Our guiding level for the all-inclusive are based on your technical level, your fitness level and your skills (I’ve seen it, take me to the booking form)
| Technical and Fitness Levels | Ski Off-piste – Freeride – Ski Touring | Mountaineering – Rock climbing | Ice climbing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novice | You are relaxed and confident in: skiing in parallel on red runs, on all types of snow, side-slipping and doing snowplough turns on short steep sections (30-50m.) of black runs. You have no problem skiing continuously for 5 hours. | You are a hiker who can walk for 6/8 hours, also on exposed trails at medium altitudes (2000-2800m.) and, in some cases, on stony ground or short stretches of moraine. | First time with ice-axes in your hands and crampons on your feet. |
| Advanced | You are confident and in control of your speed, skiing, maybe not stylishly, off- piste and on easy glaciers – in all snow conditions. You’ve already done some short ski-mountaineering excursions of F/MS difficulty on uphill stretches of 400/600m. altitude difference, lasting an overall 3-5 hours between ascent and descent. | You are used to climbing and descending on 40°-50° angle snow and ice slopes/couloirs , even on long stretches (100m. or more) and on mixed terrain (both ice and rock) and you can climb on rock, wearing crampons, up to advanced III°. In the high mountains you are at ease doing climbs of PD level with short sections of AD, also on exposed ridges. On rock face you are confident climbing at 4° angle as second of the team and you’re starting to manage some short 5° sections, even on routes of 200-250m. of altitude difference. | First experience on ice fall climbing but you have been scrambling and climbing with crampons on rocks and snow slopes and you have a basic idea of the “rope work” and how to secure yourself on a belay. |
| Competent | You are at ease skiing off-piste and on glaciers, on any type of snow, on constant 35°-angle slopes and on short stretches (50/70 metres) of 40°-angle slope. On good snow you can effect neat turns in quick succession and in bad snow conditions, you can do turns followed by a diagonal traverse. You’re used to ski-mountaineering excursions (lasting up to 2 days) of MSA difficulty with brief BSA stretches involving an altitude difference of 1000/1500m. You can advance in a roped team using ice-axe and crampons along slopes and couloirs of snow and ice up to a 45° angle, on open ridges and on short rocky passages of I°-II°, wearing crampons on your ski-mountaineering boots. | You are at ease and secure in ascending and descending short sections of slopes/couloirs at 60°-70° angle using one or two ice-axes and can climb on 4° rock, wearing crampons. You are used to climbing in a roped team at I°-II° degree, wearing crampons, on ridges, 40°- angle slopes, couloirs of snow, ice or mixed terrain. On rock, you normally climb second on a pitch at 5° degree with short, more demanding sections, on routes of various length (200-250m.), in the high mountains too, wearing a rucksack. | You have undertaken some previous rocky scrambling and rock climbs, ice or easy alpine climbing. You are comfortable moving on rocky and snowy ridges and slopes of up to 60 degrees. You enjoy the challenge of more remote technical terrain. You would like to learn more about alpine rope work, how to build a belay and place protection gear on the climb. |
| Expert | You’re a highly accomplished skier, used to skiing on steep 40°/45°-angle slopes even on continuous stretches of 100m. or more, on any type of snow. You normally go on excursions of BSA and some of OSA difficulty. You are confident with ice-axe and crampons on slopes and couloirs of snow and ice up to an angle of 45°, on open ridges and on II° rock even for lengths of 100m., wearing crampons on your ski-mountaineering boots. Your excursions often last 2 or more days. | You are a highly skilled mountaineer, used to climbs on rock, ice and mixed terrain of advanced technical and physical difficulty that may even require bivouacs on the mountain face. In the high mountains you do long climbs (2 days) of TD difficulty. On ice you often climb on slopes of 80° angle and on short stretches of 90° angle, on one or more rope pitches. On rock face you climb normally as lead climber on mono pitche /itinerary of 2/3 pitches up to 6b with spit protection and as second of the party in the high mountains on sections of continuous 6a difficulty requiring consecutive pitches (300m. or more of altitude difference). | You have previous experience climbing alpine PD+ or harder. You are good on scrambling and you can lead some pitches climbing on rock or ice. You have a good knowledge of the rope techniques necessary for pitched climbing and crossing glaciers. You are confident when using crampons and ice axes. You like the thought of climbing steep rock and ice or traversing an exposed ridge covered in snow and ice. You can abseil, know how to use a prussic knot and make yourself safe on a basic self-made belay. |
GENERAL INFORMATION:
On our ski courses, but also during any of our activity, you will have the opportunity to safely learn and practice the essential skills you will need if you are planning on any activity in an alpine environment. The courses are suitable for those with no prior climbing, mountaineering, freeride and ski touring experience and who wish to progress to do any mountain activity in snow, glaciated or rock terrain. You’ll also get the opportunity to meet like-minded people and discuss future adventures. And what better classroom than the beautiful mountains of the Alps!
During all our courses and during every activity we try to cover route planning and navigation, technical skills, use of the crampons and ice-axe and safety tools, glacier travel, crevasse rescue, transceiver training and avalanche rescue, rescue on rock climbing, emergency procedures.
Don’t hesitate to ask more informations to our guides: they will be happy and proud to help and teach to you in every situation!
