We highly recommend that you arrive in Chamonix a day or two before the steep skiing course to have some warm up days. This is also the best way to check your equipment – particularly if you haven’t skied for a while or you have rental equipment. There is nothing worse than to miss out because your boots don’t fit properly or your bindings are not set correctly. It is also strongly recommended to have your skis serviced prior to the steep skiing course. If you need to hire skis or to have your own skis serviced please ask us for recommendations of ski shops in Chamonix.

The week begins with a welcome meeting at the Chamonix Experience office in Chamonix Sud, where you will meet the other members of your group and your mountain guide / ski instructor. You will have the chance to check your equipment with your mountain guide and ask any last minute questions about the steep skiing course. Your Chamex mountain guide will brief you on the itinerary, the weather and the prevailing snow conditions, giving you an idea of what to expect for the week ahead. The itinerary below is given as an example of a typical week, your week may be entirely different depending on weather and snow conditions. Your mountain guide will plan your course to give you the best possible experience of skiing steep off-piste in Chamonix.

The first two days of this course are dedicated to your training and preparation for steep skiing. Your mountain guide will take you to ski runs with short steep sections where you can practice your jump turns. There is also the psychological aspect of steep skiing and it is important to get used to exposure to steep slopes. You will learn basic rope work and how to use crampons and ice axes. Also included is basic avalanche and crevasse rescue training, as these are important skills for safe skiing in high mountains.

The last 3 days of the ski course are dedicated to steep runs and couloirs. Chamonix has a lot to offer in this aspect and your guide will choose runs with the best snow for you enjoy - such as Couloir des Marbrées, Couloir des Poubelles, Couloir Rectiligne, Couloir de l"ENSA, Col du Belvedere, Col de La Floria, Couloir du Chapeau, Couloirs de Trient.

Above all, mountain safety is our highest priority, which is why as well as steep skiing 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 skier, 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 rapelling
• Using your skis as an anchor
• Skiing safely down couloirs
• Controlling your speed on steep icy faces
• Avalanche search and rescue methods

Our instructors are all qualified UIAGM mountain guides with all the knowledge and experience needed to teach you the essential mountain safety techniques.

This course is for expert off-piste skiers only and you will need to:

• Ski both side country and backcountry often, and at a high level
• Be steady and comfortable on any terrain and on snow of varied quality
• Ski couloirs (gullies) up to 40° and would like to improve your steep skiing and mountain skiing skills
• Be experienced in using ice axes and crampons
• Prepared to climb up steep couloirs and abseil with your skis attached to your rucksack

You are in excellent physical and cardio vascular shape. You can ski a full day, off-piste, in all types of snow. You can link multiple long descents without taking long breaks, over consecutive days, with the proper equipment. (backpack, shovel, probe, snack, water, etc.) 

Our Chamonix steep skiing 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.

• Thermos – not essential due to weight, but it can be comforting to have a hot drink on a cold day.
• Water Bottle – should be at least 1.5 litres and durable. 
• Camelbak hydration systems are good as long as they are kept clean, but not recommended for winter sports, as the tube tends to freeze up.
• Extra Gloves - a pair of spare gloves is essential.
• Extra Goggles - spare goggles are highly recommended.
• Food
• We suggest you bring some snacks that you can take into the mountains with you each day.

CHAMONIX LIFT PASSES - FREE BOOKING & COLLECTION SERVICE

You can easily avoid the morning queue for the lift tickets - order your lift passes with us and then just pick them up the day before! We'll collect your lift passes and have them ready for you, free of charge.

For this course you will need the 5 days Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass, please contact us for further details.

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:

• Your full name
• Mobile phone number
• Email address
• Your destination address
• Your 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. 250€ per car for one-way and 500€ per car for a return trip.

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. The cost is 8€ per person per day for EU residents and 12€ per person per day for non-EU residents. Details of the insurance cover are different for EU and non-EU residents; please contact us for more information.

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.

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 that is conveniently located directly next door from our office. Open 7/7 08:00-19:00