Avalanche Education Courses, Awareness and Safety Management

New Zealand Mountan Safety Council Avalanche Center

Education

Instructor secure area:
- Instructor file downloads

Be kept in the loop:

Email Sign up

Getting the goods on the weather forecast is never easy. Get your mountain weather forecast right now!

Met Service

MSC Avalanche Education Courses

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) has provided avalanche education courses for more than 25 years. It is possible to spend a life time safely recreating in avalanche terrain but it takes skills and knowledge learnt through time in the hills and taking education courses.

The MSC provide a range of courses from the entry level Avalanche Awareness course, through the recreational Backcountry Avalanche course to the Professional Avalanche Safety Stage 1, 2 and a Diploma in Avalanche Safety. The professional level courses are delivered on our behalf by a number of tertiary providers around New Zealand.

Avalanche course descriptions

Avalanche Awareness:

An essential introductory for skiers and snowboarders who need the basic knowledge required to help them make decisions about their personal safety when in avalanche terrain.
Full description

Backcountry Avalanche :

The Backcountry Course is the next step in the development of observation, route ﬁnding and decision making skills that are critical for winter recreation in the mountains. It will give you the knowledge to travel and make sound safety decisions while in avalanche terrain. This is the course to take if you are intending to spend time in alpine terrain beyond the ski area boundary or in the parks and backcountry areas around New Zealand and the world.
The course usually lasts for four days and can be delivered over four consecutive days or over two weekends depending on the provider.
Full description

Avalanche Safety Management Stage 1

This is an introductory professional course for people involved in the safety of alpine recreational activities and in the collection of snowpack data. It is the prerequisite for the Stage 2 course and the Diploma and a requirement for employment in many related areas including Ski Patrol, Guiding and Instruction.

These courses are delivered on behalf of the MSC by a number of tertiary education providers, over 6-7 days. The course is primarily field based but does have a class-room component and a written exam.
Full description

Diploma in Avalanche Studies

This Diploma develops your knowledge and skills in avalanche safety programmes for ski-fields, guiding or roading operations, or instruct in these areas.
It incorporates the NZMSC Avalanche Safety Stage 2, which is a prerequisite for many professional leadership and decision-making roles in mountain terrain.
Full description

|||||

||||||