Meeting point
OUTDOOR - Shop and Café Grindelwald
Dorfstrasse 103, 3818 Grindelwald
Basic Course Avalanches
2 days
Tour planning with the 3x3 method
2 days of intensive field training
Overnight stay at the Waldspitz mountain inn
Season:
December March
Departure Times
Key info
You are an excellent skier and handle black runs with ease
You have skied off-piste for at least 3 days and have completed at least one ski tour.
Marching times of 3 hours with a backpack are no problem for you
Overview
Recommended for:
Anyone who trades comfort for the view.
From theory to practice: Train avalanche awareness, track setting, and companion rescue for safe ski tours.
Being in the backcountry means responsibility. In this course, you learn to assess avalanche danger, plan tours safely, and react quickly in emergencies. Theory and practice come together in 2 intensive days, where you will significantly develop not only your knowledge but also your skills in the snow.
Course details
AcademyLearning objectives
- Know and use your own avalanche safety equipment
- Tour planning using the 3x3 formula
- Correctly interpret avalanche bulletins and weather reports
- Recognize and assess danger patterns in the terrain
- Analyze the structure of the snowpack
- Pick safe uptracks and ski lines
- Practice companion rescue with transceiver, shovel, and probe
- Gain confidence in emergency situations
Assessment methods
Progress is continuously assessed
Progress is continuously assessed through practical exercises, group discussions, and brief reflections in the field. The focus is on the ability to realistically assess situations, justify decisions, and act safely in emergencies.
Certification
Certificate: Basic Avalanche Training Ski
Upon completion of the two-day course, participants receive a certificate. This confirms successful participation in the Basic Avalanche Training in Grindelwald, but is intended as a keepsake and is not an official document.
Issued by:
Outdoor Switzerland AG
Itinerary
Meeting points Day1
Day 1: Theory & Avalanche Training
Meeting in Grindelwald. After an introduction to avalanche science we cover the 3x3 tour planning method, the avalanche bulletin, and the impact of weather. We then take the gondola to Grindelwald First and ascend to 'uf Spitzen'. Here, we analyze snow profiles and assess the current avalanche situation. We stay overnight at the Waldspitz mountain inn, where we translate theory into actual tour planning for the next day.
Day2
Day 2: Companion Rescue & Field Practice
Our tour leads towards Reeti: an exciting route to where we apply what we have learned directly. We review our planning, analyze snow conditions, and make decisions about track setting and descent. The afternoon is dedicated to companion rescue: transceiver search, shoveling, and probing techniques, as well as multiple burial scenarios. A day that shows what truly matters. The course finishes late afternoon.
Whats included
Guiding from a licenced mountain guide/ aspirant guide
Expenses of the mountain guide
Overnight stay(s) with half-board for the mountain guide
Overnight stay(s) in bunk room with half-board for the guest
Hut reservation
Course Certificate
Not included
Costs for cable cars and travel expenses of the guest
Snacks
Technical equipment
Costs for a taxi if needed (guests pay for the guide's share)
Pack list
Backpack
Backpack 25-30 l
Clothing
Warm, functional clothing
Rain jacket
Rain pants
Mountaineering or winter hiking pants
Sunhat
Gloves (ideally one thin and one thick pair)
Beanie or headband
Extra underwear and socks
Thermal underwear
Footwear
Ski touring boots or snowboard boots
Technical Equipment
Ski touring skis or splitboard with skins and tele crampons
Ski poles (preferrably telescopic)
LVS (avalanche transceiver)
Avalanche probe
Avalanche shovel
Avalanche airbag (optional)
Basics
Sunglasses (category 3 or 4)
Sunscreen lotion and lip balm (minimum factor 30, 50 better)
Thermos flask, drink bottle
Headlamp
Toiletries
GA or Half Fare Travelcard (if you have)
Earplugs (optional)
Camera and binoculars (optional)
Snacks
Backpack 25-30 l
Warm, functional clothing
Rain jacket
Rain pants
Mountaineering or winter hiking pants
Sunhat
Gloves (ideally one thin and one thick pair)
Beanie or headband
Extra underwear and socks
Thermal underwear
Ski touring boots or snowboard boots
Ski touring skis or splitboard with skins and tele crampons
Ski poles (preferrably telescopic)
LVS (avalanche transceiver)
Avalanche probe
Avalanche shovel
Avalanche airbag (optional)
Sunglasses (category 3 or 4)
Sunscreen lotion and lip balm (minimum factor 30, 50 better)
Thermos flask, drink bottle
Headlamp
Toiletries
GA or Half Fare Travelcard (if you have)
Earplugs (optional)
Camera and binoculars (optional)
Snacks
Weather info
General weather info
Weather can influence any tour, and a clear decision is often only possible on the day itself. We review conditions carefully and remain within our safety limits, and bad weather alone does not mean we have to stop.
Make sure we can reach you with current contact information in case your booking changes. Silence from us means your tour is still planned or the final call is not yet made. If we need to cancel, you can rebook, choose another activity, or get a full refund.
For detailed advice on how to prepare for (and enjoy!) bad weather days in Interlaken, check out our weather blog
Meeting points
Meeting points
Activity location