Welcome to the BCP Community! We’re kicking off a new season of workshops and courses. We want to enhance your abilities through a succession of classes in a logical and progressive manner. The idea is to encourage you to practice this beautiful sport properly and safely by giving you a set of easy-to-use tools.
The work methodology will be through on-line classes uploaded to our virtual classroom and YouTube Channel. You will be able to watch them at your pace. After every class, you will have the contents available for a deeper look and a short test.
This workshop is for skiers and snowboarders that already have some experience in backcountry skiing and want to upgrade their abilities. We’ll aim for an intermediate out of track level and greater familiarity with backcountry gear. Meet new adventure buddies and learn this incredible activity.
Dates Season 2023:
JULY: 06-11-13/07 Classes/ 08-15-16/07 Terrain (FULL)
JULY /AUGUST : 27/07 & 1 y 3/08 Classes/29/07 y 5 & 6/08 Terrain (Available)
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER: 31/08 y 5 & y 7/09 Classes/2, 9 & 10/09 Terrain (Available)
Cost: 300 USD
Gear list
Specifics:
- Mountain skis with touring bindings and skins / Splitboard with bindings and skins
- Touring boots / snowboarding boots
- Ski poles
- Beacon, Shovel and Probe (mandatory)
- Helmet (mandatory)
- Crampons
- Goggles
- Gloves (two pairs)
- Sunglasses / Sunscreen (+50) / Lip Balm
Layered clothing:
- Base Layer Tops and Bottoms (Lightweight or Midweight, Synthetic)
- Fleece sweater (100/200)
- Rain Jacket
- Insulated Jacket
- Rain Pants
- Ski socks
- Change of clothes (shirt, base layer, gloves, socks, underwear)
- Cap / hat
- Buff
Other:
- Camelback
- 1lt water bottle (minimum)
- Thermos
- First aid kit
- Money and papers
- Camera and accessories
We have equipment for rent:
- Skis / Skins and Bindings
- Splitboard
- Security kit (Beacon, Shovel and Probe)
Feel free to ask pricing and availability.
Location: Bariloche, Argentina
Duration: Two weeks (virtual) + three days on terrain
Dates: July to October
Requirements: Advanced ski level. Experience in backcountry skiing. Good physical condition.
Guides and Ratio: 6:1
12 people max.
- Professional AAGM/UIMLA Ski Guide
- Virtual Classroom Access
- Textbooks
- Satellite Communication service
- Personal insurance in case of accidents
- Accommodation and transfers in/to Bariloche
- Security Kit
- Backcountry skis or splitboards.
- Some unspecified item in this programme.
Week 1 Activity
Class 1 & 2: Cartography and orientation (30mins each)
Objectives: Cartography basic concepts to help you read maps, understand and analyze them.
- What is orientation?
- Cartography as an applied science.
- Geodesy.
- Reference systems and framing.
- Cartography projections
- How to read maps and its contents?
- Scales and its use.
- Interpreting level curves
Class 3 & 4: Planning (30mins each)
Objectives: Itinerary planning, marching times calculation, etc.
- Why planning?
- What to take on account?
- How to design an itinerary
- Roadmap
- Calculating marching times
- Practice.
Class 5 & 6: Risk management on snowy grounds (30mins each)
Objectives: Basic criteria for preventing avalanches, with emphasis on terrain reading and handling weather and human factors on a risk management basis.
- The Avalanche Reduction Method
- Meteorological factors.
- Human factor.
- Terrain. Picking an itinerary
Class 7: Backcountry Ski and Splitboard gear (30min each class)
Objectives: Pros and cons for every gear. Composition and necessary care.
Ski and General Gear class:
- Boots.
- Skis, strapons and skins.
- Security kit.
- Poles, piolet and crampons.
- Backpacks.
- Care.
Splitboard Class
- Boots
- Boards, strapons and skins
- Care
- Snow boots crampons
Class 8: Packing (30mins)
Objectives: Learn the best way to set up our backpacks for a tour.
- What to pack?
- Distribution
- Food and weather protection
Gear check and fine tuning our outing.
TERRAIN: Saturday from 9 to 17 (place TBC)
Class 9: Moving on the ground. Conversions
Objectives: Being efficient at skiing on a plain and upwards. Techniques for uphill skiing with skins.
“A well made conversion is as beautiful and efficient as a perfectly executed round”
- Paso de giro con apertura de cola
- Conversión de puntas a Y
- Conversión de cola
- Conversión a épsilon
Class 10: Search and self-rescue of avalanche victims
Objectives: Understanding the importance of ARVA, shovel and beacon, and its usage. A look into some procedures for searching victims.
- What is ARVA?
- Arva, shovel and beacon.
- Searching procedures and MO.
WEEK 2 ACTIVITY
Week 2 on-line presentation
- Consulting
- Doubts evacuation.
Class 11: GNSS navigation and softwares (30mins)
Objectives: GNSS devices, charts, navigation. How to use open software to plan itineraries. Practice.
- What is GPS and GNSS?
- How does it work? Concepts. Devices. .
- Navigation. Waypoints and tracks.
- Settings.
- Google Earth, charts and itinerary design.
- Exercises.
Class 12: Snow science (30mins)
Objectives: Understanding snow behavior and metamorphosis in the snow cover.
- How does snow form?
- Cohesion and metamorphosis types
- Avalanche problems
Class 13: Planning the outing (30mins)
Objectives: comprehensive exercise with the contents learned so far. Planning marching times, possible itineraries, orientations, height differences, distances. Setting up tracks and loading them to your navigation device.
Gear check and fine tuning our outing.
TERRAIN: Full weekend at Piltriquitron Hut (Bolson) or two full days in Bariloche
The goal of this trip is to put everything we learned into practice.
Practice ground location is very accessible. We’ll reach the hut in an hour. We’ll spend Saturday night there. Practice will be held in the surroundings and up to 3 to 4hs distance. Participants must have some experience in backcountry skiing and be able to carry the weight of the gear needed (5kg approximately)
8 to 10 hs of work are expected each day.
