Off Piste Ski Ability Levels

To give a better idea of how well you really need to be skiing in order to enjoy each of our trips, we use 5 off piste ski levels based on what types of snow and conditions you can confidently do regular linked turns in - and just as importantly, what conditions you begin to struggle in. (By 'linked' we mean moving from one turn into the next without making traverses - however brief - in between).

NB If you are a piste skier, then sadly what you are about to read doesn't correspond much to a typical catalogue 'ski buyers guide' list of ski ability levels. It's time to recalibrate the meter!

Level 0 - Intermediate Piste Skier: Ski blues and reds at a good pace, but icy black runs and moguls are something of a survival zone. On forays off piste you generally struggle to stay upright!     Likely to say: 'I want to ski black runs well + start off piste skiing'     Our Advice: Take a couple more ski holidays and get some private tuition in modern carving technique or intro off piste skiing before joining a full blown off piste coaching course or a ski touring course - you've got to have the foundations in place first!

Level 1 - Intro Off Piste Skier (Advanced Piste Skier) Cruise reds, black runs are challenging but fun and have ventured off piste with varying degrees of success (ie deep snow is still something of a mystery...)     Likely to say: 'I'd love to learn how to ski well off piste and/or try ski touring'     Our Advice: Definitely go on an Off Piste Skiing Course to improve your ski technique first, before trying ski touring - you'll get a lot more out of it that way around!

Level 2 - Improving Off Piste Skier Enjoy black runs and the kind of tracked out off piste terrain found around many big resorts, but you haven't skied too much in properly deep snow without a base to it yet.     Likely to say: 'I'd like to ski well in powder/link lots of short radius turns/go ski touring'     Our Advice: An Off Piste Skiing Course is highly recommended. If you'd like to try ski touring, then do either an intro ski touring course or an intro level ski tour.

Level 3 - Confirmed Off Piste Skier You can put down a reasonable set of tracks in powder, but difficult snow types - heavy wet snow, crusts, poor visibility or 40dg slopes can all cause problems (though you can cope with them safely, if not elegantly!)     Likely to say: 'I'd like to handle difficult snow/steep slopes more confidently in better style'     Our Advice: Off piste coaching still useful. Intermediate off piste weeks are at your level too. If you want to get into ski touring, try a touring course or intro level ski tour. If you're an established ski mountaineer, then intermediate level tours are generally suitable.

Level 4 - Advanced Off Piste Skier Can put turns in through heavier snow and on icy 40dg slopes, but difficult breakable crusts and skiing a fresh track off piste in zero visibility are still somewhat challenging!     Likely to say: I've been skiing ten/twenty years - I'd like to do your '......' tour.     Our Advice: You will enjoy our advanced level trips. If you are new to touring - then you could do a Haute Route with a day or two of skills training beforehand (but don't overlook the physical fitness needed as well). Mileage is the best way to improve your ability level.

Level 5 - Expert Off Piste Skier Can ski all snow types including crusts in control and are happy on slopes of 45dg or when putting in a fresh track in zero vis.     Likely to say: 'Bring it on...'     Our Advice: Stay strong - and may the force be with you... Advanced level trips and ski expeditions are the way forward.     Above this - (level 6 - infinity), we enter the realms of off piste racing, extreme skiing and seriously big air. Here, the sky's the limit (and could be your final destination if you mess up - yee ha!).

Important: You need both the required ski fitness level and ski ability level in order to enjoy any given holiday, as our guides will assess your fitness and ability levels before embarking on a serious objective or an extended ski tour (current weather and mountain conditions are also taken into account). If they decide that a particular objective should not be attempted, then an alternative will always be offered.

If your fitness or skills are in doubt however (either before or during the course of a tour), there is a risk you could be excluded from an activity or required to leave the tour if your participation could risk the safety, success or enjoyment of the rest of the party. It is very unusual for us to have to do this, but it can occur if you are not realistic about your current ski ability or fitness levels, or you do not prepare sufficiently for the trip.