Finding Your Line: Which Ski and Splitboard Touring Course is Right For Me?
A course can provide the tips and tricks to fast-track the learning and get going with your own ski and splitboard touring adventures. It can be difficult to work out where to start so Wanaka Mountain Guides provides a range of backcountry ski and splitboard touring courses for all levels of previous experience.
All courses run during our winter season from July to early October.
Ski and Splitboard Touring Progression
The right course for each person depends on their prior experience, backcountry aspirations, and time available, and over time, a progression of courses can allow tourers to have the skills and confidence to take on more challenging and complex adventures. Between courses we recommend a period of skills consolidation and seeking out mentorship from more experienced people.
Step 1: Building a Foundation
Introduction to Backcountry Ski Touring Course and Splitboard Course
The 1-day Introduction to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboard Touring Courseis usually the start of people's backcountry learning. For those who haven't yet committed to buying their own equipment, it is possible hire it for the course. This way they can learn about what works and doesn't work in order to make good decisions on what to buy themselves down the track.
Combined with the 1.5day Avalanche Skills Course 1this would be the minimum for heading out on simple local adventures. It is also useful to get introduced to some of the local terrain and build on the knowledge and practice of the touring skills. This can be a good pathway for working locals as the days can be spread out over a number of weeks.
Best for: First-timers or resort skiers curious about the backcountry. Combined with an Avalanche Skills Course 1.
Backcountry Ski and Splitboard Touring Course
The 3-dayBackcountry Ski and Splitboard Touring Course covers the same topics as the Introduction to Backcountry Course above and includes the Avalanche Skills Course.
The longer format courses include more travel days to explore the local area so provide more opportunity to put into practice the newly acquired touring and avalanche skills before embarking on your own adventures.
The comprehensive beginner course for getting started backcountry touring.
Step 2: Gain Specialist Knowledge
Freeride Skills Course
The 3-day Freeride Skills Course is designed for skiers and splitboarders with some touring and avalanche skills who want to move beyond low-angle powder and into the technical, high-consequence terrain of the Southern Alps.
This bridges the gap between touring and mountaineering by teaching you how to manage steepness, variable snow, and technical hazards without necessarily reaching for a rope and ice axe just yet.
Best for experienced tourers who can get up the hill fine, but are hesitant when the terrain gets steep, icy, or complex on the way down.
Glacier Ski and Splitboard Touring Course
The Glacier Ski and Splitboard Touring Course takes place on the glaciers of the Aoraki / Mount Cook or Westland National Parks. This is the next step up from the previous 2 courses and introduces the additional safety skills to undertake glacier ski trips including basic ice axe and crampon use, glacier travel, route finding, and crevasse rescue. There is also an opportunity to develop trip planning and avalanche knowledge for bigger glaciated objectives.
Some touring experience is required.
For experienced tourers looking to access the high-alpine and big peaks.
Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course
The short local Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course prepare trekkers, mountaineers, or ski or splitboard tourers for carrying out travel over glaciers. It covers all the skills required for safely tackling glacier objectives including crevasse rescue skills.
This makes it a good progression for those looking to get started with glacier ski touring or looking to increase their rope skills for future objectives.
Get introduced to or refresh your skills before a season's adventuring on the glaciers.
Step 3: Venture Further
Ski Mountaineering Course
The Ski Mountaineering Course is also based on the glaciers of Aoraki / Mount Cook or Westland National Parks and is our most advanced ski course. The focus is the climbing and mountaineering skills required to ascend New Zealand’s classic snow and glacier peaks for the purposes of ski and snowboard descents and utilising skis or splitboard to access more remote objectives.
Some touring experience is required and some basic ropework gained from rock climbing.
Avalanche Skills Course 2
Finally, the’4-day Avalanche Skills Course 2’is the highest level of recreational avalanche education available and focuses on developing avalanche skills for the identification and assessment of avalanche danger whilst on multi-day tours away from the public avalanche advisory.
To undertake this course, participants must have already done the Avalanche Skills Course 1 and consolidated their skills on a number of self-led backcountry tours.
Not sure which course matches your experience? Get in touch with us. Detailing your experience and goals will help us give you the best advice on your unique pathway.
