EA Ski & Snowboard Avalanche Training: 

If you’re training with EA Ski & Snowboard Training, you don't just become a ski or snowboard instructor—you’ll also get avalanche certified as part of your training!

As part of the EA Ski and Snowboard course, you get to do your avalanche training. This opens up a new world of backcountry skiing and riding. It's a very practical course that gives you the fundamental knowledge to ski and ride untouched lines. It helps skiers and boarders who wish to increase their knowledge of snow and avalanches. The aim with basic courses is to learn which areas to avoid and improve understanding of forecasts. Check out our Lake Louise avalanche course video training.

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What’s in the AST (Avalanche Skills Training) Course?

What is an AST course? AST stands for Avalanche Skills Training, and it comes in two levels. The Level 1 Course is only two days, first day in a classroom, and the second day out in the field learning practical skills. You’ll be out in the snow, learning how to read avalanche forecasts, assess snowpack stability, and use safety gear like beacons and probes. You will develop the skills to make smart decisions in the mountains.

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Why Does This Matter?

Aside from the fact that avalanches are dangerous, this certification opens a whole new world of possibilities. With avalanche training, you can explore backcountry terrain, take on free-ride adventures, or even step into guiding roles in the future.

Learning how to dig snow pits, analyse weather conditions, and practice rescue drills makes you feel confident off-piste. Plus, you’ll be out there with your EA Ski and Snowboard Training crew, which means plenty of laughs, epic big spray turns, and après-ski stories to share.

So, if you’re dreaming of a winter filled with powder, progression, and personal growth, EA Ski and Snowboard avalanche training is just another reason to dive in. You will learn to ride smarter, safer, and with a whole lot more confidence.

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Hear what an Avalanche course is like through the lens of a EA Ski and Snowboard Training ski instructor:

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Day 1 - Theory and basic avalanche skills

So the morning of day 1 arrived, and within a few minutes we were approached by someone from Rising Sun Guides, loaded into a car and were being driven to the classroom.

The first thing the course leader said was “As you are sitting here, statistically you are now more likely to be involved in an avalanche!”….I felt uneasy about this being his opening line, but hey let's continue.

• We started to learn about the risk of avalanches, different types of avalanches and how wind, temperature and humidity can all affect the way the snow falls and then bonds.
• This then led to us learning about companion rescue which started by watching an old clip explaining what to do. This part was long but was all needed to help us to understand what we had to do.
• Finally, we got to put all that we’d learned to practice, it was time to head out into the cold to use the equipment. We were provided with a bag which contained a shovel, beacon and probe.. yeah, it was new to me too. Firstly, we put the shovel together, simple.. then we learned more about the probe and had to throw one end and then connect it all together… note to self, when practising find a nice clear area, away from other people!
• Next was the beacon, this is what transmits waves allowing you to search for people in the snow. Once these were all up and running we got to go for an experiment.

It was time to put our learning to practice with some drills. 

We were told that we needed to try and find a bag in the snow. This involved using the beacon to find the bag, and then grabbing the probe and placing it in the ground to try to retrieve the bag.

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Day 2 - Touring and practical avalanche training

Day 2 began when we arrived in a car park in the middle of what seemed like nowhere! I got myself ready and then had to prep the skis with skins. With some assistance I managed to stick these on quite well, unlocked the hiking bindings, and with my kit on, I was ready to go! Walking with skis on is more of a work out than I had anticipated…I was baking! I underestimated how warm I would get but wow the view and the snow was unreal. Whilst hiking we stopped and started talking about the snow and the conditions of the day, before arriving at a stopping point. We began to dig a pit…why? This allowed us to see the layers of snow and then test to see if there is a weak layer, it is a lot more interesting than it sounds, trust me!

Now for the fun part... SKIING!! Finally we got to ski some proper powder. After getting to the bottom of the slope, we then started to hike back up to the summit! We got to see some features which allowed us to understand avalanches and the weather effects even more. Last... But certainly not least we got to ski again!! AND OH MY GOD... It was the best powder I have ever skied in my life. If you get a chance to go on a course, you won't regret it, it was so much fun and you even end up with a nice certificate, and learn so much about the mountains.

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Hear from Tom who did his avalanche training course in Japan.

In the Avalanche course with EA Ski and Snowboard Training, you will be introduced to the essential things about avalanches and other dangers that one can encounter when riding backcountry. You will learn the the hardcore side of wind and weather, will see how the ski patrol made choices about avalanche safety in the resort. In the course I learnt compass and map navigation. We observed what the snow looked like, what consequences change of wind direction has, and how many layers of snow can be read and tested. And when we were out, our guide ‘Yuri’ taught us to travel with respect for nature. After all, it is a huge privilege that we can move around in a terrain so different and beautiful, so it was about having respect for nature. Also, we wanted to leave as few footprints as possible. He set the framework for our backcountry crew.

Now the course is over, and I look at the mountains in a completely different way. I now have my split board and go find deep fresh pockets of powder with my friends. It has unlocked a new side of snowboarding to me. It has merged so many things I love together; hiking, being in nature, and sweet powder. 

The things I learned during the course have clearly made me cautious and a realist in the mountains. The course has made me respect the mountain on a whole new level. I use the knowledge that the course had given me, to navigate them to the deep and steep powder snow. Something I had long wanted to be able to do during my winters in New Zealand.

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Tom - Snowboard Instructor, Japan

Watch Toms backcountry video below:

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‍So why do a EA Ski and Snowboard Training Avalanche Course?‍

The EA Ski and Snowboard Training Avalanche Course will be your invaluable side-running program, where you will get two days of training in avalanche safety, first aid, snow profiles, ski touring, use of safety equipment, navigation, rescue operations, and much more. Our skilled trainers will guide you, act as your mentors, show you the ski area’s coolest places, and guarantee to give you some amazing experiences you will never forget. Your view of the mountains will change completely.

You get a solid introduction to the tools that can be used when you go out into the off-piste yourself. The course acts as an eye-opener for avalanche safety, along with ‘companion rescue’. Our avalanche courses are recognized worldwide. You will be left with a great deal of respect for the people who make this part of skiing and snowboarding their livelihood. This is your ticket to be safe and to explore far and wide.