HOLLADAY SKI FIELD GUIDE
Lead the Line: Four Days of AIARE 2 Avalanche Training in Holladay
A four-day AIARE 2 course in Holladay that combines classroom sessions and extensive fieldwork to advance avalanche hazard management and leadership for experienced backcountry travelers.
Lead the Line: Four Days of AIARE 2 Avalanche Training in Holladay.
Set against the canyons that peel off the Wasatch Range, the AIARE 2 course is an immersive, four-day program that moves beyond introductory rescue and awareness—offering experienced backcountry travelers a structured curriculum of classroom learning and in-field decision-making to manage more complicated avalanche terrain and to develop small-team leadership.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Advance into a Leadership Role
The curriculum emphasizes developing leadership skills for small teams—facilitating group discussion, selecting appropriate terrain, and applying simple risk-management strategies so students can act with greater confidence when leading backcountry parties.
Classroom, Then Plenty of Time in the Field
The course balances one to two classroom sessions with extensive field days, allowing students to connect weather, snowpack, and avalanche-process theory to real observations and travel decisions in avalanche terrain.
Practice in the Cottonwood Canyons
Instruction and field exercises take place in local venues—Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons—so participants learn to evaluate hazards and terrain consequences in the region where they will likely travel.
What the day feels like
What Four Days Feels Like
Expect a concentrated course rhythm: morning classroom briefings to frame avalanche processes and forecasting frameworks, then full field days using observations to test hypotheses about weather, snowpack, and terrain; the pace is deliberate to allow time for discussion, hands-on evaluation, and leadership practice in increasingly complex travel scenarios.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course fits—and who should wait.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The course runs over four days, combining classroom sessions and multiple field days.
The program meets at 6200 Wasatch Blvd E, Holladay, UT 84117 for check-in and initial briefings.
Participants should have completed AIARE 1 (or equivalent AAA-accredited Level 1) and an avalanche rescue course; one winter of post-Level-1 practical experience is highly recommended.
Fieldwork takes place in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons; course schedule and locations may be adjusted for safety and snow conditions.
The curriculum includes 1–2 classroom sessions plus extensive in-field application focused on avalanche hazard evaluation and leadership development.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
What is the tipping etiquette for guides?
Guides work hard to ensure a memorable, safe, and educational experience; if they meet or surpass your expectations, consider a gratuity—U.S. guidelines are similar to restaurants (15–20%).
How long is the AIARE 2 course?
The recreational AIARE 2 course is four days in duration.
What prerequisites are required to enroll?
Students should have completed an AIARE 1 course (or equivalent AAA-accredited Level 1) and an AIARE Rescue or equivalent avalanche rescue course; one winter of practical experience after Level 1 is highly recommended.
Where will most of the fieldwork take place?
Field exercises are conducted in local venues, specifically Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
Is this course appropriate for beginners?
No—AIARE 2 is intended for those who have completed introductory avalanche training and have practical winter backcountry experience; it advances decision-making and leadership in more complicated terrain.