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 THE OFF-PISTE ACADEMY

Skills training courses for advanced skiers and snowboarders in Les Portes du Soleil 
Advanced Ski & Avalanche Training (ASAT)
Off Piste Safety Online Course
Avalanche Rescue Training Days

WELCOME TO THE OFF-PISTE ACADEMY

Are you an advanced skier or snowboarder who wishes to explore off-piste terrain? If so, you're in the right place. 

Based in Les Portes du Soleil, OPA provide skills training courses, off-piste & backcountry guiding, avalanche rescue training, ski touring and split boarding adventures in the stunning Chablais region of the French & Swiss Alps. 

BASED IN LES PORTES DU SOLEIL

Advanced Ski & Avalanche Training (ASAT) 

For advanced skiers already confident on black run terrain, these 4-day courses combine mornings of ski tuition and off-piste guiding with afternoons of formal avalanche safety training.

More info

Robbie Mayhew

''Thoroughly recommend the OPAC course with George. It helps provide the necessary foundations for off piste skiing/avalanche safety. The online course complements the in person sessions very well, and is both informative and engaging at the same time. Cheers George!''

Amélie Bouan

''Highly recommend the OPAC course! 4 very days of very instructive and efficient teaching from George. My skiing and avalanche knowledge have greatly improved thanks to his program, including skiing technique in the morning and avalanche focused, on the ground exercises and observation in the afternoon. There’s a before and after this course for me. Allez-y les yeux fermés. Merci George!''

THE RIGHT PLACES AT THE RIGHT TIMES

Off-Piste Safety Online Course

The success of a day skiing or snowboarding off piste rests on the homework your do beforehand.

This 1-day online course covers 10 vital lessons in backcountry snowsport safety

More info

Blair Aitken 

"One of the best online training course I have done. Informative and coherant. George delivers in an approachable, professional and engaging manner."

Neil McNair

"Very informative and well presented. George is extremely clear and engaging passing on critical knowledge, awareness and understanding to all mountain users venturing off the piste."

Sally Duffy 

"Great course, very complete, informative and easy to follow, with good structure. Great as a refresher or intro for newbies, would totally recommend!"

Paul Wagstaffe

"George has taken a complicated subject matter and split it into digestible bite sized pieces that are easy to understand. The amazing pics and vids keep you interested. Everyone going off-piste needs this course!"

 

YOUR INSTRUCTOR

George Treble - BASI Level 4 ISTD instructor with full french equivalence and 12 seasons of experience in Les Portes du Soleil.

My mission is to help other skiers and snowboarders to experience the joys of mountain sports safely. 

I have always loved the outdoors since I grew up in Devon and moved on to study Physical Geography at university. But after that, the mountains stole the show and I have since spent winter chasing snow in Europe, New Zealand and Japan. More recently I have been lucky to go on ski touring expeditions in Arctic Norway and the Bernese Oberland, as well as working on ski film projects such '10 in a Weekend' and 'La Saison Blanche'. 

I now spend the main winter months ski instructing, ski guiding and offering avalanche skills training courses in Les Portes du Soleil.

I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have had such experiences in the mountains, so now I am trying my best to consolidate some of the useful stuff I have learnt along the way. I have founded Alptine Tutorials Ltd & The Off Piste Academy to deliver my services.

I am an ambassador for Backcountry Access safety equipment company as well as K2 Skis.

George's Instagram

Avalanche Rescue Training Day

1 Day Course (9:30-4:30)

This one-day course delivers practical, on-snow avalanche rescue training for any skier or snowboarder who wishes to go off-piste. It’s designed to mirror the key learning outcomes of the AIARE Avalanche Rescue course (although this course is not yet certified by AIARE) and is ideal as both an introduction and a seasonal refresher.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

  1. How to respond if you or a partner is caught in an avalanche
  2. How to use your transceiver, probe, and shovel effectively under pressure
  3. Practical skills, honed in rescue scenario exercices

🎯 Who It’s For:

  1. Skiers and snowboarders who need and introduction to avalanche rescue training.
  2. More experienced skiers and snowboarders who want to refresh skills, stay sharp and up-to-date

If you go off-piste regularly, we recommend doing a course like this every season — rescue skills fade fast, and keeping them fresh could make all the difference.

đź“‹ What to Bring:

  1. Ski or snowboard equipment and suitable winter clothing
  2. Avoriaz lift pass
  3. A packed lunch
  4. Your own avalanche pack (transceiver, shovel, and probe) or let me know in advance if you'd like to borrow a full set (free of charge)

Meeting Point - Salle Hors Sac in Lindarets, Avoriaz at 9:30am

Dates and Bookings will be published in Autumn 2025