Ski mountaineering in Chamonix
ALPINE SAFETY SKILLS
ALPINE SAFETY SKILLS
OVERNIGHT SKI TOUR
SKI MOUNTAINEERING IN CHAMONIX MONT BLANC, THE ULTIMATE ALPINE EXPERIENCE
Ski mountaineering is, unsurprisingly, a combination of skiing and mountaineering – allowing you to access more remote and rugged terrain. Our Chamonix ski mountaineering course will take you into the backcountry of the Mont Blanc Massif to tackle iconic off-piste routes such as the Pas de Chevre, the Rectiligne Couloir and the Vallee Blanche. Much of the course will take place at Les Grands Montets, on the Argentiere glacier and on the vast amount of off-piste terrain accessed from the Aiguille du Midi.
Ski mountaineers can travel over mixed terrain such as snow, rock and ice by using a variety of skills including ski touring, off-piste skiing and alpinism. You’ll learn how to scale steep couloirs using crampons and ice axes, traverse mixed terrain over rock and ice, abseil over cliffs, and ski safely over glaciers and other unpatrolled environments whilst strengthening your off-piste skiing technique and gaining confidence in your mountaineering skills.
This is an excellent preparation course for our ski mountaineering trips such as the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, Ski Mont Blanc or the Monte Rosa Ski Tour.
This ski mountaineering course builds on from our Ski Touring Introduction Course, which is ideal preparation if you’re not quite ready for the ski mountaineering course just yet.
From: 1390 €
Advanced
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Fitness level 4/5
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Group of 4 maximum
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5 days course
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Available January – April
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1 night in a mountain hut
Dates
Start date | End date | Space | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Monday 6 January 2025
|
Friday 10 January 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 13 January 2025
|
Friday 17 January 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 20 January 2025
|
Friday 24 January 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 27 January 2025
|
Friday 31 January 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 3 February 2025
|
Friday 7 February 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 10 February 2025
|
Friday 14 February 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 17 February 2025
|
Friday 21 February 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 24 February 2025
|
Friday 28 February 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 3 March 2025
|
Friday 7 March 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 10 March 2025
|
Friday 14 March 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 17 March 2025
|
Friday 21 March 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 24 March 2025
|
Friday 28 March 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 31 March 2025
|
Friday 4 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 7 April 2025
|
Friday 11 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 14 April 2025
|
Friday 18 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 21 April 2025
|
Friday 25 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Dates
Start date | End date | Space | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Monday 6 January 2025
|
Friday 10 January 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 13 January 2025
|
Friday 17 January 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 20 January 2025
|
Friday 24 January 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 27 January 2025
|
Friday 31 January 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 3 February 2025
|
Friday 7 February 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 10 February 2025
|
Friday 14 February 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 17 February 2025
|
Friday 21 February 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 24 February 2025
|
Friday 28 February 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 3 March 2025
|
Friday 7 March 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 10 March 2025
|
Friday 14 March 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 17 March 2025
|
Friday 21 March 2025
|
Guaranteed
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 24 March 2025
|
Friday 28 March 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 31 March 2025
|
Friday 4 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 7 April 2025
|
Friday 11 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 14 April 2025
|
Friday 18 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Monday 21 April 2025
|
Friday 25 April 2025
|
Two more to guarantee
|
1390 €
| Make enquiry |
Itinerary
Welcome meeting at Chamex Office
You will meet your guide and the rest of the group at the Chamonix Experience office the previous evening to discuss the plan for the upcoming week.
Day 1: Warm-Up Ski Tour and Avalanche Awareness
We will take you for a warm-up ski tour, which is an opportunity for your guide to check everyone’s skiing and ski touring ability. You will polish your ski touring skills and learn some useful tips. You will also practice a simulated search for an avalanche victim using your transceiver, shovel and probe.
Day 2. Steep Skiing and Rope work practice
This will be a day of skiing steep couloirs such as the Pas de Chèvre, the Couloir des Poubelles or the Rectiligne couloir, and we will decide where to go depending on the snow conditions. You will practice steep skiing and jump turns, and we will teach you how to set up belays, how to abseil, how to secure your partner using a short rope and various other useful techniques.
Day 3. Brèche Puiseux and Crevasse Rescue
We will take a lift up to the top of Aiguille du Midi and ski down Chamonix’s famous glacier run, the Vallée Blanche, to the Mer de Glace. Here we start the climb up to the magnificent Brèche Puiseux. You will skin and climb up a steep couloir using crampons and an ice axe. There is a short technical section and an abseil on the other side of the couloir. The descent is fun and it will bring you back to the Mer de Glace, an ideal venue for crevasse rescue practice.
Day 4. Refuge d’Argentière (2771 m)
You should be feeling confident skiing in any mountain terrain by now, so it’s time to go for a 2 day ski tour adventure! You will start by skiing from the Grands Montets top station down to the Glacier d’Argentière. After traversing the glacier, we skin up to the Refuge d’Argentiere, where we can enjoy the beautiful sunset and spend the night.
Day 5. Summit of Aiguille d’Argentière and ski the Glacier du Milieu
Today we have an early start. Using your newly acquired skills, you will skin and climb to the summit of the Aiguille d’Argentière. This is a long hike which should take about 3 – 4 hours, but all your hard work will be rewarded by a long descent of 2670 metres. The day and the course will finish in one of Chamonix’s bars with a well-deserved drink! Course ends with a debriefing in the Chamonix Experience office on Friday evening.
Learning outcomes
On our 5 day ski mountaineering course in Chamonix you will ski tour across glaciers, climb a summit with your skis on your pack, spend a night in a mountain hut, learn a new set of skills to keep yourself safe in the mountains and gain more confidence off-piste with our introduction to steep skiing.
Our instructors are all qualified UIAGM mountain guides with all the knowledge and experience needed to teach you the essential mountain safety techniques.
Above all, mountain safety is our highest priority, which is why as well as ski mountaineering techniques we also teach you how to ski off-piste safely. Avalanche awareness and transceiver search are essential to your skill set as a confident off-piste ski mountaineer, especially when skiing the Chamonix backcountry routes that can take you far away from the patrolled ski areas. You’ll also learn more advanced safety techniques such as:
- Ropework and rappelling
- Using your skis as an anchor
- Skiing safely on steep and/or narrow slopes
- Avalanche search and rescue methods
- Glacier safety and crevasse rescue
Level requirements
Physical level
Our Chamonix ski mountaineering course is physically demanding and so it is essential that you prepare yourself. Regular practice of any kind of endurance sport such as ski touring, hiking, running, biking or swimming is the best kind of training. We also recommend core strength exercises – Pilates and yoga are perfect.
Technical level
This course is for expert off-piste skiers only and you will need to be:
- Confident and quick skiing off-piste on snow of varied quality
- Experienced in ski touring
- Experienced in using ice axes and crampons
- Prepared to climb up steep couloirs and abseil with your skis attached to your rucksack
The best preparation for this course is to complete our Ski Touring Introduction Course first; it will lay the foundations and give you the strength and skills necessary to get the most out of your time.
If you’re not sure which course is best for you, or if you simply want to ask us some questions, please contact us on info@chamex.com and we will be happy to help you.
Additional services
AIRPORT TRANSFERS
We can help you to organise your transport to/from Chamonix. We work with well established airport transfer companies which use new and comfortable vehicles and which have the capacity and know-how to handle everything from delayed and cancelled flights, to unexpected traffic jams with professionalism and efficiency.
To book your transfer, we will need the following:
- Full name
- Mobile phone number
- Email address
- Your destination address
- Flight details (date, time and flight number)
SHARED TRANSFERS:
This is the most economic and ecologically friendly way of travel. The driver will meet and greet you at the airport, gather you and the rest of the passenger group together and then head off to your chosen destination. The door-to-door service means that you will be dropped off and picked up right at your hotel /chalet / apartment. From 40€ per person for one way and 80€ per person for a return trip.
PRIVATE TRANSFERS:
Private Transfers are the quickest way to get to and from the airport. Your driver will meet and greet you at the airport and guide you to your vehicle. There is no waiting for other passengers. Private transfers are available for one to eight person bookings and travelling together and you are guaranteed sole occupancy of the vehicle for your transfer. And, of course, it’s a door to door service, so you won’t be lugging any bags very far.
Accommodation in Chamonix
If you need help to find a place to stay in Chamonix, don’t hesitate to let us know! We work with a network of excellent chalets, hotels, gites and B&Bs offering Chamonix accommodation to suit all tastes and all budgets.
Equipment rental
We highly recommend that you book any equipment with us at least 2 weeks in advance as the hire shops can have limited availability in the busy season.
You can collect your equipment the evening before the start of the course and return it in the evening at the end of your course. We work with the following Chamonix ski hire and mountain shop:
• Concept Pro Shop which is conveniently located directly next door from our office. Open 7/7 08:00-19:00
Search & Rescue Insurance
We don’t include mountain rescue insurance in any of our courses but we strongly recommend that you have it. Mountain rescue may be very expensive, particularly if helicopters are involved. Check with your travel insurance provider if you are covered for the specific activity you are going to do with us.
However, we can organise the mountain rescue insurance for you. Details of the insurance cover are different for EU and non-EU residents; please contact us for more information.
Guiding & Tuition
5 days of mountain guiding and ski tuition by a UIAGM qualified mountain guide.
Mountain hut
1 night in a mountain hut with breakfast and dinner included.
Local Transport
Any local transport that is required during your course.
Group Equipment
Ropes, safety equipment, etc will be provided when needed by your guide.
Office Support
Our team is based at the foot of the Aiguillle du Midi cable car and will be happy to help you with any questions you may have before, during or after your trip to Chamonix.
Not included in price
Skis / Snowboards
The price does not include skis/snowboards, boots or clothing. If you do not have your own we can help you organise rental, please ask us for details.
Personal Equipment
Please see the “Equipment” tab to find out what you will need on this trip / course. For private customised guiding, please contact us directly to confirm your personalised kit list.
Insurance
Travel insurance including a mountain search and rescue insurance is mandatory on all our trips (we can organise the mountai search and rescue insurance for you on request). We highly advice to have a policy covering the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation. When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.
Food & Drink
The price does not include lunch or snacks. You can bring your own food and we can stop for a picnic, or there may be the option to buy lunch at a mountain hut. Please make sure that you are carrying sufficient water and snacks as we will be in the mountains for a number of hours.
Accommodation in Chamonix
Accommodation in Chamonix is not included in the price but we would be happy to advise or organise it on request.
Travel to Chamonix
The price does not include flights, airport transfers or any other travel to/from Chamonix. However, we can organise airport transfers for you on request, please contact us for details.
Lift passes
To keep the itinerary flexible, we do not include the lift passes in the course price. We will advise you what lift passes you will need on day to day basis and organise them for you. The total price will vary depending on the weather, conditions and the selected climbs.