Lorenz
Wir durften eine 2 Tägige Ausbildungstour Skitour mit Martin geniessen. Er hat uns vorbildlich ins Thema Lawinen und Skitouren eingeführt.
Danke nochmals für die coole Tour!
Want to go ski touring, splitboarding or snowshoeing off-piste, but don’t know much about avalanches yet? In our two-day avalanche course for beginners, an IFMGA-certified mountain guide teaches you the basics of avalanche awareness. And you practise companion rescue with transceiver, probe and shovel until every move is second nature. No prior knowledge needed.
CHF 590.00
Every winter, more and more people head for the untracked slopes of our mountains. Many avalanche accidents could be avoided with solid basic knowledge and well-practised emergency rescue skills. That is exactly what our basic avalanche course is about: you learn to recognise hazards in the terrain, plan a simple tour defensively and act quickly and correctly in an emergency. We introduce you to all common rescue techniques and avalanche transceivers, so nothing stands in the way of a safe ski, splitboard and snowshoe season.
The course is aimed at everyone who is new to winter backcountry terrain: ski tourers, splitboarders and snowshoe hikers are all very welcome. You don’t need any avalanche experience; enough fitness for approaches of up to two hours is sufficient. If you already have some basic knowledge and want to go deeper, the avalanche course for advanced participants or the advanced course at the Furka Pass is the right choice for you.
We run this course in several areas: around Andermatt, in Riemenstalden or on the Klausenpass.
An avalanche course is the beginning, not the end. After the course you can plan and do simple tours in low avalanche danger more independently, and you know what to do in an emergency. Practise your transceiver search again every winter, for example on the one-day Avalanche Course Compact, or put your knowledge into practice on a taster tour for beginners. You’ll find tips for getting started in our guide Your first ski tour.
Lorenz
Wir durften eine 2 Tägige Ausbildungstour Skitour mit Martin geniessen. Er hat uns vorbildlich ins Thema Lawinen und Skitouren eingeführt.
Danke nochmals für die coole Tour!
Sara
Ein Wochenende gefüllt mit zwei tollen Skitouren und Lawinenkunde - wir hatten eine lehrreiche Zeit mit unserem Bergführer Martin und konnten von seinem Expertenwissen profitieren. Und alles nahtlos organisiert - einfach nur schön!
No previous experience required
Fitness for short approaches with skis, splitboard or snowshoes of up to 2 hours
At the meeting point we hand out the rental equipment and do the transceiver check. After a short ascent on skis, splitboard or snowshoes we reach the course location in an idyllic setting in the snowy Uri region. After a short theory introduction to avalanche types and warning signs, we practise avalanche rescue: signal search with the transceiver, probing and efficient shovelling. Assessing the snowpack is also on the programme.
On a short application tour we put what we have learned into practice: we read the avalanche bulletin, assess slope angle and aspect, and look at line choice on the descent and moving defensively in avalanche terrain. To finish, we simulate a search for a buried avalanche victim in the terrain.
By the end of the course you can plan and tackle simple tours in low avalanche danger more independently.
Depending on the area we pick a nice hut or group accommodation. For example: Sust Lodge Realp, Berghotel Tiefenbach, Sidelenhütte, Albert Heim Hütte or Lidernenhütte.
The focus is on the basics of accident prevention and companion rescue:
No. The course is designed for beginners with no avalanche experience. You need enough fitness for short approaches of up to two hours on skis, splitboard or snowshoes.
Yes. The training is aimed at all winter sports enthusiasts. Ski tourers, splitboarders and snowshoe hikers learn together and practise the same rescue techniques.
A transceiver set consisting of avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe is part of the required equipment. If you don’t have one yet, you can rent it from us (transceiver CHF 40, avalanche shovel and probe CHF 40). If you want to buy one, we recommend a digital 3-antenna transceiver. Feel free to bring your own device, then you’ll get to know it properly on the course.
The critical threshold is around 30 degrees. Most avalanche accidents happen on slopes of 30 degrees or steeper. On the course you learn to estimate slope angles in the terrain. On the avalanche course for advanced participants you learn to measure slope angles precisely with a ski pole or an app.
The course costs CHF 590 per person. Included are an IFMGA-certified mountain guide, the hut booking, tour preparation, route briefing and weather consultation, group equipment and a photo report. Not included are the overnight stay with half board, cable cars, travel to and from the area, your personal or rental equipment and insurance.
Depending on the area, we pick a nice hut or group accommodation, for example the Sust Lodge Realp, the Berghotel Tiefenbach, the Sidelen Hut, the Albert Heim Hut or the Lidernen Hut. We take care of the booking for you.
The Avalanche Course Compact covers the essentials in a single day. The Avalanche Course Lidernen is also a two-day basic course, with fixed accommodation in the Lidernen Hut above Lake Lucerne. The avalanche course for advanced participants and the advanced course at the Furka Pass build on the basics of this course.
You can plan and do simple tours in low avalanche danger more independently, interpret the avalanche bulletin and carry out a companion rescue of a buried person in an emergency. For more demanding tours we recommend an advanced course and regular practice.
