Off Piste Beginners - Tignes

Duration 8 Days » Grade Introductory

The Aiguille Percee at Tigne (www2), 46 kb

The Aiguille Percee at Tigne Photo: © Catriona Baker

Run by BASI Trainer and off-piste specialist Simon Christy, this is a pure off-piste course designed to enable you to improve your technique. Available in two different venues (Le Trois Vallees and Tignes), this week combines expert instruction with exciting descents. Get ready for the 2008 season with our Off Piste Skiing tips article.

Grade: Introductory (See below for pre-course skiing ability)
Course base: Tignes

Course Structure

Courses are instructed at a maximum ratio of 1:6 and include 6 full days of instruction. Most days comprise technical sessions on or off the pistes, along with plenty of practice time to put these skills into action. As the course progresses, we take longer descents taking more of the day. Course schedules are subject to change depending on weather and snow conditions.

Outline Programme

Day 1:	Course participants meet at the course base at 7pm. Briefing on the week's activities in the evening.
Day 2:	An introduction to the basics of off-piste technique and the essential safety aspects.
Day 3-7:	Intensive off-piste instruction and ski workshops. Be prepared to have a lot of fun and to work hard.

Pre-Course Skiing Ability

The Off Piste Beginners - Tignes course is designed for piste-skiers, who can ski red runs confidently with linked short turns. The course will mainly make use of lifts to access the skiing, though we may do small amounts of walking to get to the best snow. You should be prepared to ski full days (with a lunch break) at a reasonable pace. You should also bring along your sense of humour and a desire to learn!

Avalanche Awareness and Risk

As soon as we head off-piste we need to be aware of avalanche risks, although some areas close to the resort may be controlled. Yours coaches/guides are all well versed in avalanche avoidance and will educate you in safety matters and rescue procedures. However, by its very nature, off-piste skiing is a risky business, not just because of avalanche danger, but also from the danger posed by hidden rocks, streams, small cliffs or tree branches, not to mention other skiers.

Further Information

Find out more about our coaches, the skiing venues, transport and accommodation, equipment, insurance and course inclusions and exclusions... [read more]