AIARE Introduces New One-Day Avalanche Education Refresher Course

The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) today announced the launch of the AIARE 1 Refresher, a new one-day course designed for backcountry travelers who have previously completed an AIARE 1 or equivalent avalanche education course and want an opportunity to review and practice their skills in the field.

The AIARE 1 Refresher gives participants the opportunity to put their foundational skills back into practice in a mentored setting. The course includes an online learning component to review terrain management, backcountry communication strategies and rescue fundamentals, followed by a full day on the snow with a trained AIARE educator. During the course, students will use the recently updated AIARE fieldbook tool to plan and lead a backcountry tour, apply the AIARE Risk Management Framework, and practice companion rescue.

The course can also be a valuable way for touring partners to start the season together, giving groups an opportunity to reconnect, practice communication, and discuss risk tolerance and backcountry travel strategies from a shared foundation.

The AIARE 1 Refresher was developed following a first-of-its-kind study conducted with Eastern Oregon University that tracked nearly 1,700 students across three winters and found that participants who completed avalanche courses measurably increased the frequency of safer backcountry behaviors, including terrain selection, recognition of unstable conditions and end-of-day decision review. The AIARE 1 Refresher is designed to help sustain and deepen those behaviors over time while giving returning students the opportunity to revisit decision-making frameworks, human factors guidance, and rescue protocols based on current best practices.

“AIARE is committed to continually evolving our curriculum based on peer-reviewed research, best practices and what we learn about how people apply avalanche education in the field,” said Vickie Hormuth, executive director of AIARE. “The research reinforces that avalanche education can lead to meaningful changes in backcountry behavior, but education doesn’t end when a course is over. The AIARE 1 Refresher gives students an opportunity to ‘knock the rust off’ and practice critical avalanche decision-making in real terrain with an experienced educator.”

The AIARE 1 Refresher will be offered through participating AIARE course providers during the 2026–27 winter season. To learn more and find a course, visit find.avtraining.org.