Head Further into the Backcountry by Taking Your Avalanche Safety Skills to the Next Level

Are you looking to fill gaps in your winter? Backcountry skiing is a great way to do so. If you have previous experience and have previously taken an AST 1 course then we highly recommend taking AST 2.

Taking an AST 2 course is an essential ingredient for the intermediate backcountry skier or splitboarder who wants to start exploring more complex avalanche terrain safely and independently. Unlike an AST 1, participants can expect to be fully involved in the day-to-day selection of routes and objectives on this course, with the support and feedback of your guides. You'll also be introduced to more advanced stability tests and snowpack analysis.

At ACC Adventures, we cover the standardized curriculum (as outlined by Avalanche Canada) but with an ACMG ski guide as well as a CAA professional license holder on staff, we've gone much further to create a customized program that caters specifically to skiers and splitboarders.

This is our standard course that happens over 4 to 5 days. We have adapted the classroom day(s) to an online offering to keep our program COVID friendly. Our field days vary depending on weather and snow conditions but we try to vary them as much as possible to show you different snow packs, terrain, and conditions. Common options are Kananaskis, Lake Louise and several options along the 93 north highway.

The ACC and the Restrictions Exemption Program

We strive to have the highest level of safety on our courses. Based on the recent local case numbers and the spread of the omicron variant, we have made the decision to extend our implementation of the Alberta Restrictions Exemption Program to all our programs (previously just for overnight programs).

What this means for you: We will be verifying proof of Covid vaccination at this time. Please use the button on the right of you camp webpage to upload your proof of vaccination. If you are unable to get a vaccination due to medical purposes then please send us documentation of the medical exemption to [email protected] If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination for other reasons then we will be required to see your results of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the program commencing (if the program is longer than 72 hours then a new PRC test will be required at that time to continue the program). All information will be used solely by ACC Adventures staff and be kept private.

Specific to overnight camps: Due to the remoteness of our overnight camps and the inability to get a new PRC test every 72 hours, we can only allow individuals who have been fully vaccinated on overnight camps.

What are we accepting as proof of vaccination:
- Government Issued QR code
- First Nations vaccine record
- Canadian Armed Forces vaccine record with QR code
- US Military Proof of vaccination
- Out of country vaccine records

These records must show that you have received at least two vaccinations of either Pfizer or Moderna (or at least one of each) or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

What if I don't send this in before the camp?
If you cannot provide proof of vaccination, a negative PCR test or documentation of a medical exemption you will not be allowed to join the program. No refunds will be issued inside of 1 month for overnight camps and 2 weeks for day programs.

Please contact the office at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Camp Objectives

Field days will have a heavy focus on getting students in the lead and making decisions on the move. Your guides will introduce a variety of new snow stability tests, as well as a more advanced set of snowpack analysis skills and their application, not previously introduced in the AST 1 course.

All our students receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course. The AST 1 is a prerequisite certification course you are expected to have before attending AST 2.

Day by Day Adventure Itinerary

Day 1

Participants meet at 9:00am online. Instructions will be sent the week before to access the learning platform. Curriculum topics which will be covered this day include:

Review of the basic principles of avalanche phenomena
Terrain photo study – how to recognize avalanche terrain & choosing routes
Accessing public avalanche forecasts – where to find them; their strengths and limitations
Snowpack metamorphism – what actually drives change in the snowpack
Snowpack layering, crystal shapes, temperature gradients
Emergency response review
Trip planning considerations
Equipment choice, use, and maintenance
Identifying hazards
Route plans
Emergency contacts
Timings & turnaround times
Introduce the principles of companion rescue with multiple burials
Review of our “Guide’s Pack” & discussion about appropriate gear selection for avalanche terrain
Discussion and route planning for the objective for Day 2.

Day ends at 4:00pm

Day 2, 3 and 4

Day 2 will have students meeting at the Tryst Lake Parking lot at 9am. Following field day meeting locations will vary depending on conditions but be discussed as a group the day before. For each day you can guarantee you will be out in the field with your instructor(s), typically either in Kananaskis Country or the Icefields Parkway, making real-life observations and gaining hands-on experience. Curriculum topics which will be covered over these days include:

Review of transceiver checks – range and transmit function checks
How to use avalanche & weather forecasts in your decision making
Use of the AVALUATOR as a travel tool
Hazard identification and mitigation
Identifying areas of increased hazard
Good travel habits
Group management & decision making
Snowpack observations & snow stability analysis
Review the procedure for a compression test
Introduce new snow stability tests and discuss when to use them
Extended Column Tests
Propagation saw tests
Deep Tap Tests
Companion Rescue – dealing with multiple burial situations

Each field day will aim to have participants back to their cars around 4-4:30pm.

Is this Camp For Me?

Intermediate

To receive the AST 2 Certificate, participants must first take the AST 1 Program. This program is open to all ACC members who are at least an intermediate or type II skier and have an interest in learning about avalanche phenomena in more challenging and complex mountain terrain. Participants can expect longer and more physical days than on the AST 1 Course.

Food, Accommodation and Guiding

Food

To keep the cost of this course as low as possible for participants, food will not be provided as part of the course. So please bring along your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or favoured alternative), a packed lunch and some snacks for each day.

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included.

Guiding

Our dedicated on-staff ACC guide Doug Latimer oversees our AST programs. Doug has almost 20 years of experience in teaching AST and other winter instructional courses, as well as in developing course materials and winter guiding. We feel extremely lucky to have him on board since our 2018/19 season and believe he will make our courses the best ever in terms of standardization and professionalism.

The ACC hires guides certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Visit the ACMG website to learn more about what they do!

The tours we did were fab and far exceded my expectations! I'm still buzzing from the course!

An over-all excellent learning experience

The guides instruction brought everything together into a package that will give me much needed confidence in the backcountry.

The guide did an excellent job ensuring each person was getting as much out of it as they needed/wanted to. He kept the environment open for comments and was not afraid to challenge your thinking.

The guide was there to share as much knowledge as possible & provide the highest level of mentorship to a group of young adventure enthusiasts. All the information the course was designed to deliver was delivered in a manner & style that was so comprehensible you couldn’t help but to absorb it.

- Past ACC AST Course Participants-

Adventure Map

More Information

- Please try to register online before calling. If you are having issues please have your emergency contact information and course questionnaire filled out before calling.

Email us
403 678 3200 ext. 213

Course Documents

Gear List

Before registering, please review our Waivers and Liability page:

Trip Waivers and Liability Page

Cancellation policy and travel Insurance

Please be sure to review our cancellation policy before registering for ACC Adventures:

Cancellation Policy
We sell Tugo^® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips:

Travel Insurance

Included WITH YOUR CAMP FEE

4 to 5 days of instruction by ACMG certified ski guides
Audio-visual avalanche presentation created by Doug Latimer
Avalanche Canada course materials including textbook
Avalanche Canada course certificate
COVID adapted online classroom day(s)

Participants Must Provide

Transportation to and from the field locations
Accommodation
Meals and lunches
Personal gear (see gear list)

Organizing Fantastic ACC Adventures For Over 100 Years

Local Knowledge: Based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
Dedicated resources: Full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
Not-for-profit: Any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community

Your Guides

Doug Latimer

Doug has 20 years of guiding experience behind him as an ACMG ski guide and an ACMG apprentice rock guide. As well as his private guiding he has spent a number of years working for the UoC where he taught a range of instructional programs in avalanche training, crevasse rescue and backcountry ski and ski mountaineering. He also somehow finds time to run a multimedia production company! In 2019, we are excited to announce Doug will be joining us as our on-staff winter guide; the perfect guy to take care of our Intro To, avalanche safety and other ski courses.