Home · Freeride Verbier

December – April · Verbier · UIAGM guided

Freeride
in Verbier.

We ski. That is the whole programme, and it is deliberate — the day gets built the evening before, around what you are after, what the snow has done and what tomorrow's weather is actually going to be.

Check dates See the day
1 day
Duration
Dec–Apr
Season
All levels
Beginner to expert
Max 5
People per guide

What you are paying for

The plan is
made late

Verbier and the Four Valleys give you an enormous amount of lift-served off-piste — far more than anyone skis in a day — and that is precisely why a plan fixed a week in advance is worth so little. It was made on the wrong information. The evening before, we know what fell, what the wind moved, where the sun has been working and what the forecast is actually going to do. We also know, by then, what you want out of the day. That is when it is worth deciding where to go, and it is the reason the planning is part of what you are booking rather than something that happens by itself.

The day

We talk,
then we ski

Two parts: a conversation the day before, and then a full day of skiing built on it. Nothing else is fixed in advance, on purpose.

1
The day before — we make the plan
A call or a message the evening before. I ask what you are hoping for from the day and what you have skied, and I bring what the mountain is doing: snowpack, wind, avalanche bulletin, the forecast. Out of those three things comes a plan for tomorrow — and, usually, a plan B.
2
We ski
A full day on the mountain. We start on something that lets me see how you move, and from there the terrain follows you — gentler and more playful, or steeper and more committing, as far as that goes in your case.
3
The plan keeps moving
Yesterday's plan is a starting point, not a contract. Light, wind and tracks change through the day, and we move with them. If somewhere good is about to be skied out, we leave before it is, rather than after.
4
Assistance, all day
Not only route-finding. Advice on your skiing where you want it, help with your gear, reading the snow out loud so you start seeing it too, and the decisions about what we do and do not ski — explained, never just announced.
1 dayDuration
Dec – AprSeason
Max 5People per guide
All levelsBeginner to expert
from CHF 900reference price

A reference figure for the day, covering the guide, the lift pass, the planning and the guiding through the day. The final price depends on the size of your group and the date. Write to me with both and I will come back with an exact quote.

Level required. From your first day off-piste to expert. The terrain is chosen for you, so what matters is being comfortable skiing a red piste — the rest we build during the day.

What you get

Included
& not included

You are paying for the guide, the lift pass, the planning and the guiding through the day. Everything else — what you ski on and what you wear — is yours to arrange, and anything not listed here is not included.

Included

  • UIAGM certified mountain guide for the day
  • Planning of the day with you beforehand
  • Ski lift pass for the day
  • Guiding and assistance throughout the day

Not included

  • Avalanche safety equipment — transceiver, shovel and probe
  • Skis, boots and poles
  • Helmet
  • Mountain clothing and personal kit
  • Food, drinks and anything consumed on the mountain
  • Anything not specified above
Group size is capped at five people per guide, and may be lower depending on conditions on the day. All tours operate under UIAGM safety standards. Valid accident and mountain rescue insurance is the responsibility of each participant. Skis, helmet and avalanche safety equipment can all be rented in Verbier — ask me and I will point you to the right shop. If you would rather ski the other side of the border, the same day exists in Chamonix.

Before you book

Common
questions

Do I need off-piste experience?
No. The day runs from a first time off-piste to expert, and the terrain follows you rather than the other way round. If you are comfortable on a red piste, there is a day here for you — and the conversation the evening before exists partly so I know what to plan.
Why plan the day before rather than now?
Because anything decided earlier is decided on information that will have changed. The evening before, the snow, the wind and the forecast are known, and so is what you are after. That is the moment the plan is actually worth something — and we usually leave with a plan B as well.
What do I need to bring?
Your skis, boots, poles and helmet, your mountain clothing, and avalanche safety equipment: transceiver, shovel and probe. All of it rents easily in Verbier. Wider skis make a real difference in deep snow, so rent a pair rather than fighting your piste skis all day.
Verbier or Chamonix?
Verbier is more open, more lift-served and generally friendlier to skiing — a lot of terrain you can simply ski. Chamonix is more alpine and more glaciated, which is sometimes the point and sometimes the obstacle. I guide both, so tell me what you are after and I will tell you honestly which valley suits it on your dates.
What happens if the snow is bad?
We go and find the best of what there is, which is most of the job. The Four Valleys are big enough that there is almost always something worth skiing somewhere — but if a day is not safe, I will say so, and we talk about moving it rather than forcing it.
Is there a tradition I should know about?
Yes, and it is a good one. Here the day traditionally ends with the client buying the guide a drink or a meal once you are back down. It is not part of the price and nobody will ever ask you for it — but it is how most good days end, and it is usually when the day finally gets talked through properly.

December – April

Let's plan
the day

Tell me your dates, how many of you there are and roughly what you have skied off-piste. I'll come back with an exact price — and then, the evening before, with the plan itself.

WhatsApp · +41 76 270 13 49 @carlitos_molina_guide molinamountain@gmail.com
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