Advanced Off-Piste Skiing

Course Highlights

• Enjoy fantastic off-piste skiing in the Alps, Vaudoise
• Coaching on off-piste ski technique, accessing steeper slopes
• Developing safe security on steeper terrain
• All-inclusive price includes all uplift, food, transport and accommodation
• Expert instruction and coaching from experienced ISM Guides

We're very lucky in the resorts around Leysin (Alps Vaudoise) to have such a great variety of lift accessed off-piste skiing terrain. Unlike the big popular resorts such as Verbier and Chamonix, the areas around Leysin are less crowded and so vastly increasing the chance of skiing fresh tracks.

The main focus of the week is to improve your ski technique on steeper off-piste ski terrain. It's an instructional course, but we will devote enough time to enjoy some great off-piste skiing.

At the start of the course you'll understand better the theory that underpins safe terrain travel and avalanche awareness, as this gives us time to then apply that theory to our decision making in avalanche terrain throughout the rest of the week. When planning to ski steeper slopes, avalanche risk management is critical.

The week will be based from our home in Leysin, Hotel Le Grand Chalet. You'll enjoying some great food and a very comfortable stay during the week.

Is The Course For Me?

Ski ability required: Comfortable off piste skier on slopes to 40* and a good general level of fitness. Split Snowboards can be used on this course and skis should have ski touring bindings, so that we can make short sections of uphill travel.

Sample Programme

Day 1

Warm up day skiing around the off piste in Leysin such as 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 train to make an avalanche rescue. The evening is spent dealing with avalanche awareness theory.

Day 2

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 such as from the Dome (3000m to 1000m altitude) to Les Diablerets village (shuttle bus back to the col de Pillon). The combe Audon has a small black piste snaking down but has acres of north facing steep off piste 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!

Day 3, 4, 5.

I am sure that we would spend at least more than one day on Glacier 3000. We also have the Les Diablerets lift system which gives access to some steep descents on the north facing slopes dropping 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 to steep.