Avalanche
Safety course 2024
Chamonix
/ Courmayeur based safety skills day
extensions   |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Course
overview
 |
 |
Can
you ever put a price on safety? No you can't,
but these courses are run at a fixed low price
to minimise the risks of people putting off
getting these key safety skills. The courses
take place in either Chamonix or Courmayeur,
and you are taught the use of avalanche tranceivers,
shovels, and probes. You also focus on avalanche
prediction, construct snow pits, and do stability
tests to assess the snowpack. |
|
When
developing these courses, we wanted them to
be accessible to both skiers and boarders.
You spend the day on foot or snow shoes (loaned
for free), as this needs no previous experience,
so you can concentrate on learning as much
as possible each day. |
|
This
really sets us apart from all the other avalanche
courses we have seen, that spend over half
the time skiing, not learning. If you want
a day of off piste skiing, just hire a guide!
These courses are focused on teaching you
as much as possible, not a ski day where you
occasionally chat about avalanches. |
|
We
provide the avalanche tranceivers, snow shovels
and probes for the day, but if you have your
own you are recommended to bring them to learn
how to use them better. |
|
The days are led by qualified IFMGA guides
and / or UIMLA International Mountain Leaders,
and due to the huge instructional element,
we ensure that the leader is British so that
they can explain all the essential safety
information really informatively. If you are
planning on any off piste, snowshoeing, or
ski touring this winter, this course will
provide you with essential safety skills. |
|
Read
all about a course from Kelly the Chamonix.net
snow reporter. See what she thought. Click to read the report
on Chamonix.net (or on the
logo to the right), or click here to see
PDF version of article. |
 |
|
On
demand: if
none of the scheduled course dates suit, we
can still operate a course on demand, on any
dates from late January until mid April,
for a minimum of three people booking together. |
|
Dates: these
are listed in the column on the right, and
they show the live availability from our secure
online booking system. When you book online,
you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine
Information Booklet, course specific kit list
and invoice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Course
Itinerary
|
|
Key
learning points
|
|
In
the morning at 09:00 you meet your instructor
who will be an expert in backcountry travel
and snow safety. They will talk through the
plans for the days, and the latest conditions.
Then it's time for a route safety plan, and
sorting out any safety kit that is needed. |
|
There
is a great choice of locations to operate
these courses, in Chamonix such as the Plan
de l'Aiguille, Berard Valley, or La Tour,
or in Courmayeur in the Val Ferret or Val
Veny. We can always find a suitable and safe
location to react to the avalanche forecast. |
|
Course
meeting points on the first day at 09:00am:
Chamonix - in the cafe of the Aiguille du
Midi cable car station.
Courmayeur - in the cafe of the Funivie Monte
Bianco at Palud.
We aim to finish the course at 16:00pm, to
give a full day. |
|
The
day is conducted in Alpine terrain, where
you can study the snow pack safely. To access
the regions you either take a cable car, or
travel up the valley and then walk in on snow
shoes. This means that the course is equally
accessible to skiers with no touring experience,
winter walkers / climber, or boarders. |
|
This
course should give you a greater level of
autonomy for your off piste days or winter
walking. If you would like to read a bit about
avalanche avoidance skills before a course,
read this article,
and print this avalanche
reduction method calculation table to use. |
|
The
syllabus of this course goes into great detail,
in terms of route choice, avalanche safety
and crystal analysis. |
|
ITINERARY
NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries.
Mountain adventures are weather and conditions
dependant, so occasionaly we are forced to
alter the plans. If this is the case, suitable
alternatives are offered. Please use this
outline itinerary as a guide to the types
of route / activity that you will attempt. |
|
| • Evolution of the snow
pack |
| • Avalanche
tranceiver searches |
| • Rutschblock
stability tests |
| • Column
snow stability tests |
| • Tranceiver
detection fields |
| • Trip
planning and preparation |
| • Avalanche
form / release patterns |
| • Different
types of avalanches |
| • Crystal
metamorphasis |
| • Slab
formation and layering |
| • Victim
recovery methods |
| • Travel
techniques on snowpacks |
| • Assessing
different snow profiles |
| • Decision
making processes |
| • Weather
& climatic influences |
| • Adapting
to the conditions |
| • Key
warning signs of danger |
| • Identifying
islands of safety |
|
|
|
 |
|
What
sets our avalanche training days apart? |
|
|
|
You
start learning to interpret that days avalanche
forecast, so are learning practical skills
immediately, that you will use every day in
the winter. |
|
After
the outside training day, there is a 1 hour
classroom session to talk through a avalanche
awareness presentation, to summarise the learning. |
|
We
focus on practical, realistic, and every day
techniques, rather
than trying to impress you with science. Simple
tests and safety drills work! |
|
Our
days are very hands on and practical, to ensure
you learn the skills. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Course
Prices |
|
| Standard
course |
1 full day guiding, 1:6 max ratio
1 day holiday in total, usually Saturday |
£75 |
| Live
availability |
Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
|
 |
| How to book |
Secure
payments, bonded tour operator
Details of how to book, click
here |
Book
online |
|
|
|
| Standard
Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA / UIMLA guide for
the day, 2) Resort course hosts for logistics & briefings,
3) Pre course information booklet, 4) Equipment discount
voucher for our Windermere shop, 5) Loan of avalanche
safety gear and snowshoes during the course, if required. |
|
| Exclusions:
1) Travel to & from Chamonix / Courmayeur, 2) Cable
Cars (approx £25), 3) Accommodation, 4) Personal
laundry, telephone calls, lunches, & any purchases
in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants, 5) Activities
insurance, & excess baggage charges. |
|
| Group
sizes: Prices are based on 4 - 6 people per instructor. For group sizes of over 6 people, there
are multiple guides, and the teams travel independently
of each other. |
|
| Notes: The
loan of avalanche safety kit is included
(tranceiver, avalanche probe and shovel). |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Current
course availability
|
| |
