Off-Piste Ski Technique

2009 DATES Click Dates To Book.... Week 9: 22 Feb - 28 Feb Full Skiing Programme Click Here COURSE DURATION 5 days, 6 nights ALL INCLUSIVE PRICE £935 Your course price covers: • Guiding + guides expenses • Full board + accommodation • All picnic lunches/snack food • All course transportation • All mechanical uplift • Loan of technical equipment Click here for Full Details LEVEL Introductory

If you would like to significantly improve your off-piste skiing whilst enjoying some great powder runs and short ski-tours, this is the course. We begin with an instructional day where your ski technique both on and off-piste will be analysed (using video as required) by our guide. This will give each participant technical points to focus on during the varied programme of the following four days, when we ski a fantastic choice of venues within easy reach of Leysin.

We use mechanical uplift (& short ski tours) to access the best off-piste runs in the region. Diablerets 'Glacier 3000' is rated by enthusiasts as one of the best off-piste venues in the Alps, yet it is never too crowded. Some of the descents are a vertical 2000m and take one through some very impressive mountain terrain.

Ski-touring techniques will be used to gain the more remote runs, so essential ski-touring skills will be covered as part of this course. Throughout the week the guide will be giving tips and instruction to improve your off-piste skiing ability on all types of terrain. We will also be looking to find the best powder skiing available. This is a perfect week for skiers to discover a new direction for their skiing - into the more adventurous world of off-piste skiing and ski touring.

Sample programme:

Day 1 An instructional day on and off-piste skiing in the Leysin ski area. Leysin has an extensive network of ski runs with countless opportunities for off-piste variations. We will work on ski technique for a variety of different terrains, which will give us an important foundation to build on skills during the rest of the week. Leysin has many off piste runs such as the “Stol Couloir”, “Col de Liase”, and the classic run between the Leysin Tours. We also have a session on the new Leysin Avalanche Rescue Training Centre where we learn essentials skills on how to rescue an avalanched victim.

Day 2 A short taxi ride to the village of Diablerets gives us access to the neighbouring ski resort of Villars. We take the lift to Meilleret and ski down to the Col de la Croix. From here a short tour uphill (1hour) to the Pointe d’Arpille (1982m) gives us a classic descent down powder slopes in the trees back to Diablerets village. In the afternoon we take the lifts and ski to Petite Chamossiere (2035m). This gives us access to a magnificent off piste run on wild north facing slopes to Les Planches (890m 1100m descent). Train back to Diablerets.

There will be an evening presentation on Avalanche Awareness.

Day 3 The traverse of Mont Chevreuils (1662m). This is an excellent peak for offpiste skiing having a short ascent (400m) and a big north facing powder descent (800m) to Les Moulins(900m). Starting at La Lecherette (1380m) we make a short ascent (11/2 hours) to the summit of Mont Chevreuils. Sometimes there is a chance to take coffee in the rustic old ski lift café just a few minutes below the summit. The afternoon is spent off-piste skiing from the La Lecherette/Les Mosses lift system.

Day 4 The next day is spent on Glacier 3000, one of the best off-piste resorts in Switzerland boasting over 1600m of vertical descent from the top lift. As well as giving more instructional input on the off-piste runs, we plan to ski tour to the summit of Diablerets (3209m). Perched on the western most point of the Oberland massif the views from here are stunning, encompassing the Bernese Oberland (Eiger), the Swiss Valais (Matterhorn, Grand Combin and Dent Blanche) as well as the Mont Blanc Massif. The Combe Audon, one of the many big off piste descents in this resort, is a fantastic north facing valley which only a narrow piste negotiates, leaving plenty of scope for off piste and fresh tracks.

Day 5 For the last day we have many options. There is still much more fresh skiing to be had in the local resorts of Leysin, Diablerets Glacier 3000 (Pierres Pointes, Reusch) and Villars (Taveyanne). Depending on the conditions for the week the days will be interchanged to take full advantage of the prevailing weather and snow conditions.

Maps: Rochers de Naye 262 s 1:50 000 St Maurice 272s 1:50 000 Martigny 282s 1:50 000 Wildstrubel 263s 1:50 000

Ski ability required: Strong piste skier with good parallel turns on piste (confident on black runs) and effective turns off-piste. No ski touring experience necessary. You need to have a good level of fitness and be able to comfortably sustain a climb at a rate of 250 vertical metres an hour. A typical day will not involve much uphill walking, but one day may involve at most 2 hours of uphill skinning (up to 600m height gain). Uplift will be used as much as possible.

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