How to Apply
Step 1: Prepare your application materials listed below (under "Application Process") before applying.
Step 2: LOGIN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT
Step 3: Select "details" next to any course below to access the application form.
If you need to make any changes to your application, find the edit link provided in your application confirmation email.
AIARE PRO 1 Course Schedule
2023-24 Application Timeline
July 1 - Applications open for the upcoming winter season.
At time of application - students can choose to pay a $500 deposit, 50%, or 100% of the total course cost. At a minimum, the $500 deposit is required regardless of scholarships or other financial aid status.
1-2 business days after application and payment submission - AIARE will review your application and approve or request additional information. Applicants with complete applications and payment are enrolled on a rolling basis until the course is full.
Entry-level professionals who are seeking training and certification for employment in avalanche programs at:
- Ski areas
- Transportation corridors
- Helicopter operations
- Guiding operations like: snowcat, ski tour, alpine, expedition, snowshoe and snowmobile
- Public forecasting operations
Working professionals who want to better understand current industry standards and best practices as part of continued career development.
This course covers topics essential to the workplace, including:
- Identifying and characterizing avalanche terrain
- Understanding how avalanches form and release
- Collecting and analyzing weather, snow, and avalanche data
- Communicating hazard and risk factors

Students conduct daily operational forecast meetings, apply effective communication strategies, and debrief field observations and decisions.

The course includes:
- Pre-course online learning modules (25-30 hours)
- A 2-hour pre-course webinar 2 weeks before the course start
On-site at the venue, participants will engage in lectures, field exercises, and daily travel near or in avalanche terrain.
Students that pass all course categories receive a PRO 1 certificate...
...which is a national standard audited by the American Avalanche Association (A3). The evaluation criteria are communicated through the online modules and in the pre-course webinar.
Retesting is an option for participants who do not pass an element such as the Rescue Exam, Snow Profile & Snowpack Tests, and the Written Exam.

Prerequisites
The following prerequisites are the baseline for entry onto any A3-recognized PRO 1. More details are found in the Application Process Section below.
- Level 1 Avalanche course certificate from an A3 recognized provider
- Avalanche Rescue course certificate from an A3 recognized provider
- 20 days of documented risk management in avalanche terrain or workplace experience in the avalanche industry