Splitboard courses

 

Splitboard courses in the Alps, based in Argentiere, in the Chamonix valley.

We have 2 levels of courses:

Level 1 for snowboarders wanting to try splitboarding for the first time, and Level 2 for splitboarders looking to learn more skills for independent backcountry touring.

All our courses are based from Argentiere for ease of access to hire equipment and to varied touring. It doesn’t mean that we will always be riding in the Chamonix valley, but we will start and finish there!

We can arrange splitboards for hire and safety equipment is included in the course.

We have 2 levels of courses  :-

LEVEL 1. (Intro) 5 days

Dates :

This is a 5 day course for snowboarders (or skiers) wanting to try backcountry touring for the first time, or almost the first time.

The skills covered are choosing splitboard equipment, personal touring skills, including skinning, kick turning, using “chomps”, bootpacking, split skiing and making safe transitions between all of those!  We will look at personal kit , mountain safety, glacier touring and riding safety, backcountry route selection and terrain choice , companion rescue, avalanche awareness and safe group management for backcountry riding. The course aim is to enable you to become a dependable member of a group, so you can go on splitboarding trips with more experienced friends, or Guides.

1:6 ratio . Pre-requisites: Some backcountry or sidecountry riding experience and ability to ride safely on terrain up to 30 degrees steepness, and a reasonable level of fitness. You need to be able to walk uphill for a couple of hours with a 10kg pack , reasonably comfortably.

What’s included?

Cost is based on a minimum of 4 people attending.  Includes guiding, instruction and all safety equipment. Does not include: Accommodation, travel, personal splitboarding equipment, insurance, ski lifts, and Guide’s expenses away from the Chamonix valley. Splitboard hire can be arranged for you.

LEVEL 2  (intermediate) 5 days  

 

This is a 5 day course aimed purely at splitboarders who already have most skills covered in the Level 1 course, and are looking to extend their knowledge.  The course is run Monday to Friday, to give you a day of ‘warming up’ and riding before the course starts, if you travel Saturday to Saturday.

We can refresh some basic skills but you should be confident with your personal touring skills on average terrain. The aim is to give you training and consolidation of backcountry touring skills so you can gain confidence to go splitboarding independently. Skills such as glacier touring and crevasse rescue,  snowpack analysis and assessment, decision making, navigation and route planning skills will be looked at in more detail than on Level 1. It will start and finish in Argentiere with a flexible itinerary to make the most of the conditions and weather.

1:4 ratio.  Pre-requisites: Previous splitboard touring experience and ability to travel safely on intermediate backcountry slopes. A good level of fitness. You should be able to tour uphill for 2-3 hours each day with a 10kg pack.

What’s included?

Cost is based on a minimum of 3 people attending.  Includes guiding, instruction and all safety equipment. Does not include: Accommodation, travel, personal splitboarding equipment, insurance, ski lifts, and Guide’s expenses away from the Chamonix valley.  Splitboard hire can be arranged for you. If you wish to buy your own splitboard we recommend Sick and Wrong in Keswick, who are hugely knowledgeable and where RPM buy their own splitboards, or in North Wales try West Coast Surf shop in Abersoch. For more gear info go here.

If you are interested in either of these courses, or wish to chat about your suitability for them, please contact us by emailing info@rpmguiding.com

To book a course, contact us now.