Ski Haute Route Training Day 🇫🇷 April 2022

Our Ski Haute Route training days are an excellent opportunity to brush up on the more technical elements of ski touring and ski mountaineering.   As part of an enjoyable days off piste skiing and touring the group will visit a variety of different types of terrain similar to what will be encountered on the Chamonix to Zermatt high level ski route.

Skills Covered Include…

• Efficient skinning & kick turns
• Use of ski & boot crampons
• Ski mountaineering including cramponing with an ice axe and with skis on your pack
• Glacier travel and crevasse rescue
• Avalanche emergency protocols & procedures
• Efficient transitions & looking after yourself on tour!
•  Lunch / cafe breaks with general tips and Ski Haute Route Q & A!

The aim of this training day is to cover these skills as part of an enjoyable days skiing and touring.  This is generally done as part of a lift accessed off piste day with micro tours away from the resort rather than aiming to do a larger tour as there is not time for that and all the training!

This day serves as both a warm up day for those about to start the Haute Route and extra advance training for those planning to do it in future, or just interested in gaining the skills.  Our Verbier to Zermatt Ski Haute Route course starts the following day.

Ski Haute Training Day Pre-Requirements

To join the team please make sure you have the following ski ability and fitness level:

• Solid off piste skiing ability & experience.   Able to ski a variety of snow conditions on off piste slopes up to the equivalent of a black run.  This need not be with style or speed but should be in control with the ability to ski short radius turns and steer very accurately, eg around crevasses or other hazards.
• Some ski touring experience.   You should understand how your touring bindings work, be able to put your skins on and skin effectively including kick turns.   At least a couple of previous days ski touring experience is required.
• A good level of fitness is required in order to complete a sustained day of training and skiing.  The aim is not to do a big / long tour but you should be able to ski up hill for at least a couple of hours doing around 300m+ an hour as a minimum.

Ski Mountaineering Kit List