Introduction to Ski Touring

Bored with the piste? Want some adventures in the back-country? Do you want to ski the best, untouched snow you can find? This course will teach you how.

Skiing unpisted snow requires a wider range of skills and more adaptability than skiing the piste. For strong red run skiers the transition can be achieved with a few days of expert coaching. You'll learn the techniques for skiing perfect powder, heavy soft snow, carving through chopped up slopes and how to cope with crust. With a progression on to steeper slopes you will learn how to control your speed, jump turns and side-slip into steep couloirs.

Accessing the best snow though requires some basic ski touring skills. You'll learn how to use your skins and ski touring bindings for climbing slopes, how to make kick turns ascending steep slopes and the best way to climb carrying your skis. Avalanche transceiver training will teach you how to find people buried by avalanches and you'll learn about what causes avalanches and how to avoid them in the first place.

Introduction to Ski Touring

• Day 1 - After a kit check and issue of safety equipment we spend the day venturing into lift accessed off piste slopes, learning the new skills to cope with variable snow and how to use avalanche transceivers.
• Day 2 - Another lift accessed off piste day venturing on to steeper ground and looking at avalanche awareness.
• Day 3 - A day tour chosen to allow time for practicing use of skins and putting in a good climbing trail with further input on off piste skiing technique.
• Day 4 - Glacier travel, route finding and crevasse rescue on a glaciated day tour (the Vallee Blanche for example).
• Day 5 - A two day trip staying overnight at an Alpine hut. The first day we ski up to the hut and climb a small peak with light rucksacks from the hut.
• Day 6 - An early start from the hut alows us to make an ascent of a glaciated peak (e.g. Pigne d'Arolla, Petit Combin, Mont Velan etc) before enjoying the long descent back to the valley.

The prices below cover the guiding fees and seven nights half board accommodation. Cable cars, lunches and valley transfers are not included. The table gives prices for 6 days of skiing but there is no restriction on the length of a course. The prices are per person.

After this course you will be ready to put all your new found skills into practice on the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt.

Download the Ski Touring Kit List.

Back to Winter Alpine trips.