AST Level 1 (Classroom Portion)

AST Refresher, 2025-26

Congratulations on deciding to level up your skills to help you explore the backcountry! Our guided avalanche skills training courses are the best way to maximize your fun and safety in the backcountry.

Course curriculum

1. 1.1 Intro to Online Learning
2. AST Level 1 Handbook
3. Quiz
4. 1.2 TIME TO GET STOKED FOR CLASS! (OPTIONAL)
5. 1.3 AST 1 - Course Overview
6. AST 1 - Course Overview Quiz
7. 1.4 Field Day Learning
8. 1.5 AST Progression
9. 1.6 KBGuides Lead Guide - Judson Wright
10. The Kootenay Backcountry Guides Team
11. 1.7 Kootenay Backcountry Guides Story: Kootenay Coldsmoke Powderfest 2016
12. Quiz
13. 1.9 WHY DO WE DO THIS ANYWAY?
14. 1.10 RISK-TAKERS
15. 1.11 WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE BACKCOUNTRY?
16. 1.12 Kootenay Backcountry Guides Goals
17. Introduction Quiz
1. Indigenous Land
2. Backcountry Ethics
3. Backcountry Ethics Quiz.
1. 2.1 Introduction: The Daily Process
2. 2.2 The Daily Process Explained
3. 2.3 Decision Making Tools
4. 2.4 The Five Rules Card
5. 2.5 The Avaluator Trip Planner.
6. 2.6 The Avaluator 3.0 Slope Evaluator
7. Quiz
8. 2.7 How To Be An Excellent Touring Partner
9. Quiz
1. 3.1 Introduction
2. 3.2 Positive Human Behaviours
3. 3.3 Negative Human Behaviours
4. Quiz
5. 3.4 Other Human Factors
6. 3.5 Human Biases
7. Quiz
8. 3.6 Your Turn
1. 4.1 Lesson Outline
2. 4.2 Cherry Bowl Incident Introduction
3. 4.3 Cherry Bowl Human Factors.
4. 4.4 Cherry Bowl Dropping in
5. 4.5 Incident Summary
6. 4.6 The Avalanche
7. 4.7 The Rescue
8. Cherry Bowl Quiz
9. 4.8 Your Turn
1. 5.1 Terrain is the answer.
2. 5.2 Lesson Outline
3. 5.3 Pause for thought!
4. 5.4 Terrain is the answer because
5. 5.5 Elements Of An Avalanche Path
6. 5.6 Pushing Historical Boundaries
7. Terrain Quiz
8. 5.7 Terrain Traps
9. Humming Bird Pass
10. 5.8 Slope Angle
11. 5.9 Wind & Slope Shape
12. Slope Angle, Wind, and Slope Shape Quiz
13. 5.10 Elevation Bands & Ground Cover
14. Elevation Bands Quiz
15. 5.11 Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale
16. ATES Quiz
17. 5.12 Avy Bites
18. 5.12 Terrain Story at Kootenay Pass
1. 6.1 Lesson Outline
2. 6.2 Snowpack Layering
3. 6.3 Snowpack Layering Video
4. Snowpack Quiz
5. 6.4 The Recipe For an Avalanche
6. 6.5 Avalanche Recipe Video Breakdown
7. 6.6 Parts of An Avalanche
8. Avalanche Quiz
9. 6.7 Stress Vs Strength Concept
10. 6.8 A Common Enemy
11. 6.9 Seven Ways Surface Hoar Contributes to Avalanches
12. 6.10 Common Triggers
13. 6.11 Types of Avalanches
14. 6.12 Cornice Falls compilation video
15. 6.13 Cornice Fall Breakdown video
16. 6.14 Avalanche Sizes
17. 6.15 Size 4 Avalanche Caught on Video. Optional.
18. 6.16 Size 5 Avalanche Caught on Video. Optional.
19. 6.17 Remote and Sympathetic Avalanches Video
20. Avalanche Size Quiz
1. 7.1 Lesson Outline
2. 7.2 North American Danger Scale
3. Danger Scale Quiz
4. 7.3 Avalanche Problems
5. 7.4 Unpacking The Bulletin
6. Avalanche Canada App
7. 7.5 Mountain Information Network Reports and Remote Weather Stations
8. 7.6 Considering Considerable Hazard
9. 7.7 Dealing With No Forecast
10. 7.8 Producing the Bulletin and Forecast Limitations
11. 7.9 State of the Snowpack
12. Quiz
1. 8.1 The Most Important Lesson to Take From This Course!
2. 8.2 Lesson Outline
3. 8.3 Back To The Process
4. 8.4 Trip Planning Tools You Can Use.
5. 8.5 Finding ATES Ratings
6. 8.6 Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale
7. 8.7 The Avaluator Trip Planner.
8. 8.8 Five Rules Card and Leaving Home Checklist
9. 8.9 Weather
10. 8.10 Weather Forecasts
11. Optional Lesson. Windy Weather Tutorial.
12. 8.11 Don't Forget To Look Outside At The Actual Weather!
13. 8.12 Verifying the Forecast and Bulletin
1. 9.1 The Two Steps of Checking Your Gear.
2. 9.2 Five Rules Card and Leaving Home Checklist
3. 9.3 The KBG Trailhead Procedure
1. Field Learning
1. 10.1 Lesson Outline (Optional)
2. 10.2 What To Do if You Are Caught in an Avalanche
3. 10.3 The Transceiver Search
4. 10.4 Probing
5. 10.5 Shovelling
6. 10.6 Air Bags
7. 10.7 The Rescue Is Just the Start of Your Challenges.
1. 11.1 Tree Wells Best Practices
2. 11.2 Tree Well Video #1
3. 11.3 Tree Well Video #2
1. OH SO CLOSE!
2. Final Exam
1. Congratulations!

About this course

Free
126 lessons
2 hours of video content

Kootenay Backcountry Guide's School

AST Refresher, 2025-26

Course curriculum

1. INTRODUCTION

Backcountry Ethics and Land Stewardship

2. The Daily Process and Decision Making Tools

3. Human Behaviours and Factors

4. CHERRY BOWL INCIDENT

5. Terrain

6. AVALANCHES

7. The Daily Process: Get the Forecast.

8. The Daily Process: Plan your trip.

The Daily Process: Check your gear.

10. The Daily Process: Verify Conditions and Evaluate Slopes.

11. Companion Rescue Optional

11. Tree Wells (Optional)

AST Level 1 Final Exam

See You In The Mountains!

About this course