Sample Programme

Sunday

The course starts with a briefing at 6.45pm at the Tour D'Ai hotel in Leysin. This is a chance for you to meet your team mates and Guide and go through the details of the course. There will also be time for you to sort out any equipment you need and for you to ask questions. Dinner will follow the briefing.

Monday

Warm up day skiing off-piste in Leysin including the stohl couloir, “between the tours”, col Luissel, Riondaz, les plans, etc. We also use the transceiver training centre to (re)familiar ourselves with our transceivers and refresh how to make an avalanche rescue. The evening is spent dealing with avalanche awareness theory.

Tuesday

We travel to the excellent free ride resort of Glacier 3000 which is situated at the col de Pillon. This resort has up to 2km of vertical descent and is mainly north facing (cold snow). Descents may include: from the Dome (3000m to 1000m altitude) to Les Diablerets village (shuttle bus back to the col de Pillon) and the Combe Audon, which has a small black piste snaking down and acres of north facing steep off-piste skiing, which is perfect when focusing on ski technique. The descent under the cable car is another 1500m of easy north facing powder and the Piere Muelle is a very wild and steep variation. Fresh tracks are almost guaranteed. This resort is comparable to the Grandes Montets (Chamonix) La Grave and Gemstock (Andermatt), but relatively unknown and un-skied!

Wednesday - Friday

Possibly another trip to Glacier 3000. We also have the Les Diablerets lift system, which gives access to some steep descents on the north facing slopes which drop down to the village of Forclaz. There are multiple steep couloirs and the classic “petit Chamossiere”. During our time we will mainly focus on avalanche awareness and ski technique. There will also be a session on using ropes to negotiate passages which are too uncomfortable or steep to ski.

Saturday

Breakfast at the hotel before departing.