Decision-Making in Avalanche Terrain
Operating as an AIARE provider, we offer courses designed to teach decision making in avalanche terrain and managing risk in the backcountry. The Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain program includes seven days of classroom, field, and self-paced online training. The curriculum is typically delivered in the following parts: Avalanche Rescue (1 day), the AIARE 1 (3 days), and the AIARE 2 (3 days). Our AIARE courses are primarily targeted for motorized & hybrid access users. Call to customize a private course specific to your mode of travel (ski/split & moto).
AIARE
Certification Courses
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Avalanche Companion Rescue
Avalanche Rescue is for everyone, whether you are just learning how to use your transceiver, an aspiring professional, or a backcountry traveler with many years of backcountry experience. This one-day course is a place to both learn new skills and keep your existing skills sharp. Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2.
$280
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Recreational Level 1
The AIARE 1 is a three-day course that provides an introduction to using decision making tools to help a group manage risk while traveling in avalanche terrain.
$600
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Recreational Level 2
The AIARE 2 is a three-day course for those who have taken an AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue and have had at least a year of backcountry travel experience. The AIARE 2 provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills by applying their skills to new terrain and situations.
$700
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The Powder Pro Lab headquarters is in Leadville, Colorado, a prime location for accessing some of the best backcountry terrain in Colorado.
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Powder Pro Lab offers motorized AIARE snowmobile avalanche training courses in Colorado on Cottonwood Pass and Tin Cup Pass near Buena Vista, CO, and the Chalk Creek Area near Leadville, CO. Powder Pro Lab operates by a U.S. Forest Service Special Use Permit in the San Isabel National Forest. Our backcountry snowmobile skills classes, snowmobile avalanche safety classes, and AIARE hybrid backcountry access classes are located outside of Leadville, CO and Buena Vista, CO.
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Yes! We are proud to be a certified AIARE Motorized Provider, which means our avalanche education and backcountry safety courses meet the standards set by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) and American Avalanche Association (A3), specifically for motorized equipment users.
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Essential safety gear is provided, including beacon, shovel, and probe. Participants will need to provide their own personal gear, including snowmobiles (unless booking a rental sled for the course) and appropriate winter clothing. Some equipment, including snowmobiles, may be available for course-specific use with an additional equipment fee—please contact us for details and availability.