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Ski Mountaineering Course

"If you dream of leaving the crowds behind and carving fresh tracks on virgin snow - then our ski mountaineering course for you! For keen skiers with some off piste experience, we aim to make you into real back country skiers - able to travel in the mountains with safety and confidence."
  
5 days
Introductory
6:1
Dates: 12 - 16 Mar '12
Price: £575
Ski Ability: 2+
Fitness: 2
Experience: A reasonable level of off piste skiing experience is required.
Included: Guiding Fees and Expenses.
Other Costs: Accommodation, food, travel and uplift ~ £400
 
Summary
On the ski mountaineering course we teach a full range of techniques for traveling quickly and efficiently through alpine terrain, including important areas such as route planning, avalanche avoidance, tranceiver training and glacier travel. Tips and coaching to improve your off piste skiing are also an important part of the week.
Teaching and training sessions are always incorporated into 'real' days out ski touring each day, in order to give you the maximum range of experience.

Recent Trip Reports - Mar 2008, Mar 2009, Apr 2010

Course Base
We base ourselves for the week in the famous French resort of Chamonix, in the shadow of Mont Blanc. Part of the week will also involve an overnight stay in a mountain hut whilst on an extended ski tour.
 
Sample Itinerary
Subject to weather and snow conditions, we follow the general format below:
ski mountaineering course itinerary
Day 0 - Sun PM, meet in Chamonix - discuss plans and sort equipment.
Day 1 - Mon
Warm up runs, introduction to ski mountaineering kit and avalanche tranceiver training - taught during the course of a lift assisted day tour.
Days 2 - 5 Tue - Fri

4 further days of ski touring, incorporating thorough training and instruction in ski mountaineering skills. Areas covered include:

During the week we spend at least one night in a high mountain hut to complete a longer 2 day tour.

Tips and coaching to improve your off piste skiing are also an important part of the course.

ski mountaineering course
 
Food and Accommodation
We run all of our ski tours on a guiding & instruction only basis. Food and accommodation must be paid for seperately. Our recommended hotel in Chamonix is the Hotel Les Lanchers ** in Chamonix Les Praz, run by Jon and Celine - who we will happily put you in touch with if you'd like to reserve a room. You are however free to make other accommodation arrangements if you choose (Chamonix has numerous hotels and rental appartments available at a wide variety of prices - click on 'reservation' at the Chamonix website for more details).
 
Travel
Chamonix is easily reached by flights to Geneva and an airport transfer, both of which are bookable online.
 
Ability and Experience
You need to be a competent off piste skier (see ski ability level 2-4) able to ski off piste all day long with a rucsac on (ie the better your skiing and the lighter your sac, the more you will enjoy it!)  Ski mountaineering also requires good levels of fitness and stamina (see fitness level 2) - so we advise you to prepare well in advance with regular cardiovascular training and ideally some skiing.
 
Equipment
We will supply you with a full kit list. You are responsible for bringing personal clothing, a rucsac and ski mountaineering skis, boots and kit (local hire is available). We are delighted to be working on this tour with Backcountry UK, who provide excellent service and advice as a leading retailer of ski mountaineering equipment in the UK.
 
     
 
 
 
         
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