There are several organizations and government agencies that offer safety instruction and information. Head to the hills well-informed and prepared.
* The Colorado Avalanche Information Center offers a variety of avalanche awareness courses across the state each winter. Some are short lessons on how to at least identify and avoid avalanche terrain, and other courses provide in-depth clinics studying the complexity of avalanches and snow stability. On the Net: http://geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche/
* In the 1960s, nine hunters died and 24 were injured in hunting accidents each year. In 1970, Colorado lawmakers decreed everyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1949, must complete a hunter-education course to hunt in Colorado. In the 1990s, Colorado averaged one fatal and 11 nondeadly hunting accidents a year. The Division of Wildlife offers about 1,000 of the day-long courses every year. They are not just for hunters, either. The lessons teach outdoors skills needed for backcountry emergencies. On the Net: http://wildlife.state.co.us/hunt/huntereducation
* The Colorado Mountain Club sponsors all sorts of introductory hikes and mountain-oriented courses in every season. On the Net: www.cmc.org
* Dust off your avalanche savvy tonight at a free avalanche awareness seminar hosted by Friends of Berthoud Pass at the Oriental Theater in northwest Denver. Avalanche expert Halsted “Hacksaw” Morris, the chief instructor for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, will direct the three-hour course. On the Net: www.berthoudpass.org
* Wilderness Medicine Outfitters in Elizabeth has been offering wilderness medicine classes since 1967, providing Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness EMT and Advanced Wilderness First Aid certification. The outfit also offers unique distant learning courses. On the Net: www.wildernessmedicine.com
