[Photo: ifyouski.com]

Off-Piste Ski Trips
The Vallee Blanche - Classic off-piste

Skiing off piste offers some of the most memorable experiences on snow: the exhilaration of untouched powder, the solitude and beauty of the mountains, and a glowing feeling of self-reliance and achievement. At some point every skier begins to feel limited by the terrain offered by groomed runs, and tempted by the expanses of snow off piste.

Whilst everyone from strong intermediate up can enjoy skiing off piste, you must be aware of your limitations, and avoid being over-ambitious. Here you will find information on the precautions you should take before leaving the marked runs, and introduces the techniques needed to cope with the conditions you are likely to encounter.

Off-piste or back-country skiing should never be undertaken without caution and respect for the mountains. Never venture off-piste without planning and unless you know exactly what you are doing, use a guide.

See also our extensive guide to avalanches and how to avoid them.

If you leave the marked pistes, it is assumed that you know what you're doing - and you do it at your own risk.

• Make sure you are allowed to leave the marked runs. In certain areas, especially in North America, back-country skiing is restricted in order to protect important wilderness nature reserves. If you ignore signs, you risk a heavy fine and/or the confiscation of your lift pass.
• Never ski off piste alone. Unless you are really familiar with the route, take an experienced guide. Simply following a set of tracks is no guarantee of safety: conditions change rapidly in the mountains, and the author of the tracks may have been a much stronger skier than yourself - or lost.
• Before setting out, make sure that you are familiar with the resort and the conditions. Routes alter with the seasons and the weather: an enjoyable gully in February might be a roaring torrent in April.
• Make sure that you are aware of the level of avalanche danger and check the weather forecast: being caught off piste in fog or in a blizzard is extremely dangerous.
• If you are venturing into terrain where there may be avalanche danger, make sure you are properly equipped. Each member of the group should carry a working transceiver and you should have at least two collapsible shovels between you. If you are in any doubt about how to use this equipment, you should be skiing with a guide.
• Before you set out, always let someone know where you are going, and agree with them what to do if you don't return by a specified time.
• Plan your path to avoid walking uphill as much as possible.
• Learn to read the terrain: gentle dips in the snow could hide streams or even crevasses; suspicious bumps could be rocks or tree stumps.
• Make sure your insurance policy covers off-piste skiing. In some countries you will be charged the cost of recovery if you need to be helicoptered out, which doesn't come cheap.