Course Materials & Resources
Above: University of Alaska Southeast Level 2 students practice pitwork, note-taking, and tests.
Avalanche Course Information
- UAS Website and Syllabus - choose semester; search for “avalanche” and PE section to find each course’s information.
- Level 1 Field Course Information
- Level 2 Field Course Information
- Understanding Units, for the Metrically Impaired
- Community Level 1 Course Schedule
- Community Level 2 Course Schedule
- Heliguides 1 Course Schedule
- UAS Fall Level I Syllabus
- UAS Spring Level 1 Syllabus
- UAS Spring Level 2 Syllabus
Avalanche Topic Handouts & References
- Level 1 - Overview And Urban Avalanches
- All Levels - Rescue
- Level 1 - Terrain
- Level 1 - Snowpack I Mechanics and Weather
- All Levels - Snowpack II Metamorphism
- All Levels - Snowpack III Stability Evaluation & Note-taking
- Level 1 - Human Factor I Risk Management (.mov)
- Level 1 - Human Factor II Decision-making (.mov)
- All Levels - Human Factor for Snowmachine Travel
- Link - BBC Sensation-seeking and Other Personality Tests
- Level 2 - Overview (.mov)
- Level 2 - Rescue for Leaders (.mov)
- Level 2 Metamorphism (.mov)
- Level 2 - Weather (.mov)
- Level 2 - Snow Mechanics (.mov)
- Level 2 - Human Factor (.mov)
- Level 2 - Terrain: Steeps & Sluffs (.mov)
- Level 2+ - Advanced Stability Evaluation (.mov)
- Level 2 - Glaciers & Ice Avalanches (.mov)
Avalanche Field Sheets
- AK Block Sizing Table
- Juneau Course Field Map (Black & White)
- Juneau Course Field Map (Large File, Color)
- Terrain Classification Table
- Most-current Fieldbook Checklist/Key Sheets Revision - Preview
- Full-page Aspect Elevation Rose Field Ob's Form
Avalanche Research Papers and Projects
Juneau Area Avalanche Weather Links
- NWS Juneau Zone Forecast
- NCAR JAWS Juneau Airport Wind System
- NWS Southeast Alaska Observations
- NWS Numerical Forecasts
- NWS Vertical Profilers (Yellow/Blue is snow level)
- UAS Environmental Science Fish Creek Weather Station
- Mountain Weather .com Alaska Page
- SFSU Jetstream Map
- NOAA North Pacific Satellite Animation
- NWS Alaska Weather Models, GFS and NAM
- U of W MM5-NAM Weather Model, start with 36km SLP
- US Navy Worldwide Weather Models, GFS >12 hr precip > all
- NWS Juneau Forecast Office, Area Forecast Discussion
- Alaska Aviation Weather Unit 24-36 Hour Forecast Maps
Urban Avalanche Maps and Other Resources
- Downtown Juneau Avalanche Maps
- Behrends Avenue Urban Avalanche Path Map
- White Subdivision Urban Avalanche Path Map
- CBJ Avalanche Plan
Avalanche Course Cards
- We issue course completion cards which are good for three years. We will renew them after three years if you can show evidence of continuing education, such as another course, attendance at ISSW or educational seminars, work experience, or helping out with research or forecasting programs.
- Replacement cards are available, but due to the high volume of lost-card requests and the necessity to have a new sheet printed up and signed each time, we must charge $25 for this service. If you need one, please provide your name, mailing address, the course you took, and the dates.
Kiting Handouts and Resources
- UAS Snowkite Camp Syllabus - Draft
- Snowkite Risk Management and Skills
- Alaska Windjammer Kites Introductory Kiteboarding Camp Syllabus - Draft
- Water Kite Risk Management and Skills - Draft
- AAS About Kiting Page
- AAS Alaska Windjammer Kites Page
- Kiting Alaska Website
- Airtime - kite repair and field repair kits, Hood River
- Side-Off Video - Brian Caserio's one-stop shop for the best instructional and inspirational DVDs.
Juneau Area Kiting Conditions Links
- NWS Juneau Zone Forecast
- Juneau NWS Text Products - Short Term; Marine
- NWS Juneau Forecast Office, Area Forecast Discussion
- NCAR JAWS Juneau Airport Wind System - Be sure to download the JAWS Integrated Display JAVA application if you want up-to-date graphing of wind trends.
- Douglas Boat Harbor (Sandy Beach) Anemometer - Beware, this site should update every twenty minutes, but readings often take ten to twenty minutes longer to show up online. It reads low on SE winds and high on NW.
- Juneau Tide Graph
- Point Retreat Anemometer - Far away from the Eagle Beach launch, but the best available. As of May 2013, field reports indicate the anemometer is malfunctioning and reads very low. NW wind is best; launch is wind-shadowed in NE wind.
- NWS Numerical Forecasts
- NWS Alaska Weather Models, GFS and NAM
- U of W MM5-NAM Weather Model, start with 36km SLP
- US Navy Worldwide Weather Models, GFS >12 hr precip > all
- Alaska Aviation Weather Unit 24-36 Hour Forecast Maps
All photos, text, and images on this website are © Bill Glude unless otherwise noted.