UKC

I am thinking of booking a 3 day "intro to ski touring" course at Chamonix with Mountain Tracks
http://mountaintracks.co.uk/trip/ski-touring-skills-chamonix-3-day

Just wondered if anyone had feedback on this course or the company?

In reply to Slarti B:
Nope, sorry. I did spend a week with Off Piste Performance in Feb 2014 and they were awesome.

Perhaps check on Piste Hors or Winter Highland forum as well...

In reply to Slarti B:
I have used them for several trips though not an intro one.

The company is great but things depend a bit on which particular guide you get and how you get on with them.

In reply to Slarti B:

I'd highly recommend the Telemark Ski Company, who (contrary to how it sounds) have excellent non-tele and mixed tele and 'trainer heel' courses

b

In reply to Slarti B:

Thanks for the replies, will do some more googling, though not many others seem to do a 3 day "long weekend" course like Mountain Tracks.

In reply to Slarti B:

Try Glenmore lodge?

In reply to Slarti B:

Hi, Off Piste Performance are doing long weekend courses, dates on their site. They are really good.

In reply to Slarti B:
Another good way to do it is to join the Eagle Ski Club (costs all of £20 a year) and do an intro course via them - still done with a guide. Andy Teasdale is running an intro course on 2 to 9 April. The advantage of the ESC is you get to meet other people to tour with (the club has over 1200 members) and have access to the 60 tours at all levels that the club runs each year. http://www.eagleskiclub.org.uk/club-tours
(From personal experience, I agree that Alison Culshaw of Off Piste Performance in Chamonix is also very good. http://www.offpiste.org.uk ) And the Mountain Tracks guys are good too, but as mentioned above, it does depend which guide you get.)

In reply to Cathy:
there is also a week end course with Alison's sister on the eagles scottish programme
Aviemore training
15 Jan 2016 to 17 Jan 2016
Ski Performance for Mountaineers Training Course with Gillian Culshaw

After a very successful pilot last winter, this meet will be running again in 2016. It is a great early season opportunity to brush up your off-piste skills and try out any new kit before heading off on tour. There will be two full days of small-group instruction by Gillian Culshaw. In the unlikely event of bad weather or lack of snow there will be alternatives on offer such as transceiver searching, mountaineering skills, avalanche awareness etc, as appropriate to the group and conditions. Accommodation can be organised at a hostel in Aviemore - let me know if you are interested in this option.

Cost: £100 (instruction only)

In reply to Slarti B:

Richard Dupont is a good guy booked through Pyrenean Odysseys.

In reply to earlsdonwhu and others:

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Eagle Ski club looks interesting, hadn't heard of it before.

I will contact offpiste as well but will pass on the Scottish courses; I hope to get some Scottish winter climbing in later ion the season and would prefer Alps for touring!

In reply to Slarti B:

Mountain Tracks is a great company. The guides are based in Cham and know the area like the back of their hand, so if the weather is iffy they will know where to go. Had a cracking week with Ollie and Matt (the guides) 10/10.

In reply to Aigen:

Thanks. And love your profile photo!