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Technique Video instruction package

Slim

Making fresh tracks
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Many of you might have seen this already, but just in case you had not:

IFMGA Guide Mark Smiley (yes, married to skimo charger Janelle Smiley) has put together a complete video instruction series for backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering.

It is very thorough.
It also has several advantages over a printed book. Obviously, you can see things in video that you can not in still photos or drawings. Even better, you can ask questions and get an answer. And, he promised to update the gear chapters, which are alway an Achilles heel of printed media, since they get outdated so quickly.

 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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Isn't that a bit pricey for a video?
 

nemesis256

Patrick
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Isn't that a bit pricey for a video?
It's not just "a video", there's probably 5 hours of content, and that's not counting the third party videos that are linked to.

I've gone through the avalanche section so far. It's definitely not a replacement for an AIARE 1 class, but it's definitely a good refresher to keep going back to periodically.
 
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TS
Slim

Slim

Making fresh tracks
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It's not just "a video", there's probably 5 hours of content, and that's not counting the third party videos that are linked to.

I've gone through the avalanche section so far. It's definitely not a replacement for an AIARE 1 class, but it's definitely a good refresher to keep going back to periodically.
.and I have done just about everything except the avalanche section, and I say the same. You can’t learn ski and rope work from watching video’s, but you can use it to prep before you take a course, or if you go out with a friend, to check that what they are teaching you is correct and current technique, and then to review it later.

As Mark mentions in the Totally Deep podcast, it can be hard in a live course to get all your questions answered, and to take it all in and remember it all, when you are out in the mountains or in a guide’s class room.

Personally, I think the best learning method would be to preview it with this course or similar material, take a course with a certified guide, review the video/written material, go out and practice with friends, and periodically review on here as you practice.

Regarding content, I come from a climbing background (mostly rock and ice, very limited alpine experience) and I think, if you have no climbing background and zero experience belaying, rappelling and building anchors, the related parts of this course might be hard to follow. I think you kind of need some basic knowledge of those points to understand the videos better.
However, if that is the case for you, there are other resources out there that cover those, so I still think it’s a worthwhile product, even for those people.
 

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