Off-Piste and Ski Touring Skills Chamonix test

This course combines both off-piste instruction and ski touring skills. It is aimed at intermediate level off-piste skiers who want to learn the essential ski touring skills for travelling safely and confidently in the backcountry whilst also having instruction to improve off-piste skills and technique. As part of the course all participants will also complete the Foundation level Avalanche training course.

Chamonix needs little introduction, with it's snow sure skiing and extensive backcountry, this is the ideal venue for this course. The Chamonix valley extends over 20km and there are several separate lift systems and mountains which provide enormous variety and all are included on the Mont Blanc pass.

Numerous options including: The Vallee Blanche - the longest off-piste ski descent in the world (24km). Pas de Chevre – ascend to the top of Grand Montets and ski down to the Mer de Glace and on into Chamonix. Glacier du Toule – you can ski the Glacier du Toule down towards Courmayeur and then catch the cable car back up to the top of the mountain and ski the Italian side of the Vallee Blanche. Le Tour - from the back of the Le Tour lift system there is fantastic off-piste skiing and good touring options towards Vallorcine and Switzerland.

Some of the very best areas can only be reached by a relatively short ski tour from the pistes: the effort expended is more than rewarded with the awesome skiing across untracked terrain.

We proudly offer our returning customers a discount.

The promotion is valid for qualifying bookings made before the end of October 2024 (using the discount codes provided) at the checkout.

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Ski Club Winter Arrangements limited (trading as Mountain Tracks)
Registered in England No. 2099115. VAT No. GB 461 5692 34

We accept the following payment methods

The price includes 7 nights HB accommodation, 6 full days ski instruction and in-resort transfers.

The price does not include lift pass, lunches, equipment hire, travel to/from Chamonix

Single room occupancy is subject to availability and will incur an additional charge. Contact us for details.

This is an extensive list of the recommended clothing and equipment you will need if you are coming to one of our Ski Touring Skills courses. 

On these courses, you'll be staying in a comfortable catered chalet or hotel and so when skiing you only need to carry a small day pack, which contains your safety equipment and any personal items you may need.

If you are uncertain or need further information, don't hesitate to contact us.

• Ski Touring Skills - Clothing

  When choosing clothing for backcountry skiing and ski touring you want to think light, warm and versatile. During the trip weather conditions will change and you’re likely to go from icy-cold mornings when you’re wearing everything to keep out the chill to warm afternoons where you’ll be carrying most of your gear in your rucksack. Getting hold of the best and lightest kit available is always worth it and most of the major brands have suitable clothing for backcountry skiing.

  This season, we’ve partnered with Ortovox to provide us with the very best safety kit and clothing. Our guides will all be decked out in the latest Ortovox jackets and trousers and will keep warm, dry and comfortable thanks to their technical wool base- and mid-layers. Our guides couldn’t recommend their kit more highly.

   

  • Roll neck rather than a scarf. We use and recommend the ‘Buff¹ ¬ a light, stretchable tube. Excellent despite the name! They do both a fleece/cotton version for warmth or just a cotton one (to keep the sun off).
  • Headwear to include warm hat and sun-cap or wide-brim hat for extra protection from the sun. Mountain Tracks fully supports the wearing of helmets for skiing, although not mandatory for any of our trips we do recommend them.
  • An outer shell jacket made of waterproof and breathable material like Gore-Tex or similar with a built-in hood. The lighter the better and so a shell is recommended rather than an insulated jacket.
  • 1-2 thin fleeces - rather than a thick layer between your skin and the outer shell - an approach which gives better heat retention and good flexibility. These tops are known as ‘mid layers’. The principle of ‘layering’ e.g. allowing you to easily add/remove layers depending on the temperature and the activity is recommended to ensure comfort on the mountain.
  • Insulation layer like a down or Primaloft jacket is a good item to have ready to wear in the event of cold weather, it can live in your rucksack as a spare layer and can come in very handy for sudden changes in the weather.
  • For the lower half, it’s essential that you have a pair of thermal base layer pants (long johns).
  • These can then be combined with either:
  • (a) a good pair of ‘technical shell’ pants in a waterproof and breathable fabric like Gore-Tex
  • (b) a pair of mountain or alpine pants in a softshell material together with a pair of lightweight, breathable over trousers with long side zips.
  • Top and bottom underwear made of a synthetic, wicking material. Very popular at the moment are the wool based layers from companies such as Ortovox. They are comfy, breathable and warm when needed and can be worn for days without your friends catching a whiff!
  • Good quality Gore-Tex gloves or mitts and a thin pair of softshell or fleece gloves for when it is hot and for ski touring in. Silk inner gloves can be useful if the weather is cold and you suffer from cold hands.
  • Technical Socks - Investing in good quality ski socks will improve fit, warmth and feel when skiing for long periods. Bring along a few pairs.
• Ski Touring Skills - Ski Equipment

  For these trips it is essential that you ski with an all-mountain/freeride type skis, ski touring boots and ski touring bindings.  If you have your own skis but they do not have ski touring bindings then you will need to rent skis. The same applies if you have downhill ski boots, you will need to rent ski touring boots.

  Skis

  For alpine ski touring we recommend an all-mountain/freeride touring ski that isn’t too heavy, a really lightweight ski comes at a cost to performance on the descents so are only recommended for really good off-piste skiers with a strong interest in ski touring.

  This winter our lead guides are using Elan skis. Praised by magazine testers and professional skiers alike for its unique blend of lightweight performance, the Ripstick 96 is proven to be the ultimate freeride ski in all snow conditions. The Ripstick 106 is the ultimate freeride ski for any terrain. From boundary line to the base lodge, peak to the parking lot, and trailhead to tailgate this ski excels in all conditions. The new Ripstick Tour 94 is designed on a wider platform, enabling the skier to float better, ski faster, and turn easier in backcountry conditions.

  It is built to blend high performance at a low weight, for the perfect mix of freeride downhill performance and efficient ascending capability. With Ripstick Tour 94, the confidence to conquer long ascents and charge challenging descents is the name of the game.

  There are many ‘all-mountain/freeride’ skis to choose from and we also recommend skis from Salomon, Dynastar, Movement, Black Crows, Trab Skis, Scott and Volkl.  Look for a ski that is the right size for your height, typically the tip of the ski should be somewhere around your nose height.  As for the width of the ski or “side cut” a mid-fat ski – 90-110mm under the foot is a good place to start; this offers plenty of flotation off-piste while remaining suitable for day tours and they should also handle reasonably well on piste and mixed terrain.

  Elan Skis: www.elanskis.com

  Dynastar Skis:  www.dynastar.com

  Movement Skis: www.movementskis.com                                       

  Black Crows Skis: www.blackcrows-skis.com/

  Trab Skis: www.skitrab.com/en-us/

  Scott Skis: http://www.scott-sports.com

  Volkl Skis: http://www.voelkl.com

  There are plenty of other great skis to choose from so if you’re planning on buying skis for ski touring or general skiing and have any questions do not hesitate to call us, or Lockwoods, to discuss the options available.

  
  Boots

  It is essential that you have ski touring boots for these trips as walking uphill is much more comfortable in these types of boots with a walk mode and great flex; a dedicated touring boot or a hybrid hike & ride boot is best. 

  Our guides are using ROXA boots. They recommend R3 ski boots, the lightest high-performance alpine ski boot in its class. The 110 TI is geared for big mountain chargers who may use “Tech” and/or Alpine bindings and often hike or skin to find their lines. The RX Tours is targeted toward skiers who prefer to blaze their own trail and leave the lift lines behind.

  Scarpa has led the way in touring boots for many years but they have been joined by other manufacturers like Dynafit, Salomon, Scott, Black Diamond, Dalbello and K2; all producing their own versions of ski touring boots.

  • ROXA R3 and RX Tour ski boots provide a range of models suitable for all sorts of terrain and snow conditions. It is a family-owned company located in Italy, focused on advanced materials, and ultralight compounds and one of the first companies to use CAD Design software to design and 3D print prototypes.
  • Scarpa’s Freedom boots are their Hybrid offerings, with great ski performance, a walk mode and Vibram sole.  Their Maestrale (men’s) and Gea (women’s) boots are also highly recommended.
  • The Scott Celeste and Cosmos boots have stood the test of time and are good all round choices.
  • Salomon’s Quest Max series offer boots with a walk mode in various flex’s with good downhill performance.
  • Dynafit offer the Mercury or Vulcan boots plus a range of lightweight options like the TLT6.

  The best of the rest are:

  Fischer - Transalp

  Black Diamond – Quadrant and Factor

  K2 – Pinnacle boot

  Dalbello – Lupo or Sherpa

  Langue – XT series offer a ski boot with a walk mode in various flex options

   

  
  Boot Liners
  These days many manufacturers offer ‘thermo-fit¹ liners as standard equipment. You may also want to consider a custom liner as these are heated and moulded to your foot and boot for a perfect fit. They can make all the difference especially if you have trouble finding really comfortable ‘off-the-shelf’ boots. Zipfit liners are a great option for anyone seeking total customisation in fit and comfort. They will replace the original liner.
  
  Custom Footbeds
  Essential kit – to provide additional comfort and ski control. If you want to get footbeds made or a pair of new boots fitted then we suggest you visit somewhere like Profeet for a professional fitting. Don’t forget if you have footbeds in your downhill boots but need to rent touring boots then you can bring the footbeds with you and put them in the hire boots.
  
  Bindings
  For all ski touring trips ski touring bindings are essential. Fritschi and Marker both make excellent ski-touring bindings and you have a few different options to choose from. Many more people are seeing the advantage of the “pin” binding system now offered by a number of manufacturers as these are light and offer ever-improving security despite their minimalist looks!
  
  Although Pin bindings have been around since the Dynafit Low Tech bindings over 30 years ago, since their patent expired the technology has advanced substantially. Salomon, with their Shift Binding, are at the forefront; they’re ‘multi norm compatible’ so fit a selection of boots and are lighter than most freeride bindings. Our lead guides are using the Shift binding this winter, so if you’d like to know more about them give Lockwoods a ring.

  Ski Poles
  We recommend telescopic poles. They must have wide powder baskets (4-5 inches/100-120mm diameter) otherwise you’ll be up to your armpits on the ascents. Go for an alloy rather than carbon poles which are lighter but have a nasty habit of snapping near the basket due to ski edge nicks.
  
  Rucksack
  A small day pack can be used on this course as you're not travelling hut-to-hut and don't need to carry a lot of gear. However, the pack should have the key features of a good ski touring pack:

  • a method of attaching your skis in either an A-frame (one either side) or both together on a diagonal ski carriage
  • easy access into the main compartment without having to empty the sack to get something at the bottom
  • separate pocket for avalanche shovel, handle and probe
  • small top pocket for items like wallet, sunglassed/goggles etc; an ice axe loop
  • built-in rain cover and a secure method of attaching/stowing a ski helmet 
  • good hip/waist belt and adjustable shoulder straps

  Avalanche airbag rucksacks are generally not recommended for ski touring due to the additional weight however they can be used on our ski touring skills courses

   

• Ski Touring Skills - Technical Kit
  • Ski Skins – these are skins which, now made of artificial fabric, stick to the bottom of your skis and allow you to walk up hill. They must be cut to fit your skis exactly, so if you are bringing your own skis you must provide your own skins.
  • Ski Crampons (aka couteaux) - most ski touring bindings have ski crampons specifically designed for the binding. We always carry these just in case. Again if you are bringing your skis and touring bindings you must provide your own ski crampons. 
  • Ice Axe - general lightweight mountaineering / alpine pick. Ideally this needs to be short enough to fit in your pack.
  • Boot Crampons - ideally lightweight aluminum ones although steel crampons are required for more demanding tours
  • Climbing Harness - a simple lightweight harness. The key feature is that it should have fully adjustable leg loops for putting on over ski boots, crampons, etc.
• Ski Touring Skills - Safety Equipment

  The “Safety Trilogy” - required on all our ski tours and off-piste courses.

  • Avalanche Transceiver/Beacon
  • Snow shovel
  • Avalanche probe

  We recommend simple and intuitive ORTOVOX AVALANCHE RESCUE KIT 3+

  Remember it is not enough just to carry this equipment; you have to know how to use it.
  How about joining one of our specialist avalanche courses – check out www.mountaintracks.co.uk/activity/avalanche-training
• Ski Touring Skills - Accessories
  • Good pair of ski goggles with a lens for low light is essential in the event of snow and poor visibility
  • Good quality sunglasses with 100% UV protection
  • 30-35 liter rucksack
  • 1 – 1.5 Liter water bottle – we don’t recommend hydration systems (e.g. camelbak) in winter as they can freeze.
  • Food – bring some of your favorite hill nibbles (chocolate, energy bars)*
  • Suncream and lip salve
  • Camera with a large capacity memory card!
• Ski Touring - Hiring
  Most resorts have ski shops that hire ski equipment and we try to provide relevant contact details for all our courses and tours.
  
  Prices do change by resort/country, but here’s an approximate guide to hire costs for 6-days hire:
  
  Touring Skis plus skins and ski crampons €150-180
  Touring boots €80-90 
  Boot Crampons €45-50
  Ice Axe €30-40
  Harness €20-30
  Helmet €20-30
  Transceiver/shovel/probe €75-80
  
  Our guides also generally have additional sets of safety equipment (transceiver/shovel/probe) which they hire out to clients for €65 for 6 days hire. Must be booked in advance.

• Insurance

  It is a condition of booking that you are insured for your chosen activity and the cover must include medical expenses, personal accident, personal liability, third party risks and rescue (including helicopter rescue). You are strongly advised also to take out cover against cancellation and curtailment.

  For UK residents Ski Club Travel Insurance may be a suitable option.

  For more details and to purchase a policy online visit http://www.skiclubinsurance.co.uk/
  If you need assistance arranging your personal insurance please let us know.
   

• Travel to Chamonix

  You should arrange to arrive in Chamonix by late afternoon on the first day. 

  The most convenient airport is Geneva and from here the transfer time up to Chamonix by road is just 1 hr 15mins.  To travel between the airport and Chamonix we recommend you reserve a seat on one of the many commercial shuttle buses. Mountain Tracks can book this for you and the usual prices are from £40 per person one-way. Please supply your full flight details to us so we can make the reservation.

  Want to take the train to the resort?  No problem – it’s possible to get to Chamonix by train from the UK using the Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris, then the TGV to Bellegarde and a regional train to Chamonix.  The journey can be done in 1 day. However, please note to arrive in Chamonix by 5pm you should be departing Paris between 9am and 10am, there is a small selection of options ranging from 5hr to 7hrs of travel. If you need to arrive late in the evening for any of our trips please discuss with us as soon as possible. 

  The London to Paris Eurostar timetable here 

• Ski Touring - Guides

  All our ski tours are led by our team of IFMGA Mountain Guides. The team is led by Olly Allen, Matt Dickinson and Nick Parks. 

• Chamonix Accommodation

  Chamonix has lots of catered chalets and hotels.

  Our preferred chalet is Chalet Les Pelerins. This is a comfortable privately run chalet in the Rue des Pelerins about 15 minutes walk from the centre of the town.

  Our preferred hotel is Hotel Les Lanchers in Chamonix Les Praz.