Avoiding avalanches starts with a well rounded backcountry education.
In the not so distant past, avalanche resources were primarily offered to ski industry professionals. It wasn’t until the 1980s that recreational avalanche education began in earnest, and curriculum standards began to evolve.
Flash forward to 2020 and the number of avalanche education options has exploded, keeping pace with the feverish demand for touring gear. This neck and neck growth is good, and likely why, despite increased backcountry users over the past few decades, avalanche fatality rates are holding steady relative to growth.
To help readers sort through the options, we compiled a collection of resources. This is especially geared to the budding ski tourer, but offers something for seasoned backcountry travelers as well.
