Ski Performance Scotland

'Ski Performance for Mountaineers' courses are being offered in Scotland as well as Chamonix.  These courses will be run by Alison's sister, Gillian, who shares the same passion for skiing and the mountains.  Over the last few winters the ski conditions in Scotland have been very good and the number of people going ski touring is on the increase.  These courses have been designed to make the most these conditions and give skiers and mountaineers the option of accessing the same tuition at home in the UK.  The course has exactly the same ethos and focus of those run in Chamonix; to bring together like-minded people to develop their off-piste skiing.

You will be given simple yet effective tools to deal with the prevailing off-piste conditions, specific to your individual needs. We will look how to adapt these techniques and tactics for the various types of off-piste snow, and aim to experience as many different conditions as is possible over the weekend. Some time will be spent looking at how to turn in small spaces efficiently, which can be very useful, particularly in Scotland. 

To develop all these skills we will need to spend time on the piste to acquire the techniques but we will quickly put it into practice in the off-piste.

Pre-requisites

The most important pre-requisite for this course is that you are keen to try new things and are prepared to have a go. You will competent on all groomed slopes and have plenty of mileage skiing red runs. Ideally you will have put in some mileage skiing off-piste, but you will most likely find this challenging, particular when the conditions get steeper, icier or bumpier. You have a desire to become more efficient off-piste. We ask that you are comfortable in Scottish winter weather, as we can't always guarantee sunshine!  If you are not sure if its the course for you email giving more details of what you have done.    You need to have a transceiver, shovel and probe for this course.

Cost

£230 per person

Duration

2 days

Location

Courses are scheduled to run at Glencoe Mountain. This may change at short notice due to the prevailing snow and weather conditions.

Group Size

Maximum 4 people

Timings and Meeting Point

This course is over 2 days. Each day will be a full day of skiing, finishing around 4pm.  We aim to give you the opportunity to have a few runs on your own at the end of the day to practice the things you have been taught (or have a rest!). The meeting points are detailed below. Gillian will make contact the evening prior to the course to confirm the meeting point, which may change, depending on the prevailing snow and weather conditions.

Glencoe Mountain - 0845 in White Corries cafe at the bottom of the chairlift.

Kit List

To download the kit list for this course click here.

Mammut Element transceivers are available to borrow free of charge. Please let us know in advance if you need to borrow one.

What's included?

• 2 days of ski instruction with BASI ISIA Level 3

What's not included?

• Lift pass (please wait until the venue has been confirmed before buying this).
• Insurance 
• Accommodation.  
• Food
• Equipment Hire (transceiver, shovel and probe can be provided free of charge)
• Travel
• Transport

What happens if there is no snow?

We really hope for a snowy winter in Scotland but it is well known that the snow conditions can be unpredictable.   In the event of no lifts operating then a full refund will be given. If it is possible to run only one day of the course then a 50% refund will be given. No refund will be given where a day is cut short due to early lift closure, but every opportunity to use the rest of the day constructively, for example, doing video feedback, will be taken.

Tailor-made Course

If none of our dates are suitable we may be able to arrange dates specifically for you.  Email to ask.  Private lessons are also available in Scotland  Please email to check availability. 

Half day (3 hours): £160

Full day (6 hours): £300

These prices are for a maximum of 4 people. 

A full day of private instruction for 5 - 6 people is £340.

Testimonials

"Let me thank you again for the brilliant course...so helpful...will book it also next winter." Nico Zanzotto

"Thanks for a fantastic couple of days Gillian, I really enjoyed the course, and learnt sooo much, so glad I came!" Simon White

"Great day's tuition yesterday with Gillian Parker from Off Piste Performance. Excellent, attentive, no-nonsense skiing tuition for anyone looking for help with backcountry skiing skills. I'd thoroughly recommend this course. Thank you Gillian, I've lots of good stuff to work on now!" Cath Hoult

"Thanks again for organising a brilliant weekend. I haven't had a ski lesson in years and it was so, so valuable. Gillian was an excellent instructor and I would definitely recommend her course to anyone, and go on to do more lessons with her in future. She got the balance perfectly between teaching new stuff in a really clear way and not overloading us with too much info. Everything just ran so smoothly and I really feel more confident in my skiing ability as a result. Brilliant!" Eagle Ski Club

"I wanted to take the time to tell you how much I enjoyed the course and how impressed I was with Gillian's ability to help me improve my skiing both on and off piste. She was a great instructor and balanced the on/off piste ratio extremely well. Overall it was an excellent course and I thoroughly enjoyed it, please pass my thanks to Gillian." Alex Spencer

"Thanks for a great weekend coaching. Really enjoyed it, got a lot out of it and lots to work on." Nigel Fawthrop

 

About Us

Find out more about the Off Piste Performance team.

See ski performance scotland dates

See ski performance scotland dates