Space still remains on CLTs for the 23/24 season. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Step 1: Prepare your application materials listed below (under "Course Prerequisites") 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 under "Classes and Certificates" from your dashboard.
Course Dates
Course dates are typically posted in late June or early July. While we work hard to place applicants on their preferred course, placements are not guaranteed; however, applicants will have an opportunity to indicate their needs and preferences in their application.
2023-24 Application Timeline
July - course dates posted
August 1 - applications open @ 9:00am MT
Rolling - AIARE will notify applicants if additional materials are needed
August 23 - applications close @ midnight MT*
*ALL applications submitted within the application period will be considered at the end of the window. Applications submitted earlier do not receive preference.
September 6 - placement and waitlist notifications sent
September 18 - first course payments ($500 minimum) due and first round of enrollments complete
September 19 forward - any unpaid or forfeited spots offered to waitlisted students*
*Applicants will have one week from when they are contacted to respond and make payment
The first module takes place online and at your own pace prior to the course.
To ensure the effectiveness of the self-paced work and peer review, we ask CLT applicants to submit a first draft of these assignments as a part of their course application. The work you complete in the first module is significant, and you can expect to spend at least twelve hours completing this portion. The more you put into your application, the more you’ll get out of your course.
The elements in your application packet will be workshopped and refined during the second, in-person course module.
At the end of the Course Leader Training, you will leave with all the materials needed to successfully lead an AIARE recreational course. The linked course description and sample itinerary provides a general outline of AIARE’s CLT.
Course participants will have opportunities to:
- Practice and apply their operational risk management skills and experience as AIARE Instructors
- Practice and receive feedback on leading an instructional team to manage risk and meet the learning outcomes of the AIARE curriculum
- Receive feedback on their instructional skills
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will meet AIARE’s instructor qualifications for AIARE 1, AIARE 2, and Avalanche Rescue courses. Individuals assessed as not yet ready to lead AIARE courses will work with AIARE staff to create an individualized plan to develop the necessary skills. The CLT is not designed to fulfill all the requirements associated with employment by AIARE Providers. AIARE Providers may require additional training and certifications (such as first aid) as well as demonstrated guiding and movement skills as a prerequisite to employment.
Course Prerequisites
- Significant experience teaching the entire Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain Program, as demonstrated in your avtraining.org profile. This generally means at least 8 courses total, taught over the course of at least 2 seasons
- A resume (using AIARE’s template) of backcountry and avalanche education experience demonstrating seven years of backcountry travel experience as well as significant experience instructing AIARE courses
- A letter of recommendation (using this form) from an AIARE Course Leader you have worked with in the last year that attests to your readiness to course lead
- Completed application packet (prepared as a single file), including:
- Sample pre- and post-course student communications
- Sample agendas for the AIARE 1, AIARE 2, and Avalanche Rescue courses specific to a venue where you typically work
- Course Delivery Checklists that list pre-course, on-course, and post-course tasks and who is responsible for those tasks
- Terrain Resources that include a simple terrain atlas/catalog of a venue where you typically work as well sample resources you would provide to an AIARE 1 student
- A PRO 2 certificate (or equivalent [see p.4 here]) from an A3-approved PRO provider
- Your PRO 2 must be completed the season prior to applying for a CLT; the two cannot be completed in the same season
- Currency with AIARE Instructor dues and continuing education requirements
- Check your status at https://avtraining.org/instructor-status-requirements/
- A signed risk acknowledgement waiver
Application Process
The CLT application period opens for three weeks in August. Applications are only reviewed after the application period has closed. In other words, you can apply anytime during the window, and it will not affect your chances of acceptance. Late applications are considered on a space-available basis.
Only complete applications–those that meet all prerequisites for the course and provide all information requested by the application form–are considered for enrollment. If an application is incomplete, AIARE will notify the applicant as soon as possible with information about what is needed. Incomplete applications generate a big administrative burden for our small office staff. Help us out by ensuring your application is complete before submitting.
AIARE reviews applications in late August and early September and will notify applicants of their placement by mid-September. Those offered placement will finalize their enrollment by making payment. 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. Please be aware of AIARE’s cancellation policy, which includes a $250 non-refundable fee. Final payment is due 60 days before the course start date. Scholarships are available. Any applicants who are not placed will be placed on a waitlist and notified if spaces become available.
