What to Expect in an AIARE 2 Course: Take Your Avalanche Skills to the Next Level

If you’ve already completed AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue and have a season or two of touring experience under your belt, AIARE 2 is the natural next step in your avalanche education. This advanced course is all about deepening your understanding of snowpack, improving your tour planning, and developing leadership and decision-making skills in more complex terrain.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what AIARE 2 covers, how it differs from AIARE 1, and what you’ll need to succeed in the course.

📚 What Is AIARE 2?

AIARE 2 is a 2-day decision-making course for experienced backcountry travelers. It’s designed to build on the fundamentals of AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue by giving you tools to manage terrain, snowpack, and group dynamics in more challenging conditions.

This course is ideal for anyone who wants to:

• Plan and lead tours in more serious terrain

• Track and evaluate persistent weak layers over time

• Apply structured tour planning and observation tools

• Refine communication skills and leadership with partners

It’s also a prerequisite for those considering professional-level avalanche training (e.g. AIARE Pro 1).

💡 How AIARE 2 Differs from AIARE 1

📅 Course Format: What to Expect Each Day

Online Course (Completed before Field Day 1): 

• Review the different types of avalanche problems, how to recognize them & human factors in avalanche incidents

• Case study on the 2019 Silverton Avalanche School Fatality

• Module on managing uncertainty in the backcountry

Evening Zoom Webinar (1-3 Days before Field Day 1): Meet your instructor & student group

• Deep dive into snowpack structure and avalanche problems

• Tour planning with travel strategies for persistent weak layers

Field Day 1: Snowpack Tracking, Observations & Travel

• Use of field books, observation forms, and mapping tools

• Group discussion of leadership roles and decision frameworks

• Field-based snowpack observations and tests (e.g. CT, ECT)

• Evaluating terrain and travel options in real time

• Group travel strategies and communication systems

• Data recording and debrief on terrain use and risk management

Field Day 2: Tour Leadership & Decision-Making

• Student-led planning and execution of a full backcountry tour

• Assessment of changing conditions and group behavior

• Debrief and coaching on group leadership and communication

🧠 What You’ll Learn in AIARE 2

By the end of the AIARE 2 course, you’ll be able to:

• Track and interpret evolving snowpack conditions throughout the season

• Manage terrain for various avalanche problems, including persistent slabs

• Lead group tours using structured planning tools

• Conduct field tests and make informed stability assessments

• Apply decision-making frameworks in complex terrain

This course is where your avalanche education starts to shift from reactive to proactive.

👥 Who Should Take AIARE 2?

AIARE 2 is designed for those skiers and riders who:

• Have completed AIARE 1 + AIARE Avalanche Rescue courses

• Have at least one full season of touring experience

• Regularly plan and lead tours with partners

• Are interested in moving into bigger terrain with more hazard exposure

If you’re still getting comfortable with transitions, navigation, or group travel, consider gaining more experience before stepping into AIARE 2. A great way to do this is to book a Private Backcountry Tour with one of our AIARE Instructors to refresh your knowledge.

🛠️ Skills & Gear You’ll Need

Technical & Physical Requirements:

• Advanced resort riding skills: Confident on black diamond terrain in variable conditions (crust, windboard, deep snow)

• Strong gear familiarity and transition efficiency

• Fitness to tour 4–6 miles with up to 2,500 vertical feet/day

• Ability to manage all your systems independently in winter conditions

Required Gear:

• Touring setup (AT skis or splitboard, skins, poles)

• Avalanche beacon, shovel, probe

• AIARE Field book, map, compass, and route planning tools

• Snow saw, crystal card, and thermometer (some provided)

• Backpack (30–40L), layers, food, water

If you require gear rentals, you can rent an Avalanche Kit (Backpack, Beacon, Shovel, Probe) from Blackbird, and touring equipment from local gear Shop Partners.

🎯 Pro Tips for Success in AIARE 2

• Keep an AIARE field book during the season before your course to build observation habits

• Review your AIARE 1 materials and Avalanche Rescue skills beforehand

• Show up with recent touring experience, not just resort laps

• Be ready to lead conversations and make decisions in the field

📌 Final Thoughts

AIARE 2 is where avalanche education gets real. It’s a big step forward, requiring preparation, field experience, and the willingness to take on a leadership mindset. But it’s also one of the most empowering tools you can gain as a backcountry enthusiast.

If you’re ready to lead your group on ski tours, manage complex terrain, or simply feel more confident in your assessments, AIARE 2 will give you the tools to do it.

📚 Want a complete overview of all AIARE courses? Read our complete guide to all AIARE courses

🎿 Ready to level up your avalanche skills? Find an AIARE 2 Course Near You:

• AIARE 2 in Tahoe

• AIARE 2 in Mammoth Lakes

• AIARE 2 in Washington (Snoqualmie Pass & Mt Baker)

• AIARE 2 in Oregon (Mt Hood)