Five-Day Ski Touring Skills Course

Included

• Five full days with a qualified higher-level high-mountain sports technician.
• Ice axe and crampons, if you do not have your own.
• Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, if you do not have your own.
• Local transport during the course.
• Initial assistance insurance.
• Photographs and video of the course.
• Technical advice.
• Taxes.

Not included

• Touring skis, climbing skins, ski crampons and boots.
• Accommodation and meals.
• Travel to the meeting point.
• Ski area lift passes.

Contact us about equipment or accommodation.

What to bring

• A complete ski touring setup, including touring boots. Equipment can be rented locally; ask us about rental.
• A waterproof jacket and trousers, such as Gore-Tex or equivalent.
• Trekking trousers and a 200-weight fleece or equivalent.
• A thermal base layer.
• Gloves and a spare pair.
• A warm hat, cap, sunglasses and ski goggles.
• A 45- to 50-litre backpack.
• Sun protection.
• Food for the practical outings and 1.5 litres of water.

Equipment we can lend you if needed

• Ice axe and crampons.
• Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe.
• Helmet.
• A large backpack, if you do not have one.

Contact us to discuss equipment and rental.

Previous experience

This course is for ski tourers who have completed level 1 or have experience of four to seven ski touring outings.

Previous ski touring experience is required, together with good parallel skiing on red and black pistes, corresponding to level C/D of the Spanish Ski School (EEE).

Small groups allow personalised teaching during practical sessions and mountain ascents.

If your downhill skiing needs further work, we can offer piste technique lessons. The instructor can then assess whether you are ready for the course.

If you are unsure about your level, call us or contact PirineoSur for advice on the most suitable course.

Course objectives

Develop movement and risk-management skills for ski tours, building independence on mountain routes and refining the techniques introduced at the first level.

Indicative daily timetable

Meet at 08:00 at the PirineoSur meeting point in Jaca; confirm the exact arrangements when booking. Pickup from a hotel or apartment may be possible. Practical sessions finish at approximately 15:00. Evening theory generally runs from 18:00 to 19:00 and finishes at approximately 19:00.

The first two days focus on ski technique; days 3 to 5 are mountain outings.

Day 1: ski technique and equipment

• Check and adjust equipment and warm up with joint-mobility exercises and easy descents.
• Work on ski position, balance and the use of trunk, arms and legs; practise flexion, extension, transitions and angulation.
• Practise turns and correct off-piste technique in a ski area with moderate to steep slopes, both on and off piste.
• Theory: equipment knowledge, basic physics applied to skiing and mountaineering, ski mechanics and construction.
• Discuss insulation, heat loss, layering systems, waterproofing treatments and safety standards for mountaineering equipment.

Day 2: downhill technique, snow and avalanche awareness

• Warm up and choose turns suited to snow and terrain, including wide turns, effort management, off-piste rhythm and jump turns on steep slopes.
• Practise individual and group behaviour during descents according to terrain and weather, with video recording for feedback.
• Work in a ski area on steep terrain.
• Theory: intrinsic and external factors involved in avalanche release, avalanche types, overall avalanche risk assessment and rapid snowpack assessment tests.

Day 3: uphill techniques, rope skills and navigation

• Refine kick turns, remove skins without taking off your skis, learn the basic skating step and review avalanche victim search methods.
• Practise on mountain terrain with moderate to steep slopes.
• Learn knots, fixed anchors, rope techniques and the use of a rope with skis.
• Theory: prepare a route on a map, use a compass and altimeter, navigate by natural signs and plan an outing.

Day 4: mountain decisions and technical practice

• Practise the half-skating step, kick turns with outside support, route choice and setting a track.
• Follow a prepared map route in good visibility using a compass and altimeter.
• Choose an itinerary in relation to avalanche danger and practise rapid snowpack assessment tests.
• Practise glacier travel and roping-up systems, arresting falls into crevasses, crevasse self-rescue and retrievable anchors.

The outing uses moderate slopes and limited elevation gain, with technical exercises on varied mountain terrain and snow drop-offs.

Day 5: mountain objective

Apply the techniques learnt during an outing towards a 3,000-metre peak, on a route with moderate slopes.

The programme is designed for small groups and can be adapted to participants' needs. Contact us to discuss the course.