Ski Guiding Training Course

Introduction:
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.

Duration: 4 days

Prerequisites:
General - As for NZMGA Ski Guide pathway or IFMGA Mountain Guide pathway
Specific - A Pass obtained in the Technical Ski Course

Syllabus and Topic Outline:

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



Possible locations:
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