The AvSAR Level 1 is an intensive four day in person course and involves combination of online pre-course work, classroom activities and field exercises. 

• The AvSAR Pre-Course, required of all AvSAR L1 students before their in-person course begins, it takes roughly 20 hours to complete. Students should complete this well in advance of their AvSAR L1 course.
• Course days are long, they can begin at 0730 and go until 1730 hours with evening assignments. Students are recommended to avoid scheduling any outside activities during this period. 
• Field trips take place in inclement weather so students must be equipped to operate in all weather conditions (example: -28 degrees Celsius, strong winds and/or heavy snowfall or rain) 
• There are no scheduled meal breaks. Students must be prepared to eat and drink on the go. Many students save time by pre-planning and preparing meals. 
• Students must be strong backcountry travelers, able to safely travel in a variety of snow and terrain conditions on skis/ snowboard, or snowmobile/snowbike. 

More details on the course and expectations for learners can be found on the AvSAR L1 course outline.

 

Description of what constitutes an advanced backcountry traveler on skis or splitboard:

• You should be proficient with the use of touring bindings, skins, and skis/splitboard AND you should be at an advanced level of skiing or snowboarding at the resort and able to handle flat sections and traverses.
• You should be able to tour uphill 600m of elevation.
• You should be capable of riding in a variety of snow conditions including deep snow, breakable crust, and wind slab.
• You should be able to ride in treed and undulating/variable terrain up to approximately 35 degrees.
• You should be able to ride safely (not falling often) and efficiently (in a timely manner) in backcountry terrain carrying a backpack with food, rescue equipment, and winter clothing.

Description of what constitutes an advanced backcountry traveler on a snowmobile or snowbike:

• You should be at an advanced level of riding in untracked snow and able to handle climbing, side-hilling, and descending. You should be capable of riding in a variety of snow conditions including deep snow, breakable crust, and wind slab.
• You should be able to ride in treed and undulating/variable terrain up to approximately 30 degrees.
• You should be able to ride safely (maintaining the chosen line) and efficiently (without getting stuck) in backcountry terrain carrying a backpack.

AvSAR Level 1 goals and learning objectives are displayed in the course DACUM .

 

Applicants must present these certificates on the first day of the Avalanche Search and Rescue Level 1 course: 

• Incident Command System (ICS) 100 course certificate. (available for a small fee H2Safety  or ICSCANADA  [available in French])
  

 

Applicants must have and prove at time of registration:

• Advanced backcountry skiing, splitboarding, or snowmobiling skills, and good fitness. If students do not meet the criteria described below, they will be required to leave the course. Refer to the What to Expect tab for a further description of what constitutes an advanced backcountry traveller. 

• Be 19 or older for courses in British Columbia, OR 18 or older for courses in Alberta and Quebec.

Recommended:

• Avalanche Canada's AST 1 or 2
• 40-hour first aid certification

*If you are not a skier or a snowboarder, please contact Student Services. 

Course registration is competitive; students should create a CAA account prior to registration and have a payment method with an adequate credit limit ready when registration opens at 10AM Pacific. 

 

A partial payment option of 50% at time of registration is available, with final payment due 45 days before the start of the course. 

Registration Fee	$275.00	Non-refundable
Tuition	$1,280.00	Subject to the Refund and Cancellation Policy
Total Course Fees	$1,555.00

 

For information on potential funding for CAA students, please consult the Scholarships & Grants page.

In addition to paying the course fees, students are required to read and agree to the CAA Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement as a condition of participating in any course. Refer to the "Release of Liability and Waiver" section on this website for details and to review the Release of Liability and Waiver.

 

View a sample schedule for the AvSAR Level 1 here. Days on the course are long and it is the student's responsibility to take care of their personal needs. This includes food, drinks, proper clothing, and ensuring they are well rested and ready to learn.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the classroom and field locations.

If your course requires lift access, tickets will be provided by your instructors. If you have a season pass for the area, please bring this with you.  

Upon registration, all students will receive a confirmation email that contains a link to the course logistics folder. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the CAA office if they have not received this link. Students will have the option to purchase a hard copy of the AvSAR Level 1 student manual from Amazon Direct Publishing. 

 

Students will receive enrolment directions for the online pre-course upon registration. Online pre course tasks are mandatory and take approximately 20 hours to complete.

 

The equipment list outlines what you need to bring to the course. Come ready for classroom time and field work. Make sure to have warm clothing.

Students who are well prepared with the necessary equipment and basic knowledge will benefit everyone by allowing us to conduct the course’s daily sessions in the most efficient and effective manner possible.  

Participants’ learning on this course are evaluated based on three main assessment categories:

Pre-Course Learning Checks 
The purpose of learning checks in the AvSAR online Pre-Course is to evaluate the learners' understanding of foundational avalanche search and rescue concepts prior to attending the in person portion of the course. Learners will have one attempt at each learning check which consists of multiple choice, matching and true/false questions. Learners must achieve a minimum of 70% overall to pass the pre-course.  

Written Test 
At the end of the course, there is a written exam based on pre-course and in-person course lessons and activities. The test consists of a combination of multiple choice, matching, true/false, short answers, and computational questions. Learners must achieve a minimum of 70% to pass the final written test. 

Practical Skills Test 
Four skill stations assess students’ practical skills. The skill stations are based on specific criteria, as described in the marking rubrics. Learners must meet the standard for all field skills stations to pass the practical skills stations. To successfully pass the course, learners must pass the pre-course learning checks, written exam and practical skills stations. Upon meeting these requirements, students will receive an AvSAR Level 1 certificate along with written feedback from the instructor group.

              

 

Refer to the student resources webpage for a complete list of student policies and review the CAA Release of Liability and Waiver page.