Avalanche Rescue Training – Thyon (1 day)

A full practical day on companion rescue: what to do in the first 15 minutes after an avalanche burial, when your own group is the only help that will arrive in time. The morning covers theory and transceiver basics. The afternoon runs realistic scenarios in the snow, including single and multiple burials, probing and strategic shovelling, until the rescue sequence becomes automatic. Why this course: Most people who carry a transceiver have never used it under pressure. In a real burial, survival chances drop sharply after 15 minutes, and the difference comes down to a fast, practised routine. This course gives you that routine through repetition in real snow, with an IFMGA guide correcting your technique as you go. Who it's for: Anyone who skis or rides off piste or goes ski touring. No previous avalanche training needed. You should be comfortable moving around in deep snow for several hours. Conditions: The course runs in most conditions, as the field practice takes place in safe terrain. The exact location in Thyon depends on snow cover.

• avalanche kit

* Meet at 08:30 at the Thyon 2000 main square * Equipment check and transceiver function test * Theory: avalanche basics, the burial survival curve and rescue priorities * Transceiver search technique: signal search, coarse search, fine search * Probing technique and probe lines * Strategic shovelling: the conveyor belt method * Rescue planning and leading a group rescue * Full scenario: single and multiple burials * Debrief and finish around 16:00 to 17:00