Hey Adam, any education you can do for avalanche safety and terrain navigation is always a good thing but I think your question is more about is the course worth the investment of money versus time? I have a free login to both courses if you are interested. E-mail me and I can set you up and then you can tell us what you though!

info (at) backcountryskiingcanada.com

I've started it and will finish it over the next month. My impression so far is that it is professionally put together and keeps your attention well. The price is cheap at around $30, so if that is the question, I would say definitely worth it. The time to do it is more costly in my opinion, but worth it if you want the avy knowledge.

thanks both. Think I'll sign up. Something to keep me busy when the pineapple express ploughs through next week....

So, after much mucking about trying to sort logins I've completed the course. I found it useful and instructive as a novice. Made me very much more aware of how much I've done and taken for granted that perhaps I shouldn't. I really think its a must for anyone who even chooses to "simply" duck under the rope thinking they'll be safe - certainly makes me think twice about risk, and also have a foundation in quantifying that, as well as introducing to a deeper understanding of avalanches, how they happen, terrain traps, Munter's 3x3 filter etc etc. Speaking to a friend who's just completed AST 2 it looks to be well founded in its knowledge base and I think would be a good introducer/foundation to AST 1 (which I'm doing next month). I'll update once I've done AST1 so see how the knowledge compares. 

I've done AST 1 now as well. I think that the mountain academy course covered a bit more knowledge but clearly doesn't have the practical component and classroom interaction thats more useful in AST1. Also, the Avalanche Canada pre-reading for AST1 covered alot of the ground that the mountain academy does, only its free.

I think its still useful doing both, as it adds re-inforcement and some differing perspective.

For those of us not going to the backcountry on a professional basis, I think it's good to have a refresher every season.  I like the idea of having an on-line program to go through in early November before heading out just to remind me of some of the details.  I usually review snow pit tests and reread the avalanche canada websites, but I'll add this program in 2016.  

Over the past 5 years I've also been going out in December and having a couple days avalanche review in the backcountry with an ACMG guide.  Nothing can replace in the field decision making!