Avalanche Courses in Colorado — AIARE 1, Rescue & AIARE 2 in Rocky Mountain National Park
Avalanche Education on Colorado’s Front Range
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the premier venues for avalanche education in the United States. Colorado’s Front Range snowpack — known for its variable, continental characteristics — provides an ideal classroom for learning to recognize persistent weak layers, wind slabs, and storm snow instabilities. The Mountain Guides offer AIARE avalanche courses in Colorado using a hybrid format: online learning modules followed by field days in RMNP, convenient for students traveling from Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Estes Park. Our courses are taught by AMGA-trained and certified instructors who bring years of professional experience in Colorado’s complex snowpack.
Colorado Avalanche Courses at a Glance
Where: Field days in Rocky Mountain National Park, meeting in Estes Park — about 90 minutes from Denver International Airport and under an hour from Boulder.
Format: Hybrid. Online learning on your own schedule, a virtual evening session, then two field days in real avalanche terrain.
Courses offered: AIARE 1, AIARE Avalanche Rescue, AIARE 2, and women’s-specific AIARE courses.
Prerequisites: None for AIARE 1 or Avalanche Rescue. AIARE 2 requires AIARE 1, Avalanche Rescue, and at least one season of backcountry travel.
Price: AIARE 1 from $595.
Who it’s for: Backcountry skiers, splitboarders, snowshoers, ice climbers, and winter mountaineers — anyone who travels in avalanche terrain.
Which Colorado Avalanche Course Is Right for You?
AIARE 1 Avalanche Course — Rocky Mountain National Park: The industry-standard introduction to avalanche hazard management. No prior avalanche training required. Online learning + evening virtual session + 2 field days in RMNP. From $595. Start here if you are new to the backcountry.
AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course — Colorado: A one-day field course focused entirely on companion rescue: transceiver search, probing, strategic shoveling, and managing a real burial scenario. Required for AIARE 2, and worth repeating every season.
AIARE 2 Avalanche Course — Rocky Mountain National Park: Advanced decision-making for experienced backcountry travelers. Requires AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue completion plus at least one season of backcountry travel. Hybrid format with 2 field days.
Women’s AIARE Courses — Colorado: The same rigorous AIARE curriculum in a supportive, women-focused learning environment. Taught by experienced female instructors.
Why Take an Avalanche Course in Colorado
Colorado sees a lot of avalanche activity, largely because of its complex, persistent snowpack and the sheer number of backcountry users. Learning to read Colorado’s snow in Colorado — not in a textbook — gives you a foundation that directly transfers to the terrain you’ll be skiing. RMNP’s accessible alpine terrain and reliable winter conditions make it one of the best places in the country to get your AIARE certification.
Put Your Avalanche Training to Work
Once you have your AIARE 1, the next step is time in the backcountry with a guide. Our guided backcountry skiing in Rocky Mountain National Park pairs you with an AMGA-trained guide who puts your new decision-making skills to use on real terrain. Resort skiers can start with the Intro to Backcountry Ski and Splitboard Class, and advanced skiers can step up to the Ski Mountaineering Camp. See all of our Colorado backcountry skiing programs or explore everything we offer in Colorado.
