Backcountry Education

backcountry education

The Back Country Education Pathway has been developed in conjunction with Chamonix Experience (Chamex). These courses are all about giving ski instructors the knowledge, skills, and awareness to travel and ski safely off piste with their guests. Off piste includes side country (outside of the marked runs) and back country (meaning further away from the pistes extending to outwith the boundaries of the ski area/resort). However, these courses are not about how to coach learners in this terrain rather about everything needed to keep your guests safe through good navigation, route choice, safe travel practices and avalanche awareness. For instructors looking to coach others and improve their learners performance off piste and in big mountain terrain we have our Big Mountain Coach Pathway.

These back country education courses have been designed to ensure that the highest level (level 2) aligns to the outcome standards of the EU Delegated Regulation or Common Training Test.

And as an added benefit the Level 1 also meets the requirement of the American Avalanche Association Level 1 with students being awarded this certification giving additional recognition and credibility.

What follows is a pictorial flowchart of the Backcountry Education Pathway together with further explanatory notes. This is then followed by details of the specific course outcomes, pre-course information, touring requirements, and certification. This is a comprehensive training program for off piste (side country) and back country ensuring the highest professional standards of our fully certified members.

Explanatory notes:

* The L2 Big Mountain (3-days ski course) is required for anyone who holds the alpine level 2 professional ski instructor certification or equivalent. Anyone who has passed the level 3 professional ski instructor technical (or higher) can go straight to the Backcountry Education Level 1.

** On completion of the Backcountry Education Level 1 students are also awarded the American Avalanche Association (AAA) Level 1.

***Students must complete and log the required ski tours in order to validate the full L2 certification.

BACKCOUNTRY EDUCATION LEVEL 1

Components:

Pre-course reading/learning
5-days = €850*

(Training and evaluation - ongoing assessment)

See BCE Level 1 Pre-Course Info

See BCE Level 1 Course Overview

See BCE Equipment List

*The above cost includes TVA (VAT)

AAA L1

American avalanche association LEVEL 1

Additional benefit:

On completion of the PSIE Backcountry Education Level 1 students are also awarded the American Avalanche Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue.
Certification is issued via Chamonix Experience (Chamex) who administer and deliver the PSIE Backcountry Education courses.

More information about the American Avalanche Association education is available here.