Off Piste Freeride - Grand Massif
Grand Massif - France
Private Group - Flexible dates
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BACKCOUNTRY & SPLITBOARD COURSE DATES FOR 2021 ARE COMING SOON! Enter your email address here to be the first informed as soon as we release details.
MINT Snowboarding brings you 5 full days of off piste snowboard coaching & guiding, along with 7 days of ½ board accommodation in Samoens, riding the epic powder of the Grand Massif. Spend the full week off piste with our Mountain Guide, enjoying daily adventures into new and untouched terrain.
What’s more you will stay in the local area with our friends Joss and Dee at their fabulous catered chalet near Samoens. This family owned and operated chalet has everything you need for a comfortable stay and is the perfect place to welcome you at the end of each days riding.
The Grand Massif, as the name suggests, is literally massive and packed full of peaks with endless powder options. The ski resorts of Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoens & Sixt Fer à Cheval, which make up the Grand Massif, enjoy a snowy microclimate, thanks to their proximity to Mont Blanc, meaning that champagne powder is not uncommon in the depths of winter. The area offers incredible off piste options, with long descents, secret backcountry bowls and wide open powder fields. The Grand Massif has been described by the Telegraph newspaper as “incredible off-piste in the best French ski resort you’ve never heard of”!
Throughout the week we will teach you the skills needed to approach the backcountry safely & responsibly, and how to analyse both terrain and snowpack to ensure safe ascents and descents. Avalanche search & rescue training is also included.
We will work with you to advance your technical riding ability by teaching you the skills and techniques required to ride off piste; on natural terrain and in varying snow conditions.
This course is led by David Gladwin, one of only a handful of professional snowboard instructors to hold the BASI Level 4 ISTD, French Carte Pro and UIAGM Mountain Guide qualification. Dave has the qualifications, knowledge and experience to take you further, deeper and steeper than pretty much anyone else in the world.
The Off Piste freeride course is designed as a progression from our Off Piste Intro Camp & Technical Performance course, although neither are a compulsory precursor.
For advanced riders our faster paced Backcountry Course is a follow on from our Off Piste snowboard course. This course takes the adventure further, to more challenging terrain and a focus on epic descents that take a bit more effort to reach.
Travelling alone? Not a problem! Our snowboard courses are designed with solo-travellers in mind. They are a great way to progress your snowboarding, learning in a small group with others of the same level… and you will end the week with a bunch of new snowboard friends!
This camp runs for 1 week. It includes 5 days of on guided off piste days and a free day at the end of the week to practice your skills.
Group size: Max 6 (Min 4)
With a full week of off-piste guiding, this course is fantastic way to discover a new ski area and ride the incredible off-piste terrain it has to offer. You will also further develop your off-piste and powder riding skills as well as further increase you knowledge of mountain safety and awareness.
This course is designed for strong intermediate / advanced level snowboarders who are confident riding most snow conditions and terrain. You already have a couple of weeks off piste experience or might have had previous instruction on an off piste course. You are keen to improve your technique in trickier snow conditions and on steeper slopes or couloirs. You have a good level of fitness and are happy to hike away from the lifts to access better snow and terrain options.
This is a great follow on course from our Off Piste Freeride Intro course or the Technical Performance Camp.
For strong advanced riders our faster paced Advanced Backcountry Course is a follow on from our Off-Piste Freeride snowboard courses. This course takes the adventure further, to more challenging terrain and a focus on epic descents that take a bit more effort to reach.
Benefit from 5 full days of off piste guiding in a small of max 6 people.
Day 1: Warm up day with an introduction to off piste snowboard technical riding, mountain safety skills & avalanche training
Day 2: Off-Piste freeride day with a focus on progressing your riding technique across various off piste terrain types and snow conditions
Day 3: Off-Piste freeride day with further development of mountain safety skills and avalanche training
Day 4: Off-Piste freeride day
Day 5: Off-Piste freeride day
Accommodation is at the fantastic Chalet Brio, close to Samoens in the hamlet of L’Etelley. Chalet Brio has floor to ceiling windows allowing for amazing views across the valley. It is equipped with a hot tub to help rejuvenate your tired legs after days as well as large open plan living area with wood burning fire. The chalet is run by super keen snowboarders and husband & wife team Joss and Dee.
7 nights half board chalet accommodation near Samoens
With UIAGM High Mountain Guide David Gladwin
To / From Geneva Airport
Video coaching to help analyse your riding and consequently understand how to make appropriate changes
Safety equipment (transceiver, shovel & probe) is required and not included. Contact us if needed.
Please scroll down. Prices are shown below
This was my third backcountry snowboard course with MINT and safe to say it wont be my last! David the mountain guide always makes sure every day is an adventure and has a very safe nad professional approach to riding off piste. An awesome group, fantastic conditions and a memorable week! See you next winter for more..
The Off Piste Freeride course was amazing, the instructor Dave was so much fun, very safety conscious and so knowledgeable of the mountains and so patient. A true gent. It was one of the best snowboard trips I have done and being on my own, I was made to feel totally at ease from day one. An amazing experience and the week was so varied with splitboard one day, shredding couloirs the next, and focusing on technique and avalanche training. I learnt so much, I will definitely be back thank u. Vive La MINT!
Grab your powder board and sense of adventure
Book in for a week to talk about for months
David G is unique with snowboard and mountain guide qualifications
His local knowledge is unparalleled; with a keen nose for the best powder in the Portes du Soleil
Right from making first contact with MINT, Tammy was super supportive and reassured me that I wouldn’t regret joining the off-piste freeride camp and she was right!
Dave, our guide for the week helped me to push myself but also made sure I never felt overwhelmed or uncomfortable with the terrain we were riding. We found fresh tracks everyday as well as progressing our riding technique.
The group was super welcoming and it was a real pleasure to ride with new friends who all shared the same passion for snowboarding. Having been on a few holidays were I haven’t really seen the progression or accessed more interesting parts of the mountain this course met all my expectations and I will definitely be booking again next year!
Tammy is an incredibly passionate snowboard instructor! Combine this with her technical knowledge and years of experience and there is no doubt you will come away having noticeably progressed your snowboarding and had a flippin a rad day!! This ethos runs throughout MINT Snowboarding.
Signed up as a solo traveler for one of the snowboard camps running in December. Was such a good experience. All the instructors were very skilled and very patient, adapting for every member of the group. Great value and a great way to progress quickly over the week.
Linda
So happy with this weeks lessons. My son had a 2 hour group session every morning 9-11 Monday to Friday. He confidently accompanied his very proud daddy on Friday! Money well spent Thank you MINT! And his instructors Giulia and Anna x
Hollie
3 of us had a freestyle lesson, none of us could fault the service we received. From booking, running up to the lesson and during it was faultless. We will be returning next season, also be requesting Jorge. Thanks again.
Paul
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