Colorado AIARE Avalanche Courses

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 AIARE Course Options

AIARE Level 1: 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.

AIARE Level 2: Advanced decision-making for experienced backcountry travelers. Requires AIARE 1 and Companion Rescue completion plus at least one season of backcountry travel. Hybrid format with 2 field days.

Women’s AIARE Courses: 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.