Since 2010, DNT has had its own education ladder for avalanche courses with courses at several levels.
"DNT's work with avalanche training is a response to the increased need for practical knowledge about avalanches," says mountain sports advisor Roger Bareksten in DNT.
He says that the goal of DNT's avalanche work is threefold:
"We want to disseminate knowledge that helps to make the winter mountains accessible to even more people, we also want to contribute to accident prevention work among those who already seek out avalanche-prone terrain, and we want to increase knowledge among our own tour guides, mountain guides and instructors," he says.
UNIT OF MEASUREMENT: The compass can be used to measure the degrees of the mountainsides you intend to walk in. A rule of thumb is that avalanches rarely break loose in terrain below 30 degrees. Photo: Thomas Kleiven
NF Basic Course
The basic courses (day courses, basic courses and avalanche workshops) are courses and gatherings for anyone who wants to learn even more about assessing avalanche risk and traffic in potentially avalanche-prone terrain. The one-day course provides a short and general introduction to basic avalanche knowledge, while the basic course goes deeper into the subject. The avalanche workshops are not set up as courses, but as gatherings where participants have the opportunity to practice and learn about avalanches and avalanche assessments on a trip together with others.
SNOW CHECK: Avalanche course leader Gaute Hangaas Brenna lays the ski track near a cornice to assess the stability of the snow. The way the snow loosens provides important information in trip planning. Photo: Thomas Kleiven
NF advanced avalanche course
Advanced avalanche courses build on the basic courses and require course participants to have their own experience. In the advanced courses, participants learn how to make good route choices, read the snow cover and understand the factors that create the safe, good snow.
ASSESSMENT: On a trip, it's all about making safe choices. An avalanche course can help give you more knowledge in the winter mountains, so that you become better at reading the warning signals in the terrain. Photo: Thomas Kleiven
Ski touring courses, day courses and other avalanche courses
These are the courses for those who want professional, practical replenishment before heading out on a summit trip. On a ski touring course, the focus is on route choices and factors that affect summit tours in avalanche-prone terrain. There is a focus on how to find good and safe snow based on weather history, avalanche forecasts and your own experiences.
Qualifying courses
These are courses for those who want to educate themselves as an avalanche instructor. Here you can read more about the instructor education: Instructor courses
