Off-piste Ski Courses

The backcountry of Chamonix is one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring in the world. With its high peaks, seemingly endless terrain and its breathtaking views, the Chamonix backcountry offers a whole new world for the climber and skier.

Introduction to Off-piste skiing

This course is for all of you powder dabblers. You're already good skiers and you've popped into the powder close to the piste but you've never gone any further (and we highly recommend you don't without a guide), but you think you're ready to try.
This week teaches you not only about the technique of off-piste skiing but it also teaches you all the safety aspects required for skiing off-piste. All of which we would expect you to know before you head onto one of our more advanced weeks.

The course is fundamental for anybody wishing to learn the basics techniques and safety requirements that are essential for off piste skiing.

Intermediate level

This week is for those of you who have already good off-piste ability, have already done one of our Intro course or one similar and would like to do a bit more of the same level but slightly more challenging.
Introduction to heli skiing. Weather permitting we aim to offer one heli drop during this week.

Advanced level

The advanced backcountry week is for those skiers who are very competent off-piste skiers. They have good safety awareness knowledge and would like to ride "steep and deep". On this course your Guide will choose some of the steeper ascents in the valley and outside of the valley. For safety reasons this course is a 1:3 guide ratio.
Heli drops will be scheduled as and when deemed possible or appropriate.
Skiers should be of a good fitness level as some of the hikes in could be up to 4 hours.

Our Guides

We take great pride in the Guides we use, and we work with a great team of highly experienced and enthusiastic guides on all our courses. Ralf Tenbrink is our head guide on our off-piste courses. Ralf has worked with McNab Alpine for the last ten years. A guide, passionate skier and consultant for the International Guides Association. more details

What makes our off-piste courses different?
We offer you the best guides and ski instructors. Unlike many off-piste courses that send you out either with a ski instructor who is not allowed to take you backcountry or a Guide who is not allowed to teach you how to ski, the Guide on our Introduction to off-piste skiing course, is both a Guide and ski instructor.
Our Guides are not only exceptional at what they do, they're great to be with and their passion and enthusiasm rubs off on everybody they ski with.
Our Guides are skiers first. This may seem obvious but many guides are originally climbers and then take to skiing in order to pass the guide's course. Our Guides are so passionate about their skiing, it's what they do on their days off.

We offer you the whole package.
There is nothing more soul destroying at the end of a fantastic day skiing than ending it in a hotel bar on your own, trying to recount the most amazing day of your life to dis-interested bar staff. Here when your day is finished, home made cakes await you and your guide at the chalet. A log fire is roaring and we know where you've been (and where you're going tomorrow) and want to hear all about it. After that you can head to the hot tub or slumber in front of the fire before we serve you up a huge and delicious dinner.

Ralf Tenbrink - Head Guide

Ralf has been guiding in the Chamonix valley for over 15 years. One of the most qualified Guides in the business, Ralf is also a consultant for the Internatinal Guides Association. Ralf recently spent 2 months in Argentina where he was in charge of assessing the Argentinian Guides Association to see if they met the UIAGM standard.

Ralf is best known amongst our guest for his enthusiasm, care and attention to detail and amazing ability to find fresh tracks and hidden snow when most people have given up. Ralf's ideal day off is skiing and reccying other destinations. Ralf's CV speaks for itself.

Born in 1966, Ralf learnt to ski aged 3.
In 1989 he qualified as a High Mountain Guide and taught courses in backcounty ski guiding throughout the alps
Since 1994 Ralf has worked as an independent guide organising and leading ski trips to most of the alpine ski resorts including St. Anton, Andermatt, Engelberg, Verbier, Gressone, La Grave and Val dÕIsere.
Ralf has also been working as an Examiner for the UIAGM, instructing aspirant guides and acting as an examiner for guides taking their final exams.
Languages spoken: English, German, French, Spanish

Some of the trips Ralf has guided:

2003, 2004 and 2005. Lead skiing and snowboarding heli-trips to the Caucisan mountains, Russia.
2004 and 2005. Lead skiing and heli-skiing trips to Bulgaria.
2003, and 2005, Consultant for the International Guides Association. Went to Argentina to observe the Association of Argentinian Guides in respect to whether they are of a high enough standard to be members of the UIAGM.

Jean-Luc Mistral
One of the rare breed of Ski Instructors and Guides, Jean-Luc first love is skiing and he is extremely passionate about it. Jean-Luc wants to be able to teach people how to ski off-piste correctly and safely, concentrating on technique and safety aspects so often dangerously disregarded in the search of fresh powder. Jean-Luc's programme for the off-piste novice will be a popular course.
A High Mountain Guide and Ski Instructor since 1998 Jean Luc was Technical Director for the Ski School/Guides office for MAX, the Mountain Activity Experience based in Chamonix.
Between 1986 and 1995 Jean-Luc was a Ski Instructor and Aspirant Guide and worked for the UCPA. Jean-Luc has worked with McNab Alpine for the last four years. Jean-Luc's ability, enthusiasm and sincerity made him a great guy to have on board.

Price: £1150.00 (Intro and Intermediate) £1450 (Advanced)

Half-Board Accommodation

Half-board accommodation at our spectacular chalet includes cooked breakfast, home made afternoon tea and a 3 course evening meal with wine (6 evenings).

* 6 day Chamski lift pass

The Chamonix 6 day lift pass covers all of the resorts in the valley and includes the Aiguille du Midi. Lifts not included in this pass are: top tickets at the Grand Montets (5 euros) and lifts outside of the Chamonix valley.