How WEMountain is Revolutionising Avalanche Awareness from Your Sofa
Until recently, learning avalanche safety meant signing up for an in-person course, often after you’d already started skiing off-piste. But WEMountain is changing that model. With the rise in backcountry access and climate instability, avalanche awareness is no longer optional. It is essential.
WEMountain, co-founded by freeride legend Dominique Perret, is the first international training platform that combines digital learning with field-based instruction. It empowers skiers and snowboarders with the knowledge they need before they ever step onto the snow.
What is WEMountain?
WEMountain is a mountain safety education system that blends online learning (e-learning) with on-snow courses (T-learning). It is designed for everyone from casual off-piste skiers to seasoned backcountry explorers. The idea is simple: give people the tools to make informed decisions before they head into high-risk terrain.
The two core e-learning courses are:
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OFFPISTE (approx. 2 hours): Ideal for skiers and snowboarders who occasionally leave the groomed slopes.
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BACKCOUNTRY (approx. 3 hours): Tailored for those who venture further into remote areas or plan multi-day ski touring trips.
The courses are offered in both English and French and include interactive modules, real-life scenarios, and expert-led video content.
The Structure: Avoid, React, Rescue
WEMountain teaches a practical framework divided into three core parts:
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Avoid (80 percent) – Learn to prevent avalanches by understanding terrain, snow conditions, and weather factors.
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React (10 percent) – Build the right mental approach to respond in dangerous situations.
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Rescue (10 percent) – Know what to do in an emergency and how to assist others effectively.
The BACKCOUNTRY course includes the exclusive Mountaineering Human Factors (MHF) tool. This self-assessment model consists of 60 statements designed to help you evaluate your psychological and physical readiness before heading out. Developed with global experts in psychology, medicine, and mountain sports, it helps identify behaviours and conditions that can lead to risky decisions.
The Global Community Behind WEMountain
WEMountain is supported by a passionate and experienced network of over 40 top athletes, instructors, and safety advocates known as Safety Angels. These include Freeride World Tour champions, Olympic competitors, mountain guides, and ski instructors who believe education is the most powerful piece of gear a skier can carry.
Their mission is clear: promote a culture of freedom, pleasure, and safety in the mountains. Their support gives WEMountain credibility and helps it reach a wide and diverse audience.
Why This Training Matters Now
Avalanche fatalities continue to rise, and data shows that 90 percent of avalanches are triggered by the victim or someone in their group. One in two victims does not survive. Despite the availability of rescue gear, many skiers head into the backcountry without the knowledge to use it properly or prevent accidents in the first place.
WEMountain’s courses focus on prevention and decision-making. The idea is not to prepare for a rescue but to avoid needing one.
InTheSnow Reader Exclusive: Save 20 Percent
WEMountain is offering a 20 percent discount on both their courses for InTheSnow readers.
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OFFPISTE Course – Regular price €69 / CHF69 → Now €55
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BACKCOUNTRY Course – Regular price €99 / CHF99 → Now €79
Use the code: safewithinthesnow
Start your training: Take the quiz and begin
Every course sale using this code also includes a 20 percent commission, supporting avalanche education and awareness.
WEMountain: Learn at Home, Ride with Confidence
WEMountain’s goal is simple. Save lives by creating better-prepared mountain users. With over 4,000 members across 52 countries, and more than 60 certified instructors teaching in four Alpine nations, WEMountain is building a safer backcountry culture one skier at a time.
Before you invest in new gear or follow another set of tracks, invest in your own knowledge. The best safety equipment is your brain. Make sure it’s ready for the season.