23 - 26 Jul 2024 4 days open

This guides training course is to take solid amateur backcountry ski touring skills and knowledge and teach the candidate how to change/modify techniques, skills and knowledge into professional ski guiding techniques, skills and knowledge.

  • General - As for NZMGA Ski Guide pathway or IFMGA Mountain Guide pathway
  • Specific - A Pass obtained in the Technical Ski Course
  • Backcountry terrain of Queenstown/Wanaka - eg back of Treble Cone, back of Cardrona, back of Remarkables.
  • Back of Ohau ski field, Awakino ski field, Mueller Hut area, Mt Wakefield
  • Heliski Helicopter Load/Unload Techniques

    • Discussion

    Laying a Skinning Track

    • Client friendly skinning track
    • Terrain analysis for such a skinning track

    Skinning Technique

    • Turns - shuffle, kick into hill, kick facing out of hill
    • Glide
    • Use of heel lifts

    Equipment Issues

    • Helmets
    • Skis
    • Bindings
    • Skins
    • Ski wax
    • Skin wax
    • Problem solving

    Downhill Ski Techniques For Clients

    • Powder
    • Breakable crust
    • Firm/icy
    • Heavy pack

    Management Of The Skinning Phase

    Management Of The Downhill Run

    Communication With Clients

    • Briefings
    • Boundaries

    Client Safety

    • Slide for life
    • Crevasse hazards

    Crevasse Rescue

    • Spectra type ropes
    • Improvised harness
    • Ski anchor

    White-out Skiing Technique

    Poor Snow Stability Guiding

    • Terrain selection

    Snow Safety

    • Quick guiding tests
    • Test profiles
    • Morning after storm evaluation

    Avalanche Rescue

    • Transceiver briefings
    • Guide transceiver search standards