on interpreting the season snowpack history, utilizing group management strategies, stability tests and analysis, and decision-making skills.

The Recreational Level 2 course is designed for backcountry skiers and riders with some backcountry experience, who are comfortable with level 1 avalanche skills, and want to learn more. We cover snow metamorphism, and how recreationalists can apply this knowledge to the season snowpack history to understand existing and potential future avalanche problems. We also focus more deeply on decision-making frameworks and strategies for dealing with the Human Factor, and travel in complex terrain.

This course will cover the following:

• Tracking the season snowpack history
• Characteristics of different avalanche problems
• Weather history, avalanche problems, and stability assessment
• Formation of persistent weak layers – facets, depth hoar, surface hoar
• Wet snow metamorphism
• Avalanche terrain – large & small scale features
• Group management in challenging/complex terrain
• Stability tests – incorporating strength, structure and propagation potential
• Introduction to SWAG documentation
• Tour planning
• Human factor traps and solutions

Students must have previously taken a 24-hour Level 1 course, with at least one season between your first and second courses.

NOTE: This course is NOT based at Bell Lake Yurt. It will take place in Big Sky.