Ski touring progression course Chamonix
GREAT SKI TOURING, advanced safety & tour planning skills
Advance your skills with our Chamonix ski touring progression course, designed to enhance your expertise while skiing classic local tours. You will ski a lot on this course – we focus on some of the best itineraries, including a 3-day long tour with 2 nights in a hut to allow us to go deeper into our backcountry.
Our course builds on your previous ski touring experience and aims to further your skills to help you to become more independent while touring in the backcountry. You will learn how to plan, prepare and complete a ski tour, having safety on your mind at all times.
Skills such as tour planning, route finding, equipment management, reading the terrain, group management and decision making will be covered on this course. Our guides are enthusiastic about ski touring and have wealth of experience and skills, which they will be delighted to share with you.
Participants will take turns to be the ‘leaders of the group’ on the last day’s tours to practice the decision making & group management in real situation. This will be at all times supervised and directed by your guide to ensure safety of the group.
Prior ski touring experience & good physical fitness are required for this course. This is the ideal follow-up course after our Introduction to Ski Touring week.
If you wish to learn further winter safety skills, check our Chamex Avalanche safety course, Avalanche rescue course and Crevasse rescue course.
From: 1290 €
Intermediate
Dates
Dates
Itinerary
As ski touring is dependable on the weather, snow conditions and strength of the group, we will have to be flexible in terms of the exact tours we will do. Here is an example itinerary:
Day 1
Today we will refresh your ski touring skills and practice various avalanche search and rescue techniques. We will do a relatively mellow ski tour to allow time for the training and to get to know the group’s level. Itinerary such as Brèche de Berard or Crochues-Bèrard are good options to start the week.
Day 2
Today will work on perfecting your kick turn techniques. We will also work on efficient handling of the equipment (changing between walking and ski setup). Terrain evaluation and decision making on the go will be your daily topics through the next 4 days. We will ski Col du Passon, Col d’Argentiere or col de la Cicle – col des Chasseurs.
Day 3
We will leave for our 3-day ski tour. The drive + hike to the hut will take about half day leaving enough time to work on the trip planning and navigation skills. You will learn how to consult the weather forecast & avalanche bulletin.
Depending on weather and snow conditions, we can go to Benevolo hut, Bonatti hut or Argentiere hut, for example.
Day 4
Early morning start to go skiing! We will discuss the skills covered so far (terrain management, route finding, decision making and group management). Debriefing before the dinner back at the hut.
Day 5
This is the last day of the course with last great ski tour. We will apply what we have learned so far. The course participants will take turns to practice the real situation decision-making, route finding and group management on the go. Your guide will supervise and direct the group and ensure everyone’s safety. We will finish the tour by a debrief, to wrap up our week before getting back to Chamonix.
Learning outcomes
- This course builds on the skills covered on our Introduction to Ski Touring week. We will refresh the basics quickly on day one and then move on to do some amazing tours as well as introducing the following techniques and skills:
- Developing your ski touring skills to become more independent
- Planning a ski tour & preparing for an overnight trip
- Understanding the avalanche bulletin & weather forecast
- Route choice & route finding, navigation
- Mobile apps used for navigation, maps, etc.
- Terrain management (recognition of terrain traps)
- Group management
Safety on glaciers:
- Understanding the glaciers and the hazards
- Safety skills for skiing on glaciers
- Crevasse rescue level 1
Level requirements
Technical skills
- You need to have previous ski touring experience and have completed at least 5 day-tours in terrain requiring kick turns on the ascent.
- You need to know how to use the equipment (skins, ski touring bindings, ski crampons)
- You need to have advanced level of off piste skiing and be confident and comfortable to ski terrain of up to 35° and all snow conditions.
Physical level
- You need to have good level of fitness and stamina.
- You need to be happy to climb at least 1000 vertical meters per day and skin & ski for 6 hours per day – all this for 5 consecutive days.
Equipment
Additional services
Equipment hire
We highly recommend that you book any equipment with us at least 2 weeks in advance as the hire shops can have limited availability in the busy season.
You can collect your equipment the evening before the start of the course and return it in the evening at the end of your course. We work with the following Chamonix ski hire and mountain shop:
• Concept Pro Shop which is conveniently located directly next door from our office. Open 7/7 08:00-19:00
Airport transfers
We can help you to organise your transport to/from Chamonix. We work with well established airport transfer companies which use new and comfortable vehicles and which have the capacity and know-how to handle everything from delayed and cancelled flights, to unexpected traffic jams with professionalism and efficiency.
To book your transfer, we will need the following:
- Your full name
- Mobile phone number
- Email address
- Your destination address
- Your flight details (date, time and flight number)
SHARED TRANSFERS:
This is the most economic and ecologically friendly way of travel. The driver will meet and greet you at the airport, gather you and the rest of the passenger group together and then head off to your chosen destination. The door-to-door service means that you will be dropped off and picked up right at your hotel /chalet / apartment. From 40€ per person for one way and 80€ per person for a return trip.
PRIVATE TRANSFERS:
Private Transfers are the quickest way to get to and from the airport. Your driver will meet and greet you at the airport and guide you to your vehicle. There is no waiting for other passengers. Private transfers are available for one to eight person bookings and travelling together and you are guaranteed sole occupancy of the vehicle for your transfer. And, of course, it’s a door to door service, so you won’t be lugging any bags very far.
Chamonix accommodation
If you need help to find a place to stay in Chamonix, don’t hesitate and let us know! We work with a network of excellent chalets, hotels, gites and B&Bs and we will find something to suit all tastes and all budgets.
Mountain rescue insurance
We don’t include the mountain rescue insurance in any of our courses. A rescue may be very expensive, particularly if helicopters are involved. Check with your travel insurance provider if you are covered for the specific activity you are going to do with us.
However, we can organise the mountain rescue insurance for you. Details of the insurance cover are different for EU and non-EU residents; please contact us for more information.
