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Activities

Freeride for Families in Alagna and Gressoney

Level: 1
Season: Winter
Duration: 1 day
Participants: MAX 6

My goal

Discover off-piste skiing together on Monte Rosa, with a private IFMGA Mountain Guide and routes chosen around your family’s abilities.

Discovering off-piste skiing as a family should be exciting for children and reassuring for parents. We want everyone to enjoy the experience, feel comfortable and build confidence at their own pace.

Our family freeride programme offers a gentle introduction to skiing beyond the pistes of Monte Rosa. We focus on accessible terrain, individual abilities and the pleasure of discovering something new together.

We won’t push children towards difficult descents or expect everyone to ski at the same level. Instead, we’ll take the time to understand what each family member enjoys, where they feel confident and when they need a little extra support.

For children, it’s an opportunity to develop their skiing skills and discover the mountain beyond prepared slopes. For parents, it’s a chance to share the experience without having to make every decision themselves.

Where You’ll Go

We’ll explore the freeride terrain around Alagna and Gressoney, in the Monterosa Ski area.

The lifts give us access to a wide range of slopes, including gentle off-piste terrain suitable for families taking their first steps beyond the marked runs.

We’ll choose our routes according to snow conditions, weather, visibility and the abilities of everyone in your family. We can alternate off-piste descents with familiar pistes whenever someone needs a break or a little more confidence.

The aim isn’t to cover as much ground as possible. It’s to find the right places for your family to enjoy skiing together.

What It Takes

This experience is suitable for children from the age of eight who can ski confidently and with good control on red pistes.

No previous freeride experience is necessary, but everyone should be comfortable skiing parallel, controlling their speed and stopping independently.

Off-piste snow feels different from prepared pistes. It can be soft, deep, uneven or more demanding than expected. We’ll introduce these changes gradually, choosing terrain that matches each skier’s ability.

We also understand that children have different energy levels, attention spans and confidence. We’ll take these into account throughout the day, without putting anyone under pressure.

How We’ll Guide You

Your family will be accompanied by a private IFMGA Mountain Guide who knows the Monte Rosa area and understands the importance of helping children feel comfortable in the mountains.

Before setting off, we’ll talk with you about your children’s ages, skiing experience and confidence. We’ll check the equipment and explain how the day will work, so everyone knows what to expect.

Throughout the experience, we’ll choose the terrain, assess snow and weather conditions, manage the group’s pace and make the necessary safety decisions.

We’ll explain things clearly, encourage children without pushing them and adapt the day whenever necessary.

You can concentrate on enjoying the mountains with your children. We’ll take care of the guiding, the route choices and the technical decisions that come with skiing off-piste.

3-4 participants — €420.00
5-6 participants — €450.00

The price includes

  • A full day with an IFMGA mountain guide.
  • Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe.
  • Any technical equipment required for the itinerary, as determined by the guide.

The price does not include

Personal accident insurance, meals unless specified, and anything not listed under “The price includes”.

A day of freeriding with your family

The day begins with a meeting with your IFMGA Mountain Guide and a short briefing: an equipment check, distribution of the safety kit with avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, and an explanation of the essential rules for skiing together off-piste.

The first descents allow the guide to observe how children and adults ski and choose suitable terrain for the family. From the pistes, you gradually move onto ungroomed snow, working on balance, speed control, line choice and adapting to different snow conditions.

The programme does not follow a fixed itinerary. Depending on snow, weather and visibility, the guide decides whether to ski in Alagna, Gressoney or Ayas and continually adjusts the difficulty, pace and length of the descents.

The day is mainly lift-accessed. When conditions and the family’s ability allow, a short ascent using climbing skins may also be included.

Throughout the day, there is time to stop, take a break and discuss what you are learning with the guide. The aim is for the whole family to ski together without pressure, with no expectation that everyone must tackle the same terrain.

Skiing time: approximately 5–6 hours.

Vertical distance: varies according to the routes chosen; most uphill travel is by ski lift.

Who is it for?

Families with children aged 8 and over who already ski red runs confidently and want to try off-piste skiing together.

No previous freeride experience is required. Parents and children can have different skiing abilities: the guide chooses the terrain, pace and difficulty to make the experience suitable for the whole family.

For your Family Freeride day, you will need:

  • Freeride skis
  • Ski boots
  • Ski poles
  • Certified ski helmet
  • Backpack of approximately 30 litres
  • Layered ski clothing
  • Ski gloves
  • Warm hat or beanie
  • Neck warmer
  • Category 3 or 4 sunglasses
  • Ski goggles
  • High-protection sunscreen
  • Water or a thermos flask
  • Snacks

The safety kit, including an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, and a harness when required, are provided by Monterosa Booking.

If the route includes a short ascent using climbing skins, the guide will let you know before the day whether any additional equipment is needed.

Mountaineering, ski touring, off-piste skiing and trekking take place in a natural, uncontrolled environment.
Weather conditions, snow, ice, terrain, visibility, altitude and physical fatigue can change rapidly and directly affect the course of the activity. For this reason, there is always an inherent level of objective risk, which cannot be eliminated but only managed.

All our activities are led by IFMGA Mountain Guides and Certified Hiking Guides (AMM).
The guide continuously assesses environmental conditions and the physical and mental state of participants, sets an appropriate pace, manages progression and ensures the correct use of equipment. If conditions require it, the guide may modify the itinerary or interrupt the activity, always in the interest of individual and group safety.

Participants are required to be in good physical and mental condition, adequately prepared for the level of the activity, and to follow the guide’s instructions at all times.

Group activities

During group outings, the pace is set according to the slowest participant. In case of fatigue or discomfort, the guide may decide to adjust the programme or return early. In the mountains, the group ascends and returns together.

Learn more here


FAQ #1 – Do we need previous off-piste skiing experience?

No. This day is also suitable for those trying off-piste skiing for the first time. However, you must be able to ski red runs with control. The guide chooses the terrain and difficulty according to your family’s actual skiing ability.

FAQ #2 – Can children take part?

Yes. The experience is suitable for children aged 8 and over who ski red runs confidently. The IFMGA Mountain Guide adapts the pace, terrain and difficulty to the participants’ ages and skiing abilities.

FAQ #3 – Do we need experience using an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe?

No. Before setting off, the guide explains how to use the safety kit and introduces the essential rules for moving off-piste. The avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe are provided by Monterosa Booking.

FAQ #4 – Will we use ski lifts or climbing skins?

The day is mainly lift-accessed. If conditions and your family’s skiing ability allow, the route may also include a short ascent using climbing skins.

FAQ #5 – What equipment is included?

An avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe are included. A harness and crampons are also provided when required. Skis, boots, poles and personal clothing are not included.

FAQ #6 – What happens if snow or weather conditions are unsuitable?

We do not follow a fixed itinerary. The guide may change the terrain, valley or programme according to snow, weather, visibility and mountain conditions, choosing the most suitable option for your family.

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Freeride for Families in Alagna and Gressoney

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Insurance

Before departure, check that your insurance policy specifically covers mountaineering, glacier travel, altitude, trip cancellation, repatriation, and personal liability. For more information, read our complete guide to mountain insurance.

WINTER

Level 1 – Explore
First freeride experiences. Controlled turns and a relaxed pace on accessible terrain.

Level 2 – Advanced
Confident skiing on ungroomed snow and able to maintain a good pace throughout the day.

Level 3 – Technical
Regular freeride experience, including on steeper terrain and in more exposed situations.


SUMMER

Level 1 – First experience
You should be comfortable with normal mountain hiking. No previous mountaineering or glacier experience is required.

Level 2 – Basic experience
You should already have completed hikes of several hours on mountain trails. Previous glacier experience or use of crampons is not required, but you should be ready to use them for the first time.

Level 3 – Mountaineering experience
Previous experience using crampons and travelling roped together on a glacier is required. The route may include short exposed sections.

Level 4 – Advanced experience
Solid experience using crampons and travelling roped together is required. The route may include exposed ridges, steep slopes and mixed terrain.

Level 5 – Experienced mountaineer
Strong experience on technical high-mountain routes is required. The route may include very exposed sections, climbing on rock, ice or mixed terrain, and may require knowledge of the main rope techniques.

The level indicates the technical experience required, not the physical effort.
The actual difficulty may vary depending on mountain conditions and the route.