The Avalanche Skills Course 1 (previously known as the Avalanche Awareness Course) is the first step in a lifelong journey of understanding and staying safe from avalanches. The course introduces an awareness of how the terrain and weather can affect the stability of the snowpack and how backcountry travellers can gather and interpret information about the weather and snowpack to plan and safely carry out a journey beyond the ski field boundary. In addition, it also provides instruction and practice of the latest companion rescue techniques.