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Off Piste courses in Europe- recommendations & tips

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hey All,

I've been riding for about 10 years now always with friends and (more or less) always on piste. But my riding has hit a plateau the last three years- the people I ride with are there just as much for the party as the riiding and aren't really that bothered about going off piste and finding powder- they just want to do cruisey blues and aren't too pushed about improving or pushing their limits. However I am.

So I've been aware of the Neil McNab off piste courses for a few years and had planned to take one this winter. But I just checked his site now and they are more or less full up across the board already- I wanted to go for the December one but it is booked solid as are most of the others, Neil is obviously in big demand.

So I'm looking for alternatives anywhere in Europe that will allow the following-

-Instruction in safety & avalanche rescue
-Instruction in riding powder with confidence
- Lots of long backcountry runs, with as little hiking as possible !
- a good guide to rider ratio, less than 6 riders to 1 instructor
- Primarily english speaking groups

The venue doesn't bother me a huge amount except to say that I am on a budget and have a preference to avoid France as a result. However the most important thing is good instruction and long powder runs so if France is the place then so be it, I'll splash out. Austria would be my first pick, mainly as I like it a lot and it doesn't break the bank and I would also like to use the knowledge of backcountry routes gained on the course for return trips to Austria further down the line

So I'm looking for recommendations on courses that people have taken and what they thought. Even if you haven't taken one I'd appreciate you letting me know about the alternatives out there.

Also another alternative to the above is getting a small group together and hiring a professional off-piste guide & instructor for 5 or 6 days. It might even save costs so if anyone has any tips or advice on their experiences with this then I'd love to hear about it.

Better again if other riders have similar objectives to myself and are interested in getting together to share costs then I'm all ears.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
RATM - you could check us out: http://www.whiteroomchalet.com/win_backcountry_weeks.htm

Avalanche safety training (on and off the snow) included, focus on doing lots of good, long powder runs rather than teaching/coaching, but plenty of that available as well. We run 2 groups on the same week, so we can split by ability if necessary.
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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?
RATM, here you go, cheap as pommes frites.
£745 including travel, full board, all day instruction, lift-pass, equipment, evening entertainment
http://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/holiday/cart

There are many alternatives on the action-outdoors (or UCPA) website. Different resorts, different dates. All levels catered for.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
http://www.mcnabsnowboarding.com/

Check out this Chamonix based guide one of the first to run snowboard specific back country courses.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
jbob wrote:
http://www.mcnabsnowboarding.com/

Check out this Chamonix based guide one of the first to run snowboard specific back country courses.


He is the most respected course provider out there, however with that reputation his prices have gone up to the premium level and as the OP stated are booked up a season ahead!

The prices here are very competitive:

http://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/activities/winter/snowboarding

but although I can talk from experiance with Mcnab, I've never used action-outdoors (although have heard positives off this forum) so wouldn't want to actually recommend them.

Chamonix is really the place to head for high mountain back country, and if you wish to return to try some routes you've learnt Chamonix can be done on a tight budget. Cheap flight to Geneva, less than 1.5hrs transfer, cheap rooms can be found up and down the valley for 3/4 nights...it's the long snow weekend Capital of Europe!
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
RATM, both action outdoors and Steve at the Whiteroom get our vote as well Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Pam thanks for that link - it is certainly a bargain price
Stevo- will check you guys out and get in contact when I make a decision, thanks for the link
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
RATM, - Lots of long backcountry runs, with as little hiking as possible !

That's not likely. I have off-piste experience and went with action outdoors on the off-piste passion course in Flaine. There was loads of hiking and not enough riding for my liking so I quit after 4 days. You would expect plenty of hiking to reach the true powder areas in most resorts and I would say Chamonix is your best bet. I was there in Dec and we had some off-piste in waist high pow which was incredible. I think the O/P course starts in Jan so give them a call and see if they can help. The groups are a good size and it would be a good starter for you then maybe move on to mcnab next season. Also I have been O/P in Tignes which was brilliant and easily accessible. Huge bowls of pow with little hiking plus the infamous ridge traverse to the magic bowl? (cant remember the name off my head). G/L
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Doesn't fit your guide to student ratio (think 10:1), but check out UCPA off piste (action outdoors as linked above). You can go to Cham, Flaine, Val T, Val D and Serre Che I think. It is cheap.

I was in Val T last year and it was awesome, not much hiking and some really nice off piste.
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