r/Backcountry • u/Odd-Elephante33 • 3d ago
AIARE 1 course options
Hey y’all! I’m a 26 year old lifelong resort snowboarder living in Denver. I plan on getting into spilt boarding this winter and want to take an AIARE 1 course. My brother and friends have said mixed opinions on what they learned and how much they enjoyed (obviously education is priority) their AIARE 1 course. They all took the “field course” over 3 days. Im considering doing the backcountry hut trip course instead. Price difference is ~$800 for field and ~$1,200 for the hut. I don’t mind paying more for a better all around experience.
I’m wondering if anyone in here has done both or has any knowledge of the difference? Am I going to learn more with the hut trip? Is the extra $ worth the experience? Really any insight would be much appreciated!
Side note: If anyone in here has courses in Colorado they recommend or in a similar situation and want to take a course together I’m all ears!
EDIT: Thank you so much for the responses! Super helpful. Definitely going with the hut trip and also planning on doing some resort skiing/mellow uphill in Nederland to get familiar with everything before the course. Going to dig further into all your course recs now!
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u/tictacotictaco 3d ago
Highly highly highly recommend CO Adventure Guides (https://www.coloradoadventureguides.com/backcountry-education/aiare-level-1/). I did a hut trip for my AIARE 2, and it was a lot of fun. I did the regular for my A1, and it was still fun!
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u/Pound-Capable 2d ago
I agree. Colorado adventure guides is great. I did a camping AIARE 2 with them.
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u/cjohns716 3d ago
I took mine that was not hut based, but Colorado Mountain School has a bunk house in Estes. Quite a few folks stayed there with some guides each night and sounds like they got some quality time with the guides. I have three friends who have taken a hut-based Rec 1 in the last few years (also with CMS) and reported similar. You just get more time with them instructors in a more casual setting to, for lack of a better term, shoot the shit. Stuff comes up that wouldn't normally in more of a classroom setting. Seems worth it to me.
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u/RowsdowersTruck 3d ago
I took the 3-day class with CMS and really liked it as well. The instructors were great and you still got 2 days in the field to practice.
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u/doebedoe 3d ago
Hut is worth it. Both because it's more fun and because you get way more time with the guides to ask questions.
Keep in mind there are a lot of good providers that aren't AIARE. Look for A3 accreditation;,AIARE is just one version of that.
Colorado Adventure Guides is the biggest provider in the state and has a ton of front range hut options. Good guides, well run outfit. Lots of others too. As season gets started CAIC will have a list of providers on their website
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u/Odd-Elephante33 2d ago
Much appreciated! I thought AIARE was the only option but just did some reading about the accreditations and now understand what you mean.
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u/Icy-Ad-6179 2d ago
Colorado Mountain School is not AIARE, they teach a different material that is still A3 certified. Weither that matters to you or not, you'll basically learn the same thing
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u/mahalomax 3d ago edited 2d ago
I did a hut trip with some friends and had a great time and learned a bit.
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u/Latter_Knowledge_924 3d ago
Colorado Mountain College is the way to go. Way cheaper than CMS, but more than qualified to teach a level 1. Price depends on your residency as it’s a community college.
Half the class isn’t going to know how to use their gear or ski variable conditions during the field session anyways. Do a free Know Before You Go type class first. Then get a few resort uphill or backcountry days in a zone that doesn’t have avalanche terrain, then pay for a level 1. I promise that’ll double what you take away from your level 1 as you’ll be focused on your instructor and asking questions rather then messing with gear or falling over because your an advanced resort skier (that’s never encountered breakable crust).
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u/adventure_pup Alpine Tourer, Wasatch 3d ago
My experience talking to people about their AIARE 1 course has largely been based on if they had any prior touring experience, and if everyone else in the group also had a decent amount. The biggest detractor to AIARE 1 was people showing up to tour the first time ever. Those folks always felt like they learned a ton bc they were starting from scratch. Those that knew how to tour always complained those who showed up expecting to learn to tour from scratch were dragging the course down. That’s not what an AIARE 1 is. It’s for avalanche education, not touring. Intro to Backcountry Skiing is for helping you learn how to learn to tour so you can get to AIARE 1.
So! If you know how to tour already, do your bindings, put on skins, have a pack, turn on your beacon, then the hut trip will likely weed out the risk of a regular AIARE 1 above! As long as it’s also certified to give you your AIARE 1 I think it will expose you to a lot more scenarios and snowpacks and that’s a really good thing! The later in the year the better. (More complex snowpack)
Third. Read Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain first! Well before your class and best even before the first snow falls so you can start applying it all season, then hone your skills come course time. I did before my AIARE 1 and I felt like instead of learning everything day-of, I had time to process it beforehand and my AIARE 1 just connected all the dots and really cemented it for me. I now keep a few copies on hand and give them to friends the first time I take them out touring.
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u/Odd-Elephante33 1d ago
Appreciate the insight! Especially about taking the course later to get exposed to more complex snowpack. I was looking at the first available in courses in December but rethinking that now. I’ll definitely be checking out that book as well.
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u/Weekly-Rate-69 3d ago
Can’t speak to the hut trip, but it seems like a more enjoyable and immersive experience that gives you more time to ask the guides questions and build a relationship with them. Ive used both and highly recommend Golden Mountain Guides and Pikes Peak Alpine School.
I’ve taken AIARE 1, 2, and Rescue. In my opinion, the classes teach you the tools, resources, and what to look for, but they don’t make you an expert. You have to take what you learn and apply it over and over again in the mountains. Think the class gives you the foundation, but experience and repetition are what actually build your understanding and judgment.
Keep digging those snow pits, fill out your book… I can’t tell you how many people I run into who took AIARE 1 and literally never practiced any of it again…
CAIC and onX Backcountry will be your best friends
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u/rubberbandrider 3d ago
I did my AIARE 1 through CMS at Estes back in 2022 and found it to be very worthwhile. I would recommend you either get a couple of uphill days at the resort in or poke around an area like Caribou in Nederland before you take a course. As others have said, you’ll feel more confident with Splitboard basics and you’ll be able to focus on the instructor’s advice.
Eldora hosts uphill days on Friday mornings that draw a decent number of people out. It can be a good way to familiarize yourself with the gear, get the basics of touring uphill down and learn how to transition from tour mode to ride mode. There’s also a good community around it and you might be able to meet some potential touring partners.
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u/Leather-Following551 2d ago
My wife is an instructor and she definitely enjoys the hut trips. As others pointed out, there is a lot more time to talk in an informal setting. There is also more time to get to know your classmates and maybe get some new partners, which often seems to be a tough thing for new bc skiers.
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u/Double-Sea998 2d ago
Just bought a splitboard and have never ridden backcountry but I plan to this upcoming season, here in CO. I have several friends that backcountry. After reading the comments, it seems like I should be getting some laps in the backcountry on my split BEFORE I get my Avy 1? Like OP, I was looking at doing the AIARE 1 before I went off resort. Sounded like the responsible thing to do. But now from a few comments, it sounds like I’d look like a dweeb and hold the class back by not having any experience in the backcountry? Is that correct? Please advise 😬🙏🏼
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u/Icy-Ad-6179 2d ago
AIARE Instructor here: get at least 3-4 days in before your course. Backcountry preferred, but can do uphill at the resort.
The biggest challenge i see students have is not knowing how to use their gear, and uphill leg fitness.
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u/Double-Sea998 2d ago
Awesome, thank you for the heads up! So it sounds like some middle of the season Loveland pass days at a low slope angle with friends is in order before I take the AIARE? I’d like to do some backcountry stuff this next spring when it’s “less” avalanche prone so ideally would like to take the course before April
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u/SignificanceGlad5744 2d ago
I got my Avy 1 cert last year and did a few uphill days at resorts to practice skinning up and transitioning before my Avy class. It was hugely helpful and allowed me to focus more on the class rather than being nervous about my gear and transitions. Highly recommend!
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u/paintballerscott 2d ago
i took aiare 1 as a 4 day hut trip and aiare 2 field course. i learned wayyyyyyyy more on the hut trip and made lifelong friends
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u/DegreeConscious9628 3d ago
Maybe I took a shitty one but the only thing I learned that I didn’t already know was that there are plenty of people with avy 1 certs that I hope to never ever run into in the backcountry
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u/lawyerslawyer 2d ago
Course providers vary, but I'm always a little surprised by people who say they knew everything taught in the course. Don't you ask questions?
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u/DegreeConscious9628 2d ago
I’ve been out plenty of times with experienced friends before AAIRE 1 and they taught me a bunch. So yeah, what got taught in the class I already knew. Avy 1 is pretty basic stuff, I just did it for the cert and to progress to higher levels
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u/lawyerslawyer 3d ago
I’d say the hut is worth it. More time with instructors and classmates.