Santeri
Steep Skiing Techniques with Dave Searle
★★★★★
Really great course. I got a lot out of the course that helped me progress my skiing the rest of the season. 5/5 would recommend.
Open Oak on your phone
Compare available products and continue your planning in the Oak app.
Chamonix · Ski touring
Ski Touring Course in Chamonix
A ski touring course allows you to reach wild, tranquil and beautiful places on skis, safely. It teaches how to climb on skis using skins: fitting and stripping them, kick turns on steep ground, setting an efficient track, managing transitions, and choosing a route.
What the course usually involves▼
Ski touring is how you get away from the lifts, and Chamonix is one of the best, most iconic places in the Alps to learn it. Beginner days with an IFMGA guide are the best way to learn how to escape the crowds safely.
Equipment. Touring bindings and their walk and ski modes, boots and their walk mode, and skins - attaching them, stripping and stowing them efficiently.
Skinning technique. How to climb without wasting energy, how to slide rather than lifting the whole ski.
Kick turns. Turning a long ski through 180 degrees on a steeper slope, allowing you to climb safely and efficiently.
Skin track setting. Reading a slope for a line that climbs efficiently while staying clear of avalanche terrain.
Transitions. How to transition at the top of a climb: skins off, bindings locked, layers sorted.
Avalanche basics. The group check, bulletin reading, terrain choice and a transceiver search. Not a substitute for an avalanche course, but the foundation.
From a first day, the progression opens quickly — longer valley tours, the glacier tours above the valley, and eventually multi-day hut tours like the Haute Route. Request a guide and tell them where you want to get to.
What you'll learn▼
- Fitting, stripping and stowing skins
- Switching bindings and boots between walk and ski mode
- Efficient skinning — sliding rather than stepping, weight placement
- Kick turns on a steeper track
- Using heel risers and knowing when they help
- Reading a slope to set an efficient, safe skin track
- Fast transitions from climbing to skiing and back
- Transceiver, shovel and probe use and the group check
- Interpreting the avalanche bulletin and choosing terrain from it
- Skiing down with a pack in touring boots
Location context▼
The tour is chosen on the morning for snow and avalanche conditions rather than fixed in advance.
Often, beginner ski tours in the valley are found in Les Houches, Passy Plaine Joux, or Le Tour. A level up from that would be one of the classic routes in La Flégère, like Lac Blanc, or Col des Dards.
What people say afterwards
Enea
Basic Mountaineering Course – Punta Helbronner 2 days
★★★★★
Really good, Francesco was great, I learned a lot and had a great time
yanxiang
3 days Alpine Training & Summit Pigne d’Arolla (3,796 m)
★★★★★
It was great! I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about alpinism techniques.
Alexandra
Crevasse Rescue course
★★★★★
The guide was super competent and the course was very useful for me. Thank you!
Satyen
Basic Mountaineering Course – Punta Helbronner 2 days
★★★★★
Really great 2-day BMC course in Italy! Learned a lot about mountaineering, safety, and glacier travel. The instructors were knowledgeable, patient, and made the whole experience super fun. Highly recommended!
Finlay
Monte Rosa tour: Climb, learn and discovery the High Mountains
★★★★★
Absolutely incredible tbh. The guides were always willing to give more info than the course outlined if you had a question.
Why Book With Oak
Book directly with qualified mountain guides.
Oak helps you compare guided trips, talk directly with certified guides, and plan a mountain day that fits your dates, goals, and group.
Secure payment
Payment is held until your guided day.
Direct guide contact
Chat with your guide directly rather than through an agency.
Multiple offers
One request can lead to offers from different guides.
Flexible bookings
Add friends and family to a booking when plans change.
Certified guides
Oak works with IFMGA-certified mountain guides only.
Verified reviews
Reviews come from real trips booked through Oak.
You may also like
Climb Mont Blanc with a Guide
2–5 days · Intermediate
From 1,885 EUR
Beginner Mountaineering Course in Chamonix
2 days+ · Beginner
From 200 EUR
Alpine Ridge Climbing in Chamonix with a Guide
1 day · Intermediate
From 275 EUR
Haute Route Ski Tour, Chamonix to Zermatt
6 days+ · Advanced
From 1,700 EUR
Multi-Pitch Climbing Course in Chamonix
1 day · Intermediate
From 300 EUR
Trad Climbing Course in Chamonix
1 day · Intermediate
From 300 EUR
Climb the Arête des Cosmiques with a Guide
1 day · Advanced
From 300 EUR
Crevasse Rescue Course in Chamonix
1 day · Beginner
From 120 EUR
FAQ
Do I need to be a good skier to learn ski touring?▼
Ski touring in Chamonix needs you to ski off-piste confidently, because you have to ski down whatever you climb up — in touring boots, with a pack, in often good, but sometimes variable snow.
Do I need my own touring equipment?▼
No. Ski touring equipment in Chamonix — skis, skins, boots, poles and avalanche kit can be hired in Chamonix.
How much does an introductory ski touring day cost?▼
Introductory ski touring in Chamonix starts from around €120 per person on a shared day, and more for a private guide. Equipment hire and any lift passes are extra. Request a guide for a quote based on your group.
How much ascent will we do?▼
A first ski touring day in Chamonix typically covers 400 to 700 metres on a first day, though it depends on the group and the conditions.
Is this the same as an avalanche course?▼
No. An introductory touring day covers avalanche basics — the group check, a transceiver search, terrain awareness. A dedicated avalanche course goes far deeper into bulletin interpretation, snowpack assessment and rescue.
Where does it lead?▼
Longer valley tours, then glacier touring once you have crevasse rescue skills, then multi-day hut tours such as the Haute Route. Tell a guide what you are aiming at and they will build toward it.
Plan your own guided trip
Tell us your dates, who's coming and the day you have in mind. We'll match you with qualified guides who know these routes, and send their quotes straight back to you.