Level 1 ski touring: skills for day tours

Level 1 ski touring: skills for day tours

Learn to prepare and undertake single-day ski tours. Over two days you will work on ascent, descent, transitions, kick turns and snow assessment, building on an existing foundation of alpine skiing.

The course develops ascent, descent and safety techniques for planning day tours on low-to-moderate difficulty winter mountain terrain.

Course content

• Touring equipment: different options and maintenance.
• Tour planning and interpreting the mountain environment.
• Snow science, avalanche prevention and response.
• Safety equipment: avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe.
• Basic uphill and downhill technique.
• Direction changes and kick turns.
• Transitions between ascent and descent.
• Unprepared-snow techniques: basic turns, extension–flexion, an introduction to edging/carving and alternating turns.
• Adapting descent technique to snow conditions.

Previous experience and personal equipment

• Intermediate resort skiing: basic parallel turns on red pistes.
• A complete ski-touring setup. Special rental rates may be available through our partners if you do not have one.
• Clothing suitable for winter ski touring.

Practical information

• Duration: two days.
• Season: the snow season, depending on conditions.
• Hours: 08:00–15:00.
• Group: one to six participants.
• Locations: Sierra Nevada near Granada, Guadarrama near Madrid and the Pyrenees; ask about other Spanish areas.
• Dates: ask for dates and availability.
• Places: contact us for current availability.

Included

• Qualified mountain guide.
• Public liability insurance.
• Accident insurance.
• A photographic record of the course.
• Safety equipment for practical exercises.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the course while still learning to ski on piste?

The programme requires intermediate alpine skiing, with basic parallel turns on red pistes. Touring training builds on that downhill foundation.

What avalanche topics are covered?

Snow science, prevention, response and practice with transceiver, shovel and probe. The exercises develop skills to support your winter mountain decisions.

Ask about dates and availability for this course.