AST Level 2 (Classroom)

AST Level 2 INSTRUCTOR 2024/25

You can expect our professional guides to show you advanced methods for terrain analysis, companion rescue, route finding, skin track setting, map, and GPS reading, and cover advanced weather forecasting, how to take relevant snowpack observations...

Hi everyone. Judson here.

Welcome to our online learning

I am the content creator for this course. Sometimes you will see my face in the videos. Sometimes you will just hear my voice. I like to mix it up. If I am lucky I will get to meet you during your course. Maybe we will get to shred some pow, have some laughs and learn from each other. If I am not there, one of our amazing instructors will be.

Course curriculum

1. 1.1 Intro to Online Learning
2. 1.2 TIME TO GET STOKED FOR CLASS!
3. 1.3 AST-2 Course Overview
4. 1.4 AST 2 Program Goals
5. 1.5 Field Day Learning
6. 1.6 AST Progression
7. Quiz
8. 1.7 The Kootenay Backcountry Guides Team
9. 1.8 KBGuides Lead Guide - Judson Wright
10. 1.9 Introduce Yourself!
11. 1.10 Kootenay Backcountry Guides Story: Kootenay Coldsmoke Powderfest 2016
12. 1.11 Why Do We Do This Anyway?
13. 1.12 Risk-Takers
14. 1.13 WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE BACKCOUNTRY?
15. 1.14 Kootenay Backcountry Guides Goals
16. Introduction Quiz
1. 2.1 Lesson Outline
2. 2.2 Indigenous Land
3. 2.3 Backcountry Ethics
4. 2.4 Backcountry Ethics Quiz.
1. 3.1 Lesson Outline and Learning Objectives
2. 3.2 Avalanche Risk and Danger
3. 3.3 Positive Human Behaviours
4. 3.4 Negative Human Behaviours
5. 3.5 Human Biases
6. 3.6 Group Dynamics
7. Quiz
8. 3.7 Experience Levels and Avalanche Accidents
9. 3.8 The 99% Rule
10. Quiz
1. 4.1 Lesson Outline and Learning Objectives
2. 4.2 Wilson Glade Online Article Link.
3. 4.3 Wilson Creek Video Summary
4. 4.4 Student Perspective
5. 4.5 Judson's Take Away's
1. 5.1 Avalanches, Lesson Outline
2. 5.2 Avalanches and Snowpack Pre Quiz
3. 5.3 Snowpack Layering
4. 5.4 Avalanche Formation, Release and Triggers.
5. 5.5 Types of Avalanches
6. 5.6 Cornices
7. 5.7 Avalanche Problems
8. 5.8 Avalanche Problems Quiz
9. 5.9 Parts of An Avalanche
10. 5.10 Avalanche Sizes
11. 5.11 Common Signs of Avalanches
12. 5.12 Avalanches Pushing Historical Boundaries
13. 5.13 Remote and Sympathetic Avalanches Video
14. Avalanche Quiz
1. 6.1 Welcome to Terrain
2. 6.2 Terrain Lesson Outline
3. 6.3 Terrain Pre-Quiz
4. 6.4 Slope Angle
5. 6.5 Wilson Glades Avalanche Slope Angle
6. 6.6 Elements Of An Avalanche Path
7. 6.7 Wilson Glades Challenges
8. 6.8 Elevation Bands & Ground Cover
9. 6.9 Wilson Glades Ground Cover and Elevation Band
10. 6.10 ATES Terrain Classification
11. 6.11 Accessing Avalanche Canada ATES ratings on Avalanche.ca
12. 6.12 Whitewater and Kootenay Pass KML Files
13. 6.12 Viewing ATES ratings on Google Earth
14. 6.13 ATES ratings on Maps
15. 6.14 ATES ratings are not perfect
16. 6.15 ATES Mistake at Kootenay Pass
17. 6.16 Terrain Traps
18. 6.17 Optional: Terrain Trap Video of Hummingbird Pass (WH20)
19. 6.18 Avy Bites
1. 7.1. The Daily Process Overview
2. 7.2 Using the Scientific Method For Backcountry Touring.
1. 8.1 Download The Avalanche Canada App
2. 8.2 The Daily Process Step 1- Get the Forecast. Lesson Outline
3. 8.3 Avalanche Forecast Pre-Quiz
4. 8.4 Expectations of Understanding the Forecast at the AST 2 Level
5. 8.5 Understanding the Avalanche Forecast
6. 8.6 Producing the Forecast and its Limitations
7. 8.7 Avalanche Canada Flexible Forecast
8. 8.8 North American Danger Scale
9. 8.9 Avalanche Problems in the Forecast
10. 8.10 Mountain Information Network Reports and Remote Weather Stations
11. 8.11 Dealing With No Forecast
12. 8.12 Confidence Is Key
13. 8.13 Considering Considerable Hazard
14. Get the Forecast Quiz
15. State of the Snowpack
1. 9.1 Daily Process Step 2 - Plan Your Trip. Lesson Outline
2. 9.2 PLAN YOUR TRIPS!
3. 9.3 Available Planning Tools
4. 9.4 The Avaluator Trip Planner
5. 9.5 Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain Field Book
6. 9.6 Adopt a Terrain Mindset
7. 9.7 Weather
8. 9.8 Weather Forecasts
9. 9.9 Don't Forget To Look Outside At The Actual Weather!
10. 9.10 Plan Your Group
11. 9.11 Bonus Lesson. Windy Weather Tutorial
12. 9.12 Trip Planning Survey
13. Plan your trips Quiz
1. 10.1 Google Earth As a Trip Planning Tool, Lesson Outline
2. 10.2 Google Earth Overview.
3. 10.3 Navigating Google Earth
4. 10.4 Google Earth Settings
5. 10.5 Route Planning on Google Earth
6. 10.6 How To Share Your Route Plans Through Google Earth
7. 10.7 Gaia GPS Tour
8. 10.8 How To Share Your Route Plans On Gaia
9. 10.9 KML Vs KMZ Files.
10. 10.10 Measuring Slope Angle On Google Earth
11. 10.11 Converting Slope % to Slope Angle
12. 10.12 Table of Tan (angles) Download
1. 11.1 The Two Steps of Checking Your Gear.
2. 11.2 Five Rules Card and Leaving Home Checklist
3. 11.3 The KBG Trailhead Procedure
1. 12. 1 Daily Process Step 4 - Verify Conditions, Lesson Outline
2. 12.2 Verify Conditions
3. 12.3 Avaluator Slope Card
4. 12.4 Collecting Free Information
5. 12.5 Collecting Free Info Tip #1 - Know Before You Go
6. 12.6 Collecting Free Into Tip #2 - Talk To Others, Keep Each Other Safe
7. 12.7 Collecting Free Info Tip #3 Get off the track
8. 12.8 Collecting Free Info Tip #4 The Hand Shear
9. 12.9 Collecting Free Info Tip #5 Testing Micro Features
10. 12.10 Collecting Free Info Tip#6 Look for Avalanche Activity
11. 12.11 Collecting Free Info Tip #7 Ridge Top Wind Slab
12. 12.12 Collecting Free Info Tip #8 The Burp Test
13. 12.13 Snow Pack Test Essentials
14. 12.14 Looking for Resistance Changes in the Snowpack.
15. 12.15 Compression Test Overview
16. 12.16 Understanding Fracture Character
17. 12.17 Extended Column Test Overview
18. 12.18 Observing An Extended Column Test Failure
19. 12.19 Examples of Properly and Improperly Using Snowpack Tests
20. 12.20 Common Persistent Weak Layers in the Columbia Mountains
21. 12.21 Seven Ways Surface Hoar Contributes to Avalanches
22. 12.22 Snow Science 101 overview
23. Verify Conditions Quiz
1. 13 Daily Process Step 5 - Good Travel Habits, Lesson outline
2. 13.1 Pre Lesson Discussion
3. 13.2 Reviewing Travel Habits from AST 1
4. 13.3 Additional Travel Concepts
5. 13.4 Slope Testing/Ski Cutting
6. Good Travel Habits Quiz
1. 14.1 Daily Process Step 6 - Evaluate Slopes. Lesson outline
2. 14.2 You Are Almost Finished!
3. 14.3 Evaluate Slopes
4. 14.4 Slope Factors That Influence Likelihood of Avalanches
5. 14.5 Slope Factors That Influence the Consequences of Avalanches
6. 14.6 Terrain Options and Group Strategies That Can Increase and Decrease Risk
7. 14.7 Route Finding Exercises
8. Evaluating Slopes Quiz
1. 15.1 Reflect On Your Day
2. 15.2 Reflection on Reflections!
1. 16.1 Lesson Outline
2. 16.2 Survival Curve
3. 16.3 What To Do if You Are Caught in an Avalanche
4. 16.4 The Transceiver Search
5. 16.5 Probing
6. 16.6 Shovelling
7. 16.7 Air Bags
8. 16.8 Tree Wells
9. 16.9 The Rescue Is Just the Start of Your Challenges.
1. OH SO CLOSE!
2. Final Exam

About this course

Free
163 lessons
3 hours of video content

Kootenay Backcountry Guide's School

AST Level 2 INSTRUCTOR 2024/25

Hi everyone. Judson here.

Course curriculum

Introduction

2. Backcountry Ethics

3. Human Behaviours, Decision Making, and Risk

Wilson Creek Avalanche Case study

5. Avalanches and Snowpack

6.0 Terrain

7. The Daily Process Overview

8. Daily Process Step 1 - Get the Forecast

9. Daily Process Step 2 - Plan Your Trip

10. Using Digital Mapping Programs for Planning Trips.

11 Daily Process Step 3 - Check Your Gear

12. Daily Process Step 4 - Verify Conditions

Daily Process Step 5 - Good Travel Habits

14 Daily Process Step 6 - Evaluate Slopes

15. Daily Process Step 7- Reflect On The Day

16 Companion Rescue

The Final Exam

About this course