Our holidays are matched to ski profiles, to ensure you are always skiing with skiers of a similar ability. Use the guide below to see where you fit in, on piste and off.
Three steps, from self-assessment to the mountain.
Before you travel, you give us a short, honest self-assessment covering terrain, speed and technique, on piste and off.
Most holidays split into two or three ability groups each morning, with a Rep, instructor or guide present, matched to that level.
If a group doesn't feel quite right, your Rep will do what they can to accommodate you, or your instructor may ask you to move to help balance the groups out better. It's never a reflection on you, just about making sure everyone gets the most out of the week.
Every holiday page shows its ski profile as coloured triangles, so you can check you're a match before you even open the trip.
On piste is your ability within the markers. Off piste is a different skill, and depends on your on piste level too.
Competent skiing all blues in all conditions and easy reds in good conditions. About 4 weeks or more of experience but likes to stick mainly to blue pistes. Able to maintain consistent pace and turns on blue pistes. Prefers to ski pistes in good conditions and avoids icy or bumpy terrain.
See Early Intermediate holidays →
Competent skiing all reds in all conditions and easy blacks in good conditions. Around 8 weeks of experience and likes to stick mainly to red pistes. Able to confidently parallel ski groomed red pistes with limited stops. Enjoys groomed pistes and prefers to avoid bumps or icy slopes.
See Intermediate holidays →
Competent skiing in control on any red piste and most moderate blacks. Several years of experience and enjoys skiing the whole mountain on piste all day with limited stops. Able to vary turns to cope with more challenging terrain. Able to ski icier pistes or easy bumps, though prefers to avoid larger bumps and may need to stop to rest more frequently in trickier conditions.
See Advanced Intermediate holidays →
Competent skiing blacks and easy bumps whatever the conditions. Confident skiing the whole mountain at a good pace all day, can vary turns and control speed to cope with steeper pistes or tricky conditions. Several years' experience at a number of ski areas. Skis top to bottom except on the toughest blacks. Can handle a variety of conditions including ice and larger bumps.
See Advanced holidays →
Competent skiing the fall line on all blacks and bumps whatever the conditions. Enjoys skiing the fall line of the steepest and most challenging terrain, including bumps, regardless of terrain and snow conditions. Considerable experience of many ski areas over many years. Expected to ski more than two weeks each season. Can safely and confidently negotiate any conditions.
See Expert holidays →
Skis easy off piste terrain in good snow conditions. Minimum of Advanced Intermediate level on piste. Willing and able to venture off piste on easy slopes (less steep than a blue). Limited experience, from no off piste to a few days or weeks. Relatively fit with the attitude and aptitude to progress.
See Aspirer holidays →
Competent skiing moderate slopes off piste (blue-red steepness). At least a few weeks off piste experience. Able to link several turns in light powder (to just above boot height) on a uniform base. Can manage easy untracked terrain, but prefers no obstacles and may struggle to link turns in poor light.
See Intermediate holidays →
Competent skiing advanced, steeper slopes off piste (red+ steepness). Several years' off piste experience and some knowledge of mountaincraft. Used to spending the whole day off piste in varied snow conditions. Skis confidently and enjoys powder. Can ski with consistent speed and turn shape in all but the most challenging conditions. Able to handle a variety of conditions, including lightly crusted and wind affected snow.
See Advanced holidays →
Competent skiing all off piste in all snow conditions. Confidently and safely skis all skiable off piste with a controlled line, in the widest variety of snow conditions. Experience skiing off piste in many ski resorts over many years, throughout the ski season and in all types of snow. Excellent knowledge of mountaincraft. Skis with fluidity and confidence in almost any conditions. Seeks challenging terrain and snow.
See Expert holidays →These guidelines are by no means an exact science. Fitness matters too, especially off piste or touring. If unsure, call the office, they'll help match your ability to certain trips.
The Club offers different gradings for on piste and off piste skiing. We aim to offer a Club graded profile at the end of each holiday, to measure your progress as a skier.
That's fine, off piste is only required where a trip specifically calls for it. Most on piste holidays don't need an off piste profile at all.
Tell your Rep or instructor straight away. Groups are rarely fixed after the first morning, and reshuffling a level or two is completely normal.
No, your on piste and off piste profiles are assessed separately, and that's all that's used across every holiday type, including Touring. Check the individual holiday page for which profile is required.
Filter by ski profile on the main Freshtracks page to see exactly which trips suit you.
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