Argentina

Why Choose this Course?

• Peak Leaders' 10th year in Bariloche! No one knows the resort like us!
• Trip to Buenos Aires
• More qualifications and certifications than any other programme
• Buffet breakfast, cooked lunch on mountain training days,
• Afternoon tea & dinner 5 days a week
• Spanish language classes
• Avalanche awareness
• Mountain medicine first aid
• ILM Leadership Award (optional)
• Trip to Esquel mountain resort for race & freestyle coaching
• Experience dancing the Tango
• Argentina offers incredible value for money
• End of course party
• Optional Exit point after Week 8 (25 Sep) for anyone starting Uni! (reduction in overall course price, please ask the office for details)

 The Course...

Buenos Dias! Peak Leaders in Argentina offer more qualifications, certifications and included extras than ANY other instructor course. We've successfully run courses in Bariloche for 9 years - nobody knows the area better than us!
This is one of our favourites and with good reason. Your Argentina course offers a unique opportunity in August and September to become a BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) ski or snowboard instructor in the spectacular Andes of South America. You'll be amongst some of the nicest people on the planet and thanks to coaching from Argentina's and BASI's finest instructors and examiners, your technique and all-mountain skills will dramatically improve. The training is high tempo and applicants should be strong intermediate skiers or riders (or better) before applying. After gaining the qualifications on offer in South America, you are ready to apply with confidence for employment in North America or Europe. As well as the sense of adventure of being in the high Andes of Patagonia, you'll also experience plenty of South American culture.

Course Outline...

• Group flight from UK (payable to Trailfinders) usually with course leader
• Travel to Bariloche
• Welcome talk and overview from course leader and Argentine Coaches & mountain familiarization tour.
• Coaching begins 5 Days per week with night video sessions
• Mountain medicine including First Aid Course
• ILM Certificate City and Guilds NVQ level 4 award in Leadership (optional)
• Ski / Board maintenance clinic
• BASI Level 1 course & exams
• Avalanche Awareness Course / Backcountry Module: Learn about route selection and trekking in the back country, risk assessment, avalanche dangers and snow pack conditions
• Optional Spanish Language lessons
• Trip to Esquel Ski Resort for freestyle & race coaching
• BASI Level 2 exams
• View the Andes by horseback

"The Peak Leaders Argentina course offers two unmissable experiences in one: a visit to the lake district of Patagonia - one of the most beautiful places on earth - and off course the opportunity to do a winterseason.

In 2009 I was fortunate enough to assess the Peak Leaders students in Cerre Cathedral, Barilotche. The resort is the best of the South American resorts and has a large number of pistes as well as easily accessible and enjoyable off piste. Peak Leaders team up with the Barilotche Alpine Club to provide training prior to the BASI course, some of the most professional people I met while traveling in South America. This combination of challenging terrain and quality coaching prepares the students well for the technical part of the BASI course.

If you are considering a gap course, and perhaps want something a little different from what the european resorts have to offer, I would highly recommend Argentina. Who knows, you may even learn another language!"
Blair Aitken, BASI Trainer