OP Courses

Outdoor Programs offers industry-standard certification courses in wilderness medicine, avalanche education, and swift water rescue. These courses are open to the general public unless specified otherwise. Priority registration may be given to USU students, faculty and staff with certain course offerings. Only USU students currently enrolled at the time of registration are eligible for the student rate. Course participants must be a minimum of 18 years of age. OP Course Cancellation Policy

Wilderness First Responder Recertification (WRC)
Online Hybrid

Prerequisites

• Previous WFR certifications must have been at least 72-hours in length.
• All participants must have completed the online modules prior to the start of the in-person classroom session.

This course is taught in partnership with Desert Mountain Medicine. Moab courses are also in partnership with the Canyonlands Field Institute and held at their Professor Valley Field Camp.

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Who Should Take this Course

The AIARE 1 is for anyone who wants to recreate in or near avalanche terrain. Participants may have attended some awareness classes or workshops or completed the Avalanche Rescue course, but none are a prerequisite for this course.

Aspiring professionals will need to take the AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue as a prerequisite for the Pro 1 course.

Prerequisites

Students must be able to travel in avalanche terrain and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow to class. Non-motorized backcountry travel equipment (AT skis, Telemark, Splitboard w/ skins) is required. Snow shoes and cross country skis are not allowed.

Students must be comfortable riding black diamond resort terrain in variable snow conditions and be prepared for strenuous uphill backcountry travel. THIS COURSE IS NOT FOR NOVICE SKIERS/SNOWBOARDERS!

This course will consist of online modules, a classroom session and field days in surrounding area mountains. Students will need to bring an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe.

Backcountry equipment required for this course can be rented from the USU Outdoor Programs rental shop. Please reserve this equipment in advance as quantities are limited.

This course is taught in partnership with American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education and is offered for USU academic credit through Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

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The AIARE 2 is a three-day/24-hour course that provides backcountry travelers an opportunity to advance their decision making skills in more complicated situations such as being a leader within a small travel group, traveling in more complicated terrain, and/or developing a travel plan where online resources are scarce.

The AIARE 2 builds on the introductory avalanche hazard management model introduced in the AIARE 1 and adds to it the evaluation of critical hazard assessment factors. Students will describe and discuss weather, snowpack and avalanche processes, and identify how these processes relate to observations and travel within avalanche terrain.

Who Should Take this Course

The AIARE 2 is a three-day course for those who have taken an AIARE 1, Avalanche Rescue and have had at least a year of backcountry travel experience. The AIARE 2 provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills.

Prerequisites

• Participants must have the ability to travel in avalanche terrain.
• An AIARE 1 Course or equivalent Level 1 training.
• A winter of practical experience after the Level 1 course before taking the AIARE 2 course. AIARE or AAA approved one-day Avalanche Rescue Course.

Non-motorized backcountry travel equipment (AT skis, Telemark, Splitboard w/ skins) is required. Snow shoes and cross country skis are not allowed.

Students must be comfortable riding black diamond resort terrain in variable snow conditions and be prepared for strenuous uphill backcountry travel. THIS COURSE IS NOT FOR NOVICE SKIERS/SNOWBOARDERS!

Backcountry equipment can be rented from the USU Outdoor Programs rental shop. Please reserve this equipment in advance as quantities are limited.

This course is taught in partnership with American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education and is offered for USU academic credit through Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

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Avalanche Rescue

AIARE Avalanche Rescue is a prerequisite for the AIARE 2 and Pro 1 courses. AIARE recommends that all backcountry travelers keep their skills current by taking an Avalanche Rescue Course and receiving a rescue card at least every other year.

All students will have the opportunity to get feedback from an instructor on their rescue skills and timed practice with a realistic scenario.

Students who have previously taken an AIARE 1 or an Avalanche Rescue Course will find value in having a professional help them set up a realistic scenario, practice skills in a realistic setting, receive feedback from an instructor, keep up with current best practices, and have an opportunity to practice advanced rescue skills.

Who Should Take this Course

The Avalanche Rescue Course is a one-day course aimed both at new and experienced recreationists, and aspiring snow professionals.

Prerequisites

Students must be able to travel in the snow, and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow to class.

Backcountry equipment required for this course can be rented from the USU Outdoor Programs rental shop. Please reserve this equipment in advance as quantities are limited.

This course is taught in partnership with American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education and is offered for USU academic credit through Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

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  Swiftwater Rescue (Rec-1 & Pro-1)

Online Component

After you register, you will receive your online invitation email so you can start your online training. You have from the time yout register to the start of the course to complete the 3-4 hr training which consist of 19 training modules. Each module will be followed by a module exam, and you will be able to retake each exam as many times as necessary. You must pass each exam with a minimum score of 80% in order to gain access to the next module. You can start and stop at any time and your progress will be saved. This will help you be successful once you get to class.

Field Training

For the 2 day REC-I, expect to meet at a pre-determined course site in the morning on day 1 (TBD by your instructor). A little time in the morning will be spent on land reviewing some of the concepts that you were exposed to during the online training. Additionally, you will also be presented with the student field manual, and your instructor will go over all necessary course paperwork. All of this in preparation for day 2 that will be a continuation of day 1 with focus on training in the river and rapidly building your skill-set. We will introduce and have discussions on risk management, group dynamics, expedition leadership and self care in a stressful environment.

Prerequisites

1. 18 Years of age
2. Proficient swimmer
3. Physically capable
4. Desire to learn
5. All of the necessary PPE
6. Meet all Essential Eligibility Criteria

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Pro-1 Course

This is a professional level swiftwater rescue course designed for those requiring certification as a term of employment in a professional capacity; this course teaches rescue techniques with regard to limited resources in a variety of river settings. This 2 day, 18 hr course (with online training) meets the needs of professional river guides as well as USFS, NPS, Search and Rescue teams, Field Biologists, and BLM employees. Additionally, this course is open to recreational river users wishing to train on the PRO track and have access to the PRO-II course not accessible through the REC track.

Course focus is on personal safety, decision making, risk management, and complex problem solving with other team members having limited rescue resources and communication with outside parties. This course is designed to meet varying student skill levels, and everyone from professional guides to seasonal contractors will benefit from the rescue techniques and concepts covered in this course. Self rescue and hazard avoidance and recognition are key components in this swiftwater course.

Pro-1 Course Delivery

The PRO-I will be delivered in a 2 day, 18 hour format. We achieve this by eliminating the formal classroom component due to COVID19 concerns, and allow you to access online training modules from the safety and comfort of your home. You are required to complete your online training prior to the field training with SSI. Days 1 and 2 will be spent in the water working on rescue concept evolutions. The PRO-I requires the student to understand key components in the online training and show up in the field on day one (1) capable of constructing a 3:1 mechanical advantage system on their own (direction provided in online modules). 

Online Component

After you register, you will receive your online invitation email so you can start your online training. You have from the time yout register to the start of the course to complete the 3-4 hr training which consist of 19 training modules. Each module will be followed by a module exam, and you will be able to retake each exam as many times as necessary. You must pass each exam with a minimum score of 80% in order to gain access to the next module. You can start and stop at any time and your progress will be saved. This will help you be successful once you get to class.

Field Training

For a 2 day PRO-I, expect to meet at a pre-determined course site on morning one (1) and be presented with the student field manual and all necessary course paperwork. You will be required to construct a simple 3:1 mechanical advantage system as a means to test into this program. All of this in preparation for two (2) days that will involve a heavy hands-on approach with focus on training in the river and rapidly building your skill-set.

Prerequisites

1. 18 years of age
2. Proficient swimmer
3. Physically capable
4. Desire to learn
5. All of the necessary PPE
6. Meet all Essential Eligibility Criteria

Testing

After you have successfully completed the online training and passed with an average score of no less than 80%, you will be allowed to attend the field training portion. You must also pass the practical evaluation on day one (1): building a simple 3:1 mechanical advantage system on your own. There will be no further written examination in this PRO-I training, however you will have to satisfy practical evaluations throughout your time in the field. These are required components for the certification of a PRO-I course.

Certification

Internationally recognized 3 year Swiftwater Rescue Training (PRO-I ) Certification of Course Completion – with satisfactory practical and written skills evaluations. On occasion, it may be deemed by your instructor that a one or two year certification is more appropriate based on practical skills evaluations. This will be outlined in the SSI Core Competencies evaluation and clearly explained to the student.

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These courses are taught in partnership with the Swiftwater Safety Institute (SSI) and is offered for USU academic credit through Kinesiology and Health Sciences.

Swiftwater equipment required for this course can be rented from the USU Outdoor Programs rental shop. Please reserve this equipment in advance as quantities are limited.