Advanced skiers who wish to keep improving their skiing skills, explore off piste and take on variable snow conditions. 

You may wish to 

Pre- learning: 6 hours online completed in your own time

Practical: 4 x full days in the mountains starting in Avoriaz and exploring Les portes du Soleil 

The full days will be on skiing equipment with a Portes du Soleil lift pass. We will meet at a cafe to review the conditions and avalanche forecast before heading out for mornings of skiing & afternoons of avalanche training, approximately 2.5 - 3hr sessions of each with a 45 minute lunch break in between.

The course content mirrors the content of an American Avalanche Association Level 1 recreational course.

What to expect from the pre-learning: 

A mixture of video tutorials, practical tasks and quizzes are organised into 10 core lessons. Further pathways to continue your learning are recommended. In total, it takes around 6 hours to complete the course, but it is common to repeat and refer back to it throughout the season.

Full Course Curriculum:

The course is made up of a pre-study component (6hrs in your own time) and 4 full days in the mountains (6.5 hours per day)

The practical component includes 4 x 2.5hr sessions of ski tuition & guiding time each morning (10 hours total). This may be on or off piste, depending on the current conditions and goals of group members. Expect to hone your skills on red, black and off-piste terrain and have a lot of fun whilst doing so. Video analysis will be offered where appropriate.

The avalanche training component closely mirrors the content & contact time of an AIARE 1 course (although this is not an AIARE 1), and is made up of 5 hours of pre-study work followed by 4 x 3.75hr practical training sessions in the field. If you would like to compare different avalanche courses such as AIARE or AST courses, please see our article on this here.

Practical Sessions on the mountain:

Session 1: Companion Rescue Skills in avalanche response

Session 2: Avalanche Terrain - identification & analysis 

Session 3: Field Observation skills - formal and informal tests and tools for monitoring snowpack and red flags. 

Session 4: Companion Rescue follow up session & Practise scenarios

You can also expect a daily review of the Avalanche bulletin to learn how to understand and apply. 

We will practise risk management tools such as trailhead checks and cover group management and safe travel protcols. 

The pre-study online course, made up of tutorial videos, practical tasks and quizzes, will cover 10 lessons in off-piste snowsport safety (see below)

If you are wondering how the avalanche training component of this course compares with other courses, check out this blog post which explains the main options.

If you have further questions don't hesistate to get in touch with me with your queries via [email protected]

1. Please bring a Portes du Soleil lift pass and have appropriate off piste insurance. I advise also getting the insurance offered when purchasing your lift pass (approx 3 euros per day means you get free rescue off the mountain rather than potentially having to pay large fees upfront)
2. Skis, boots & poles - approximately 95-100mm underfoot is an ideal all terrain ski for the Alps. Downhill orientated bindings are preferable to super lightweight pin bindings. Feel free to ask equipment questions via [email protected] and please give me a rough idea of what skis/bindings you will be on when you fill in the booking enquiry form.
3. Backpack - approximately 25 litres - with hip & chest straps. Airbags are optional but great to bring if you have one. 
4. Transceiver, Probe & Shovel (or ask to borrow this equipment for the course free of charge). If you have your own, it is adviseable to bring and practise with your own equipment. If you would like to purchase this equipment before the course, I recommend the BCA equipment on mountainsports.co.uk - you can use the discount code ALPINETUTORIALS at checkout.
5. Ski clothing - Larying options recommended. Merino wool baselayer, fleece midlayer, puffy insulated layer (synthetic or down) and Goretex wind and waterproof shell. Please bring enough layers to be plenty warm enough during a full day out in the mountains.
6. Helmet, Goggles & Sunglasses, Cap or Beanie
7. Suncream
8. Gloves & spare gloves - Personally I find it very helpful to layer gloves to avoid hands getting too hort or cold. I wear thin wind gloves (15 euros from decathlon) in warmer conditions and gore tex mitts in colder conditions. Expect to have your hands poking around in the snow quite.
9. Smartphone with good battery and ideally with data so we can download apps and search forecasts and mapping tools.
10. Packed Lunch - please be prepared to bring lunch, snacks and drinks. A hot flask would be great. This allows us more freedom in our days, although we may still stop inside somewhere on bad weather days. This can be discussed in more detail in the whatsapp group nearer the time
11. SKINS - if your course includes ski touring - please check course dates section.

Recommended but not essential:

1. First Aid kit - recommended to be able to deal with blisters, headaches and bleeds etc. (not essential as I'll have one)
2. Superlite 2 person shelter (not essential as I'll have one but a good thing to carry if you wish to ski off piste a lot - even if its just to sit on for a lunch picnic)
3. Multi tool - mostly useful for bindings but also various repairs
4. Ski Tie

The pre-learning you can do online in your own time on any screen you like. 

The practical 4-day course will take place in Les Portes du Soleil ski area, meeting in Avoriaz each morning.

Attendees can stay in Avoriaz, Morzine, Saint Jean Daulps, Les Gets, Les Crosets or similar. You must have a full Portes du Soleil ski pass so we can explore the full area.

Please let me know where you will be staying and whether you have transportation or need buses & lifts.

In the week prior to the course, I will set up a whatsapp group to handle all meeting points and times and travel logistics with the group. 

Plan A is we will meet at 9:30am in Salle Hors Sac Cafe in Lindarets, but this may change nearer the time.

- You must have a minimum ski level of being able to ski black runs in controlled parallel turns.

- You must also be physically fit enough to complete full days (6hrs skiing) in potentially challenging terrain.

As long as everyone in the group has the two above pre-requisites then we will have a great team and be able to ski loads of exciting terrain.

If you would like to discuss your level with me before making a booking please email [email protected]

Not officially – let me explain.

This course follows the recreational avalanche education pathway. Courses like AIARE Level 1 & 2 (USA) and AST 1 & 2 (Canada) are well-known in North America because they follow a continent-wide curriculum. These frameworks help backcountry users compare their training, but they are not mandatory or professional certifications – they simply show what content was covered.

In Europe, we don’t yet have a unified recreational avalanche training system. That’s why this course mirrors (and in places, goes beyond) the AIARE Level 1 or AST 1 content – giving you the same essential skills and knowledge. You’ll receive a certificate of completion detailing the curriculum, which can be useful for your personal learning record or as a reference for further education.

So no, it’s not affiliated with AIARE or Avalanche Canada – but if you're looking for real-world avalanche education that matches international standards, you're in the right place.

If you would like to read more about international avalanche courses and qualifications, read the blog article I wrote about this here.

To book, please fill in the booking enquiry form and let me know a few key bits of information.

If the course is appropriate for you, I will send you an invoice to make your payment in euros to my french registered business. 

Your booking is finalised when you make payment, and the invoice you receive will detail the key information. 

I am working on a full booking terms and conditions page which will be shared with you before making payment. 

It's unlikely. During the past two winters I have been running these courses with a mixture of some skiers who have only recently progressed from the intermediate plateau, to others who have decades of skiing experience from a young age.

Unless you are an expert skier who is amazing in bumps, steeps and variable snow, as well as having recent multi-day avalanche training under your belt, you will be able to gain a lot of value from this course. 

You will gain access to the online pre-study course after you make your booking. It takes about 6 hours in total and you can complete this in your own time on any screen you like. It is adviseable to have it refreshed soon before you course starts. 

Please check the course dates section to see if the course is entirely lift accessed or a combination of lift accessed and ski touring. 

If it is entirely lift accessed - you do not need ski touring equipment.

If it is a combination, you will need ski touring skis & bindings, skins and preferably boots with a walk mode. This allows us to do half day or full day ski tours on some of the days in order to explore backcountry terrain away from the ski area.

The Avalanche training course content is more or less the same whether your course is lift accessed or ski touring.  

Since the emphasis of the course will be on downhill skiing & avalanche training, downhill orientated skis and bindings are preferable to super lightweight skis and pin bindings. Something like a shift binding would be ideal. 

Typically 3 or 4 attendees, with a maximum group size of 6.

Yes, you can borrow equipment for the course free of charge - but please let me know in the booking enquiry form.

Ideally, it is great to bring your own and practise with the equipment you will be using. I can recommend the BCA equipment available on mountainsports.co.uk - you can use the discount code ALPINETUTORIALS to get a discount (postage to the UK)

 A mixture of video tutorials, practical tasks and quizzes are organised into 10 core lessons. Further pathways to continue your learning are recommended. In total, it takes around 6 hours to complete the course, but it is common to repeat and refer back to it throughout the season.

Advanced skiers and snowboarders who wish to go off-piste or into the backcountry. It is suitable for adventurous amateurs, trainee instructors and is also used as a professional licence refresher by ski instructing organisations.

Suitable for those aged 14 and above.

No. The course curriculum is organised into a sequence which is suitable as an introduction for those new to this field. Alternatively, it can serve as a refresher for those who have undertaken mountain safety and avalanche training in the past.

You will receive a certificate of completion detailing what you have covered. This will help you to choose appropriate further training.

The course has been built with contribution from a number of guides, instructors and avalanche professionals based Europe. Built in part for trainee and qualified ski & snowboard instructors, the course is also suited for adventurous amateurs and recreational skiers and boarders. 

The primary instructor on the course is George Treble - British Level 4 Alpine Instructor and ski touring guide. With 16 winters of professional experience working in the Alps, Japan, NZ and Norway, George is also an award winning mountain sport film maker and has an academic background in physical Geography & forecasting (Bsc 1st Class Hons UoB). 

You will be able to ask George questions throughout the course.

After payment you will get instant access and can begin straight away

Yes - if you are not satisfied with the course you can have your money back (within a 30-day period)

To complete all the video tutorials, quizzes and practical tasks, it takes around 6 hours to complete. However, most of our students refer back to the course to repeat and revisit throughout the season - this is why you have access until August 2024. You could complete the course in one day, or multiple shorter sessions as you prefer.