 Poster: A snowHead
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Until now most of my skiing has been in North America, mostly Canada. I’m happy on most of the groomed single blacks and started doing some of the inbounds ungroomed terrain like the easier back bowls at Lake Louise and the Shoulder and South Side Chutes at Sunshine. Obviously these areas are still patrolled and avi controlled
This year I’m off to Tignes-Val DIsere and wondering if I’m ready to try some of the off piste - with an instructor obviously. What i don’t know about is avalanche predicting and kit and similar. Hence I need someone with me who does. But I’m wondering if the actual skiing compares?
How good a skier do you need to be to do this? Is it a feasible idea is should I stick to the piste
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes it's a feasible idea....and by the sound of it, you are more than good enough.
The whole thing will be made much easier, with a wide Freeride ski, that is fairly soft and designed for the job. Your instructor will be able to advise on what ski to hire (unless you already own something suitable).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@TommyJ, Consider doing something like an All Terrain week with Snoworks. They can supply you with safety kit and suitable skis. If conditions are suitable then you will be skiing off piste. Excellent coaching from the Snoworks crew and I found the group that I was with to be both enthusiastic and sociable.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@TommyJ, if you can't run to the cost of a week with Snoworks you could try the Ski Club of Great Britain Instructor Led Guiding for a day. IIRC their 1st stage is Aspirer. Having seen what happened last year it may be just what you are looking for. They will include ARVA training and are more than happy to talk about avi assessment as you go round. They will also cover conduct off piste.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| TommyJ wrote: |
| ... Lake Louise and the Shoulder and South Side Chutes at Sunshine. Obviously these areas are still patrolled and avi controlled This year I’m off to Tignes-Val DIsere ... . But I’m wondering if the actual skiing compares? ... Is it a feasible idea is should I stick to the piste |
I don't think it's particularly different, technically, having ridden "off piste" in all those places a fair bit. The French area's bigger than anything in Canada, so it can feel more wild feeling - like Delirium Dive (which is gated I know).
Thinking generally about the differences... the pistes and lifts tend to be further apart, so there's more scope for those venturing off piste to end up somewhere you may not want to be. There's also a lot of piste, some of it pretty quiet, so you will maybe use the off piste less than you'd think. There are various written guides which tell you where the main itineraries are, and some of them are well travelled by skiers. They may be tracked out. My knowledge may be out of date, but I'd say there's overall a less safety-conscious vibe than Canada; people casually ride off the piste without shouvel packs for example.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| The whole thing will be made much easier, with a wide Freeride ski, that is fairly soft and designed for the job. Your instructor will be able to advise on what ski to hire (unless you already own something suitable). |
If you can ski the bowls in Canada, you just need a guide to figure out the avalanche related issues. Hire fat skis and go with a guide. You’ll then know what you need to work on too.
But if you’re interested in improving your techniques, hire an instructor. You won’t need fat skis. That simply slow you down on the learning curve.
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Thanks everyone. Looks like it’s worth investigating. Although I’m certainly not at Delirium Dive level yet! I can ski some of the easier bowls in Canada - not all of them!!
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@TommyJ,
You appear to have a sensible attitude, to trying off piste skiing. As you've suggested yourself take some off piste lessons with a qualified off piste instructor.
You simply have to be a good intermediate level piste skier who can ski with their skis parallel.
The instructor will choose slopes/snow that are suitable for learning on. You don't need to know about avi prediction etc when you start learning to ski off piste. The instructor will have the knowledge to know where it is safe.
Later, as your off piste skiing improves you will need to equip yourself "off piste" gear and obtain training in using the gear. Always ski off piste with a group, all of whom should have the off piste gear and the knowledge how to use it.
In Val d'isere I've taken off piste lessons with "Alpine Experience" and "Top Ski". There are a number of other ski schools in Val d'isere that offer off piste instruction, TDC, Mountain Masters etc.
You can start learning about avalanche awareness by going on a Avalanche Awareness Talk in the UK or in the ski resort. Check out "HAT" Henry's Avalanche Talks in the UK or in Val d'isere. He has his own website and he is one of Alpine Experience's instructors.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Lets not forget the Avi gear. If you don't have one, a beeper, shovel and probe.
Although some places will lend you it, its best you feel comfortable and know how to use it, just in case the worst does happen.
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@TommyJ, I'd strongly recommend a course - if you've booked a trip already then ask for recommendations of ski schools in your resort, if you haven;t booked yet then consider a trip with Action Outdoors / UCPA
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes ... and don't forget to check you are adequately insured.
This is a big difference between Canada and Europe.
In Canada the whole of the ski area is 'in-bounds' and therefore covered by insurance.
In Europe, the moment you stray off a defined run you are effectively 'off-piste' and your insurance category changes.
You need to be sure you are covered.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| TommyJ wrote: |
Until now most of my skiing has been in North America, mostly Canada. I’m happy on most of the groomed single blacks and started doing some of the inbounds ungroomed terrain like the easier back bowls at Lake Louise and the Shoulder and South Side Chutes at Sunshine. Obviously these areas are still patrolled and avi controlled
This year I’m off to Tignes-Val DIsere and wondering if I’m ready to try some of the off piste - with an instructor obviously. What i don’t know about is avalanche predicting and kit and similar. Hence I need someone with me who does. But I’m wondering if the actual skiing compares?
How good a skier do you need to be to do this? Is it a feasible idea is should I stick to the piste
Thanks |
As an earlier poster suggested if you can run to the cost, and are based in Tignes, check out SnoWorks https://www.snoworks.co.uk/ who run 5 half day courses. If based in Val D I would recommend Alpine Experience [url=https://alpineexperience.com/en/home-page/][/url] who probaly are more flexible as you can book into groups day by day.
Having started out finding my own way off piste before booking myself in with a guide or instructor I agree with your approach and the other advice above. The more you explore somewwhere like Espace Killy with a professional the more you get out of the experience but the more you realise what you do not know, and even some quite innocuous looking slopes close to the marked runs claim victims most years.
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FAQ
