Avalanche Course - February 2006

Avalanche Course - February 2006
Jeremy and I took an avalanche level 1 course that was offered through our local ski patrol. Colorado leads the nation in avalanche deaths each year and offers certified programs throughout the state in the winter. This class had about 8 hours of classroom instruction and two days of field instruction. It was a sobering course, but definitely worth taking!

A team of two probe for an avalanche victim in high winds and below freezing temperatures.

Training to rescue a double burial with the lovely Indian Peaks Wilderness in the backdrop.

Jeremy repacks his gear in a small ground blizzard after one of several rescues.

Our lead instructor explains the importance of slope, snowpack, facets, and decision-making on our second field day: the ski tour.

The danger level was low that day and we got to make fresh tracks across this!

Our instructors clean a face for the Rutschblock test.

Digging the pit for the Rutschblock test keeps you warm. Mike got up above the pit on his skis and stomped to determine planes of weakness in the snow pack. It's not a commmon test since it gives marginally more information for a lot of effort.

Pausing for a break before heading back - we rest on top of Lost Lake. The slopes above would have been red flags if the avalanche danger was high that day. A snowshoer had died on the lake a few years back, triggering the avalanche from below.

	A team of two probe for an avalanche victim in high winds and below freezing temperatures.
	Training to rescue a double burial with the lovely Indian Peaks Wilderness in the backdrop.
	Jeremy repacks his gear in a small ground blizzard after one of several rescues.
	Our lead instructor explains the importance of slope, snowpack, facets, and decision-making on our second field day: the ski tour.
	The danger level was low that day and we got to make fresh tracks across this!
	Our instructors clean a face for the Rutschblock test.
	Digging the pit for the Rutschblock test keeps you warm. Mike got up above the pit on his skis and stomped to determine planes of weakness in the snow pack. It's not a commmon test since it gives marginally more information for a lot of effort.
	Pausing for a break before heading back - we rest on top of Lost Lake. The slopes above would have been red flags if the avalanche danger was high that day. A snowshoer had died on the lake a few years back, triggering the avalanche from below.