Avalanche Awareness
Venturing off-piste can provide skiers with the ultimate exhilaration of remote locations and fantastic powder, but being away from it all on unpatrolled slopes is not without danger. The hazards of avalanches are always present in the mountains.
While not a substitute for the experience of a guide, our mountain-craft courses are ideal for those who want to start acquiring the knowledge and skills needed for safe travel in mountain environments. Avoidance of risks is the principle safety policy, but should accidents occur, the nature of being off-piste means dealing with the scenario without external assistance. Self-help techniques are also covered.
These courses are suited for all winter sports enthusiasts, and we would recommend undertaking a course each season to refresh and add to your knowledge.
Course description
This one day course covers both risk analysis and disaster management. You will be taught to recognise avalanche hazards, and how terrain, aspect, wind and temperature, together with weather history, all play a part in assessing avalanche risk. You will be shown how to dig a snow pit and analyse the snow pack. You will be taken through the use of avalanche transceivers and practise a number of search scenarios using transceivers together with other techniques.
Course Details
Duration: 1 day
2008 Dates: Every Wednesday and Saturday from mid-December to the end of April. Groups of 4-8 can book any day.
Group Size: 4-8
Ratio: 1:8
Included: Guide fee, avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, group technical equipment.
Not included: Personal equipment, mountain rescue insurance, lifts, food, transports.
Equipment: See Equipment List or contact our office
Price: 80€ per person.
For whom: Skiers and snowboarders of all levels. We strongly recommend anyone who skis off-piste or who is going ski touring, for example on the Haute Route, to do a course like this first.
