Safety & autonomy course - 5 days
The mountains are as fantastic as they are dangerous… On this 5-day safety course we will teach you how to adopt the right behaviour, learn to read the signs and make the right choices.
Every day will be spent outside, skis on, first on regular off-piste terrain, moving on to glacier off-piste terrain in the second part of the course. In Chamonix.
Each morning we will study the BRA (Bulletin des Risques et Avalanche,) the weather ( previous weather patterns, snowfalls, wind etc…) and if necessary we will ask advice from the pisteurs (snow patrol) and learn through their expertise.
The day before starting the course we will meet up in Chamonix early evening around an apéritif and get to know each other.
On this occasion, we will get the chance to meet a gendarme from the PGHM (mountain rescue service) who will tell us about the various rescues that take place in the valley, the dangers in the mountains and the importance of having good training before heading off alone into a white paradise to avoid it becoming hell.
Prices
Duration: 5 days
Location: Chamonix
PRICE: €500/person
On this course, you will acquire step by step all the essential tools to become autonomous and stay safe both on glaciers and regular off-piste. You will learn how to read the signs and manage the risks taken when off-piste skiing. You will also learn how to react quickly and efficiently if an avalanche occurs and practise how to rescue someone out of a crevasse.
Information
Non-glacier terrain
- Briefing and obligatory check of the equipment necessary for off-piste.
Theme studied
- Skiing, reading the terrain and group conduct (each person has a turn).
- Learning to use a transceiver, shovel and probe.
On glacier terrain
- Skiing, reading the terrain and group conduct.
Theme studied
- Using a transceiver, shovel and probe.
- Learning how to give an emergency message.
- Helping victims, learning emergency actions that you can do, and those you should not do.
On glacier terrain
- Briefing and obligatory check of the equipment necessary for skiing on glacier terrain.
Theme studied
- Crevasse rescue techniques and rope ascent techniques.
- Learning how to rope up on a glacier, group conduct and learning how to find the correct itinerary on glacier terrain.
On glacier terrain
- Revision of all the different techniques learnt. Preparing for the exam on day 5.
Final course test
- Transceiver search exam - emergency message - crevasse rescue - oral examination.