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 users. Call to customize a private course specific to your desired mode of travel.

Two snowmobile riders in winter gear standing beside a black and orange snowmobile in a snowy mountain landscape with pine trees and a clear blue sky.
Logo for Avalanche Research + Education (AIARE), featuring a snowflake icon and the organization name.

AIARE Motorized

Certification Courses

A person kneeling in deep snow with a backpack, holding a device, on a snowy mountain with tracks, a small tree, and a fallen snowmobile in the background.

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.

$300

Three people in winter gear standing with snowmobiles on a snowy mountain slope with ski tracks, pine trees, and snow-covered mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.

AIARE 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.

$650

Group of people on snowmobiles in a snowy mountain landscape under a blue sky.

AIARE Level 1 + Sled Rental

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. This includes 1 snowmobile rental for the two field days of the course with transport to and from the trailhead.

$800

Aerial view of snow-capped mountain range.

AIARE 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

 Snowmobile Avalanche Training

Motorized AIARE FAQs

READ ALL POWDER PRO LAB FAQs HERE

  • The Powder Pro Lab headquarters is in Leadville, Colorado, a prime location for accessing some of the best backcountry terrain in Colorado.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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