Membership Guidelines

Application review begins when a non-refundable application fee (equal to the dues of the member level you’re applying for) are paid and a complete application is received. The A3 Membership Trustee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the A3 Board for Pro member ratification at each quarterly A3 board meeting. If your application is approved, your application fee will be applied to your annual dues.

Completing the Online Application

Applicants for Pro and Affiliate membership must thoroughly complete the "Avalanche Training & Experience" section of their member profile in the A3 database. The goal is to provide clear, detailed documentation of your professional-level experience through at least four winters. Prompts in the A3 database will ask you about:

  • Avalanche courses you've taken or taught (include dates and names of providers),

  • Avalanche-related employment (current and past positions, paid or volunteer; include names of employers, duties, # of days per season of active avalanche field work, supervisor contact info, and dates of employment),

  • Avalanche research and/or publication contributions, and

  • Avalanche-related professional references (two or three avalanche-related professional references, include email and phone contact info; references are required for Pro applicants who are self-employed).

Professional Member Requirements

  • At least four winters (minimum of 20 days per winter) of active avalanche work. This figure represents an average number of control days at ski areas with active snow safety programs. If your duties in a position include more than avalanche work, you must provide a tally of the days spent directly performing avalanche-related fieldwork. Ski patrollers, for instance, must document the number of days spent in active snow safety or avalanche control work.

  • Documentation of your avalanche-related activities throughout those 4+ winters. This shows that you are actively observing and working in a variety of conditions as they develop. Activities can be for different operations or employers over the course of a winter. Documented experience must be based primarily on forecasting, route-finding, rescue, explosive delivery, research, guiding, or similar field work.

    • You may include days spent instructing field-based avalanche safety courses. Avalanche education field work can account for some, but not all, of your professional experience. Avalanche courses (taken or taught) should follow A3 or CAA guidelines, and may be taught by current A3 members or current A3 providers, the National Avalanche School, or equivalent in-house or ongoing ski patrol and guide training. Acceptable continuing education includes events such as the ISSW, A3 professional development seminar, CSAW, and AIARE continuing education.

    • You may include advanced academic education directly connected with snow and avalanche studies (undergrad or graduate work). You may include mentored but unpaid professional-level experience such as volunteer fieldwork for an avalanche center.

    • Personal recreational experience, such as significant climbs, descents, traverses or expeditions if avalanches were a primary hazard and professional-level avalanche skills and decision-making were essential to your safety, may be considered for some, but not all, of your experience. Include details of routes and examples of professional-level documentation and analysis for such recreational experience.

Aspiring members who do not yet meet all of the criteria for Pro membership may apply for Affiliate membership as they work towards these goals.