London, UK – The Ski Club of Great Britain has teamed up again with Henry’s Avalanche Talk and introduced The HAT Academy, a new intensive, interactive avalanche awareness course that teaches you how to read the conditions, find the best snow and manage the off-piste risks and dangers that could be encountered on the mountain.
“With more people ski touring and venturing off piste an awareness of mountain safety is important. Henry’s Avalanche Talk arms skiers and snowboarders with the tools and knowledge to stay safe, have fun and progress off piste,” explains Jonny Cassidy, Ski Club Freshtracks General Manager. “It’s a huge advantage to experience this training before the start of the season.”
The HAT Academy program takes place at the Ski Club of Great Britain Clubhouse in Wimbledon over four Monday evening classes starting on September 26, with a Saturday afternoon beeper training session on Wimbledon Common. Alternatively you can complete the whole course over the weekend of October 15-16.
The course includes four intensive and interactive seminars in a small group of no more than 20, a 2.5 hour beacon training session where you learn to use an avalanche transceiver and search and rescue techniques on Wimbledon Common, access to personal online advice during your off-piste skiing trips next season, membership to the HAT off-piste club for one year and the opportunity to participate in HAT club calls to discuss current conditions and latest HAT ideas. Participants completing the course will receive a Certificate of Off-Piste Excellence (COPE).
The HAT Academy course costs £250 for non-members or £199 to Ski Club/ HAT club members. The price includes tuition, equipment and materials. Those who would like to attend the course and are not already a Ski Club member can take advantage of a half price Ski Club membership offer which they will then save on the cost of the course.
The HAT Academy will be run in addition to the “Ride Hard Ride Safe” series of talks delivered by HAT, sponsored by Arc’teryx and in association with Ellis Brigham and the Ski Club of Great Britain. These evening talks, held in Ellis Brigham stores across the UK, help skiers and snowboarders answer the question “is it safe out there?” by discussing how mountain conditions can be assessed for safety. There are two levels of talks – “basic” and “in-depth” – that look at preparation, equipment and how and why avalanches are triggered.
“Ride Hard Ride Safe” talks begin on Tuesday, October 25 at Ellis Brigham, Xscape, Leeds, the tour then visits Ellis Brigham in Glasgow, Tamworth, Castlefield Manchester and Covent Garden, London. Tickets cost £7 for members and £8 for non-members and are available from skiclub.co.uk/tickets or by calling 0208 410 2000. Non-members who wish to attend the ‘Ride Hard Ride Safe’ talks can save £10 off a Ski Club membership before booking.