If you hope to head into the backcountry to ski, snowboard, snowmobile, or generally recreate during the winter, you should absolutely take avalanche safety and avalanche rescue courses before doing so. At least taking an AIARE 1 will give you many of the necessary skills to make important decisions and conduct rescues when necessary in the backcountry.
But you shouldn’t feel like you’re totally free once you’ve taken a single course. Taking refresher courses, or continuing up the AIARE course list, can improve your decision making skills. Additionally, practicing rescue techniques can make for a much more efficient and safe rescue if it becomes necessary. This AIARE video will give you a good idea of how you can practice rescues to stay fresh.
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“Are you headed into the mountains this winter? Are you prepared for backcountry travel? This is a video to help you practice avalanche rescue. To find more information about avalanche education and how to take the next step: learn more at https://avtraining.org/recprogram/.“