Come along for an experience out of the ordinary and take your skiing adventure to the next level where you will learn the skills required to tackle the entire mountain. During this week the focus is on you gaining skills for more advanced summit tours such as handling crampons and ice axe, building anchors, celebrating and learning how to navigate across glaciers. We will also practice ski technique for steeper rides and make ascents of several fine peaks in the Alps.
The goal of the course is for you to be able to navigate more difficult terrain that requires more advanced techniques as a skier, in a safe way. You should get better at navigating and planning your trip and be able to make better decisions in different situations during a peak trip.
Together with a mountain guide and a small group of participants, there will be plenty of time to train at all stages, and together as a group you will be able to participate in planning each trip.
This is our longest and most advanced Ski Mountaineering course given in grand and serious terrain.
Content of the course
• Equipment for Ski Mountaineering
Review of different types of equipment and their pros and cons. Of course, we do parts of this before the week so that everyone has the right equipment when we are on site. We will also practically on site practice using crampons, ice axes and cutting irons.
• Uphill and downhill road selection
How do you get up when there is more difficult and steeper terrain? When do you need to use cutting irons and crampons? How do you cross a glacier safely and what do I do if someone falls into a crevasse? What should you think about if you are going to ride a couloir and how do you handle hanging drifts?
• Skiing technique in different snow conditions and steepness
How do you handle slush, wind-packed snow, cardboard, concrete and powder snow? How to ride steeper rides? When should rope support be given? How to make effective jump turns? How do you get past steep and icy sections where it is not possible to go down?
• Rope technique
When to use rope? We learn how to handle ropes both downhill and uphill to be able to make our way over more advanced terrain. How to belay someone, how to celebrate and how to give rope support to your mate.
• Build anchor
We learn how to build different types of snow anchors and use natural formations to celebrate and secure.
• Glacier trip
We learn to navigate on glaciers and make route choices based on how the terrain looks. We practice crevasse rescue and learn when it's time to go into a rope team even on skis.
• Tour planning
How we already set up a trip on the map and calculate how long it will take and what equipment may be needed.
• Navigation
How we read maps and compasses and how we use GPS.
• Avalanche knowledge for summit tours
We will analyze the avalanche situation together daily. Both during the planning of our trip, with the help of the avalanche report before we set out and out in the terrain. We go through avalanche traps, terrain, weather and snow conditions to learn how to make good decisions for our ski trip.
Course objectives
The aim of the course is for you to get a good foundation of knowledge to be able to make your way in more advanced terrain on the mountain, both downhill and uphill.
Previous knowledge
You should have previous experience of top tours and be able to ride in varied terrain and handle black slopes. You have also taken some form of training in avalanche knowledge (for example, the courses we organize together with the Alpingaraget). You don't need to have any previous experience with climbing and rope handling, but it makes it easier if you take part in our course Climbing and Rope Technique for skiers this autumn as preparation.
Program for the week
This is the program proposal for the course. If it is arranged in another place, it can of course be different. Every day we have a summary where we tune in, draw conclusions and learn from the day. The whole week is adapted to the weather and you as a participant become involved in the mountain guide's work to follow the weather and choose the right route for the day.
Day 1
Arrival day.
You will make your way to Chamonix on your own during the day, where you will check into the hotel and spend the night. Here is time to prepare your equipment and get to know the other participants before the course begins!
Day 2
In the morning, you will meet your guide who, after a briefing, will take you out on a shorter summit tour where you can practice crampon technique, handle an ice axe, practice building anchors and celebrate. You will also look at and analyze your route choice and avalanche conditions. The night is spent at a hotel in Chamonix.
Day 3
Today the goal is to make a top ride where you get to practice the techniques you learned the day before. As a participant, you are also involved in planning the trip in collaboration with the guide. We climb a beautiful peak and then come back to Chamonix and spend the night in a hotel.
Day 4
The focus today is to learn how to handle glaciers, so we will spend the day in both simpler and slightly more complex terrain. We also train on crevasse rescue and on rope teams. Then a lovely ride back to the valley awaits. We spend the night at a hotel in Chamonix.
Day 5
Techniques for riding steep rides, doing jump turns and providing rope support as well as an opportunity to rehearse what we practiced on the previous days await today. We spend the night at a hotel in Chamonix.
Day 6
Today we do a peak ride on a beautiful peak where you get to practice all the techniques we learned during the week. As a participant, you can also be involved in the planning of the tour together with the guide. It will be an experience out of the ordinary. The night is spent at a hotel in Chamonix.
Day 7
Journey home.
Getting to Chamonix
The easiest way to get to Chamonix is to fly to Geneva and take a bus directly from the airport to Chamonix. There are several companies that run transfers, including Mountain Drop Off, Alpybus, Easybus and Chamexpress. You book it directly on their website.
It is also possible to get to Chamonix by train.
The following is included
• Training and guiding by authorized mountain guides (UIAGM/IFMGA) for 5 days
• Loan of avalanche safety equipment (shovel, probe and transceiver)
• Loan of ice axe, harness, crampons
• Accommodation 6 nights at a hotel in Chamonix, part in a double room, single room can be arranged at an additional cost
Your accommodation is booked from Sunday, which is your travel day and arrival day. Then you can check in from 3 p.m
Then the course starts on Monday at 8.30 and you are on a top tour/course for 5 days, Monday to Friday.
Saturday is travel day home and you must check out no later than 11 a.m. on Saturday
• Breakfast every day
• An exciting adventure on skis in fantastic surroundings
Not included
• Personal equipment
• Travel to/from Chamonix
• Lunch and Dinner (when we are not staying in mountain huts, as dinner is included)
• Personal insurance
• Lift card if we were to use lifts some day
Personal equipment
The following is a suggested equipment list. If you have any questions about anything in this list, please contact us.
If you're missing something, Skis, Boots, Poles, Bindings and Trail Skins can be rented in the sports shops in Chamonix.
• Skis with bindings for top tours
• Stig skins
• Telescopic poles, with large trough
• Boots for summit tours
• Avalanche backpack, approximately 35 litres
• Clothing for skiing (shell jacket and trousers)
• Extra undershirts, 2 pieces (to be able to change if you get really sweaty)
• Extra warm jacket, for example a thin down jacket, or extra fleece, to put on when resting or if it gets really cold (small and handy to keep in your backpack)
• Extra gloves
• Sunglasses
• Ski goggles
• Sun protection
• Thermos
• Crampons
• Ice axe
• Harness
• Helmet
Training before the trip
If you want help with a personal training plan before the trip, read more about our service here!
More information
Please note that a minimum of 3 participants/trip is required for us to run the course at the price stated here on the website.
We encourage all our travelers to take out travel insurance with their insurance company in case something happens that means you cannot participate in the trip.
Group discount
If you gather a group of friends of 4 participants and book together, we offer a friend discount (we can also arrange the trip for up to 8 people if there are more of you). Mail info@mountainguide.se for more information.
