Introductory Ski Mountaineering

Duration 8 Days » Grade Introductory

Introductory Ski Mountaineering Photo: © Jim Blyth

The Introductory Ski Mountaineering course gives the mountaineer or piste skier the chance to sample the ski touring experience. The course will teach you how to travel safely in the mountains on skis. It is an ideal springboard to longer ski touring trips such as the legendary Haute Route or trips to the Greater Ranges. It will also give you the skills and knowledge to start ski touring on your own.

Located in the Chamonix Valley, the glaciers and passes of the Mont Blanc Massif and the Aiguilles Rouges provide tremendous scope for learning and for short ski tours. The scenery is dramatic and the opportunities for exciting off-piste runs are endless. With several nights being spent in the valley, the apres-ski scene of this world- famous ski resort adds a welcome contrast to days on the hill.

Grade: Introductory
Course base: Hotel L'Arve, Chamonix

Outline Programme

Day 1:	Course participants meet at the course base at 7pm. Briefing on the week's activities in the evening.
Day 2-3:	Off-piste skiing techniques, use of skins and up-hill skiing, avalanche awareness and transceiver work, search and rescue techniques.
Day 4:	Our first taste of skiing in the high mountains with short day tour, putting into practice the lessons of the first 2 days.
Day 5-7:	A 3-day tour taking in an Alpine summit. This will be an exciting few days, travelling amid superb mountain scenery, crossing snowy passes and spending 2 nights in mountain huts. During the tour we will cover some more important topics, such as crevasse rescue, defensive skiing, navigation, weather, route choice, maps and guide books. On completion of the tour, we return to our hotel for our final night before dispersing the following morning.

Pre-Course Skiing Ability

Our Introductory level Ski mountaineering courses are designed for those who want an introduction to Ski-mountaineering/touring. To enjoy these courses and for you to take advantage of the instruction being offered, you will have some previous off-piste experience and you should be able to ski linked, short radius turns confidently. When we are not based overnight in the valley, we either do day tours from huts, or a short hut-to-hut tour at the end of the week, allowing you to ski with just a light pack. You should bring along your sense of humour and a desire to learn!

Further Information

Find out more about our guides, transport and accommodation, equipment, insurance and course inclusions and exclusions... [read more]

Latest Reports & Photos (Jul '01)

News items:

NEW Intro-Ski date (Oct '05)

Dates

2009 dates to be announced
Please register your interest

Prices (choose currency)

Joining in
Insurance	Course Only £48

Expeditions

If you have the skills & fitness required, then Jagged Globe offers a wide range of exciting expeditions [read more]

Other Courses at this Grade

These courses have a similar grade and might also suit you. They are all considered to be 'introductory courses'.

Course name	Days
Rock Introduction Weekend	3
Scrambling Week	6
Off Piste Beginners - Tignes	8
Alpine Introduction Mont Blanc Extension	5

Ski Mountaineering Courses