If you’ve started off piste skiing around the resorts and are keen to improve your technique, so that you can enjoy backcountry skiing away from the resorts – then our level 1 off piste skiing and skills course is designed for you! Aimed at improving off piste skiers who want to get into backcountry skiing and touring, the course is run by an IFMGA Guide who is also a BASI ski instructor; so you get the benefit of the same guide and instructor all week, to improve your ski technique, enjoy great descents and learn essential skills for backcountry travel and safety.  Free safety equipment rental is included with this course.

Trip Info

The aim of the course is to give you the skills and experience to step up from skiing on and off piste around resort, to being a competent backcountry skier and ski tourer.  The key focus of the week is to improve your ski ability in varied off piste snow conditions and different types of terrain, so we’ll be working on this every day.  In order to travel in backcountry terrain, we’ll also teach you how to use ski touring equipment and in order to stay safe once you’re there, we’ll teach you avalanche safety skills.  Coaching and training sessions are always incorporated into ‘real’ days out skiing, with a mix of structured coaching, off piste practice and introductory ski tours – so that you get the maximum range of experience and enjoy a great weeks skiing (ie it’s a fun ‘holiday where you’ll learn’, not a week of traditional ‘ski school’!). On this course we aim to ski in the Chamonix valley, using the excellent uplift at the Grand Montets, Brevent, Flegere, Le Tour and the Aiguille du Midi, which can be reached on foot from your hotel, or via a short ride on one of the regular local ski busses. If conditions or group choice dictates, we may also ski in Italy or Switzerland, which can be reached by a short taxi ride.

Suitability

This is an to introductory level course. To take part you should be at Fitness Level 2 and Tech Level 1/2 (see our Fitness/Experience guidelines). As a minimum standard you need to be a good piste skier  – ie you cruise reds, black runs are challenging but fun and you have ventured off piste between the runs occasionally.

This is the minimum requirement and teams of mixed ability/fitness are quite common, but the pace and scope for each day is determined by teaching objectives rather than a time critical journey – ie we have focused learning objectives each day, but the atmosphere is quite relaxed!

The week includes a mix of off piste days and intro ski tours.  The touring days may start with some uplift and have steady climbs, with typically 200-700m of ascent a day – so you can expect to be skinning for 2-3 hours on a touring day. The type of ascent we use is 75% uplift and 25% skinning during the week.

Guiding ratio

One IFMGA guide skiing with 6 clients.

Included in price

• 6 days of guiding/instruction
• All guides expenses
• 7 nights hotel accommodation, including breakfast and evening meal
• Free local ski bus for travel within the Chamonix valley
• Safety equipment hire: avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe

Excluded from price (see factsheet for extra cost estimates)

• Lift Passes
• Lunches and drinks
• Any public transport or taxis required to ski outside of the Chamonix valley
• Travel to resort
• Insurance

Hotels

Our regular base is the Hotel de La Couronne in Argentiere, which is being renovated in 2023 but will be open again for the winter season 2024. The Couronne is a friendly place in the centre of the village, close to ski hire shops, bars, restaurants and bakeries, and within walking distance of the famous Grand Montets ski area. Rooms are provided on a twin (or occasionally triple) sharing basis, but if you wish to book a single room please let us know and we will confirm availability. Evening meals can be taken in Argentiere in the hotels partner restaurant. Other hotels we may use at busy times include the Chaumiere Mountain Lodge in Chamonix. Hotel details can be found on our Accommodation page.

ABTOT Protected

This trip is protected by ABTOT – Alpine Guides Ltd, Membership Number 5394.  For further information, please visit our Financial Protection page.

Saturday

You should arrange outward travel on Saturday, arriving by 6-7pm latest in time for the briefing at your accommodation. Your guide will run through kit checks and safety routines, as well as hand out any rental equipment, before going on to discuss the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our plans. We’ll have maps and guidebooks of the area to show you, so if you’ve any further questions or last minute requests, then this is the ideal time to bring them up.

Sunday

Warm Up Off Piste Day

Day one is planned as a lift served off piste day.  We start with some warm up runs, so you can find your ski legs and we can take a look at your current skiing, then move into coaching and improving on a variety of core ski techniques.

We’ll choose terrain appropriate to the level of the group, so that nobody struggles and everyone has the time to practice, ask questions and work on their skills.

During the day we’ll pause for the odd coffee break and at lunchtime, we’ll stop at a mountain restaurant for a meal.

Monday to Friday

5 further days of off piste skiing and intro ski tours, incorporating daily ski technique coaching and backcountry skills sessions.  We tailor each week to the group,  making best use of  current weather and snow conditions.

In order to maximise downhill practice time, we’ll be using some uplift on most days, plus some skinning to access the best terrain and snow.  Depending on conditions and the group, we may do one or two full touring days.  On touring days you’ll need a packed lunch, as we’ll be out in the backcountry all day, enjoying the skiing and scenery.

The main elements we focus on each day are:

Ski Technique

Simon will give you the skills and confidence to enjoy off piste skiing, whatever the snow conditions.  You’ll learn how to ski smoothly in powder, enjoy trees rather than fear them(!), ski bumps and uneven terrain in control and deal with ice, steeper terrain and narrow places.  In the toughest snow conditions, you’ll learn how to manage your speed and get down safely.

Backcountry Travel and Avalanche Safety Skills

Having ski touring skills and avalanche safety knowledge are the two other essential requirements for backcountry skiers, so we’ll be looking at:

• Skinning Skills – use of ski touring boot/binding systems and skins for uphill travel
• Avalanche Awareness – avalanche forecasts, avalanche avoidance and risk reduction techniques
• Avalanche Rescue – transceivers searches, probing, digging and group rescue skills

Fri PM – course debrief and advice for the future.

Saturday

Return travel should be arranged on Saturday morning, after your final nights accommodation.

Your course starts and finishes in the Chamonix valley, at our base in Argentiere – the Hotel De La Couronne. The most common way to reach Chamonix is fly to Geneva, then take a shared minibus taxi transfer to the Chamonix valley (must be booked in advance).

Flights and transfers

• Fly to Geneva with numerous budget airlines, for an overview of the best options check out the excellent Sky Scanner website.
• Airport transfer from Geneva to Chamonix: Mountain Drop-offs offer the best all round service, with regular reliable transfers through the season. They offer a shared minibus taxi service which meets you in the airport and drops you off at the door of your hotel. Book your transfer here and use promo code ALPGUID to receive a discount on your journey.
• Alternatively hire a car at Geneva airport (1.2 hrs drive to Cham).

For flights and other travel options, including train, coach and driving, visit our Travel Planning page.

To enjoy this trip you should be comfortable operating at Fitness Level 2, and Ski Tech Level 1/2:

Fitness Level 2
You do 2-3 hours cv training/sport per week. At this level you should be happy doing either a 3-4 hr hillwalk, cycling 30-40 miles or mountain biking 2-3 hours without being exhausted. On foot: you should be able to walk from Ogwen Cottage in North Wales up Glyder Fach – Glyder Fawr – Y Garn – Ogwen in ~5hrs. Or in the Lake District Langdale – Bowfell – Esk Pike – Angle Tarn – Langdale in ~ 6hrs. On skis: you are capable of off piste skiing all day or doing a couple of hours skinning with out finishing up exhausted – ie you can do this for a number of days without taking a rest day.

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Tech Level 1
Intro Off Piste Skier (Advanced Piste Skier). You cruise reds, black runs are challenging but fun and you have ventured off piste between the runs with varying degrees of success (ie deep snow is still something of a mystery…) *Equivalent to Ski Club of GB Off Piste Level: Red – Aspirer*
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!

Tech Level 2
Improving Off Piste Skier. You 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. *Equivalent to Ski Club of GB Off Piste Level: Silver – Intermediate*
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.

To view all of our Ski Fitness Levels and Off Piste Technical Levels, please visit our Ski Ability page.

If you need to top up your fitness for this trip, please see our Ski Touring Training Advice page.

Day Touring/BC Ski Course Equipment List

Just remember, every extra kilo on your back knocks 10% off your enjoyment on the descents – so try and keep the weight down!

Technical Clothing

• Waterproof Jacket – preferably lightweight and breathable
• Overtrousers/ski pants – preferably with side zips
• Fleece mid layer or equivalent
• Spare fleece or lightweight insulated duvet jacket
• Socks – specialist ski socks or a warm loop lined pair of mountain socks
• Wicking thermal top – not cotton please…
• Thermal leggings or ski pants
• Thin inner gloves
• Warm ski gloves or mittens, if you suffer from cold hands
• Warm hat

Personal Items

• Water container – at least 1 litre
• Personal medications and blister kit – regular meds, zinc oxide tape, compeed and painkillers etc
• Ski goggles
• Sun glasses – CE rated 3 or 4 with side protection
• Sun and lip cream – factor 30+
• Wallet, passport and insurance docs

Technical Equipment

• Rucsac 25/35l – try and avoid ones covered in too many features, just ski and ice axe attachments required
• Freeride boots or ski mountaineering boots – check detailed factsheet kit list for preferred boots
• Skis with touring bindings – check detailed factsheet kit list for preferred skis and bindings
• Ski strap – to keep skis together on your rucksack if we need to carry them
• Ski poles – with good size 5cm+ baskets (telescopic poles are not needed)
• Climbing skins – they come with the skis if you hire your kit
• Harscheisen (ski crampons) – they come with the skis if you hire your kit
• Metal snow shovel – must be a full metal shovel (plastic blades don’t work in real avalanche debris!)
• Avalanche probe
• Avalanche transceiver – must be a modern digital model (older analogue models are now obsolete)
• Harness, with 120cm sling and locking karabiner
• Crampons – bring them if you have them
• Ice Axe – bring if you have one
• Ski helmet – a lightweight helmet is recommended for off piste skiing

Your guide will have all other safety kit, first aid and survival equipment.

Recommendations and Advice
Visit the Knowledge Base section of our website, where we publish an annual review of the years best new skis, boots and touring equipment, plus a range of other interesting tips and recommendations. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please get in touch!

Purchasing Equipment
Backcountry UK in Otley offer an excellent ski touring boot fitting service, one of the best ranges of ski mountaineering equipment in the UK and top notch advice.

Hiring Equipment
Please visit our Equipment Hire page for recommended hire shops in your resort, and Alpine Guides hire equipment price list.

For this trip you must have specialist travel insurance providing medical, emergency search/rescue and repatriation cover for off piste skiing and ski touring, as outlined in the trip itinerary. We also strongly recommend that you purchase cancellation cover, in case you’re unable to attend your trip due to personal circumstances or injury. Please arrange your insurance as soon as your trip is confirmed to run.

Further details can be found on our insurance info page.