Level 1 Ski Assessment Course

15 - 28 Sep 2025 14 days waitlist

29 Sep - 12 Oct 2025 14 days limited spaces

Participants will be assessed on their personal ski touring, ski mountaineering, skiing ability, and rope rescue techniques. Participants will be expected to be fully conversant with all topics taught on the Ski Guide and Snow & Ice Guiding Training Courses. They may be assessed on any topic of the Ski Guide syllabus at any stage of the course, with allowance made in the final marking for improvement.

During the second part of the course, participants will be expected to show that they are developing an understanding of guiding techniques and have sufficient amateur ski touring skills to integrate these techniques into simulated guiding assignments. They will need to be able to demonstrate basic instruction skills for teaching clients off-piste ski technique.

Ski Guides Courses will include both Level 1 and Level 2 participants.

COMPETENCE LEVEL

An Assistant Ski Guide has sufficient experience to work under indirect supervision on heliski, and ski touring operations in glaciated terrain. You have the ability to analyse terrain and snowpack for hazard and the leadership and communication skills to safely lead clients through the mountains.
Teaching and group management skills should be adequate for you to assist on basic and intermediate level ski mountaineering instruction courses under supervision.
Guided mountaineering must be done under direct supervision and only to access skiing and to be on no more than grade 1 terrain.
Personal mountaineering competence should be at grade 2 or higher.

STATUS

On passing a Ski Guide Level 1 Course and receiving ratification from the Technical Subcommittee, the participant attains the status of NZMGA Assistant Ski Guide.

A pass from the 1 day Technical Ski Examination
Completed the 4 day Ski Guide Training Course
A positive recommendation from the 6 day Snow and Ice Guide Training Course

The course will take place in one of the high alpine areas of the Southern Alps. Typical venues are Aoraki/Mt Cook, Westland, and Mount Aspiring.
Ski Guides Courses are 14 days long and are held around the end of September.

TOPIC / POSSIBLE MARK & COMMENTS

Client care
1	Trip preparation and planning	10
2	Communication with client	10
3	Route selection	20
4	Terrain analysis	20
5	Pace setting	10
6	Cooking and camp management	10
7	Shelters and bivouacs	10
8	Application of guiding technique	10
9	Group management	10
10	Heliski guiding	10
11	Client control	20
12	Client safety	20
Subtotal		160

Personal skills and knowledge
13	General mountain movement	10
14	Fitness and stamina	10
15	Professionalism and personal appearance	10
16	Personal equipment	5
17	Reaction under stress	10
18	Leadership and decision making	10
19	Rope handling	10
22	Snow and ice climbing	10
23	Step cutting	5
24	Belays on snow and ice	10
25	Navigation	10
26	Snow safety skills	20
27	Mountain weather	10
Subtotal		130

Subtotal		50
Instruction
31	Speech and contact with students	10
32	Structure of the lesson	10
33	Site selection	10
34	Support material and demonstration	10
35	Ability to motivate	10

Search and Rescue
37	Crevasse extraction	10
38	Stretchers	10
39	Avalanche rescue and transceivers	10
Subtotal		30

Skiing
41	Downhill skiing (Alpine)	20
42	Laying a skinning track	20
Subtotal		40

Course Total		410

Mandatory non-assessment topics
These topics must be covered in a discussion format
-	Radio use
-	Aircraft safety
-	Post-traumatic stress disorder
-	NZMGA Harassment Policy
-	NZMGA Accident Investigation Policy
-	NZMGA Terrain, Supervision and Professional Guidelines

Trainers/assessors will give a written summary with comments and recommendations.

Important information before you attend this course:

Technical Syllabus Analysis of Topics Assessment Advice Assessment and Certification Supervised Work Experience