AST 1 – Avalanche Skills Training

Your first step into the backcountry

AST 1 is Avalanche Canada’s introductory avalanche course. With Altus it takes 1.5 days: about half a day of online learning at home, then one full field day in the Whistler backcountry with ACMG guides and avalanche instructors. You’ll learn to read the avalanche forecast, recognize avalanche terrain, plan a tour and find a buried partner, and you finish with your AST 1 certificate. It starts at $245 midweek and $295 on weekends, with up to 8 students per instructor. Closer to Vancouver? AST 1 Squamish runs on Paul Ridge in Garibaldi Park.

Length 1.5 days
3–4 hrs online + 1 field day

Where Whistler
8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Price $245 midweek · $295 weekend
CAD per person

Group size Up to 8 students
per instructor

Certificate AST 1 (Avalanche Canada)
after the field day and online exam

You’ll need Confident on blue runs
touring gear, 2–3 hrs uphill fitness

What you’ll be able to do

• Read and apply the daily avalanche forecast
• Recognize avalanche terrain and choose safer routes
• Plan a backcountry day with the Avaluator
• Travel uphill and down through avalanche terrain
• Assess the snowpack and the day’s avalanche problems
• Find and dig out a buried partner with transceiver, probe and shovel

Which avalanche course is right for you?

AST 1, AST 1+ and Intro Backcountry Touring are often confused. Here’s how they fit together.

New to touring?

Take AST 1, then Intro Backcountry Touring.

Already touring?

Take AST 1+: the AST 1 certificate plus a second field day managing avalanche terrain.

On snowshoes?

Take Snowshoe AST 1 in the Callaghan Valley.

Where AST 1 leads

Start here AST 1

Next Intro Backcountry Touring

Then AST 2

Glaciers Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue

Big lines Steeps and Peaks

Mtn Club members save on AST 1

Midweek $245 $208

Weekend $295 $250

Plus 10% back in Altus credit, member-only mentorship days with ACMG guides after your course, and every Altus online course. $149 for the season, limited to 100 members.

See the Mtn Club

Itinerary

Day 0.5 (Online)
Complete online learning at your own pace in the week leading up to your field day (3-4 hours)

Day 1 (Whistler)
8:00 am - Morning session
9:00 am - Field session
4:30 pm - Return to cars

Whistler field day: If you do not have a seasons pass, backcountry passes are available for purchase at checkout.

Online Pre-Course

Unique to Altus AST courses is our custom made #altusonlinelearning platform with over 13 courses available. Each course is built and instructed by one of our guides and is used to ensure you get the most out of your time in the field.

The AST 1 pre-course takes approximately 3 - 4 hours to complete and is a series of videos and presentations followed up with a final exam. The final exam requires a 60% pass to receive the AST 1 certificate.

Students will have access to this course for learning to revisit for 2 months from sign up.

Partners