Avalanche Safety Training with Red River Adventures in Utah
Difficulty
moderate
Duration
3 days
Fitness Level
Participants should have good cardiovascular endurance and be comfortable skiing or riding several thousand vertical feet per day over multiple days.
Overview
Red River Adventures in Holladay, Utah offers a hands-on AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Education course, teaching essential avalanche safety and rescue skills across the iconic Wasatch Range. Prepare for the backcountry with expert-led training in this immersive three-day program.
AIARE 1 Avalanche Education
Ages 14+ • 3 Days • Recreational Avalanche Level 1
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Adventure Photos
About This Adventure
Join the AIARE Level 1 or Low Ratio course for an immersive three-day experience in avalanche hazard management. With expert instructors, hands-on field training, and a focus on decision-making and rescue techniques, you'll gain essential skills for safe backcountry adventures. Connect with fellow enthusiasts while mastering the art of touring!
#AIARE Level 1 and our LOW RATIO AIARE Level 1 are designed to educate and prepare you for backcountry adventures in avalanche terrain!
##Duration 1 virtual evening session and 2 field days
Available from December 2024 through March 2025
Special Course Dates! AIARE 1 Low Ratio 1/10, 1/31 & 2/14 WOMEN ONLY 1/13 & 1/17
##About
The Level 1 is a three-day / 24-hour introduction to avalanche hazard management.
Students can expect to develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a backcountry trip; to understand basic decision-making while in the field; and to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig out a buried person, if an avalanche occurs and someone in the party is caught.
##Learning Outcomes
- Develop a plan for travel in avalanche terrain.
- Demonstrate the ability to identify avalanche terrain.
- Effectively use the AIARE Decision Making Framework to make terrain choices in a group setting
- Demonstrate effective companion rescue.
##Who Should Take This Course
AIARE level 1 is for skiers and splitboarders who wants to recreate in or near avalanche terrain. Participants may have attended some awareness classes or workshops or completed the Avalanche Rescue course, but none are a prerequisite for this course.
LOW RATIO AIARE Level 1 is for skiers and riders that have already acquired backcountry experience and now want to add accredited avalanche training to the quiver. Participants must have previous touring experience, good fitness and downhill ability and a command of how their touring equipment works. Participants should have the ability to ski 3000+ vertical feet a day, ride black diamond terrain in any condition and have a solid command in the use of backcountry touring equipment.
###Includes
- Expert instructors
- AIARE Blue Book
- RRA has Beacons, shovels probes and packs for those that need them.
- Students should provide their own touring equipment. Red River has a fleet of demo Black Diamond AT skis and Chimera/Pallas splitboards. Please let us know if you will need a setup.
###Difficulty
AIARE Level 1 Easy to Moderate • Vert. 2000'/day • Confidently ski/ride upper blue terrain in any condition
LOW RATIO AIARE Level 1 Moderate • Vert. 3000+'/day • Confidently ski/ride black terrain in any condition
###Venues
- Big & Little Cottonwood Canyons
Adventure Tips
Prioritize Fitness and Familiarity
Be sure you can confidently ski or ride 1500+ vertical feet per day and know how to operate your touring gear before starting the course.
Master Rescue Equipment Use
Take full advantage of hands-on training with beacons, shovels, and probes for companion rescue practice.
Dress in Layered, Weather-Appropriate Clothing
Winter weather in the Wasatch can vary rapidly—wear breathable, waterproof layers and bring extra insulation.
Engage Fully in the Online Pre-Course Work
Completing the 6-8 hours of virtual learning prepares you to maximize field time and understand course material deeply.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Mountain goats navigating steep cliffs
- Pine marten sightings in forested alpine areas
History
The Wasatch Range has supported winter recreation since the early 1900s, shaping Utah’s deeply rooted skiing culture and ongoing avalanche awareness efforts.
Conservation
Red River Adventures emphasizes Leave No Trace principles and sustainable backcountry use to protect fragile alpine ecosystems amid rising winter recreation.
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Adventure Hotspots in Salt Lake City
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Avalanche Transceiver / Beacon
Crucial for locating buried companions during avalanche rescue drills.
winter specific
Backcountry Skis or Splitboard with Skins
Necessary for touring terrain in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
winter specific
Shovel and Probe
Vital tools provided by the course to practice companion rescue effectively.
winter specific
Layered Technical Clothing
Keeps you warm and dry during changing mountain weather conditions.
winter specific