Lou Reynolds Mountain Guide
WAAC Back country basics:11th - 16th January 2027
Running on behalf of the Womens Alpine Adventure Club
Discover the magic of ski touring in St Gervais, Les Contamines and other neighbouring resorts. An unforgettable introduction to the alps for beginner ski tourers learning alongside a group of like-minded women. Nestled beneath the imposing skyline of the Mont Blanc massif, this is an ideal location to find the perfect blend of gentle adventure, breath taking scenery and developing your skiing.
About this course
This new course has been created specifically to combine downhill ski instruction with an introduction to ski touring. Your guide is both an IFMGA Mountain Guide with many years ski touring experience, who is also a BASI Level 3 Alpine ski instructor, so you can benefit from both downhill and uphill technique training. To compliment the off-piste ski techniques, we will also learn all the avalanche safety protocols and basic ski touring skills so that you are ready to venture safely into the back country. This course is a good step to take before the Introduction to ski touring course if you are unsure of your downhill ski ability.
St Gervais les Bains is a historic spa town that combines old world charm with easy access to the mountains. The ski area is part of the vast Evasion Mont Blanc domain which includes the resorts of Chamonix, St Gervais, Les Contamines, Combloux and Megeve. Beginner friendly ski touring itineraries wind through peaceful forests and past picturesque chalets. Just a short ride from St Gervais on the new electric buses, Les Contamines is a quieter resort know for its unspoiled nature and traditional alpine feel. It is part of a protected nature reserve which means tours here feel untouched and tranquil. The areas high snow reliability means excellent conditions throughout the winter and plenty of long wide ski runs to practise our downhill skills. We will be sure to make a stop at one of the mountain farm chalets where you can sample local cheese and hot chocolate made with fresh alpine milk.
Example Itinerary:
10th - Arrive by mid afternoon and collect ski equipment ready for the following day.
11th - Meet and greet and briefing for the week.
On and off piste ski instruction around St Gervais with lunch in a traditional mountain refuge.
12th - Intro to ski touring at St Gervais with more ski technique tips.
13th - Visit Les Contamines for avalanche training and a short ski tour
14th - theory session in the morning and an afternoon of off piste technique training
15th - Ride the bus to Combloux and do an easy intro ski tour
16th -Put it all together with a day tour in a location we have chosen together where you get to practise leading the group, choosing the route and managing the snow safety with the guidance of your guide.
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Ski coaching and drills on piste to develop your skiing ready for the off-piste.
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Ski technique skills to help deal with off-piste skiing and variable snow conditions.
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Get to grips with your ski touring equipment.
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Learn the basics of skinning uphill on some short tours.
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Transceiver, shovel and probe training and avalanche rescue skills.
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Avalanche awareness training and how to read the snow conditions and plan a ski tour.
We will learn...
Ski Level and Fitness
This course is designed as an Introduction to off-piste skiing and ski touring. It is our stepping stone course to the Introduction to Ski touring course and is designed to help develop your on and off-piste skiing ready for bigger days ski touring in the future.
Fitness:
You need to be comfortable being out in the mountains for a full day. We will not be hiking uphill for more than a couple of hours on the biggest day, but it will help to have some hill fitness and leg strength prior to the course for all the kilometers of downhill skiing we will do. Following a basic gym program or something like the Ski Fit course could be a good way to hit the slopes ready and avoid injury.
Ski Ability:
You need to have recent experience of skiing in a ski resort with the ability to link turns on red pisted runs whilst controlling your speed and line and with the ability to stop or avoid obstacles whenever needed. Ideally you will have some experience skiing small off-piste sections. You do not need to have any previous experience ski touring, we will learn all these skills during the week.
Please give me a call or drop me a message if you are unsure about your ski ability and/or fitness level. +33749584705
Equipment
You will need a full ski touring set up which you can either bring with you or rent. If you need to rent the equipment please e-mail Lou with what equipment you need and she will help you arrange the booking. This will need to be reserved in advance, please contact Lou for more information and any questions.
This will be:
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Skis
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Skins
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Ski touring boots.
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Poles
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Ski crampons.
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Transceiver
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Shovel
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Probe
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20-30L rucksack
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Ski helmet.
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Ski touring clothing (this can be rented from ECO Ski or similar kit to mountaineering wear.)
Lou will provide any group equipment safety equipment.
There will be a full kit list attached by e-mail once you have booked and paid a deposit.
Booking and logistics
Price
£600 per person for five days of coaching and guiding.
This course will need five people to run, and adjustments can be discussed if we run at a lower ratio.
Additional costs not included in this price:
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Accommodation in the valley.
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Flights
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Transport to St Gervais
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Transport whilst in and around St Gervais
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Lift pass
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Equipment rental
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Ski Insurance
Logistics
Travel
Air
The closest airport is Geneva airport which will have many flights going from the main UK airports throughout the winter.
From Geneva you can take the train to Le Fayet train station and then use the new Valleen Lift to access the town as well as the local bus service running through the winter up and down the valley. There are also regular transfers from the airport to many drop off points such as Le Fayet train station.
Land
If you choose to travel by train to and from your course, I am supporting this by offering 5% off your course fee. Check out this article Environment | Lou Reynolds Mountai from a client of mine who given you all the tips. To receive your discount please send me the copies of your train ticket bookings.
Accommodation
Please find accommodation within walking distance of St Gervais town and the ski resort.
Last year the introduction to ski touring group pulled together to organise an air bnb to share, which worked out very well for group bonding, it was cost effective and gave a base for some before and after course learning. I will create a group contact once we have everyone booked on the course so you can team up to find accommodation.
If you prefer to find your own accommodation or would rather stay in a hotel, there are plenty of hotels, gites and catered chalets to choose from in the town.
Lift Passes
You will need a lift pass for the whole of the Evasion Mont Blanc area for six days. You buy this at the lift station on day one or you can book online and collect you lift pass on arrival. Booking in advance may give you the benefit of a discount.
Booking
To book your place please fill out a booking form by clicking the button below.
If you would like to enquire or find out more information you can e-mail Lou at info@loureynoldsmountainguide.com or call on +33749584705
On receipt of the booking form Lou will then ask you to pay a 50% deposit to secure your place on the course. Once the course has four members or more, we will confirm the course is running at which point, we encourage you to book your travel and accommodation.