| ©Bill Glude 2005 SAAC OBSERVERS COURSE 2005-06 This is a course we worked up for the US Forest Service in the fall of 2005. A few folks were strong supporters, but the bureaucracy in general disappointingly failed to come through. We think it is a great course though, and hope to be able to work with interested groups or agencies to do it some other time. This course was intended to train observers for the Center’s Advisory Program. Priority for enrollment in this course was to be be given first to participating agency staffers, then to community volunteers designated by those agencies, and then to others willing to post regularly. The Observers Course requires a time commitment of one evening and seven full days with evening classes every day. It consists of an intensive three and a half day 33 hour Level 1 course followed by four full observer training days for 44 hours of observer training, much of it in hands-on practical sessions. The whole course totals 77 hours. Cost for the whole course is a flat rate of $900. People with a recent Level 1 or higher avalanche training meeting American Avalanche Association guidelines can ask the course providers for the option of taking only the last four days of observer training. They will need to bring some field notes and have some digital photos on their camera or computer to use for practical exercises during the first day. The cost for the observer training portion of the course is a flat rate of $550. The Level 1 precourse information sheets are the reference for the required travel skills, fitness, and gear. In addition to the usual Level 1 course supplies, participants in this course will need a digital camera and laptop computer. The camera will need memory cards, batteries, charger, and a cord to connect it to your computer. The computer will need Photoshop (full version if possible, Elements will do in a pinch), Microsoft Word, and a web browser. A wireless Internet card will be useful if you have or can get one. In a pinch, two people who work together can share this equipment, but you’ll get the most out of the course if you bring your own. |
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LEVEL 1 PORTION Our Level I courses are 3-day, 33-hour courses that meet and exceed the American Avalanche Association curriculum and teach according to AAA observations guidelines, the US standard. DAY 1, EVENING CLASSROOM DAY 2, MORNING CLASSROOM DAY 2, FIELD SESSION DAY 2, EVENING CLASSROOM DAY 3, MORNING CLASSROOM
DAY 4, FIELD SESSION DAY4, EVENING CLASSROOM |
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OBSERVATIONS PORTION OBSERVATIONS DAY 1, MORNING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 1, FIELD BREAK OBSERVATIONS DAY 1, AFTERNOON CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 1, EVENING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 2, MORNING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 2, FIELD SESSION OBSERVATIONS DAY 2, EVENING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 3, MORNING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 3, FIELD SESSION OBSERVATIONS DAY 3, EVENING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 4, MORNING CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS DAY 4, FIELD SESSION OBSERVATIONS DAY 4, EVENING CLASSROOM |