Venture into the exciting world of steep skiing in Chamonix, extreme skiing capital of the world. We will prepare you for the challenges of steep skiing and equip you with the essential skills to go steep and deep in the world-famous Chamonix backcountry
Our steep skiing instructors are both ENSA ski instructors and UIAGM mountain guides, meaning that they are fully qualified not only to teach but also to guide you on high mountains and glaciated terrain.
Maximum 3 participants per guide to allow flexibility and fast progression
Learn avalanche rescue skills and rope work skills for safe skiing in the Alpine environment
Chamonix is well known for its steep skiing terrain - the famous slopes of the Pas de Chevre, the Posettes couloirs from Le Tour, the ENSA couloir and Hotel Face at Brevent, the Grand Envers on the Vallée Blanche - need we say more?!
The goal of the Chamonix Experience steep skiing course is to improve your off-piste skiing skills and push your ski technique up to the next level. In the safe hands of our UIAGM mountain guides and ski instructors you will gain confidence and strengthen your technique to tackle steeper and more challenging terrain than you've ever skied before.
More than just a week of off-piste guiding, you will receive expert tuition in steep skiing skills such as learning how to handle all types of terrain, how to ski safely down couloirs, how to perform jump turns on steep faces, how to control your speed on icy snow, how to use your skis as an anchor, and much more besides. We'll also cover essential off-piste skills that could save your life such as avalanche safety and rope work. This course will teach you more in 5 days than most people learn in a whole season.
We will choose slopes that will be challenging for you but not too far above your limits, so that you progress at a steady rate over the 5 days of your steep skiing course in Chamonix.
Our Chamonix steep skiing course is divided into two parts: 2 days of technical training and 3 days of focussed ski tuition whilst riding the most amazing couloirs and slopes around Chamonix and Courmayeur.
You will benefit from the advantage of a small ski group, as we only accept a maximum of 3 clients per mountain guide. This not only ensures greater safety but also enhances your enjoyment of the course as you will be skiing with people of a similar standard and level of experience as yourself, meaning that you'll all make maximum progress.
If you're not quite ready for this course but want to improve your off-piste skiing skills, we recommend our Chamonix Off-Piste Introduction - a 5 day course where you will learn all the essentials of skiing off-piste terrain in all snow conditions right here in the Chamonix valley.
Chamonix has incredibly varied terrain, making it the perfect place to learn to ski steep off-piste. It has a world-wide reputation for extreme skiing and challenging backcountry. Over the 5 days of this course you will learn how to handle different conditions and types of snow whilst maintaining control in steep couloirs, deep powder bowls, dense forests and amongst glaciers.
Les Grands Montets and Aiguille du Midi give access to fantastic off-piste options that will both challenge and exhilarate you. You can ski the Vallee Blanche down one of the many less frequented and more formidable routes such as Grand Envers, or get the adrenaline pumping in the notorious couloirs of the Argentiere basin.
Chamonix's unique location on the border of three countries means that you can experience skiing the best of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps; depending on conditions we may take you over the border for a taste of off-piste skiing in one of our neighbouring resorts such as Verbier or Courmayeur.
We offer a full programme of off-piste ski courses in Chamonix, with our steep skiing course being one of the most advanced. In order to build up to this level we recommend that you start with our Introduction to Off-Piste Skiing before joining our Off-Piste Performance Clinic. Once you have mastered the required skills and are confident on all types of terrain, you'll be ready to explore the limitless options of the Chamonix valley on our Chamex'Plore off-piste ski safaris.
Our Steep Skiing courses are run by double-qualified UIAGM mountain guides and ENSA ski instructors. This ensures an excellent level of tuition, as well as unparalleled mountain safety. Our team is permanently based in Chamonix and we carefully select all our guides for their extensive knowledge of the local ski terrain.
You ski often, and at a high level. You ski both side country and backcountry, as well as ski-alpinism. You are steady and comfortable on any terrain. You ski couloirs (gullies) up to 40° and would like to improve your steep skiing and mountain skiing skills. You are familiar with avalanche companion rescue techniques and glacier safety methods. You have previous experience with crampons on ice and mixed ground, and can belay and rappel. You have participated in assorted multi-day, hut to hut ski tours in the Alps.