Powder skiing is, by many, considered the pinnacle of skiing. In untracked light and fluffy snow, you feel you are floating through the snow with a sense of weightlessness that truly is exceptional. Spoiler alert! If you ever try it, there is a considerable risk that powder skiing becomes an obsession for a lifetime.
Hiring a guide with local knowledge is the best way to discover the off-piste in Chamonix. You can focus on your skiing. The guide takes control of the group and finds the best snow while keeping safety at its highest.
“Skiing is an incredible passion to have. Not many things in life are more motivating, exhilarating, and gratifying than having a good time riding deep powder snow with friends. This might just be it” – Asmus 🙂
1. Be fresh and well-rested in the morning
2. Rent equipment or retrieve your skis from service the day before.
3. If possible, sort your lift passes out the day before.
4. Get your backpack ready the evening before
5. Be on time for the rendezvous. Check the itinerary and the time it will take you to get to the meeting point.
6. Remember your passport if we are off to Courmayeur (Italy).
7. Bring money and a credit card for expenses
Everyone in the group must wear avalanche transceivers and bring a backpack with room for a shovel and a probe.
Avalanche airbags are an extra safety and advised for off-piste and heli-skiing. You can rent avalanche bag-packs in some Chamonix stores.
You must bring your phone for use in a rescue situation. To avoid interference, keep the phone in a pocket at least 30 cm from your avalanche transceiver.
We advise you to read our “Rescue Numbers” page, which lists helpful telephone numbers and how to respond in an avalanche situation.
You can book your place on a course by contacting us from the course page. It’s a great help if you can book well in advance, as this allows us to secure enough participants for a course to run.
We arrange many privately guided days, so get in touch if this is what you want.
The Grands Montets is by many considered the best mountain in Chamonix. The great north-facing slopes often hold better snow than what you find in the other Chamonix resorts. The choices of itineraries are many, and its layout makes it pretty easy to get your bearings right. At least, this is true on the front side from both the Bochard and the Herse lift. Since the top lift of the Grands Montets was destroyed in a fire in 2018, the big run down the Glacier des Rognons is reached by a relatively short ski tour from the top of the domain to either the Col des Rachasses or to the top of the former arrival of the cablecar.
Aiguille du Midi 3842m is an unbelievable viewpoint for looking across to the Mont Blanc 4810m, and the structure posed on two granite “needles” is quite astonishing. Access to the high alpine world opens up from this high point. Big glaciers sweep down from every mountain corner. The famous Vallée Blanche ski descent starts from here. Mountain guides will guide groups down this long ski descent every good weather day. The guide chooses a route that matches the group’s capabilities and where the snow is best. Going without a guide is dangerous, as you must deal with glacier crevasses and avalanche hazards. The weather can turn quickly and make the route hard to find. There are no markers on the route.
The Balme area. The area at the valley’s far end boasts a really interesting off-piste domain. The various aspects of the mountain and a more open yet complex topography make this area one of our favourite off-piste areas.
Beware. Even if the most accessible route choices get tracked quickly and aren’t in serious terrain, you can easily come out of view of the lifts and venture into more complex avalanche terrain without noticing it before it’s too late to turn around.
Brevent / Flegere. Off-piste skiing at Brevent–Flegere is accessible to skiers of all levels. The two separate areas are linked by a cable car.
The ski area offers a variety of pistes and good off-piste terrain. The areas are known for their steep, technical couloirs and wide and long powder fields. Some very big runs can be done with good snow coverage in the valley. As this side of the mountain is south-facing, timing is important to get the best snow.
Both areas are a great starting point for numerous ski touring routes in the Aiguilles Rouges chain of mountains.
Les Houches has a great piste ski area equivalent to regular ski areas. You will often find nice and groomed pistes on good snow. The area is protected from the worst weather, as it’s lower than the other ski areas and has trees at the top of the resort.
On stormy days, when the other resorts have difficulty keeping any lifts open, the Les Houches area has a tremendous appeal and will get swarmed with off-piste skiers. You can find great small pitches and pockets of power skiing in between the trees.
The good selection of restaurants on the mountain is better than any of the other resorts.
The unlimited ski pass also allows skiing in nearby resorts, Courmayeur, Verbier, and St. Gervais.
Intro
Today, it has become easier to progress from skiing the piste to hitting the off-piste, thanks to advancements in equipment. Wider skis, lighter materials, better designs, and extensive research on ski performance have significantly contributed to this development. The vast selection of skis from many brands has also made it less obvious to choose a ski.
Buying skis
“The number of different skis from different brands is quite impressive, and it can be a bit of a jungle. I’ve made a few recommendations based on the skis I use. Other brands also make great skis, but as I haven’t been skiing on them, I can’t say anything about them that you can’t read on the manufacturer page yourself” – Asmus Norreslet.
Often, you can find deals at the end of the season when shops are getting rid of stock. This goes for both shops on the street as well as online shops.
Renting skis
There is nothing wrong with renting skis. If you are new to the game, this is the best way to progress from easy skis to more performance-orientated skis. Book skis in advance and get the shop to help you pick a pair that fits your ski level and the snow conditions on the mountain.
In Chamonix, there are many shops specializing in renting out skis. They have skis with or without touring bindings.
Touring bindings
If you invest in a new off-piste ski setup, you should equip them with touring bindings. This gives the possibility to access more remote, backcountry terrain and more frequently enjoy the experience of skiing in untouched powder.
Ski & Ski Touring Boots
We recommend everyone buying ski boots today thoroughly look around to find the ones that fit well and have the following features.
Vibram Soles
A good flex (Not too stiff)
A suitable “walk mode.”
Inserts for use with touring bindings
If you plan a more extended ski tour (e.g., the Haute Route), you should, at a minimum, already have done a few single-day tours with the boots. This is the only way to know whether you need adjustments, such as making more rooms, changing a sole or inner boot, etc.
Asmus Norreslet’s ski recommendations:
Voelkl/Marker/Dalbello has been our partner for skis for a while, and my recommendations reflect the skis I have used and really like.
You will be able to find good skis from several other brands. The best is to try them before you buy them!
Rise Up 82 mm – Light ski with great ski ability. This ski suits skiers looking for a light machine for ski tours, where you are doing many height meters. I was pleasantly “surprised” at how well they skied in a lot of different snow. Due to its narrow waist, it is best for good skiers.
Rise Beyond 96 mm – This is an excellent touring ski; you could buy this one and be happy for a long time. Fitted with Marker Alpinist bindings, you have a great touring setup. It’s wide enough to provide stability and great skiing while sufficient light for even multi-day hut-to-hut ski tours. We recommend buying them no higher than your height and possibly 5-10cm shorter, depending on your weight and ski ability.
I don’t think it’s strong or heavy enough as a pure off-piste ski.
Mantra V-Werks 99mm – A great ski overall. It takes some getting used to, but you can ski any terrain with these skis. They are good on hard-packed snow, but you can also have fun in deep powder. Compared to wider skis, you need more technique to ski deep powder snow on these than on wider skis. I have mounted them with the Marker Alpinist and Kingpin bindings to add touring capability.
Blaze 106 mm – I’ve done a lot of skiing on this one over the last two winter seasons, and it is my preferred early-season everyday ski. It has enough weight to push through tracked-out powder and difficult snow but is light enough for short ski tours. I have them mounted with Marker Kingpin V-werks bindings. I almost always bring the skins with me in the backpack. Even when we haven’t planned on doing any touring (e.g., Vallée Blanche), this is good extra safety and helpful in moving up to help anyone higher up.
V-Werks 109 mm – With a Kingpin V-werks binding, you have an excellent setup for single-day tours when we have deep powder snow conditions. Its carbon construction makes it quite a stiff ski, but it handles well, and it’s a ski you can trust on even very steep slopes & couloirs. This is also an excellent off-piste ski setup, but only very good skiers can enjoy the full potential of the ski.
We are happy to advise you about skis, but following a few basic guidelines can help you make a good choice. Don’t hesitate to make several visits to different shops to get some informed advice from professionals.
Ski width – The Waist
We often get questions about how wide skis should be. Here are a few guidelines.
Less than 90mm: Not recommended for regular off-piste skiing.
Between 90 mm-95 mm wide: Suitable for all skiers and will generally work well on hard snow and not too tricky for fresh snow. You can be challenged in wind-packed or crusty snow, where you often lack the stability of a wider ski. This width is what we recommend for ski touring skis.
95 mm-105 mm wide skis are excellent for off-piste and single-day ski tours and can be used in most conditions. This is the range that most skiers usually go for off-piste and single-day ski touring.
Skis above 105mm wide are ideal for deep snow and big turns through powder. Many heli-operations require you to ski wider skis as you are more likely to be able to keep the skiing up for the whole day. However, they can be hard to handle in bumpy, tricky terrain or harsh snow. People may use wider skis for ski touring when the snow is deep. The added weight of the wider skis, wider skins, etc., is not to be underestimated!
The weight of a skier can also influence the choice of ski width, especially regarding skiing style and snow conditions. Heavier skiers may prefer wider skis that offer better floatation and stability in powder or off-piste conditions. Conversely, lighter skiers might opt for narrower skis that provide quicker edge-to-edge transitions and better grip on groomed slopes.
Ski length
Ski length affects the ski’s turning radius, stability, and floatation.
As a rule of thumb, go with a ski about the same size as yourself. If you are a light skier or not experienced, you can benefit from a slightly shorter ski (-5-10cm), which will be more manoeuvrable and easier to control.
Excellent skiers will often benefit from skis 5-10cm taller than themselves for enhanced stability in speed and more flotation.
At the first sign of snow, we eagerly go skiing. This could be as early as late November. We ski all winter until the lifts close towards the end of April.
December is never a sure provider of awesome skiing. But…You can also have the best skiing in the winter! When the snow suddenly drops for days and meters of powder falls, powderhounds harvest some fine gold. Other years, the grass is still visible in the valley, and the options are much more limited. A good choice is to be flexible this month, monitor conditions, and jump on the plane if the snow is here. Nearby ski resorts Verbier (CH) and Cervinia (IT) always open some ski lifts early in December. Chamonix’s lifts are open during weekends in December if we have a good base. Waiting for the lifts to open, the locals in Chamonix will ski tour on their old skis as soon as a flake has fallen on the slopes 🙂
January stands out as an excellent month for powder snow skiing. Frequent snowfalls, low temperatures, and the gentle sun ensure great powder snow conditions. If, against our expectations, it doesn’t snow for a while, at least during this month, the cold temperatures ensure that the snow remains cold and soft. We run our 5-day Chamonix off-piste courses in January.
February and March are prime months for off-piste skiing. The sun’s ascent in the sky makes for great and enjoyable days. Although the winter holidays bring a bit of a crowd, finding fantastic runs is always feasible. The snowfalls can still be abundant, yet the snow may not retain its freshness at lower altitudes as it does in January. However, higher alpine terrain offers superb snow conditions throughout February and March. This is when the Vallée Blanche, but also heli-skiing, is best.
Come April, temperatures rise, and the sun graces us all day. Here, we must be discerning about the orientation of our runs. It’s common to conclude our skiing sessions earlier, as the snow becomes slushy, and the risk of wet slides increases. Getting the timing right is key to skiing good spring snow and using the slope angle to optimize your turns as you come down the mountain. It is very good! Finally, in April, we almost always suddenly get a lot of snow and have always been able to ski some good powder snow. It just doesn’t last as long as earlier in the season.
A guide-ration of 1-4 describes a group size of 4 skiers for one guide.
The list below gives a rule of thumb for where it is possible to ski when the conditions are good. It should give skiers an idea about what to expect when booking in various group sizes and have ambitions to ski certain specific ski descents.
The guide’s final choice of descents depends on your group size, fitness, abilities, and the actual snow conditions.
1-1 ratio – Unique ratio
All off-piste touring, including extreme descents
A ratio where the guide has full attention to the client.
Cosmique couloir, Glacier Rond, Marbre Couloir, Entreves, Couloirs at the Pt. Helbronner.
1-2 – A very flexible and quick group size.
All classic off-piste lines, steep skiing, and all variants of the Vallée Blanche, Ensa Couloir.
We move around quickly. Expert skiers will be able to ski some mythical lines.
In complicated terrain, where safety relies on being fast and efficient and a high technical level is required, a guide can only take 1 or 2 skiers.
Beginner off-piste skiers will benefit from the guide’s great attention and learn a lot being in a small group while skiing normal off-piste terrain. Check our “Private Off-piste guiding“.
1-4 – Good off-piste group ratio
Regular off-piste skiing, adding shorter ski-touring, 40-45 degree couloir in soft snow, variants on the Vallée Blanche.
It’s a good size for friends wanting to have fun and a large selection of ski runs.
Check our “Private Off-piste guiding“.
1-6 ratio – Easy off-piste runs in the close vicinity of the ski area.
The guide will keep the difficulty of the runs relatively low, avoiding complex terrain where managing a large group can become too hard and compromise safety. You can expect to ski mainly low-angle off-piste runs with plenty of safe zones for gatherings near the ski area.
Regular off-piste skiing in Le Tour, Balme, Grands Montets, Flegere, Courmayeur, etc., often mixed in with some piste-skiing.
The guide would usually not ski any slopes exceeding 35 degrees for any prolonged period.
For a 1-6 ratio, check our “ski-guiding”, “Vallée Blanche”, and “5-day Chamonix off-piste course“.
General considerations:
Conditions:
The conditions can change very rapidly. Any sudden change in weather, temperature, and wind can significantly affect the snow stability, visibility and the opening of lifts. We often see a more gradual change in conditions during prolonged periods of high pressure. Good assessment and judgment are vital to finding the best snow and staying safe.
Steep skiing:
It is fun to ski steep couloirs & slopes; it’s a great challenge and terrain favoured by expert skiers.
One of the big challenges with steep skiing is calculating the risk and staying in control.
When the snow is hard, a 40-degree slope feels very steep, and arresting a slide can be nearly impossible. A fall could be quickly arrested if the same couloir/slope is filled with soft powder snow.
Small groups:
The group size is also an element of consideration if you are looking for a more instructive day on a personal level. In that case, you should strive to be a small group, which gives the guide a better scope for teaching the individual. E.g., learning steep ski techniques, etc.
Larger groups:
Choosing to be a large group can be the way to go if you are a homogenous group of friends who like skiing with each other and are happy skiing classic lines at easy to moderate difficulty in search of the best snow.
You can also be a larger group if you want to learn more about avalanche transceivers, shovelling techniques, and general off-piste skiing tactics in avalanche terrain.
The overall cost per person is reduced as more people split the guide’s fee.
Once you go under the netting, leaving the controlled ski area, you are by definition at your own risk. In the Alps, the ski areas rarely prohibit people from skiing off-piste but do not guarantee any safety for those who do. You have signposts and nets indicating that you are leaving the ski area to avoid people from accidentally venturing into off-piste terrain. You are skiing off the controlled area and will be at your own risk. This is also the case if you venture onto a closed piste. Every year, many accidents happen with serious injuries and even death due to inexperienced skiers venturing into unknown and dangerous terrain.
To be safe, always stay within the ski area’s boundaries, and if you go off–piste, go with a mountain guide.
We offer group tours and private guide services. Our group tours are ideal for those who want to join a small group of experienced skiers and explore the mountains together. Our private guide services are tailored to your needs and can provide a more personalized experience.
We operate mainly around the Chamonix Valley, with some trips further afield to Switzerland, Italy, and even further away destinations.
Check our suggestions below.
