ONLINE COURSE IN MOUNTAIN SAFETY
Designed for BASI members, the Online Mountain Safety course clarifies key skills and knowledge necessary for all aspects of mountain safety.
This course counts as 1 BASI CPD credit to refresh your qualification and is suitable for all disciplines and levels.
ENROL NOW
BASI CPD Course
The course is made up of a compulsory e-learning element which you can complete in your own time, followed by a scheduled group discussion call with a trainer.
The e-learning part of the course takes around 4-5 hours, and the group discussion call takes 2 hours.
During the group call, we will discuss the online course lessons and the avalanche case study. It is therefore vital that you complete the e-learning BEFORE your group call, otherwise you will not be able to obtain your CPD credit.
COURSE STRUCTURE
IMPORTANT - you must complete sections 1 & 2 before Section 3. During the group discussion, you will be discussing section 1 & 2. If you come to the group discussion having not completed 1 & 2, you will not be able to complete the course.
ONLINE COURSE
Video Tutorials, quizzes & practical tasks covering 10 key lessons (approx 4 hours - complete in your own time)
AVALANCHE STUDY
Review an avalanche incident to learn from the story (45 minutes - complete in your own time)
GROUP DISCUSSION
Trainer led group call for discussion, questions & feedback (2 hours - scheduled time)
COURSE INSTRODUCTION
An introduction to the e-learning element of the course and what to expect from it's content
LESSON 1: AVALANCHE AWARENESS
Avalanches kill and injure many skiers and snowboarders every year. Anyone going off piste must understand off piste hazards and avalanches so we can avoid them.
LESSON 2: OFF PISTE EQUIPMENT
The moment you cross the piste markers, you become exposed to a new list of hazards. Skiers & Snowboarders must carry essential off-piste equipment and know how to use it. This tutorial explains what you need, including a checklist to help you prepare.
LESSON 3: TERRAIN ANALYSIS
Arguably the most important skillset for off-piste skiers and snowboarders. In a world where weather conditions, snowpack and partners are fickle and constantly changing, terrain is your stable minded best friend. Learn how to read the terrain in order to understand how dangerous it is.
LESSON 4: MOUNTAIN WEATHER
Forecasting snow, weather and avalanches in mountain environments is an imperative skillset for off-piste skiers and snowboarders. Not only does it help you to avoid dangerous scenarios, it also helps you to find better snow conditions
LESSON 5: THE AVALANCHE BULLETIN
For off piste skiers & snowboarders, the Avalanche Bulletin is the best deal in town. If you want to ski or snowboard off piste in powder snow, here are some of the important bits of information you need to know about before you go out into the mountains.
LESSON 6: MAPPING & ROUTE PLANNING
When it comes to off-piste skiing & snowboarding, your most important decisions are made before you even leave the house. This tutorial covers the ways you can study & plan your routes to help ensure that you are in the right place at the right time.
LESSON 7: HUMAN FACTORS & HEURISTIC TRAPS
Human psychology causes us to make common mistakes. In Off-Piste environments, these can get you killed. Learn and remember these classic errors so you can make sure you don't fall into one of these psychological traps.
LESSON 8: FIELD OBSERVATION SKILLS
As well as forecasting and route planning, skiers and snowboarders must be able to read the real world, identify red flags in avalanche terrain and analyse the current conditions during the day. This tutorial lists the things to look out for and the tools which will help you to 'read' the real world in snowy environments.
LESSON 8.1: 5 RED FLAGS OF AVALANCHES
The 5 biggest warnings to look out for in avalanche terrain
LESSON 9: SAFE TRAVEL & GROUP MANAGEMENT
Learn the principals and safe travel procedures which allow you to limit your's and your group's exposure to off-piste hazards.
LESSON 10: EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Learn the systematic strategies to implement in emergencies so you can be prepared if things go wrong. Your partner's lives may depend on it.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
AVALANCHE AWARENESS
Use greater understanding for avalanche avoidance. Types, characteristics, locations & times. Awareness of other off piste & backcountry mountain hazards.
EQUIPMENT UNDERSTANDING
To know what equipment you need for off piste & backcountry snowsports. How to use it and how to pack and prepare effectively
TERRAIN ANALYSIS SKILLS
in order to understand the likelihood and consequences of avalanches. To have a better idea of where and when to go during certain conditions as a result.
WEATHER & AVALANCHE FORECASTING
Better understand mountain weather relevant to snowsports. How to read and understand weather forecasts & avalanche bulletins.
ROUTE PLANNING
Know how to study & plan your routes before you leave the house. Combine this with improved understanding of avalanche terrain to make smarter plans
SAFER TRAVEL
Understand tactics and protocols for group management and safer travel in mountainous environments. Know about common decision making mistakes to avoid.
FIELD OBSERVATION
Develop skills and tools for monitoring snow, weather and avalanche conditions whilst you are out in the field.
COMPANION RESCUE
Understand rescue procedures and search patterns in Avalanche response.
BASI Online Course in Mountain Safety
The course is made up of THREE SECTIONS
NB: You must complete sections 1 & 2 BEFORE your scheduled group discussion.
SECTION 1) Online Course Tutorials & Quizzes (4 hours)
SECTION 2) Study Avalanche Case Study (45 minutes)
SECTION 3) Group Discussion (2 hours)
If you come to the group discussion without having already completed the e-learning then you will fail the course.
