eLearning and Online Tutorials
eLearning is a great way to refresh your skills each fall and learn new skills throughout the season. Avalanche eLearning continues to expand with more great programs out each season.
Go to our Education Calendar for a listing of low cost introductory courses taught by the Friends of the GNFAC and Level 1/2 courses from local private avalanche course providers.
A free, online learning program that is a great season refresher or pre-course learning program prior to taking an Introduction to Avalanches or Level 1 course.
BCA Education Series is a series of videos with topics like backcountry tour planning, avalanche safety, how to properly use your transceiver, probe, and shovel, and much more. This series is great for both motorized and non-motorized users.
Backcountry Ascender offers education for your entire riding community. Whether you are just starting out or a well-seasoned veteran of the mountains, you will learn new skills, gain a greater awareness, and track what skills your riding community has!
Mountain Sense Comprehensive Guide To Avalanche Safety interactive course is 75 potent entertaining videos to help all recreational backcountry riders make better decisions while in the backcountry. From planning your tour based on the avalanche forecast to working well with your partners, and more. This course puts a unique memorable twist on traditional recreational level avalanche courses. The course provides you with over seven hours of top-tier instruction you'll have access to forever.
Avalanche Canada Online Avalanche Course consists of multiple chapters introducing the basics of recreational avalanche safety. Understanding the principles of avalanche formation, and ultimately avalanche types is the foundation for understanding avalanche danger.
International Association of Snowmobile Administrators offers a repository of motorized avalanche education.
Throttle Decisions is a Canadian video series intended to show motorized users what they need to know to get out, have fun, and stay alive in avalanche terrain. Get a comfortable place to sit, grab some refreshments, and be prepared to think about where you go and how you ride and make decisions.
Ortovox Safety Academy Lab offers online avalanche tutorials. The Academy is European based, but is still a great source of online learning.
This course is a great collection of photos, videos, and text that walks you through the basics of traveling in avalanche terrain, covering (quickly) all the topics that you'd encounter in an avalanche class. It includes an interactive game in which you can test your ability to make navigation choices in complex terrain. Be aware that this is for a Southern Hemisphere audience, so flip South and North Aspects in your head as you watch this north of the equator.
Smarten up your skiing with the most comprehensive backcountry snow safety courses on the web. Learn to make decisions, analyze terrain and explore beyond the boundaries through digital instruction. Note: there is a fee for this course.
Ski-Doo offers free avalanche education classes and a series of videos.