 Poster: A snowHead
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best way to find someone in the alta badia ski area at the end of jan 2026 to show me and my wife around the best ski runs etc. Don't need instruction, just someone that knows the area and wants to make some money. Not looking for the regular ski schools or ski guides. They cost too much per day and I'm looking for a person to ski with me and my wife for 7 straight days
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sadly, for you, anyone charging you for such services would fall foul of the law - mountain guides and instructors are quite protective of their professions, and see unqualified ski "guiding" as a threat, both to their own livelihood and to the safety of the punter.
I spent years doing it, unpaid, as a SCGB rep, but that's now a thing of the past, thanks largely to the ESF pursuing a criminal prosecution against one individual.
These days I offer to take my own guests out skiing, strictly not as an instructor (I'm no longer working with a Ski School the last two seasons) and free of charge. If they want to buy me lunch and or a beer or two then I'll gladly accept, but I don't need the money anyway. And of course as a private individual out skiing with mates I'm at liberty to offer any hints and tips they might want, if they want any. Next season I'll be trying to push the idea, not as a commercial thing, but just because I enjoy doing it, and now I'm on my own (my wife died a few months ago) I kinda need something to motivate me to get out there.
Anyway, doesn't help you (unless you change your destination) but just be aware that anyone offering such services may well be, err, 'dodgy'. The only sure way would be to go to a ski school and describe what you want, they'll be glad to oblige, but you'll be paying standard private lesson rates.
(edited for typos)
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 4-08-25 7:38; edited 1 time in total
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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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@Alta Badia, Chaletbeauroc's post above makes some good points, particularly about the legality (or rather illegality) of paying somebody who isn't an official guide or instructor for their time in showing you round the slopes. Your best option is to find a friendly snowHead who knows the Alta Badia area well who will be there on the dates you're going and is prepared to show you round. Then it's just a group of friends skiing together and of course you are at liberty to buy them lunch and some apres ski drinks. 
P.S It might help if you post the dates you'll be there.
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Thinking about skiing from Jan 23, 2026 - Feb 1, 2026 -- Not sure of where to stay etc. I know it's about 6 months away, just trying to make some preliminary plans to see if this was even possible. I didn't mean to offend when I said I would pay him/her something, but I think it would only be correct if I paid for their lift tickets and at least lunch. We ski in eastern Canada and have never skied in Europe. The areas there are so big, that if you don't know where to go for the good skiing you could be running around all day not knowing where you are going.
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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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And , we're not looking for instruction. Just someone that can show us where to ski and where to go for lunch etc
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Alta Badia, from what I've heard, a lot of the netter hotels around the Sella Ronda offer that kind of service "for free" at least once a week to ski the "Giro della Grande Guerra".
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@Alta Badia, incidentally have you decided which airport you'll be flying into? For Alta Badia Venice airport is the closest but I don't know if you can get direct flights from Eastern Canada, if not you may have to change flights in Europe.
If you weren't intending renting a car (although car rentals from Venice airport have been very reasonably priced recently) then Cortina Express do coach transfers via Cortina to the Alta Badia resorts of Corvara and Colfosco. https://www.cortinaexpress.it/en/
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I think you might be getting confused on the where to go for the good skiing part. No one is likely to be ekeing out secret off piste stashes for you and slope conditions will generally follow normal aspect plus altitude plus traffic equation.
Lunch most places will do better than poutine and beavertails so not much to worry about there.
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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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@Alta Badia, I suspect minor cultural misunderstanding here. I believe many N American areas offer a service showing visitors around. That is not common in the alps. "Guiding" is the preserve of qualified teachers and mountain guides and is generally aimed at folk who want to ski off piste. As mentioned various tour operators (not just the brits) used to offer their customers escorted trips round the resort but that has pretty much disappeared as it conflicts with various regulations about ensuring anyone taking responsibility for others has the appropriate qualifications (and local ski schools & guides take a dim view of unqualified folk taking work away from them).
There is a thread here related to skiing in the Sella Ronda etc where folk would be happy to offer all sorts of advice and suggestions. Also worth having a look at https://www.youtube.com/c/UstariaPosta , Igor and his family run a small hotel in Badia and are well known around here. Igor has many videos of the skiing (plus cycling and another activities) in the Sella Ronda and nearby areas which will give a very good introduction to the area. Also worth looking at https://openskimap.org/#9.98/46.5493/11.8397 to get an idea of the layout, yes it does cover a very big area
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@Alta Badia, if you're skiing on piste then finding your way around is very easy. It's a big area but the lift system is good so it's surprisingly quick to get around and get to know.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Lunch most places will do better than poutine and beavertails so not much to worry about there. |
I'd go further - if you find a place in Alta Badia that can't do far better than that, I'd be shocked!
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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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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| I'm at ligerty to affer any hints and tips they might want, . |
Ted Ligerty by any chance?
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@Alta Badia, you do realise that European resorts are set up differently, with only the pistes being "in bounds avalanche controlled". If you are sticking to the pistes there's no real need for a guide, getting around is fairly straightforward. Even a wrong turn likely just means an extra lift or two to get to where you want to go. You can easily find some suggestions online of pistes and lunch spots people particularly enjoy
If you want to ski off-piste you have two options:
1. If you are experienced and have some knowledge and equipment you could use an app like Oak to find partners.
2. If you don't have any avalanche training get a guide/join a guided group.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
I spent years doing it, unpaid, as a SCGB rep, but that's now a thing of the past, thanks largely to the ESF pursuing a criminal prosecution against one individual.
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Is it? Pretty sure there are still SCGB reps in some resorts. I'm not a member but sure I've seen them advertising themselves on facebook etc.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
Is it? Pretty sure there are still SCGB reps in some resorts. I'm not a member but sure I've seen them advertising themselves on facebook etc.
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AFAIK They're in resort to act as a social focus point, but any on-piste "guiding" is done in paretnership with the local ski school - certainly in France
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Poster: A snowHead
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@t44tomo, @nbt, Yes, the repping system changed about five years ago, with resort reps arranging "instructor-led guiding" and holiday leaders doing "social skiing" with their groups, not wearing a uniform jacket and not officially in charge.
It was this latter move that led to my wife and I stopping the holiday leading (and then leaving the club) that we'd been doing for many years, as in our view it left us open to all sorts of liability issues - as instructors we would always be deemed (under Swiss law) as being responsible for the group regardless of any agreed status, but the SCGB were unable to guarantee that any liability issues would be covered by their insurance, as had previously been the case.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
It was this latter move that led to my wife and I stopping the holiday leading (and then leaving the club) that we'd been doing for many years, as in our view it left us open to all sorts of liability issues - as instructors we would always be deemed (under Swiss law) as being responsible for the group regardless of any agreed status, but the SCGB were unable to guarantee that any liability issues would be covered by their insurance, as had previously been the case. |
The insurers probably wouldn't want to cover something potentially illegal.
Why are you no longer instructing for the local school?
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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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| davidof wrote: |
Why are you no longer instructing for the local school? |
The previous owner stepped down and the new owner (who was already the snowboard technical director) decided to get a bit more compliant with rules, specifically about the ratio of instructors on the books to fully-qualified patent holders. I'd not been pushing so much for work, was happy to just do the odd weekend and busy period, the occasional walk-in, sort of thing, given the four rental apartments I look after on my own, but they had to count me just the same as if I were a full-timer.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 4-08-25 10:43; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Chaletbeauroc, thanks. Maybe more rewarding showing your guests around anyway in a more social setting?
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| @Chaletbeauroc, thanks. Maybe more rewarding showing your guests around anyway in a more social setting? |
Yes, that's my hope. Did it perhaps three or four days last season, at least one of which was realistically a lesson. That couple have just booked two apartments for them and their family for next January, so a double win for us all. The only issue is that they have young first-timer kids they need lessons for and I'm a little reluctant to do that on the same basis...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
@t44tomo, @nbt, Yes, the repping system changed about five years ago, with resort reps arranging "instructor-led guiding" and holiday leaders doing "social skiing" with their groups, not wearing a uniform jacket and not officially in charge.
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yes that's how it seemed to be in Champoluc, A rep posting "meet me in such an such bar on Tuesday for drinks" and then posting pics of himself skiing with SCGB member during the week - no uniforms etc.
A reasonable offering if your a solo skier and want some company, and all fine if nothing untoward happens but, as you point out, an absolute legal / insurance minefield for the "rep" if there is an incident and a punter decides they want to sue someone....
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| The only issue is that they have young first-timer kids they need lessons for and I'm a little reluctant to do that on the same basis... |
maybe a rope tow in the garden then ?
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
Why are you no longer instructing for the local school? |
The previous owner stepped down and the new owner (who was already the snowboard technical director) decided to get a bit more compliant with rules, specifically about the ratio of instructors on the books to fully-qualified patent holders. I'd not been pushing so much for work, was happy to just do the odd weekend and busy period, the occasional walk-in, sort of thing, given the four rental apartments I look after on my own, but they had to count me just the same as if I were a full-timer. |
Interesting! I didn't know that such a thing existed in Switzerland. What is the ratio?
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| The only issue is that they have young first-timer kids they need lessons for and I'm a little reluctant to do that on the same basis... |
maybe a rope tow in the garden then ? |
There is a baby slope just across the road, so that's not the issue. I'm just not sure I want to spend my own time teaching them, is all. I always preferred to teach adults anyway, as I did with the wife in this instance when they were here earlier this year. I think I'll suggest they get a couple of private lessons for them.
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@Tristero, I can't recall off the top of my head, and cannot find anything online, though I'm sure it must exist somewhere.
But it was something in the order of five to ten 'trainees' per fully qualified instructor, I think. Even someone with a BASI 3 or 4 would still be classed as a trainee unless they (the level 4s) had converted to the Swiss system and obtained the federal diploma, which is equivalent to the French Cart Pro.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
Sadly, for you, anyone charging you for such services would fall foul of the law - mountain guides and instructors are quite protective of their professions, and see unqualified ski "guiding" as a threat, both to their own livelihood and to the safety of the punter.
I spent years doing it, unpaid, as a SCGB rep, but that's now a thing of the past, thanks largely to the ESF pursuing a criminal prosecution against one individual.
These days I offer to take my own guests out skiing, strictly not as an instructor (I'm no longer working with a Ski School the last two seasons) and free of charge. If they want to buy me lunch and or a beer or two then I'll gladly accept, but I don't need the money anyway. And of course as a private individual out skiing with mates I'm at liberty to offer any hints and tips they might want, if they want any. Next season I'll be trying to push the idea, not as a commercial thing, but just because I enjoy doing it, and now I'm on my own (my wife died a few months ago) I kinda need something to motivate me to get out there.
Anyway, doesn't help you (unless you change your destination) but just be aware that anyone offering such services may well be, err, 'dodgy'. The only sure way would be to go to a ski school and describe what you want, they'll be glad to oblige, but you'll be paying standard private lesson rates.
(edited for typos) |
You should think carefully about how you’d defend your actions if it ever came to that. The law has been unified across the Alpine nations to reduce cross-border confusion. Given the broad definition now in place, you don’t need to be giving instruction to be legally classified as an instructor, — even something as minor as being bought a drink can be considered a benefit in kind.
In reality, you're skiing with clients, not just friends, and that would almost certainly come out in any investigation. Given your experience, you'd likely be seen as the group leader, carrying all the associated duty of care.
To fall foul of these laws, someone would either need to report you, or you'd have to be involved in a serious incident — possibly one leading to personal injury litigation. It's one of those things that seems unlikely... until it happens.
The SCGB has a legal defence in place and actively monitors the law to ensure that defence remains robust.
It’s also worth noting that the ESF was reportedly a reluctant party in the prosecution of that SCGB rep. Their corporate arm was pressured by the French Ministry of Sport and Civil Service Job Creation. In the end, they were awarded just one euro in damages by the court.
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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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I think the likelihood of the authorities deciding to chase this through any kind of system for the purposes of bringing someone to justice for a few beers in about 20 weeks of the year is probably pretty slim. And if there is an accident then no one is saying ”i bought him a pint so it's his fault", otherwise half of snowheads are guilty of guiding one another.
As for the OP, if you're there few a reasonable number of days then you'll find enough decent skiing on your own with a small bit of research or even just following your nose. I'd recommend having the official app on your phone and a data plan (eSim offerings are pretty decent) so that you can refer to maps/GPS if needed. My main recommendations are to try and get to Cinque Torri at some point (will need a bus/taxi journey) and ski the Hidden Valley on the way back (in an area of outstanding views it is still a cut above).
Doing the Sellaronda is good for box ticking and covering some mileage seeing different things but I wouldn't fixate on it. As Dave says, the whole area is pretty mega so just enjoy it
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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
I think the likelihood of the authorities deciding to chase this through any kind of system for the purposes of bringing someone to justice for a few beers in about 20 weeks of the year is probably pretty slim. And if there is an accident then no one is saying ”i bought him a pint so it's his fault", otherwise half of snowheads are guilty of guiding one another.
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I'm not talking about punters leading each other and buying drinks, the authorities aren't interested in that. But when it starts to involve people running holiday businesses and doing any kind of leading on the side, then a can of warms gets opened if, for whatever reason, the authorities get involved.
If insurance companies get involved, then these details become important. Also, if there's something like a collision with a third part, then there's criminal liability, and that's when prosecutors get interested in any and all technical breach of the law.
The very British attitude to this is, 'it will never happen'.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Hamilton Academical, Yes, you're quite right about legal responsibility of care, which under Swiss law could always be applied to an experienced or qualified 'leader', regardless of any question of payment in kind. Even going back to freshtracks holiday leading we were always aware of where we would stand in that respect, being something of a special case, as Swiss residents actively working with a Ski School.
You're probably right about 'leading' my own guests though, so I'll give it some thought, and will not push it as a feature on my booking website, for sure. I'll do it more as a 'shall we all ski together' today, sort of thing. I've always been careful in who I'll ski with, and importantly have never taken guests outside of normal controlled areas, except when they're definitely and demonstrably 'mates', not just paying punters.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Hamilton Academical wrote: |
Also, if there's something like a collision with a third part, then there's criminal liability, and that's when prosecutors get interested in any and all technical breach of the law.
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Forgive my naivety, when one punter collides with another on an open piste, what does anyone else in the rest of the party has anything to do with it? (Apart from being witness, that is)
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Poster: A snowHead
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| abc wrote: |
| Hamilton Academical wrote: |
Also, if there's something like a collision with a third part, then there's criminal liability, and that's when prosecutors get interested in any and all technical breach of the law.
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Forgive my naivety, when one punter collides with another on an open piste, what does anyone else in the rest of the party has anything to do with it? (Apart from being witness, that is) |
I think Gerry is talking in 'insurance' terms : i.e. Third Party Insurance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| abc wrote: |
| Hamilton Academical wrote: |
Also, if there's something like a collision with a third part, then there's criminal liability, and that's when prosecutors get interested in any and all technical breach of the law.
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Forgive my naivety, when one punter collides with another on an open piste, what does anyone else in the rest of the party has anything to do with it? (Apart from being witness, that is) |
The "leader" of the party can be held responsible for the behaviour of the whole group, they could be felt to have influenced the line or speed they were all taking. Someone can have enough training to be deemed to be the leader but not enough to be professionally qualified (and insured) in the country in question.
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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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It's really more about a 'leader' taking people into places they're not really capable of skiing, or indeed into places that simply are not safe, as in the case of a SCGB rep who took a group down a closed run in Verbier one time where someone had a fatal accident. There was a lot of fall-out from that one in terms of tightening up the club's policies on off-piste skiing . I think in the end it was successfully argued that as she was not actually 'on duty' - it was her day off from the repping schedule she was not guilty of the involuntary manslaughter she'd been charged with. I've no idea about the insurance repercussions though, although I imagine some level of culpability was covered by the Club's insurers.
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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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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| It's really more about a 'leader' taking people into places they're not really capable of skiing, or indeed into places that simply are not safe, as in the case of a SCGB rep who took a group down a closed run in Verbier one time where someone had a fatal accident. There was a lot of fall-out from that one in terms of tightening up the club's policies on off-piste skiing . I think in the end it was successfully argued that as she was not actually 'on duty' - it was her day off from the repping schedule she was not guilty of the involuntary manslaughter she'd been charged with. I've no idea about the insurance repercussions though, although I imagine some level of culpability was covered by the Club's insurers. |
You've combined elements of two fatal incidents into one there.
The 'not on duty' one was actually (name redacted). He claimed no one turned up at the meeting point on that fateful morning, so he cancelled the day, put another jacket on, and went out with a resort chum who tragically died in an off-piste fall. Anyway, he was shown the door by the ski club because he genuinely thought his level of qualifications meant he didn't need to follow the rules that everyone else did. In his own mind, he was a fully qualified mountain guide.
The Verbier one was a member of the group failing to follow the leader's instructions when they encountered a landslip on the path they were on, and sliding down a revive with deadly consequences. That was also off-piste. Anyway, three trials later, still not guilty, but it does go to show that these prosecutors can be like a dog with a bone.
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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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“Punter”……What a derogatory and condescending term that is being used more and more on snowheads… 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rjs wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| Hamilton Academical wrote: |
Also, if there's something like a collision with a third part, then there's criminal liability, and that's when prosecutors get interested in any and all technical breach of the law.
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Forgive my naivety, when one punter collides with another on an open piste, what does anyone else in the rest of the party has anything to do with it? (Apart from being witness, that is) |
The "leader" of the party can be held responsible for the behaviour of the whole group, they could be felt to have influenced the line or speed they were all taking. Someone can have enough training to be deemed to be the leader but not enough to be professionally qualified (and insured) in the country in question. |
But just because one member of a party (of mates) are more experience doesn’t mean he/she can CONTROL the behavior of the party. What if I don’t think a member is not skill enough to go on a black run on a day of refrozen rain, but he doesn’t agree with me? I have no authority to prevent that person from going down it even though he’s part of our ‘group of mates’.
And if I ski down a black piste at speed, and someone followed me at that speed… ?
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@abc, You can try that argument in front of a judge if you want, I was describing how the law works.
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| rjs wrote: |
| @abc, You can try that argument in front of a judge if you want, I was describing how the law works. |
But that’s precisely my question.
If that’s ’the law’, then skiing with any others with less skill would all be risky (if anything happens to the less skilled). Say, even skiing in a snowhead bash. Or should one simply deny one is associated with the injured at all?
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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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@abc, There are rarely black and white answers in these situations, but basic principals that may apply. To be deemed culpable one would need to have done something as the de-facto leader that lead to someone being put into a dangerous situation. Or to have failed to try and stop a dangerous situation developing.
If someone says "do you think it's OK to go down here?", for example, and you say yes when with your experience it should have been obvious that they should not do so, then clearly, morally as well as legally, you bear some responsibility if they then have an accident as a result of it being too difficult for them. It's not the same as you bearing responsibility for their actions, but whether your own actions could be deemed to have contributed to an accident, such actions including, potentially, any advice that you did or did not give beforehand.
In the example you raise - someone following you at speed down a black run - the salient questions would include: Had you been encouraging them to follow you closely before this? Did you suggest that that was a suitable speed and run for them? On the opposite side, as it were, would come: Did you tell them _not_ to follow you on that run at that speed? And all tempered with intangibles like: How much weight would they have given to your advice and opinions, given your relative experience and position within the group.
I don't see any of this as a problem, and never really did when doing SCGB leading (for more than twenty years) and instructing. To me it's really always been about common sense and caring. If in doubt ask yourself this: "would I take my own kids down here?". If you're able to say yes to that then you really shouldn't need to worry about what a judge might think.
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| Restless native wrote: |
| “Punter”……What a derogatory and condescending term that is being used more and more on snowheads… |
What's the problem? We're all punters at some things and it's an easy shorthand to distinguish tourists from seasonnaires and pros.
Plus skiing hols are always a gamble in multiple ways.
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FAQ
