Three mornings to improve your freeride skiing, build confidence on ungroomed snow and learn essential mountain safety skills.
Are you a good to very good piste skier, comfortable on black runs, and looking to discover or improve your off-piste skiing? This three-morning freeride course gives you the opportunity to develop your technique with a qualified mountain guide in La Clusaz and the Aravis mountain range, depending on conditions.
From Monday to Wednesday, from 9 am to 1 pm, you will progress gradually over the three sessions. The guide will assess your ability and adapt the exercises and terrain to help you become more confident in powder and variable snow conditions.
Skiing technique is only one part of the course. You will also learn the fundamentals of off-piste safety, terrain assessment, group management and how to use an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe.
Improve Your Freeride Skiing
Over the three mornings, you will work on:
- positioning and balance on ungroomed snow;
- speed control;
- turning in powder and variable snow;
- selecting the best line;
- reading the terrain;
- adapting your skiing to different snow conditions.
The aim is to help you become more confident and comfortable when skiing beyond the marked pistes.
Learn How to Ski Off-Piste
Off-piste skiing also requires the ability to assess your surroundings and move safely as part of a group.
The course will cover:
- reading the terrain;
- choosing the safest areas and lines;
- maintaining appropriate distances between skiers;
- communicating within the group;
- essential mountain safety practices.
Avalanche Safety: Transceiver, Shovel and Probe
Part of the course is dedicated to the fundamentals of avalanche safety.
You will learn how to use the essential safety equipment required for off-piste skiing: an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe.
The guide will also explain what to do in the event of an avalanche, allowing you to improve both your skiing technique and your safety awareness.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for you if:
- you are comfortable on black runs;
- you are new to off-piste skiing or already have some experience;
- you want to improve your skiing in powder and variable snow;
- you want to build confidence with advice from a mountain guide;
- you would like to learn or reinforce the fundamentals of avalanche safety.
Required level: good to very good piste skier, beginner to intermediate off-piste skier.
Course Details
Duration: 3 consecutive mornings, with 12 hours of guiding in total
Schedule: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 9 am to 1 pm
Level: good to very good piste skier, beginner to intermediate off-piste skier
Guiding: qualified mountain guide
Group: small group of skiers with a similar ability level
Location: La Clusaz and the Aravis mountain range, depending on conditions
Why Three Mornings?
Three consecutive sessions allow you to make steady progress. During the first morning, you will establish your initial bearings and the guide will identify the technical areas to work on. Over the following sessions, you will apply the guide’s advice across different terrain and snow conditions.
This format also allows you to gradually develop the essential safety skills required for freeride and off-piste skiing.
