6 Day Ski Touring Introductory course in The High Caucasus
| Activity type: | Backcountry Skiing |
| Activity level: | Easy/ Moderate |
| Availability: |
19 Jan 2018 - 30 Apr 2018 |
| Duration: | 6 Day(s) / Tour with flexible start dates |
| Price: | from $1945 / Negotiable |
Full description
Ski touring is the key to discovering all the secrets of the Caucasus mountains. With the right equipment and skills, no peak, hidden valley or remote mountain pass is out of reach!
Our 6 day course will provide a thorough grounding in the skills needed for ski touring in a high mountain environment. It is ideal preparation for multi-day ski tours such as climbing Mt. Kazbek or crossing the famous Chaukhi Massive range.
You will learn essential ski touring techniques such as how to fix skins and crampons for skis, how to travel uphill and how to perform kick turns, essential for traversing on steeper terrain.
We will stay three nights in a mountain hut – no ski touring experience is complete without a pre-dawn start high in the mountains, watching the sunrise.
The agenda will also cover the complementary mountain craft skills you will need whether ski touring in the Caucasus or any other high mountain range, such as avalanche awareness and (possibly crevasse rescue).
On this course you will ski some of the most famous Jvari pass classic ski tours such as Bidara and Deda ena. Gudauri and Jvari Pass are renowned for their excellent ski touring terrain and you've a good chance of encountering typical Alpine wildlife such as Caucasian tur or the famous but secretive chamois.
This tour is ideal for the intermediate skier who wants to widen their knowledge of off piste skiing and ski touring, opening up new possibilities for more challenging ski tours.
Welcome Meeting in Gudauri
You will meet with your group and guide in Gudauri the day before the tour starts for a chat and to discuss plans for the upcoming week. At this point we can check that you have everything you need and answer any questions you might have.
This is simply an example of a typical ski touring course - your week will very likely differ from what is listed below depending on weather and snow conditions. Your guide will plan your course according to your level and fitness and to give you the best possible experience of ski touring in Georgia.
Price includes
- Accommodation at mountain hut All meals during the course of the tour Local, professional, English & Russian-speaking ski guides (max skier-to-guide ratio 5:1) 4×4 return transfer from Tbilsi, Gudauri, or Stepantsminda
Not included in price
- Flights to and from Georgia Travel insurance / overseas medical insurance to cover emergencies (optional) Snacks, drinks, alcohol and personal expenses Equipment rental or purchase if you did not bring required items (Mogzauri+ can provide all rental equipment for this tour). Tips for your guides (optional)
Guide
Verified Profile
- Email address
- Phone number
Mogzauri rent is a British-Georgian owned outdoor rental equipment and adventure tour company based in Tbilisi. We believe that adventure travel is all about new experiences and for nearly a decade we have been organizing tailor made tours for private groups, individuals and couples, helping them to discover what’s special about Georgia’s landscape, culture and people. If your aim is to discover Georgia with a real focus on adventure, then please read on to find out more about us and The Republic of Georgia.
Location
Georgia, Gudauri, Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Day 1
You will start the day with a couple of warm-up runs to check out everyone’s skiing ability and run through the basics of mountain safety and avalanche awareness at the famous ski area of Gudauri. From the top of the lift station you will have your first introduction to off piste skiing. Your guide will assess the ability of everyone in the group and teach you all the correct techniques for using the ski touring equipment. We will finish our day with an easy tour to Chrdili mountain. before descending you can enjoy the views over Gudauri, Lomisi range and Khada valley.
Difficulty *
Overnight Gudauri
B, L, D included
Day 2
Today we head for the Jvari pass, and begin our tour to Mt. Bidara at 3000m with an available 650 vertical meters of ascent. On the way up, we work on the skills and tactics for moving in steep terrain as well as basic avalanche awareness skills. On the top we can enjoy a small stop and tea with stunning views over the Gudauri resort and Caucasus valleys followed by an incredible descent of 1000 m right back to the hotel door.
3.5 hours Difficulty **
Overnight in Gudauri
B, L, D included
Day 3
We start the day with a 15 minutes transfer from our hotel to the foot of Mt. Dedaena standing at 3449m and climb to a plateau at 3000m where we are met by stunning 360 views over the Caucasus. After a briefing and explanation of the route we head down this superb descent of 1000m back to our waiting vehicle for our transfer back on to Juta.
1000 vertical meters, 6 hours Difficulty ***
After our magnificent decent we head in the direction of Juta. This is where your newly acquired ski touring skills really come into their own - skinning up to a remote refuge and spending the night in the mountains, with an early rise the following morning to experience deep powder off-piste skiing before the rest of the world wakes up. From the point where snow clearance ends on the road it’s about a 4-km uphill skin to the Zeta camp in the shadows of the Chaukhi Massive mountains (known as the Georgian dolomites).
350 vertical meters, 4km skin Difficulty ***
Overnight At zeta camp (Zeta camp is a mountain cabin situated above the remote village of Juta and lies at the entrance of a valley with stunning views of the Chaukhi range)
B, L, D included
Day 4
By this point you should be feeling confident both in your ski touring skills and your mountain experience. Ski tour an unnamed mountain (called Mt. Shevardnadze by locals) that stands at 3150m enjoying unparalleled views on Mt. Kazbegi. There are any number of options in this sublime ski touring area to find goods turns and first runs through softly curving snowfields that lead right back to the cabin door.
1000 vertical meters, 6 hours Difficulty ****
Overnight At zeta camp
Day 5
Our final ski touring day will be a fantastic adventure far from the crowds found in lift-served areas. Today we start skinning from zeta camp heading towards the high altitude natural amphitheater of The Chaukhi Massive, from there we will follow the valley to the North skinning up towards the Roshka pass, a famous and frequently used pass in the summer months but rarely seeing humans in the winter period. From this spectacular vantage point we have a multitude of first run options and line choices all the back to our overnight Cabin where we can relax with a few beers recounting the weeks highlights.
1000 vertical meters, 6 hours Difficulty ****
Overnight in Zeta Camp
B, L, D included
Day 6
After a sumptuous breakfast we ski out of Zeta to our waiting vehicles in the valley below and transfer back to Tbilisi
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Last update: Mogzauri +
(1 May 2018)