Heading to the Backcountry this Season? Stay safe with a AST1 Course.
If you are serious about progressing your snowboarding beyond the resorts, then you need to be serious about BackCountry Safety. There are no shortcuts to this process of acquiring the necessary knowledge and experience to venture in & out of bounds safely. And if you ask anyone experienced in BackCountry travel, the first crucial step in acquiring this knowledge is attending an Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Course.
These AST courses are offered in different levels (1, then 2, then Operations, and so on), and when fulfilled in their entirety they culinate into the theory needed to become a certified BackCountry Guide. And so in order to ensure you remain capable of the correct decision making while the backcountry (especially as your riding and terrain ambitions progress), it is imperative that you start this Avalanche Skills Training, and continue to upskill your knowledge with more courses further down the road.
Let's Split & Twelve Board Store are thrilled to partner with Alpine Access Australia to start offering some Avalanche Canada (premiere & globally recognised) certified AST courses. We are starting with our exclusive EXTENDED AST1 course. Regular AST1 courses consist of two days (one in the classroom and one on snow). Our EXTENDED AST1 Course builds on this, and adds a second day of on snow practicum to the course. Our aim here is to make sure that the necessary skills and information are completely retained - giving the participants more than one opportunity to go through the required drills / exercises, and more importantly applying it in group burial simulations more than once (which the time constraints in the regular AST1 Course does not allow for). Practice Makes Perfect. And your family and friends will thank you for it.
Course Cost
$450 per guest.
Course Size
Limited to 20 people - as per current government regulations (and appropriate distancing measures will be implemented during both the classroom & on snow components). The course can be attended remotely, via ZOOM / WEB EX if this is the preference of any participants.
BOOK YOUR SPOT HERE
Course Schedule
7 hours of classroom curriculum held at Twelve Board Store (6pm - 9.30pm)
spread over two evenings (June 22/23)
16 hours of on snow curriculum held at Mount Hotham (8am - 4pm)
spread over two days (July 18/19) - outside the resort boundary, so no lift tickets are needed.
What you will learn in our EXTENDED AST1 course:
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avalanche formation and release
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identifying avalanche terrain
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the basics of trip planning
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optimal use of tools and resources like the avalanche forecasts to mitigate your avalanche risk
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use appropriate travel techniques in avalanche terrain
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companion rescue using beacon, shovel, probe out to practise multiple times
We also incorporate into the field day of our course an emphasis on backcountry touring technique, safe touring in the Australian backcountry and touring etiquette. This makes for a fun, stimulating & challenging two days on snow.
Course / Equipment Requirements
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Moderate level of fitness, and a Ski / Board Level of Intermediate (and above)
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Avalanche transceiver, Shovel, Probe (we can assist with these)
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Backpack
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Water
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Snacks & lunch
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Sunglasses, sunhat, sunscreen
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Beanie or helmet, gloves, goggles
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Warm layers (not cotton)
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Waterproof outerwear
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Snowboarders: Snowboard & snowshoes OR splitboard setup, 3 piece poles
Any questions or help needed with equipment - please ask us.
Let's Split. Safely!
BOOK YOUR SPOT HERE
