Off Piste Performance Reviews 

I have just returned from an excellent week in Gressoney. The trip was very well organised and we loved the ski area and the Hotel.

Our guide/instructor pitched the pace, difficulty and variety just right and provided us with some exciting, memorable and very enjoyable off piste skiing. The fact that I was skiing better at the end of the week than the start was a bonus.

I hope I will be able to do another one of their "Rover" trips next year.

Richer

Fantastic two days at Nevis Range. Gillian was excellent - going right back to basics, in a way that was easy to understand and put into practice. She transformed my skiing and my confidence on steep slopes.

I highly recommended the Ski Performance for Mountaineers course for those who want to improve their skiing and take it to the next level. Alison is a really strong teacher and uses her tried and tested method to work on the key elements that will help you improve your skiing. She helps you feel what you need to do, not just know what you need to do, which makes a big difference. How to feel when your in the sweet spot. Plus lots of practical recommendations you can take away and work on after the course (if you remember to write up some notes each evening).

The challenge with a group course is you don't really know the ability of the other skiers when you sign up. I think more could be done to try and ascertain this in advance, but its hard when you run small group courses. However, although abilities vary, the principles are the same and we all have our different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to off piste skiing. So although some skiers can be significantly better than others, they manage this well and everyone gets a huge amount out of the course.

Thank you very much for a fantastic course last week. Coming back from knee surgery, it was always going to be a very important few days for me both physically and psychologically but I couldn't imagine a better environment for me to test out both those areas. The safe and supportive atmosphere you create in your lessons is perfect to inspire confidence both in skiers new to off-piste conditions and those, like me, who are coming back from injury. That coupled with your forensic ability to identify flaws in technique is a great combination!

I knew this course would be great from recommendation, but I actually found it even better than that! Alison's instruction was accessible, easy to understand and very useful. Its rare that a great technical instructor and a great communicator is combined into one teacher. The course was fun and I was pushed just the right amount. Highly recommended!

Undertook crevasse rescue training with James. James taught me the relevant skills with patience. The day was fun as well as educational. It met my needs and expectations for the day, and has provided me with the necessary skills for glacier skiing, which was my aim from the course

Fun,Relevant, inspiring, Ski coaching.

I'd wanted to do the Ski Performance for Mountaineers course for a few years. Friends who have done the course (some of them multiple times) have said how valuable it has been to improve their skiing. All I can say is I definitely agree with them, and would recommend the course to anyone, whatever your skiing ability!
A very enjoyable and relaxed week skiing, thanks Alison for the brilliant instruction!

Excellent. I had three days of private instruction in Scotland with Gillian to improve my off piste skills and to try a bit of ski touring. I came away having improved more than I could of hoped for and with some drills to help me practice in the future. All three days were thoroughly enjoyable as well! Would recommend to anyone wanting to improve their skiing.

James was a fantastic ski and mountain guide and made our trip an absolute joy. He really looks after you from start to finish, is great at communicating, and makes sure that everyone is comfortable with what they're doing. His knowledge and experience of the mountains is obviously excellent and he is a very patient teacher. James has a great sense of humour and even pretty handy with a camera for some mountain shots! I would really recommend James if you're looking for someone who looks after their clients and knows how to ensure that they have a fantastic time.

Last week the stars finally aligned for me to get a day out with Gillian Parker and I was massively impressed. Gillian runs the Scottish end of teaching for Off Piste Performance - Ski-performance Scotland.
#offpisteperformance certainly did what it says on the packet.
In my case I started with no off-piste skills or experience as my first run clearly demonstrated to Gillian🤣. Apparently I displayed all the usual traits of a "self taught mountaineer type".
On-piste exercises were superb for analysing what to concentrate on as we moved ourselves into the un-pisted areas towards Allt Sneachda. Amazingly it worked, to a point!
Analysis and more exercises found me relaxed and enjoying sweeping through virgin areas of powder by the end of that day and, off the leash, the whole of the next day too.
It is the clarity of Gillian's analysis and instructions that make her such a high quality guide and instructor as I'm sure many hundreds of her clients would agree.
I would like to give a huge thanks to Gillian and #offpisteperformance for a top end product that has opened up the mountains in a whole new way for me.

A brilliant week in Oldervik Arctic Norway with Off Piste Performance in April. The team of Alison, James and Rupert were marvellous; great fun, very caring, lovely food; superb skiing and guiding. Alison and James know how to challenge you and enthuse you to do more. The days were varied and made the most of conditions, all we had to do was enjoy it and admire the spectacular scenery.
I have skied with Alison and James before and would recommend them to anyone of any level.
When I was trying too hard to keep up skinning Alison took me in hand and set the pace for me, it was a revelation. This trip was so good I've just booked to go to Arctic Norway again with them next year and its only June.

Just back from a fantastic week ski touring in Norway with Off Piste Performance. The trip was superb in every aspect, well thought out and well organised. Alison and James genuinely care about what they do and the guiding and coaching was first class. Accommodation was great and catering was excellent all week. Couldn't recommend Off Piste Performance highly enough and will definitely be returning for another course/guiding at some point.

I'm a returning client of Off Piste Performance, having completed three of their Chamonix based courses over recent seasons, and I've just returned from a fantastic week-long trip with them in Oldervik, Norway.

I came to skiing from a climbing/mountaineering background, and I've made more progress in getting my skiing 'dialed' with this company than with any other organisation.

Alison Culshaw and James Thacker are a fantastic team, who love being in the mountains and sharing their skills and experience with others. Alison's skills as a ski instructor are second to none, and I rank James as one of the best IFMGA mountain guides I've come across; it's a real privilege to spend time in the mountains with them. They care deeply about the experience they provide to their clients, and the carefully chosen staff they use to deliver some of their courses also share their passion.

I have no hesitation in recommending Off Piste Performance to anyone and I can't wait for next winter season to come around so that I can do more trips with them.

James found a great balance between teaching us the technical stuff and keeping the course relaxed and fun. I loved the tips he shared and feel well prepared and ready for more touring. Thank you!

I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to tackle the backcountry, improve their skiing, or who is considering entering the world of ski touring. You also ski a lot! Blair Aitken was our ski instructor and is a consummate professional. He strikes the right balance of improving on current ski habits, progressing you to a competent level for touring and giving you exercises to take with you after the course. Mark Chadwick was our mountain guide and is extremely competent at all mountain related tasks. You literally listen to the 'voice inside his head" as he gives instructions on trip planning, avi and crevasse safety, and safe ski travel. The low student-instructor ratio means you get a lot of attention (great value for money) and both guides go out of their way to keep you safe while also keeping it fun!

Without question a fantastic course. Mark Chadwick and Blair Aitken are both excellent group leaders who strike the perfect balance between safety, skills and fun. I'm certain that the skills I've been taught this week will be put to good use, and I wouldn't hesitate to book similar courses in future.

Effective teaching, progress and fun rolled into one! I have lost count of the number of times I have done Alison's "Ski Performance for Mountaineers" course...which i think speaks volumes. Alison's positive and practical approach has done wonders for my confidence. DO IT!

After a wonderful skiing trip in arctic Norway and a few seasons in Scotland (jumping into the Aonach Mor backcorries and enjoying the Ben Nevis Gullies) I'm happy to rate with confidence OPP "5 stars"!
Beyond the "top notch" outdoor skills you would expect from BASI 3/4 instructors and UIAGM Guide, I'm impressed by the organisational skills, good communication before/during/after the trip, the friendly style!
So now I'm already dreaming about our next trip together!

Thanks again folks:-)

Went on the 2017 Ben Nevis weekend. Despite a very poor Scottish season we had a fantastic weekend. Pre Trip communication was excellent. James, Gillian and Andy were organised, friendly and good company. As were the other clients! James especially did all the "back office" stuff like opening and closing the CIC hut and carrying out the rubbish. Very professional on the hill, but in a very friendly, supportive style. Would have no issues recommending Off Piste Performance to any body.