avalanche education: backcountry 101 for snowshoers with uac - February 5, 2027

Taking your first steps into the backcountry can feel intimidating, but an on-snow avalanche course is one of the best ways to reduce your risk. The Utah Avalanche Center's Snowshoe Backcountry 101 is designed to teach the fundamentals of avalanche safety through hands-on learning and real-world application.

This course covers avalanche rescue, snowpack assessment, safe travel protocols, and the weather resources used by professionals. Whether it's your first avalanche course or a refresher of previous training, our Snowshoe Backcountry 101 provides a solid foundation for safer mountain travel.

The course includes a 2-hour evening classroom session, an 8-hour on-snow field day, pre-course work, and access to ongoing learning resources. After enrolling, you'll gain access to our Student Portal, which includes course materials, avalanche resources, and planning tools. During the classroom session, we'll review your pre-course work and introduce professional trip-planning strategies. In the field, you'll practice rescue techniques, assess the snowpack through on-the-go observations and snowpit analysis, apply terrain management skills, and more.

Register HERE!

Dates and Times:

February 5, 2027: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM classroom session
February 6, 2027: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM field day

Accredited by the American Avalanche Association, this course meets national standards for avalanche awareness education.

Cost: $290.00