Go Farther — Get Avalanche Trained

Avalanche Canada Youth Ambassadors help spread our message through pictures and stories on their Instagram feed. Do you have questions for our ambassador? If so, hit up our Instagram and ask away! If you are interested in becoming a youth ambassador, please send us an email youth@avalanche.ca.

Meet Our Ambassador!

Alana Norie

Alana Norie (they/them) was born and raised Squamish, BC (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), and is currently studying Outdoor Ed and Decolonization at Thompson Rivers University. Raised in the coastal mountains, Alana loves ski touring, climbing and avalanche education. Alana is beyond grateful to work alongside AvCan to have run the Bold Backcountry Grant for the last two years, a grant that allows reduces barriers for queer folk in accessing avalanche safety gear and training. With their Avalanche Operations Level 1 course under their belt, they help organize and support AST 1s for 2-spirit, Queer and Trans folks. 

This site is your starting point for youth snow safety education. We have a wide range of material aimed at students K–12, created for inside and outside the classroom. Whether you are taking your first step into youth avalanche education or looking for some new material for an existing program, Avalanche Canada is here to help.

If you're looking for an inaugural start to backcountry and avalanche training you can start online here. Check out our virtual training platform AVY SAVVY- it's our online avalanche tutorial.

For additional in-person on-site youth training sessions please book a class with us! Our AvCan Youth Education Team travels through Alberta, BC, and the Yukon from October through December to deliver the bulk of our programming. Other sessions will be available from January to March upon request.

We offer FREE educational outreach presentations and would be happy to come to your school or club!

For more information and to book a course send an email to youth@avalanche.ca and we'll happily get you started.

With strong support from local communities, Avalanche Canada has successfully delivered avalanche education and winter awareness programs to students in communities across BC, Alberta, and the Yukon. Our goal is to reach students from K–12 with age-appropriate curriculum and training to help prepare them for their initial steps into the backcountry.

Hot topics include interactive presentations on winter safety for the younger ages that are relevant for ski hills, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing/snowboarding. Moving up through the grades, we bring in the concepts of recognizing avalanche terrain, introducing avalanche safety gear, reading the avalanche forecast, the Mountain Weather Forecast, and using the Mountain Information Network. This information supports students with early awareness and preparation to continue learning while promoting a healthy outdoor lifestyle.

We also help secondary students prepare and enroll in their first certified AST (Avalanche Skills Training Course)

A subsidized AST 2 course was held in Revelstoke 2021 as a collaboration with Open Mountains Project, The Youth Network, and Avalanche Canada.

Bruno Long Photo

The Youth Education Guidelines are guidelines for a winter safety program for Grades K–12. It begins with a focus on winter safety, then incorporates ski area, snowmobile, backcountry, and avalanche safety as students progress. The purpose of this document is to provide schools, educators, and teachers with a better idea of the grade-specific programming our AvCan youth instructors offer when they come to your classroom. These guidelines are also intended for educators to use if they want to teach these topics to their classrooms or outdoor clubs. These will always be rough guidelines as regional interests, teacher’s/educator’s winter knowledge, time allowance, and the previous year’s winter education will play large roles in providing winter safety education.

The contents of the guidelines are the culmination of discussions over years. The material has been put before a panel containing the following professions; principal, teacher, outdoor education teacher, outdoor program leader, avalanche professional, and Parks Canada employees. Click here to download the youth education guidelines document for snow safety and avalanche awareness education for Grades K-12.

Our AvCan Youth Education Team will be traveling through Alberta, BC and the Yukon from October through December to deliver the bulk of our programming. Other sessions will be available from January to March upon request.

We offer FREE educational outreach presentations and would be happy to come to your school or club. To book a program please contact the Youth Education Coordinator.

Avalanche Education Tool Boxes

We’ve assembled a box of avalanche safety gear for educational purposes. Our Tool Boxes allow students to familiarize themselves with essential backcountry gear and give them the opportunity to practice avalanche search techniques in a safe environment.

Each box contains transceivers, probes, shovels, snow saws, snow-study kits, and Companion Rescue Cards. This gear is specifically for training purposes only. None of the equipment should be taken into avalanche terrain because the transceivers are a not reliable source in the event of a real live rescue.

Renting the Tool Boxes is FREE on a first-come, first-served basis. To borrow a Tool Box please email Shannon Werner with ‘Tool Box’ as the subject line. Specify the dates you would like to receive the box, your school or program, city and province, and your contact information. Please note the dates must be flexible as we need to accommodate a number of communities over the winter.

Avalanche Safety Classroom Kit

• Avalanche Canada can provide educators with a FREE Avalanche Safety Classroom Kit that can include:
• Avalanche Danger Cards—outlines the North American Danger Rating Scale used in public avalanche bulletins
• Companion Rescue Cards— Gives step by step instructions for a companion rescue

To order an avalanche safety classroom kit, please contact youth@avalanche.ca. When ordering, please provide the following information:

• Which items you would like and the quantity
• Name of school/youth group
• Contact person, email, phone, and shipping address
• How many students and which grade(s)?

Online Resources for Teachers

• Avy Savvy is Avalanche Canada's Online Avalanche Tutorial. Avy Savvy is designed to be a precursor to the Avalanche Canada Training program. This resource has various engaging quizzes and exercises built into each chapter.
• Avalanche Canada video archives on Vimeo
  This is a great resource with numerous videos covering a variety of avalanche awareness topics for both ski and snowmobile audiences.
• AdventureSmart e-learning platform
• BCA Companion Rescue video series: Four videos totaling 27 min.
• Rescue at Cherry Bowl: 
  Amazing case study. Five chapters with short videos (Three-year project to create.)
• Land of Thundering Snow
  A great resource that goes through both avalanche basics and some very interesting history of avalanches in Canada.
• Avalanche Canada recorded Webinar Series
  Catch up on our webinars, focusing on various aspects of avalanche safety, geared towards keeping you safe in avalanche terrains.
  

In recent years, many districts have made an effort to promote outdoor learning this school. This has increased demand for our outdoor training sessions. We have prepared for this by ensuring each of our instructors has access to the additional equipment required to deliver these programs. These programs get students on their feet and provide them with hands-on experience with real avalanche safety gear, all in a fun and inclusive environment.

Additionally, following COVID-19, we have further developed our curriculum to allow for virtual delivery of our winter safety and avalanche awareness programming should schools prefer this option. For schools that request our traditional in-class delivery, we have Covid-19 protocols in place for our staff in addition to the school's protocols. Contact our Youth Education Coordinator, Shannon Werner to discuss which option will be best for your school.

You can find educational and avalanche photos in the the gallery below. Feel free to use these in your presentations. You can scroll through the gallery or search using the tag education or avalanche.

There are many organizations with excellent material and curriculum that deliver avalanche safety messages to youth audiences. If you do not find a program in your area, please email our Youth Education Coordinator and we may be able to link you to a professional in your community.

Avalanche Canada aims to increase the profile and reach of existing programs. Do you deliver a winter safety program? Email us with your program details and contact information, and we’ll add you to our list.

• AdventureSmart’s Snow Safety & Education Program, Canada wide, all ages
• Avalanche Awareness Beyond the Boundaries Society Nelson, BC and area, ages 12 and up
• Company of Adventurers Calgary and surrounding area, Grades 6 – 12
• Howe Sound Secondary School Outdoor Leadership Academy Squamish, BC, Grades 11 – 12
• Kananaskis Country Winter Safety Calgary and Bow Valley region, Grades 7 - 12
• Marmot Learning Centre Marmot Basin, AB, Grades 7 – 12
• Palisades Stewardship Education Centre Jasper Park, AB, Grades 10 – 12
• Vancouver Island School Ski Patroller Program Vancouver Island, ages 19 +
• Youth Safe Outdoors BC, AB (province-wide), Grades K – 12