B A C K C O U N T RY S K I I N G
DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM . +44 (0) 845 564 52 19
Chamonix has inspired many generations of skiers and because of this it is world famous as an off piste destination! It’s one of the most incredible mountain ranges in the world, with almost limitless options for skiing away from the busy crowds and getting lost amongst the picturesque slopes. Which is why our backcountry ski weeks are designed to show you the best of what is out there – designed perfectly for the intermediate and advanced off piste skiers and snowboarders. We’ll ski the best backcountry descents where you will be able to improve upon and learn the best ski and snowboard skills. Guy, the instructor has over 32 years of alpine and telemark skiing under his belt, where he will give you a real hands on experience with over 90% of teaching being physical and on the move, so we don’t miss out on the skiing! Chamonix is an authentic mountain town with a genuine ‘lived in’ feel with plenty shops, bars and restaurants with the majority having entertainment continuing till late every night. Chamonix’s off piste ski terrain is vast, and it is well known for its long glacier descents and big vertical drop. With 5 resorts in 2 mountain ranges, there are top quality descents at all altitudes, aspects and lengths. In short, there is plenty for everyone. Courses include skiing on glaciers, ski touring (skinning uphill) and boot packing (hiking uphill). The focus of our backcountry getaways is always based around finding the best snow conditions, away from the beaten track, some of the skiing will be directly from the lifts, but you’ll also be ‘earning your turns’ - to find the best descents. General fitness is important as well as strong ski legs, but don’t worry, the pace is tailored to the group and the emphasis is on having a fun holiday with your friends and family as much as structured learning!
DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM . +44 (0) 845 564 52 19
We split the group into intermediate and advanced courses, so you will be with like- minded individuals whilst skiing on glaciers, ski touring (skinning uphill) and boot packing (hiking uphill). Please note that you should be an intermediate or an advanced off piste skier to get the most from these holidays where you can expect to be skiing from the first lift each day. Most days you can expect to do some uphill work to get to the descents. If this all sounds like hard work, don’t worry! It’s your holiday and the pace is entirely up to you.
Dates: January to April our courses run throughout the winter season Backcountry Skiing – Example Itinerary This is an example itinerary only, in reality we will tailor the week to suit every individual, and the snow and weather conditions at the time. We will be making the best of the terrain and weather conditions and will be designing the itinerary around this.
Sunday - Arrive in Chamonix and settle in to the chalet. A welcome chat with your chalet hosts and meet with the Guides.
Monday - Exploring the epic back bowls of Le Tour with a INTERMEDIATE SKIERS I am an off- piste skier/ boarder with varying success and have skied at least 1-2 weeks predominantly off- piste. I can link, without traversing, at least 5 – 10 turns together with reasonable control, style and speed, down the fall line, in most snow types. Deep, heavy and crusty snow are still a problem. I usually don’t fall unless the snow is very heavy, deep or crusty. I may not like icy slopes but can ski them in control.
ADVANCED SKIERS
descent to Trient and avalanche transceiver training. There will be up to 1.5 hours boot packing included with this.
Tuesday - Ski touring in the Aiguilles Rouges. Introduction to uphill skinning, route choice and avalanche awareness...and of course a great descent to Le Buet. Finishing the day off with a short train ride which will take us back to Cham. This day will include over 2 hours of uphill!
Wednesday – Off piste skiing at the Grand Montets with crevasse rescue training. An afternoon descent of the classic 1500m Pas de Chevre powder run to the Mer de Glace. No uphill will be included in today’s activities.
I can link, without traversing, at least 10-15 short or long radius turns off- piste in any kind of snow. I have good control and choose where to turn most of the time. The thought of fresh powder excites me and I enjoy the challenge of difficult snow. I can sideslip forwards and
Thursday - Ski touring the Col du Passon route down to Le Tour village, a classic tour with 2500m of descent for about 2.5 hours uphill skinning. This is a great Introduction to glacier skiing and further avalanche awareness.
backwards, sidestep up and down, and can ski 35-40 degree
Friday - A day skiing from the Aiguille du Midi. We skin for
slopes. I ski off- piste whenever I can and enjoy skiing far
about 2 hours to make the most of the great skiing in this region, finishing with a descent of the Vallee Blanche.
from the lifts/pistes.
FITNESS LEVEL B: I can ski all day with only short breaks and can hike up to 2 hours a day (600m of uphill).
Saturday - A day of skiing by yourselves, without a guide. Ski where/when you want using your new and improved skills.
Sunday – Depart DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM . +44 (0) 845 564 52 19
TRAINING FOR BACKCOUNTRY SKIING Good fitness will definitely make this much more fun and you’ll get more out of your week! Although we will tailor the course to your ability, we definitely recommend getting as fit as possible before you start. The process of training for your goal will help you focus on your goal - and having a goal will help you focus on your training. So all in all training is key! Backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering is all about being able to exercise at a moderate intensity for several hours, and your training should reflect this. Probably the best training is cycling as this targets similar muscle groups and prepares the mind (exercising for long periods in poor weather requires mental strength!). However not everyone has the opportunity to do this and so alternatives such as jogging and gym workouts are also a great way to train. The focus for backcountry skiing should be on training Cardiovascular Endurance for long days in the mountains - cycling/running/rowing machines are much better than weight training. Try and exercise for up to a couple of hours at a time at least twice a week. Skinning uphill and boot packing in the mountains require a good level of endurance fitness, and finding a pace and rhythm you can sustain for relatively long periods of time. The fitter you are generally, the more you’ll enjoy the uphill (yes, really!), as well as recover quickly for the epic descents on the other side. In addition to cardio training, try yoga, swimming, Pilates to help with core stability and balance, squats and cycling are also a good way to strengthen your legs. Remember to build up your workouts over time. If you are not used to exercising much, your muscles and joints need time to build up to avoid injury.
Try and choose an activity that you enjoy and keep a note of what you do and your times – this really helps with keeping the motivation up. If you are not used to training then your local gym will be able to advise you on a plan and schedule to help you achieve your goals. Please remember training does not happen overnight and the fittest athletes train as part of their lifestyle and have been doing it for years. Consider training for a good couple of months before coming out to the Alps.
THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE Chamonix is at an altitude of 1100m and it is rare that one would suffer from altitude sickness at such a level. However, the lifts in the Chamonix valley take you up to an altitude of 3842m which can at times have an effect on how you feel. As you climb higher the air gets thinner and so there is less oxygen in each breath we take. The higher we go the less oxygen there is. This makes exercising much harder work than at sea level and so we have to slow down to help compensate. Because we have slowed down, we may feel colder. Because there is less oxygen in the air as we get higher, this can lead to ‘altitude sickness’ or Acute Mountain Sickness which may include headache, nausea, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and can develop into a very serious and even fatal (in extreme cases) problem. In reality on a backcountry skiing week, it’s unlikely you will have any lasting effects from altitude – however, it is something to be aware of, and always let your guide know if you experience any problems
INSURANCE We strongly recommend getting specialist travel insurance that covers cancellation, medical and mountain rescue. Make sure that it covers glaciated mountaineering and climbing. We highly recommend using the Dogtag (www. dogtag.co.uk) - they have comprehensive policies and a respectable reputation.
DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM . +44 (0) 845 564 52 19
2. Skins and ski crampons 3. Poles 4. Boots - These must fit and be comfortable to wear. We feel it is best not to rent boots. Rather buy some and have them fitted professionally - this will make your week much more comfortable, fun and blister free! ‘Fit’ is more important than
KIT LIST Unfortunately we can’t recommend a specific brand and model for each item on the kit list, as what is available is constantly changing and, of course, different people are different shapes and sizes with different budgets. However, in general, we use and endorse Sherpa and Black Diamond products because in our experience they are excellent… If you go to a good retailers such as Snow & Rock, explain to them you will be backcountry skiing and they will be able to advise you on what is best for you. Bring the following list with you. Lastly, if necessary it is possible to rent most hardware items in Chamonix. You can hire boots too, but this is a last resort (no one likes uncomfortable boots)
whether a boot is ‘stiff enough’ or not. I use a touring boot that is designed to ski well, rather than ultra-light.
5. Rucksack - 40-50l with ski straps 6. Water bottle 7. Transceiver, probe, shovel, crampons, ice axe, harness, 1 screw gate karabiner
8. Sunglasses, goggles, sunhat, sunscreen, lip salve/block 9. 3 sets socks and light coloured thermal tops 10. Lightweight Gore-Tex top/bottoms, warm hat, thick gloves, thin gloves (when skinning)
11. Insulating layers. I use a thin ‘100’ weight fleece and a synthetic duvet jacket (thin).
12. Personal first aid – including blister kit and ibuprofen. 13. Cash (euros) for extra drinks/snacks on the mountain. Remember kit should be lightweight but functional - you have to carry it! We can help with equipment rental in Chamonix.
1. Skis with touring bindings - Skis for off piste skiing and ski touring. We recommend skis that you will enjoy skiing on, but are not too heavy/stiff. They should be ‘fat’ but not too fat. Wider skis make it easier to ski off piste, but too wide can be hard to control and hamper your technique progression and progress on the uphills. We would recommend an underfoot width of 80- 90mm. e.g. Rossignol
B2 with fritschi bindings.
DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM . +44 (0) 845 564 52 19
MORE INFO & BOOKING COURSE RATIO: 1:6 guide:client COURSE LEVEL: Intermediate or advanced full course price includes: guiding, guides expenses, 7 nights twin share chalet accommodation in central Chamonix on a B&B and packed lunch basis in the resort transport. FULL COURSE PRICE INCLUDES: Guiding, guides expenses, 7 nights twin share chalet accommodation in central Chamonix on a B&B and packed lunch basis (very convenient!), in resort transport. FULL COURSE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: Insurance, travel to/from Chamonix, lift pass & helicopter (as these are very weather dependant), equipment rental, drinks/snacks, evening meals in Chamonix (it’s nice to explore the town) GETTING TO CHAMONIX Once you have booked with us and bought specialist skiing/climbing travel and cancellation insurance, it is best to book flights and airport transfers well in advance of your departure. Booking a place on a minibus airport transfer service is by far the best way to get from Geneva airport to Chamonix (it takes about an hour or so, is cost effective and is a door to door service). If you have booked Full Course, we can book your airport transfers at a competitive rate – just email us with your flight details …
CHALET ACCOMMODATION When staying in Chamonix, you will stay in one of our comfortable Adventure Base Chalets (www.adventurebase.com), which is a gentle 6 minute walk from the town centre’s restaurants and bars. Breakfast and packed lunch are included leaving the evenings free for you to explore the delights of Chamonix. Rooms are normally on a twin share basis. Have a look here for more details and photos: http://www.adventurebase.com/sun/ accommodation/slider OTHER INFORMATION www.chamonix.net is a good source of information about the town, the restaurants and the bars. They also have listings of doctors, dentists and other medical practitioners. There are lots of cash points in Chamonix and Maestro/visa/MasterCard are all readily accepted. To find out more about our course, availability, or to ask any questions, please get in touch with us through our website www.dream-guides.com or by phone on +44 (0)845 564 52 19 We look forward to seeing you soon!
DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM +44 (0) 845 564 52 19