Originally Posted by
kootenayskier
Courses are a business, structured around what customers who have no idea what they need, think they need. From what I see, the fundamental problem with current efforts to better prepare individuals for safe backcountry skiing, is:
1. Too much focus on snowpack analysis (because it fits easily into the class format).
2. Insufficient development of terrain assessment skills (because it's difficult to teach and takes a long time).
3. Short courses that are necessarily superficial, rather than the long term mentoring that is actually required.
4. Not addressing fundamental behavioural issues (because instructors aren't trained in it, it's difficult, takes forever, and customers aren't asking for it).