B A C K C O U N T RY SKIING
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B A C K C O U N T RY SKIING
The Vanoise is a national park between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys. The area is huge, and offers vast off-piste potential that is usually quieter than other big resorts. The area boasts the huge North face of Bellecote, the Aiguilles Rouges, La Grieve, Roche Mio, lots of tree skiing and open slopes too. St Foy is also close for a day to sample the great trees and backcountry descent out the back of the resort. Peisey- Vallandry could not be in a better position to enjoy the benefits of the new Vanoise Express cable car link from Les Arcs to La Plagnes. Being ideally placed between the two extensive ski resorts, direct access to the whole of the newly formed Paradiski ski area, it is all at your fingertips. Vallandry is just 5 minutes away in the courtesy minibus with the Vanoise express and two high speed chair lifts (4 and 6 seaters) to take you in any direction we like. Vanoise backcountry skiing weeks are exciting guided ski holidays with the focus on skiing the best terrain and the best snow further away from the pistes. Every day we will be exploring a new area to find the best snow and best descents. Some descents will be lift served off piste and some we will be boot-packing or skinning to get to. As the week progresses you will pick up the essentials of backcountry skiing. These skills include avalanche awareness, skinning, boot packing, glacier skiing and decision making.
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This backcountry week is for any off piste skier who is keen to make the most of the Paradiski region. This area really is huge and offers outstanding backcountry skiing, which is often untouched in comparison to the more famous Tarentaise resorts. Come and see for yourself! We split the group into intermediate and advanced courses, so you will be in a group with people with similar ambitions and ability whilst skiing. You should be an Intermediate or Advanced off-piste skier to get the most from this holiday.
ADVANCED I can link, without traversing, at least 10-15 short or long radius turns off piste in any kind of snow. I have good control and choose where to turn most of the time. The thought of fresh powder excites me and I enjoy the challenge of difficult snow. I can sideslip forwards and backwards, sidestep up and down, and can ski 35-40 degree slopes. I ski off piste whenever I can and enjoy skiing far from the lifts/pistes. FITNESS LEVEL: B – I can ski all day with only short breaks and can hike up to 2 hours a day (600m of uphill).
You can expect to be skiing from first lift each day. Most days you can expect to do some uphill work to get to the descents. If this all sounds like hard work, don’t worry! It’s your holiday and the pace is up to you - but a sniff of fresh powder and it’s often “maybe just one more run...”! If you have not ‘bootpacked’ or ‘skinned’ uphill before, don’t worry we will teach you. Some days we have no uphill work and others we may be going uphill for 1-2 hours.
INTERMEDIATE I am an off piste skier with varying success and have skied at least 1-2 weeks predominantly off piste. I can link without traversing at least 5 – 10 turns together with reasonable control, style and speed, down the fall line, in most snow types. Deep, heavy snow and crust are still a problem. I usually don’t fall unless the snow is very heavy, deep or crusty. I may not like icy slopes but can ski them in control.
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January to April. Courses run throughout the winter season. VANOISE BACK COUNTRY SKIING – EXAMPLE ITINERARY The itinerary for the week is completely flexible and is made to suit you, the snow and weather conditions at the time. We will be making the most of the terrain and snow – it’s what we do best! SATURDAY: Arrive at Peisey and settle into the Goat Shed, along with a welcome chat with your Chalet hosts. SUNDAY: Unguided warm up day for you to find your skiing legs. A guide will then meet you in the evening to discuss the plan for the week. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: 5 guided days exploring the best the area has to offer. We will be looking to ski the north face of the Bellecote, the back of the Aiguilles Rouges, the Roche Mio, the back of Ste Foy and as much trees and backcountry lines we can find. We certainly won’t run out of good terrain! SATURDAY: Departure
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Good fitness will make it more fun and you’ll get more out of your week. Although we will tailor the course to your ability, we definitely recommend getting as fit as possible before you start. The process of training for your goal will help you focus on your goal - and having a goal will help you focus on your training. Backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering is all about being able to exercise at a moderate intensity for several hours, and your training should reflect this. Probably the best training is cycling as this targets similar muscle groups and prepares the mind for what is to be expected. (Exercising for long periods in poor weather requires mental strength.)
In addition to cardio training, try yoga, swimming, Pilates to help with core stability and balance. Always remember to build up your workouts over time and if you are not used to exercising much, your muscles and joints need time to build up to avoid injury. Try and choose an activity that you enjoy and keep a note of what you do and your times, this really helps with keeping the motivation up. If you are not used to training then your local gym will be able to advise you on a plan and schedule to help you achieve your goals. Training does not work overnight! The fittest athletes train as part of their lifestyle and have been doing it for years. Consider training for a good couple of months before coming out to the Alps.
However not everyone has the opportunity to do this and so alternatives such as jogging and gym workouts are also good. The focus for back country skiing should be on training Cardiovascular Endurance for long days in the mountains – cycling, running and rowing machines are much better than weight training which is why you should try and exercise for up to a couple of hours at a time at least twice a week. Skinning uphill and boot packing in the mountains require a good level of endurance fitness, and finding a pace and rhythm you can sustain for relatively long periods of time. The fitter you are generally the more you’ll enjoy the uphill, as well as recover quickly for the epic descents on the other side.
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THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE Paradiski and the Vanoise is at an altitude of 1200m and it is rare that one would suffer from altitude sickness at such a level. However, the lifts in the Paradiski valley take you up to an altitude of 3226m which can at times have an effect on how you feel. As you climb higher the air gets thinner and so there is less oxygen in each breath we take. This makes exercising much harder work than at sea level, so we have to slow down to help compensate, which because we have slowed down, we may feel colder. Due to the lack of oxygen in the air as we get higher, there are chances of getting ‘altitude sickness’ or Acute Mountain Sickness which may include headache, nausea, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and can develop into a very serious and even fatal (in extreme cases) problem. In reality on a backcountry skiing week, it’s unlikely you will have any lasting effects from altitude – however, it’s something to be aware of, and let your guide know if you experience any problems.
INSURANCE We strongly recommend getting specialist travel insurance that covers cancellation, medical and mountain rescue. Please make sure that it covers glaciated off-piste skiing and touring. We recommend the Dogtag (www.dogtag.co.uk) – they have comprehensive policies and have a great reputation. DREAM-GUIDES.COM INFO@DREAM-GUIDES.COM . +44 (0) 845 564 52 19
2. Skins and ski crampons 3. Poles
KIT LIST Unfortunately we can’t recommend a specific brand and model for each item on the kit list, as what is available is constantly changing and, of course, different people are different shapes and sizes with different budgets. However, in general we use and endorse Sherpa and Black Diamond products, if you go to a good retailers such as Snow & Rock, explain to them you will be backcountry skiing and they will be able to advise you on what is best for you.
4. Boots - these must fit and be comfortable. We feel it is best not to rent boots. Rather buy some and have them fitted professionally - this will make your week much more comfortable, fun and blister free. ‘Fit’ is more important than whether a boot is ‘stiff enough’ or not. We would recommended using a touring boot that is designed to ski well, rather than ultra-light. If your regular down-hill boots are very comfortable they will be suitable. 5. Rucksack - 40-50l. with ski straps 6. Water bottle 7. Transceiver, probe, shovel, crampons, ice axe, harness and 1 screw gate karabiner 8. 2 pairs sunglasses, goggles, sunhat, sunscreen, lip salve/block 9. 3 sets socks and light coloured thermal tops 10. Lightweight Gore-Tex top/bottoms, warm hat, thick gloves, thin gloves (when skinning) 11. Insulating layers. I use a thin ‘100’ weight fleece and a synthetic duvet jacket (thin).
1. Skis with touring bindings - Skis for off piste skiing and ski touring. We recommend skis that you will enjoy skiing on, but are not too heavy or stiff. They should be ‘fat’ but not too fat. Wider skis make it easier to ski off piste, but too wide can be hard to control and hamper your technique progression and progress on the uphills. We would recommend an underfoot width of 80-90mm. E.g. Rossignol B2 with fritschi bindings. If you don’t have skis with touring bindings – don’t worry, much of the week we won’t be skinning (rather we will be bootpacking or traversing for descents) and we can hire touring skis as/when needed
12. Personal first aid – including a blister kit and ibuprofen. 13. Cash (euros) for extra drinks/snacks on the mountain. PLEASE REMEMBER KIT SHOULD BE LIGHTWEIGHT BUT FUNCTIONAL YOU HAVE TO CARRY IT!
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COURSE RATIO: 1:6 GUIDE: CLIENT COURSE LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED FULL COURSE PRICE INCLUDES: Guiding, guides expenses, 7 nights in the Goatshed on a half board basis, in resort transport. FULL COURSE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: Insurance, travel to/from Peisey, equipment rental, lift passes and food and drinks when on the mountain GETTING TO VANOISE PARADISKI Once you have booked with us and bought specialist skiing/climbing travel and cancellation insurance (we recommend dogtag), it is best to book flights and airport transfers well in advance of your departure. Geneva is the nearest major airport, from there it’s 2 hours by car, 3 hours by train/bus. CHALET ACCOMMODATION We recommend staying in The Goat Shed (http:// thegoatshed.com/) situated in Peisey. This is a lovely traditional building which has recently been refurbished to a high standard. Peisey itself is a traditional alpine village full of charm perfectly situated between Les Arcs and La Plagne. Half board accommodation includes breakfast, afternoon tea and full evening meal. One night a week we eat out. To find out more about our course, availability, or to ask any questions, please get in touch with us through our website. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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