Field sessions give students an opportunity to put the skills they learned in the classroom to use in actual hands-on scenarios while being coached and mentored by leaders in the industry. 
The lessons learned in the field are an essential piece to a student’s over-all avalanche training.  

The American Avalanche Institute  will be the course provider for the NAS affiliated field sessions.   
2023 / 2024 Dates & Locations: 

  Alta Ski Area, UT  •  December 11 - 14
  Schweitzer Mountain Resort, ID  •  TBD
  Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, NV  •  February 19 - 22

Registration Fee: $1,199/per attendee 
CLICK HERE to visit the AAI website for additional information and to register for a particular field session.

Prerequisites:

  • Successful completion of National Avalanche School Classroom portion: The NAS is held in 2 parts – a four and a half day classroom session and a four day field session held in the winter. Participants must attend and successfully pass the classroom session in order to attend these field sessions.
  • Students must attend and successfully pass both the classroom session and one of the field sessions in order to receive a Pro1-NAS designation.
  • Proof of payment of A3 Pro Course Student Fee

Students are trained and evaluated on the following skills:
- Demonstrate small party avalanche rescue response
- Take and interpret weather station observations
- Utilize morning and evening stability worksheets
- Communicate the avalanche risk to team members
- Assess and analyze avalanche terrain
- Manage a small group in terrain appropriate for the avalanche problem
- Select appropriate snowpit sites
- Systematically execute a snowpit, including weak layer identification and stability tests
- Develop solid observational and documentation skills of snow, weather and avalanche's.