CANCELLATION GUIDELINES

2025-2026 Course Cancellation & Transfer Policy

To cancel or transfer your course, email SAS’s main office at info@avyschool.org as soon as possible. Written confirmation is required. Voicemails do not count. The main office is open Monday through Friday from December 1 to April 30, except federal holidays.

General Guidelines

  • Avalanche Education takes place in the mountains, where passes sometimes close, limiting access. If a suitable hard surface route remains open, you are expected to attend. If all routes close, SAS will work with students on a delayed start, venue change, or transfer. Refunds are not provided for extreme weather conditions.

  • If you leave after the program begins, SAS keeps 100% of your tuition. No refunds or tuition credits are offered.

  • If you display signs of illness (fever, cough, sore throat, congestion) during a course, you will be asked to leave the program, and SAS will retain 100% of your tuition. SAS strongly encourages purchasing “cancel for any reason” trip insurance so that students do not feel compelled to attend a program while sick. This applies to all signs of illness, regardless of the specific diagnosis.

Recreational Courses including REC 1, REC 2 and REC Rescue

Cancellations and Transfers 

SAS requires a full credit card or cash/check payment to hold your reservation. 

Cancellations more than 3 weeks before your original course start date receive a 50% refund.

Cancellations 1 to 3 weeks prior to your original course start date incur a $100 processing and administrative fee. No refunds provided within 3 weeks of program start. However,

  • If SAS is able to fill your space on the program with another participant, we will refund 50% of your tuition.

Cancellations within 1 week of the course start date will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.

Professional Courses including PRO 1, PRO 2, PRO AvSAR, and PRO Rescue

Cancellations and Transfers

Up to 10 Weeks Prior to Course

Payment of course fees in full is required by 10 weeks prior to the course or you will be removed from the program with no refund of any fees paid.

If you wish to transfer between courses you can do so up to 10 weeks in advance of your course and you will be charged a $100 transfer fee. Your deposit is held and transferred to your new course and the transfer fee must be paid at the time of the transfer request.

If you wish to withdraw from the course you can do so up to 10 weeks in advance of the course and a refund will be issued less 15% of the course cost for administrative and purchase processing fees.

 

Less than 10 Weeks Prior to Course

We cannot offer refunds or course transfers once you are 10 weeks out from the course. At this time the roster has been set and the staff have been committed. SAS highly recommends purchasing trip interruption/cancellation insurance if you are concerned about the possibility of injury, illness, or your plans changing leading up to the start of your course.

 

 

Travel Insurance

There are many options for travel insurance. We encourage using the same insurance that similar industry organizations encourage using for their programs.

Please use this link to Global Rescue/IMG Signature Travel Insurance or look into travel insurance. We highly recommend selecting “cancel for any reason” insurance.

 

Behavioral Expectations

The Silverton Avalanche School is committed to ensuring the safety of its students and staff at all times. SAS maintains a zero-tolerance approach concerning drugs and alcohol during class and field time. If we suspect you are under the influence of any of these substances, it will be grounds for expulsion from the course without refund.