Mountain Safety for Ski Touring

This is an old page left up for information only. We no longer run this summer course, but get in touch if you’d like us to put together something similar on a private basis.

Overview

This 3 day summer course focuses on providing you with the knowledge and skills to safely plan your own ski tours.
The course will be a mix of practical sessions both on and off the snow, and classroom based theory. During the day we will cover navigation, snowcraft, the basics of ski touring, and transceiver skills.  In the evenings, we will have seminars on topics including avalanche awareness, navigation and mountain weather.

 

Course content

• Navigation – map-reading, use of compass/altimeter/apps, slope angles, relocation
• Transceiver use – search and self-rescue 
• Snowcraft– snowpits, weather interpretation, shear tests, quick stability tests
• Avalanche awareness – snowpack, terrain management, weather, human factors
• Ski tour planning – planning routes and executing safely.

Practical Information

Who is the course aimed at? The course is suitable for competent skiers, confident in their off-piste ability, however no prior experience of ski touring is required. If you have any concerns about your ability, please get in touch!

Additional Costs: The cost of the course will be €200 per person, this is for the course only. It does not include accommodation (see below), food and transport costs. In addition, a 3 day lift pass will be required. 

Accommodation: There is no shortage of quality hotels and apartments in Les Deux Alpes during the summer months. The resort caters for anything from budget to luxury accommodation. However, if you are having trouble finding something suitable, please get in touch.

Getting to Les Deux Alpes: The easiest way to get to Les Deux Alpes is by car. If flying, Lyon and Geneva airports offer a good selection of reasonably priced car hire options. Turin airport is also an option, but flights here are often fairly limited. Drive time from Lyon Airport is roughly 1hr45 and from Geneva Airport around 2hr45.

It is possible to take a shuttle bus from both Lyon and Geneva Airports to Grenoble Bus Station. They run roughly hourly, and cost between €10-30. From Grenoble there is a very cheap local bus service to the resort. However, this service only runs once or twice a day. For more information, see https://www.transisere.fr.

If you are having difficulty organising transport please get in touch!

Click to download detailed trip notes. 

Booking

For further information, or to book onto the course, please contact us at bookings@whitemarmotte.com.