5 day Off Piste Course for Ski Tourers (Good Intermediate Skiers)

The 5 day Off-Piste Touring course is aimed at good intermediate level skiers who want to get into the backcountry areas but don't mind doing some skinning.  The touring will be to access good snow rather than to do lots of uphill. It's not essential that you have toured before.

During the course we will look at safety equipment and procedures as well as ski techniques for all terrain and all mountain snow conditions.

On the safety side we teach avalanche avoidance, using snow pack assessment and good route choices, as well as training search and rescue techniques. We will also teach skills for safe glacier skiing - what to carry and what to do in the event of a crevasse incident, how to ski roped up or how to use a rope to escape from danger. We go into more detail on these important areas than we would do on the 2 day course.

On the skiing side we will coach skiing techniques and offer tips and helpful hints on skiing in a wide range of snow conditions. Hopefully we'll also do some awesome skiing!

Course details: This Introduction course will teach you the technique required to ski off piste and the knowledge required to ski safely.

Safety Aspects
The course covers avalanche safety and awareness techniques, including tranceiver searching, snow pack analysis and terrain risk analysis. It also includes rope techniques that are essential in order to travel safely through both steep and glaciated terrain.

Itinerary
Days One and Two
Technique/warm up. Allowing you time to warm up, you will spend the first day on and off the piste learning the correct technique to off piste skiing.
Day 2 we practice and improve on what you learnt on day one as well as learning some of the safety aspects of off piste travel - we will spend time looking at avalanche avoidance and skills for glacier skiing.

Days Three to Five
With safety at the forefront, the next three days will be spent in the backcountry in and around the Chamonix valley. During these days you will get the opportunity to practice the safety techniques you have been taught, and reach some wild destinations and experience the spectacular feeling of off-piste skiing in some of the most awe inspiring and dramatic scenery in the world.

Dates and Prices
Dates 25-29 Jan 2010,
Price: 880 euros
Price Includes 5 days mountain guiding,Safety equipment, B&B in hotel.
Price Excludes - Travel to Argentiere, Ski equipment, insurance, lift passes, travel to and from daily venues.

Accommodation
Small family run hotel in Argentiere

Minimum Group size: 3 persons.