AIARE cert vs others

[whyturn]

So i want to get avy level 1 this year and want to be sure it’s the right course and cert. I remember reading last year that AIARE is not recognized everywhere.
AIARE
AMGA
American avalanche institute
We’re just in the A’s

Since I may want to guide later I want to be sure it’s certified. I’m in Utah, let me know your thoughts. I really need real info from guides and others not armchair conjecture.

[Bunion 2020]

A level 1 "cert" is like a participation trophy.

It will allow you to move on to the other levels.

Any of those will be just fine.

You will be bonafide.

[snoqpass]

AAIRE and AAA were in a little tiff last year, it’s been settled

[hafjell]

AAIRE and AAA were in a little tiff last year, it’s been settled

Yes. There are owners of knowledge. They will tell you about it if you ask. Or don't ask; they will still tell you.

[zion zig zag]

AMGA is not an avalanche certification provider. To be a certified ski guide through AMGA you will have to have Pro 2 certification through either AAIRE or AAI. I suggest you spend some time kicking around all three websites and determine the path that works for you. I *think* that in order to continue down the pro avalanche path you'll have to have some work experience (guide, patroller, forecaster) as a prerequisite to continue. I could be wrong about that, going off memory.

[cmor]

Start here:

https://avalanche.org/avalanche-education/

All the providers on that page will provide the intro courses necessary for leading either into the recreational or pro track. They both start from the same point.

[summit]

AAA sets the guidelines that cover course criteria, learning goals, and instructor requirements for US avalanche education.
AIARE and AAI are companies with proprietary curriculum that meet AAA guidelines.
So if you take a course that meets AAA guideline, it will be from an AAA Pro. Maybe it will also be AAI or AIARE.
I do not think that one proprietary curriculum is better than another, nor are they superior to and independent AAA Pro instructor's curriculum that meets AAA guidelines.

[skifishbum]

i wouldnt worries to much
they let me take avvy2 without even taking 1
and the best bang for the buck avvy education i spent was a semester long snow science class at the u
but there wasnt a participation certification
ive probably forgotton 2/3 of the techicals jargans
but some of the really good stuff i learnt came after hours and fridays field days at the sitzmark pdog or gold miners when the life long snowgeeks unwind and share beverages and wisdoms

[covert]

I really need real info from guides and others not armchair conjecture.

oh the ironing

[Buster Highmen]

oh the ironing

watch it buddy...my armchair is waaaayyyyy bigger than your armchair.

[cmor]

I really need real info from guides and others not armchair conjecture.

I missed this little bit of gold. Going to be a long humbling journey on the pro track.

[covert]

watch it buddy...my armchair is waaaayyyyy bigger than your armchair.

Another quip out of you and I shall smite thee with my conjecture pole!

[Buster Highmen]

Another quip out of you and I shall smite thee with my conjecture pole!

I'll see your conjecture and raise you a lemma.

[whyturn]

Well this is going about as expected. I am working towards potential guiding job at local hill. They require avy 1 as minimum qualifications. I guess I will ask them which brand is acceptable.

I ski with a lot of wise people and study Snow conditions and books. My comment was based on not getting burned with a course that gives experience but not the paper that I need to guide. I guess your saying it’s like my current EE degree. Book learning is nice but everything I really learned has been OJT. That experience has been priceless over the last 20 years.

[Foggy_Goggles]

I'm not sure what your potential guiding job is however understand that an Avi 1 is a very basic certification. Pro tip...you already got pro tips from pros in this thread. Asking where to get your Avi 1 is like asking where to get your drivers licence. It doesn't matter because it just the first step. Listen to what Summit said. If you are serious about guiding as a career, it is probably best to get on full time somewhere as pro patrol and work towards your Avi 2 and WFR/EMT etc.

[whyturn]

Should have stated up front. This is Retirement gig I may or may not pursue. It would be Resort guiding for dentists and such who like to have their hand held. I will be there skiing already and figured some income might be nice. But I appreciate the input and will follow up on classes. Thx

[Meadow Skipper]

I'm not sure what your potential guiding job is however understand that an Avi 1 is a very basic certification. Pro tip...you already got pro tips from pros in this thread. Asking where to get your Avi 1 is like asking where to get your drivers licence. It doesn't matter because it just the first step. Listen to what Summit said. If you are serious about guiding as a career, it is probably best to get on full time somewhere as pro patrol and work towards your Avi 2 and WFR/EMT etc.

^^^This. And I say that as a retiree that is now a pro patroller.

[Bunion 2020]

Should have stated up front. This is Retirement gig I may or may not pursue. It would be Resort guiding for dentists and such who like to have their hand held. I will be there skiing already and figured some income might be nice. But I appreciate the input and will follow up on classes. Thx

OK now that you have cleared that up, AAI.

There ya go, good luck and make some fun turns.

[snoqpass]

Level 1 classes really aren’t certifications but more of an awareness level training

[blackalps]

AMGA is not an avalanche certification provider. To be a certified ski guide through AMGA you will have to have Pro 2 certification through either AAIRE or AAI. I suggest you spend some time kicking around all three websites and determine the path that works for you. I *think* that in order to continue down the pro avalanche path you'll have to have some work experience (guide, patroller, forecaster) as a prerequisite to continue. I could be wrong about that, going off memory.

You have to have level 1 and Avy rescue, plus 1 year/20 days of trips with recorded trip planning, risk assessments and observations.

[kailas]

You do realize that 99% of AMGA guides are flatlander city gapers from back east. And if your a male in your twenties the likelyhood of getting caught in an avalanche goes way up after completing said avi course.

[bean]

And if your a male in your twenties the likelyhood of getting caught in an avalanche goes way up after completing said avi course.

Has anyone done a longitudinal intervention study on this subject?

[summit]

You do realize that 99% of AMGA guides are flatlander city gapers from back east.

That's because most AMGA guides are certing in rock, not ski, much less full IFMGA. Being a climbing guide doesn't make someone a gaper! (I am not affiliated with AMGA in any way).

And if your a male in your twenties the likelyhood of getting caught in an avalanche goes way up after completing said avi course.

What is the point you are trying to make here?

Why do you think that is the case? Do you suppose it is because they took the avalanche course, or because their exposure goes way up because they are getting into the BC without much experience, which is why they took the avi course for some knowledge and basic training. In fact, this is something a good avalanche course points out and discusses!

Those who discuss this little factoid also know that based on McCammon's work from 18 years ago while avalanche education has changed in that time period with a new focus on preventing this problem with an increased emphasis on managing human factors, which is why I often use his work as a lead in to that topic. Have education interventions been responsible for the apparent decrease in accident rates? That hypothesis was posed about 6 years ago and discussed at CSAW last year. It is possible! The jury is still out.

[BFD]

You have to have level 1 and Avy rescue, plus 1 year/20 days of trips with recorded trip planning, risk assessments and observations.

that is all you need to be an AMGA guide? As a fellow retiree I think you should rethink this plan. I would rather be a greeter at Walmart than waste a good ski day babysitting.

[PNWbrit]

that is all you need to be an AMGA guide? As a fellow retiree I think you should rethink this plan. I would rather be a greeter at Walmart than waste a good ski day babysitting.

Nope.

https://amga.com/ski-guide/