Advanced Course Glacier Ski Touring
To ski tour on a glacier you need the correct knowledge and skill set. Avoiding crevasse falls, executing a crevasse fall rescue, orienting yourself on a large glacial surface and moving on steep ridges are all essential skills for safely enjoying this winter sport. During this 4-day advanced course, you will cover these basics and gain a better understanding of the equipment and preparation required for glacier ski touring.
Tour Details
- Fitness Level: Moderate
- Experience Level: Advanced Beginner
You have already done several ski tours and you can ski in all types of snow conditions.
- Tour planning with the 3x3 formula
- Navigation
- Track setting
- Avalanches
- Risk management
- Use of rope
- Crampon skills
- Crevasse rescue
In this course you will learn to assess equipment needs and be trained on how to use equipment such as ropes and crampons in the context of glacier ski touring. You will learn how to determine if and how you should navigate over or around a crevasse and how to perform a crevasse fall rescue. You will learn the pros and cons of different methods of orientation. After this 4-day course you will have the basic skills and understanding needed to plan and execute glacier ski tours.
Group Course (4-6 participants)
| CHF 1090 per person | |
Private Course
| 1 person | CHF 3490 |
| 2 people | CHF 1890 per person |
| 3 people | CHF 1390 per person |
| 4-6 people | CHF 1090 per person |
To book a private course please contact us:
Day 1: Journey to the Jungfraujoch and an improvised rescue on the glacier
You will meet your mountain guide at the Jungfraujoch and discuss the daily program before venturing out on to the glacier via the tunnel. On the way down to the Konkordia Hut, you will undertake an improvised rescue and learn the technique for executing a pulley-rescue from a crevasse. The information and knowledge from today’s experience will be fed into planning the next day’s tour.
Day 2: Training tour to the Trugberg 3880m
The numerous steps down to the Aletsch Glacier are a good early morning warm up ;-) The tour on the second day will take you up the Ewig Schneefeld (“eternal snowfield”) to the Trugberg. On the lower slopes you will encounter a heavily crevassed area. This gives us a good opportunity to intensify yesterday’s training and consider the following: When is the use of a rope appropriate? How do you navigate around or over crevasses without causing them to collapse? And how can you tell if it is safe to walk over a snow-covered crevasse? We will cover all of these safety and training topics before indulging in a long ski descent of the superb south-facing slopes of the Trugberg.
Day 3: Training tour to the Anuchnubel 3589m
On the third day you will shift your training focus to orientation using a map, compass, and GPS. On the way up to the Hollandia Hut you will check your tour preparation from the evening before. Is the current route correct? How well did you interpret the elevations on the map? Did expectations correspond with reality? We continue our ascent from the Hollandia Hut to the Anuchnubel and then descend again to the Hollandia Hut. Today's tour is not very long, so there is enough time for training.
Day 4: The Mittaghorn 3892m
The Mittaghorn is more demanding than the Kranzberg. The ridge up to the peak is narrow and will require the use of a rope and crampons. We will consider equipment needs and discuss when this type of gear should be used, and when it should not. The view from the summit is fantastic and the subsequent descent of over 2300m to Blatten is an absolute highlight. We will arrive in Blatten towards late afternoon and round-off this interesting and instructive course with a fine glass of local wine.
| Season | March - May |
| Departures for official tours | See "Closest Bookable Dates" |
| Departures for private tours | Private tours can be booked daily |
| Meeting point | 10:15am at the Coffee Bar at the Jungfraujoch |
- Guiding from a licenced mountain guide/ aspirant guide
- His or her expenses
- 3 nights in bunk room with half-board
- Tea for the next day
- Course Certificate
- Your expenses
- Snacks
- Rental equipment
- Costs for a taxi if needed (guests pay for the guides share)
Backpack
- 30-35l
Clothing
- Warm, functional clothing
- Rain jacket
- Rain pants
- Mountaineering or 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
The basics
- Sunglasses (category 3 or 4)
- Sunscreen lotion and lip balm (minimum factor 30, 50 better)
- Thermos flask, drink bottle
- Silk sleeping bag liner
- Headlamp
- Toiletries
- SAC/DAV permit (if you have one)
- GA or Half Fare Travelcard (if you have)
- Earplugs (optional)
- Camera and binoculars (optional)
Technical Equipment
- Harness
- Crampons with anti-snow plates
- Ice axe
- Descender
- 3-4 Locking Carabiner
- 2 Snpagate Carabiner
- 120cm and 60cm sling
- Prussik and 6m accessory cord
- Ice screw (if you have one)
- Microtraxion or Tibloc (if you have one)
- Ski touring skis or splitboard with skins and tele crampons
- Ski poles (preferrably telescopic)
- LVS (avalanche transceiver)
- Avalanche probe
- Avalanche shovel
- Avalanche airbag (optional)
- Ski helmet (optional but recommended)
General Information for Mountaineering School
Our team is here for you. If you have any questions, please contact us or visit us in our shop in Grindelwald. We are happy to help!
OUTDOOR - Mountaineering School Grindelwald
Dorfstrasse 103
3818 Grindelwald
Switzerland
Trip status for group courses
1-2 days before your tour or course we will review the weather forecast and conditions with the mountain guide to determine if we can operate. We will contact you by phone with an update.
Minimum of participants (group tours)
As soon as the minimum number of participants is reached, we will send you a confirmation by email.
Cancellation
If we have to cancel your tour, you have the option to reschedule to a new date, or you will receive a full refund.
Equipment
Please refer to the equipment list for your tour or course. At our shop in Grindelwald, you can purchase technical equipment, mountain clothing, shoes, and backpacks. We also have technical equipment available for rent.
Clothing
Choose functional clothing that is moisture-wicking and quick-drying. Dress in layers so you can easily react to temperature changes. The range at our shop in Grindelwald is tailored to mountain tours and our expert staff are happy to advise you on the best clothing for your tour or course.
Lunch
Lunch is not included in the offer. We recommend bringing bars, dried fruits, nuts, or a sandwich. The amount you will need to drink depends on your individual needs and the length of the tour. We recommend .75 -1.5 liters of water, warm tea, isotonic drinks, or whatever you prefer. We also recommend that you hydrate enough the day before, so your body is well prepared for the tour.
Huts
A mountain hut is not a hotel. Running water is not guaranteed and electricity is not available everywhere, so it is not always possible to charge batteries or phones. If you have special dietary needs, please inform us in advance so we can make arrangements with the hut.
Safety
Our tours and courses are led by IVBV certified mountain guides or mountain guide aspirants. We prioritise your safety by requiring regular training to ensure our guides have relevant, up to date knowledge. Outdoor is certified by the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) and our safety and emergency concepts are audited by this organization annually.
General terms of contract
Our General Terms and Conditions apply.