Description
Experience the fascination of the mountains safely!
Besides a lot of fun, there are days on which off-piste the danger of avalanches prevails. We would like to teach you the skills you need to assess the avalanche danger and to act safely in the terrain in a practice-oriented day course. Our experienced and local mountain guides will cover in depth the topics of planning, hazard assessment, mountain behavior and the handling of safety equipment such as avalanche transceivers and ABS backpacks.
Our mountain guides speak Swedish, German and English to ensure that you can learn in your preferred language.
This course is a must for all avid skiers and snowboarders who like to get off the marked slopes.
Course content:
- Interpretation of the avalanche bulletin
- Handling avalanche transceivers (LVS), probes and shovels as well as ABS backpacks
- Route selection in the terrain
- Prevention of avalanche accidents
Prerequisites:
- Skiing technique: moderate to very good off-piste skiing experience (please indicate your skiing level when registering).
- Stamina: Endurance for longer descents
Minimum number of participants:
We need a minimum of 4 participants for the course to take place.
Details
Our one-day course places great emphasis on practical experience and avalanche accident prevention. Therefore, we will spend a lot of time in the field to play through different scenarios. The deep snow area Engelberg-Titlis-Brunni with its numerous lifts offers ideal opportunities for this.
No matter if snowboarder, freerider or ski tourer, for all of them safety is in the foreground.
Meeting point
08.30 a.m. Skilodge Engelberg
Daily schedule
Morning
- Meeting for a coffee
- Discuss expectations and experiences of the participants
- Information for the day
Ride with the gondola into the terrain
- Checking the current snow and weather conditions
- Checking the avalanche transceivers
- Possibly first descent in the terrain and assess avalanche bulletin in the terrain
Morning: Theory part (45 minutes)
- Basics of avalanche danger
- Collecting information about snow, avalanches and weather
- Evaluation and interpretation of the collected data
- Special features of the Engelberg-Titlis area
- Useful application of the avalanche bulletin in the freeride area
Morning/afternoon in the field
- Observations and discussions on the mountain
- Consideration of the human factor
- Exercises on companion rescue with avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel
- Evaluation and discussion of experiences
End of the course Approx. 5 pm in Engelberg
Team
We will be a team of Swedish speaking UIAGM mountain guides.
Equipment
Checklist for your equipment:
- Waterproof ski jacket
- Ski pants
- Warm clothing
- Gloves (2 pairs)
- Cap or headband
- Helmet
- Ski goggles
- Small backpack (optional with ABS)
- Avalanche transceiver
- Avalanche shovel
- Avalanche probe
- Freeride skis (if desired, with touring bindings)
- Ski boots
- Ski poles
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- If necessary camera or GoPro
- Ski ticket
- Half fare card (if available)
- Cash for cable cars, cab and drinks
- Snacks
If you need equipment, you can rent it from us.
FAQ
Is the course also suitable for snowboarders?
Yes! We also welcome snowboarders.
What equipment is required?
You can participate with skis as well as with a snowboard. There are no ascents with climbing skins planned, so choosing freeride skis or a snowboard is an advantage.
Is it possible to rent equipment?
We provide modern and well-maintained rental equipment for our guests. We are happy to take reservations and provide on-site advice.
How can I get there?
The meeting point is in the village of Engelberg at the office of the mountain guides. This location is easily accessible by train in just 5 minutes from the train station. If you arrive by car, we recommend parking in the public parking lot near the monastery in the village and the short walk to the office (about 3 minutes).
Which ticket do I have to buy?
Since we want to make the day as efficient as possible and will be using the lifts most of the way, we will need a ski ticket. We recommend waiting to buy a ticket, as a less expensive ski tour ticket may be sufficient. The mountain guide will inform you in the morning.
