Holiday Off-Piste Skiing in Chamonix

Things to know

• What’s included?

  What you get in this adventure:

  • • An experienced, IFMGA certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
    • Five days of off-piste skiing
    • Transportation for days 1-5 of the tour

  What’s not included:

  • • Transportation to Chamonix
    • Transportation on days 0 and 6 of the tour
    • Airport transfers — we recommend Mountain Drop-Offs
    • Accommodations in Chamonix
    • Food and drinks 
    • Ski passes (several tiers, must be purchased in advance of the tour)
• How fit do I need to be?

  To enjoy this off-piste adventure, you need to be in excellent physical shape. You will be on your feet for 5 full days, covering miles of complex glaciated terrain every day. You will need to manage controlled ascents and descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs, have experience in glacier traversal, and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

  For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.

• What if I’ve never backcountry skied before?

  To participate in this tour, you need to have extensive backcountry skiing experience. You will be skiing on challenging glaciated terrain for 5 full days. You also need to be adept at using glacier gear, such as crampons and an ice ax. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.

   If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we suggest joining a guide for a day of beginner-friendly ski touring or a 5-day avalanche education and ski touring course in Chamonix.

• What equipment do I need to bring?

  For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

  • • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
    • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
    • Helmet (can be rented)
    • Glacier gear (can be rented):
      • Harness for glacier travel
      • Ice ax
      • Crampons
    • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
      • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
      • Lightweight snow shovel
      • Avalanche probe

  For personal items, we recommend bringing:

  • • Sunglasses or ski goggles
    • Gloves and hat
    • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
    • Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
    • Down jacket or vest
    • Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear and socks
    • One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
    • Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
    • Water bottle and 1L of water
    • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
    • Food you can eat on-the-go
    • First aid kit
    • Sunscreen
    • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-40L backpack)
    • Camera — optional
• Can I rent equipment?

  All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent: 

  • • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel, and probe from Sanglard Sports. 
    • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots, and poles can be rented from Sanglard Sports.
    • Splitboards can be rented from Sanglard Sports.
    • Glacier gear and helmet can be rented from Snell Sports.

  Gear rental locations are in Chamonix and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and pricing:

  • • For this adventure, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 4:1.
    • Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.

  Off-piste skiing in Chamonix can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements:

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors aren’t permitted to join this tour.
• Deposits and cancellation policy

  A 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 45 days prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies. 

  • • If Client cancels the Booking anytime prior to sixty (60) calendar days in advance of the trip contemplated by the booking, Client is entitled to a full refund. 
    • For cancellations forty-five (45) to fifty-nine (59) calendar days in advance, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the total amount paid when Booking. 
    • For cancellations thirty (30) to forty-four (44)  calendar days in advance, Client is entitled to a refund in the amount of twenty-five percent (25%) of the total amount paid when Booking. 
    • After that deadline, Client is not entitled to any refund. Any reimbursable expenses arising out of the Booking incurred by Guide prior to the date of cancellation (including but not limited to plane tickets, car rental payments, and lodging or transportation fees) are non-refundable as soon as they are incurred by the Guide.

  Please note that, to ensure your safety and the safety of other clients, your guide reserves the right to alter the itinerary in case of unfavorable ski conditions or bad weather.

• Getting there and meeting location

  To get to Chamonix, most people fly into Geneva International Airport (GVA), one hour away. Once you arrive, there are several ways to reach your destination, including public transport. Looking to make the airport transfer hassle-free? Check out Mountain Drop-Offs—they provide door-to-door service in their comfy and spacious shuttles.

  Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, which will usually be at Hotel Chamonix on Day 0 of the tour, so make sure to arrive before 6 pm. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.

• Covid measures in Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France

  57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity. 

  We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Chamonix, please refer to the official COVID-19 information for Chamonix Mont-blanc and France Diplomacy’s COVID-19 travel guidelines.

  Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!