Splitboard Trips and Courses

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Introduction to Splitboarding

Our splitboard introduction trips and courses have been carefully designed through the years to ensure you’ll learn only the best splitboarding techniques from our UIAGM splitboard guides

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Big Mountain & High Altitude Splitboard Touring

This is an exhilarating backcountry experience for splitboarders looking to chase the best conditions.

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Worldwide Splitboard Adventures

Cultural Splitboard Experiences In Special Destinations Across The World.  Including Norway, Romania, Georgia, Greenland & Kyrgyzstan

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Course Dates

  • Trip & Split 5 Day Sessions

    TRIP & SPLIT

    This exhilarating backcountry splitboard trip is for riders who understand that to score the best conditions you have to stay flexible.

    On these five-day sessions we’re not at the mercy of the conditions in just one location.  If it’s raining in France it could well be snowing at higher elevations in Italy so we’ll take you there.   If it clouds over in Italy we can move you to Switzerland where the sun is set to shine, sometimes all in the course of the same trip.   We’ll spend 3 nights of the trip at altitude using comfortable mountain hut accommodation and spend the day’s splitboard touring.

    Our guiding focus is always on finding you the very best snow to ride.

    The trip always starts in our home valley on the Sunday where we’ll spend the day making a local warm up tour .  Early on the Monday morning we will head to wherever has the best conditions to ride in.  Over the next 4 days we might travel to 4 different zones to ensure you get the goods.

    It’s that simple.

    What isn’t so simple is working out where those conditions will be but you have booked with a supremely mobile and very experienced splitboard guiding operation, so you can leave that thinking to us.

    What about conditions?

    We feel that the Alps don’t enough recognition as a splitboarding destination these day’s and while we love going on our more exotic trips to places like Greenland or Kyrgyzstan we have very little influence on the conditions there, we either score or we don’t.  In the Alps we can mitigate any bad weather enough to deliver the best experience each and every time.  So, for us, that is why the Alps will always edge it as the ultimate splitboard destination.

    How is this trip different?

    Many people have had bad weather experiences in the Alps and haven’t had the option of moving to where conditions are better or, more commonly we find,  have only ever been out with ski-tour groups led by a ski tour guide.  This can leave people feeling a little dejected on ascents suited to skiers and thoroughly fed up when having to push out on a long flat.   With a pro UIAGM splitboard guide at the front and a CPC qualified driver/ tour manager at the back you’ll have a good time on the ups and especially the downs

    This is the closest you’ll get to a guarantee on good conditions.splitboarding trip alps

    7th Apr 2026 – 11th Apr 2026

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  • Break Into Backcountry. Splitboard Alpinism & Freeride

    An advanced splitboard course helping you to learn the fundamentals of backcountry splitboard touring, at altitude.

    If you already have a few days of splitboard experience and are now looking to step up into bigger mountain terrain then this splitboard course should be on your radar

    On a Break Into Backcountry trip we’ll safely introduce you to the art of splitboarding in the alpine over 4 days and 2 nights at altitude.

    What will you learn?

    How we prefer to move and stay safe in high mountain terrain.  W’ll also share current IFMGA thinking on safety protocols,  run drills on avalanche search rescue and show you how to use your equipment, boot crampons and ice-axe, correctly.

    Will there be ropes?

    Your IFMGA guide will always have rope in his bag, we plan to help you get used to moving whilst being attached to one  as a part of a small group.

    My kick turn aren’t great  

    We’ll polish up your kick turns so you’ll be more confident in making them on steep or variable terrain. We also share other useful touring tips in order for you to become more efficient in the skintrack, it’ll  help you to conserve precious energy on longer tours.

    How about navigation?

    We can help you to start to understand how we route plan tours in the mountain, making it suitable for splitboards especially.

    Is this trip all about learning?

    Nope, we’re also focused on  taking you to ride the best snow in some exciting zones.  That is the reason we go splitboarding, after all!

    Where do we stay?

    We’ll be planning to use the hut network for this trip and spend 2 nights at altitude so you’ll need to carry all you need for 2 nights away. A packing list and other advice will be sent before the trip to help you keep the packing down and keep your bag light

    If you are a high intermediate snowboarder and you are ready for a bigger adventure this is for you.

     

    30th Mar 2026 – 2nd Apr 2026

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  • Splitboard Chablais 3 & 4 Day Sessions

    Splitboard Chablais

    IFMGA Guided Splitboard Tours In The Chablais Alps

     

    We’ve been running splitboard trips in the Chablais area over the past 13 years .  This experience his has helped us to create a near perfect trip formulae for all levels of splitboarder/snowboarder.

     

    What level is that?

    • For new splitboarders, we can supply all of the equipment and teach you how to use it.  You’ll get to ride in those places and on those faces you always knew were out there but couldn’t get to before.  We’ll be gentle on the ascents too.
    •  For those that already have some touring experience and are now interested in progressing their skills, we can help dial in your technique in bigger terrain such as  kick-turn stability for safety on steeper ascents.
    • If you know what you’re doing already then there is a huge amount of choice here, from steep chutes to big faces, we’ll always deliver something special to ride.

     

    What are conditions like?

    We understand the weather systems and the snowpack conditions here better than most and because the terrain is right in our own backyard you can be sure you’ll ride in the places holding the best snow.

    What else do we know?

    That the content of any session we run will always be within the technical and physical ability of a group.  We don’t have  a ‘one size fits all’ ethos, instead we tailor the experience to the to suit each crew so also strive to ensure that all of it’s members are of  a similar level, at the time of booking.

    No matter what level you are it’s all about staying safe

    That’s why on every session we run mandatory snow safety workshops.  We share current IFMGA/UIAGM level safety practices and run search and rescue drills.

    When’s the best time to come?

    If you’re looking to use your splitboard for shorter walks to access and shred the best cold snow in the local area the best dates to come are:

    • 11-13th  January
    • 24-26th January
    • No hut nights, €1095

    Looking to spend more time in the skin-track, spend an night in a comfortable mountain hut and get deeper into the mountains?  Then come and join us on:

    • 25th – 28th March
    • 30th March -2nd April
    • 4- Day Trip. Includes 2 hut night, €1625 

    Looking to take your first steps in splitboarding?  We’re running a 3-day introductory session – all the kit is provided, we’ll show you how to use it and teach you best practice splitboard techniques.  Experience the mountains differently in April:

    • 13th – 15th April
    • 3 day introductory session.  All equipment and guiding provided PLUS 3 nights accommodation, €1250 per person (BASED ON 3 PEOPLE ATTENDING)

    What next?

    Get in touch to book your spot

    CONTACT US

    11th Jan 2026 – 13th Jan 2026

    24th Jan 2026 – 26th Jan 2026

    25th Mar 2026 – 28th Mar 2026

    30th Mar 2026 – 2nd Apr 2026

    13th Apr 2026 – 15th Apr 2026

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  • Splitboard Norway

    Splitboard Norway

    Arctic splitboarding in the far north

    Our Splitboard Norway session will take you far away from the crowds found in the better known Norwegian ski-touring destinations.  Join us in a special location at 70 degrees north, high above the Arctic Circle.

    This 6 day splitboard trip is led by Polo Verdier UIAGM, we’ll take you to explore the tranquil and mainly uninhabited islands of Kågen, Uløya & Arnøya in Troms county.

    DESTINATION HAMNEIDET

    Hamneidet is a small fishing commune situated in the Skjervøy municipality,  a 3-hour drive north of Tromsø.  This  far north location offers up almost guaranteed splitboard touring routes on the surrounding islands well into the summer months.

    It is the perfect base to explore these arctic isles from, it has easy access to the local ferry services that link the islands to the mainland, on which we’re based,  allowing us to tailor each days splitboarding itinerary according to the weather.  We will move accordingly to wherever it will be best over the course of the trip.

    The Accommodation 

    Our home for the week is in a traditional Norwegian lodge, sat on the edge of a beautiful fjord facing the island of Kågen, owned by our accommodation partners (Ole and Heike).  The house has 2 double bedrooms on the first floor and a mezzanine level that can sleep another 6 people.  The lounge and dining areas are open and comfortable allowing everyone space to spread out, kick back and relax.

    After a full day of touring and riding you can step down from the house to the beach to enjoy a wood fired sauna session, sooth your  tired legs and take in the incredible arctic sunset.  Maybe take a refreshing dip in the sea after to cool down,  if you’re brave enough!
    Splitboard Norway
    The splitboarding
    There are a wealth of options to ride here, on many different aspects, for all levels on snowboarder.  All of the touring routes show off the incredible views that Norway is famous for and we will make summit to sea descents on most day’s of the trip
    We will expect to make around 1200m of vertical ascent per day so your fitness level will allow for this.  Starting at sea level each day helps a lot, a Norwegian 1200m ascent isn’t anywhere near as physically demanding as it would be here in the Alps at a higher altitude.
    Splitboard Norway
    In fact, the only truly breath-taking thing you’ll find about it will be the views.

    All groups will get to ride from summit to sea, taking in the classic panoramas that Norway is famous for on the way up, and down. The varied terrain on offer includes open powder fields and long undulating runs.  For more advanced groups there are several summit couloirs on offer that we’ll ride, conditions dependent.

     

    Here’s one of the lines from the summit of Kågtinden:

    How good do I need to be to join?

    You’ll already have a least 1 weeks splitboarding experience.  We don’t race up on the ascents and we can help you to improve on any techniques that need it, like making a solid kick turn.  We also ensure the descents are suitable for your individual level.

     

    Who are the guides?

    Lead Guide: UIAGM Paul ‘Polo’ Verdier
    Polo is a French born UIAGM (IMFGA)  splitboard guide from Evian Les Bains. He is supported by Jones Snowboards and Spark R&D, and has helped  with the safety day training courses for the Jones European Pro Team athletes on their early season safety shred days, here in the Alps.
    Tour Manager & Guide Assist:  Paul Shirley
    Paul is  there to ensure smooth running of the trip, from arrival to departure. He’ll also be the group’s back-marker when on the mountain and in charge of the accommodation and catering.

    A Splitboard Norway trip is for 5 clients maximum per session. This way we can move faster as a group, and it opens up access to more interesting and safely UIAGM managed terrain.  You will get to ride bigger and better lines than if you are in a group of 6 or 8 people, and that’s a stone-cold  fact.  For a closer look at the trip have a read of this blog article

    GET IN TOUCH

     

     

    18th Apr 2026 – 25th Apr 2026

    26th Apr 2026 – 3rd May 2026

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  • Splitboard Greenland

    Splitboard  Greenland

    Split and Sail

    An arctic splitboard trip and the experience of a lifetime, combined.

    Join us on a very special private boat captained by a legend, get guided through some truly remote terrain by two pro UIAGM splitboard guides.

    Past icebergs and through ice floe, we sail in a two masted schooner purposely built for navigating arctic waters in the search for untouched powder descents on remote arctic islands.

    Our two UIAGM guide strategy opens up terrain that would be unwise for a group with just one guide to visit.  This client/ guide ratio of 3:1 enables us to deliver true adventure splitboarding on the mountainous west coast of Greenland.

    “The best trip of my life”  –  Glynn Williams, United Kingdom.  

     

    Grey Seas, White Mountains, Blue Icebergs. Greenland.

    After landing in the capital of  Greenland, Nuuk,  situated on its south-west corner a short taxi ride from the airport takes us into Nuuk Port and Harbour. From here we head to the inner marina where our boat, flying under the French flag, awaits us.   After lowering the luggage down onto the deck we climb down ourselves to embark on ‘La Louise’ where her owner and captain, Thierry Dubois (and his skipper) will welcome us onboard.
    A 3 hour sail from the harbour in a north easterly direction, passing by the colourful houses of Nuuk, leads us towards a group of islands which will be our splitboarding zones for the week.  All of these islands have been personally scouted and mapped by Thierry as to their suitability for ski and splitboard touring and, crucially, he knows exactly where the best places to drop us off and pick us up from each day are located.
    Combined with his knowledge of the local weather systems, this gives us a major guiding advantage as he understands how the itineraries might have been affected and as to their suitability for touring on each day.
    We’re taken to the shore each day in a semi-rigid, 4m dinghy fitted with 20 Hp HB engine and get picked up by it at the end of each tour to take us back to La Louise, anchored up in the next bay.
    These really are secret spots and as such they are very closely guarded,  we’ll genuinely ask you not to share any touring routes on  Strava or similar apps for this very reason.

    One of a Kind. “La Louise”

    There are already a lot of boats operating in the  ‘ski and sail’  space throughout the arctic and Greenland is no exception but 95% of these boats are production line, factory models that have been retrofitted to  accommodate ski-tour groups.  These do work but can compromise on comfort.  To our knowledge, there is only one boat out there that was designed from the outset for to deliver this specific service.
    Passenger comfort was at the forefront of the La Louises’ design and she features waterproof partitions, heated drying rooms for boot liners and clothing, survival suits, a high quality boiler system for hot showers, comfortable seating areas with a library and music and the capacity to make long, self sufficient, arctic voyages.  All of this sets her apart from anything else currently on offer.
    La Louise  is an elegant and robust 19 m arctic schooner which took Thierry six years and 23,000 hours of work to design and build,  to a very elaborate specification.  She has 2 carbon masts, 4 sails, a 235HP John Deere engine and a stainless steel icebreaker bow. Every single aspect of this craft has been thought through and designed to work flawlessly in both open arctic waters and ice filled fjords whilst carrying passengers and skis/ splitboards in comfort.
    There is room for 8 (including the guides) on this boat (the captain and skipper have their own private quarters) and even though sleeping berths are compact it’s very comfortable ( the more organised you are with your things the better the experience will be for you).   The main living room/ dining area is where you’ll spend most of your time when not on the deck.
    The boat has a network of radiators powered by the boats engine (and stove) and an electric heating system powered by a generator.  The constant ambient temperature onboard is very pleasant and at night it is around 15 / 16 degrees, an oil burning stove is fitted to pump out heat on the colder days.
    Thierry has been sailing in and around the arctic on this one of a kind boat for 6 months of each year, since 2011.  It is his home, his business and his life.

    Eating & Drinking.  Fine French food.

    Thierry is a passionate cook, he prepares and serves food made with love.  Mealtimes are important here and with generally zero phone signal available on this trip it is a chance to disconnect and enjoy time at the table in good company.

    After breakfast (with great coffee) each morning we go splitboarding.  On our return to the boat we’re served a late lunch of fresh, homemade soups, salad’s and cheeses with home baked bread and cured meats.  Thierry buys well over 50kg of good French cheese to serve up over the course of just a few weeks.  You’ll not go hungry here.

    A late dinner follows (after showers and some down time).  Expect to eat cod and other fish caught off the side of the boat that day along with some insanely good desserts to follow.  Sailing with a French captain on a boat flying under the French flag you’d expect a good wine too,  and that’s exactly what you get.

    Thierry will join us at dinner and it’s a great chance to talk to him about his career as an off-shore and round the world yachtsman.  It has been a fascinating life and the story of  his being capsized for 4 days in 1997 during a solo round the world race is captivating.  Thierry is often approached to consult on safety procedure for various navy operations, globally.

    “Who else is going?”

    Every person on this session will likely have been on a Rider Social trip before so you’ll find yourself in the company of  very chilled splitboard crew that understands how to move in the mountains with us.   The boat has room for 6 clients giving us a 3:1 client guide ratio.

    “What’s the touring / riding like?”

    This is Norway.  On steroids.
    It really is quite hard to paint the complete picture of this arctic experience for you.  The terrain is huge, it’s very remote and it is stunningly beautiful.   We will sail you to a new zone each evening and anchor the boat, the next morning when we’ll climb down into the motorboat (wearing arctic life preserving equipment) and shuttle run to the shore.
    From here we’ll make a tour and look for the best conditions ( expect to split a minimum of 1200m vertical per day) and ride down in what is usually untouched powder to the opposite side of the island where we’ll be picked up from the shore by Thierry who has sailed around to meet us.
    The lines to ride are really quite varied – we rode big steeps of nearly 40 degrees, raced through an incredible winding canyon run and surfed down one of the enormous couloirs, all of them with a sea view leading us back down to shore.
    Every day you’ll be wearing your harness and be carrying your boot crampons and axes and it’s not uncommon to have to fashion an exit to the beach after riding – on some days it was a bushwhack and on others it was a full on abseil back down to the shore.

    “Why two UIAGM guides?”

    Paul (Polo) Verdier and Laurent (Bibs) Bibollet will be the UIAGM splitboard guides on this trip.  Most of you will already know Polo from going on splitboard trips with us in the past.   Laurent is from the same Compagnie des Guides, Saint Gervais as Polo.
    They have been friends for a long time and we’re thrilled to have him onboard here at The Rider Social.
    Laurent’s splitboarding and UIAGM work in Chamonix & Les Contamines has seen him become appointed as a  Jones Snowboards
    Ambassador Guide – a coverted acolade awarded to those who have dedicated their lives to offering unique guided experiences and educating about snow safety.
    He recently filmed an episode of Arctic Lines with Antti Autti (due for release Autumn 2025).   His most recent movie part was in
    The Octopus alongside Pica Herry and Nick Russel.
    With both Polo and Laurent working together we can better manage some of the trickier conditions that Greenland can present you with.  From organising abseils to navigating glaciated bootpacks  and everything in-between.
     It is very, very likely that will be riding in some incredibly remote places on this Greenland trip and your safety is at the top of our list.  With both Polo and Laurent in charge we can be doubly sure it stay’s there…

    When is the next trip?

    We are scheduled to go back in April / May 2027 . Exact dates TBC.  Click here to contact us and be the first to know.

     

    How much is it?

    Contact us if you want an exhilarating and completely bespoke experience in remote arctic terrain with a small client guide ratio of 3:1 on a unique arctic icebreaking schooner.

     

    15th May 2027 – 22nd May 2027

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  • Splitboard Kyrgyzstan

     Splitboard Kyrgyzstan

    A cultural splitboard adventure in Central Asia.

    How does making a potential first splitboard descent, spending a night in a remote yurt,  a skidoo assisted freeride day and using horses to travel deep into the backcountry sound?

    It sounds pretty good, right?

    Join us in the Jyrgalan Valley and discover the mountains of the Tien Shan range, led by our 2 most experienced UIAGM splitboard guides, Paul ‘Polo’ Verdier and Laurent ‘Bibs’ Bibollet.

     

     

    DESTINATION JYRGALAN

    A short 90 minute drive, in a north easterly direction, from the popular Karakol area you’ll find a small valley surrounded by very big mountains.  This valley is located between the massive Tien Shan mountain range on and, crucially, the huge Issyk Kul lake, forming a micro-climate that is a perfect recipe for super snowy winter storms.

    In this valley is a village that sits at 2200m altitude.  It has all the right ingredients in place to make it the perfect base for a splitboard trip.  The village is run by a consortium of local Kyrgyz people who are hoping to put it on the map as a winter touring destination.  It is currently popular in the summer months but not so much during the winter ones so you’ll not see many other splitboarders here, yet.

    The Accommodation.

    The guesthouse accommodation we’ll be using in Jyrgalan has modern twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms and mountain views and we can splitboard in a 360 degree direction from its front door.  The guesthouse is in the central village, has a wood fired sauna for guest use and serves the most amazing, fresh and authentic food, it is seriously delicious stuff.  Gulmira who owns the guesthouse and her team look after all of our needs,  day to day transport, logistics and can provide local intel on conditions to our UIAGM guides.
    The surrounding area has everything you’ll need on a splitboard trip too, access to the high alpine for the sunny days and forest zones should the visibility be bad on the snowy ones.  The village has a few small shops and a crazy little apres bar made from an old railway car, if you’re in the mood for it then it’s definately worth a look inside.

    The splitboarding.

    There is a huge choice of lines to ride here, on many different aspects.  This variation in terrain will help us to find the best powder for you to ride each day and we can choose from long undulating runs of 25-30 degrees to some of the steeper chutes on offer.  A lot of these lines haven’t been skied or ridden before either so making a first descent isn’t totally out of the question on this trip.
    We will expect to make at least 1200m of vertical ascent per day so your fitness level will allow for this.  In terms of the riding,  let’s just say it can get pretty deep in Jyrgalan so you’ll know how to float a turn on a steep and manoeuvre through the tree’s.

    Horses.

    The Kyrgyz were a nomadic people, before being settled into collectivized agriculture by the former Soviet regime, and horses were (and still are) an intrinsic part of their life and culture and you can’t go far in Kyrgyzstan without coming across them.  Taught to ride from a very early age,  Kyrgyz people look effortless on horseback which is no surprise as their national game is Kok Boru.

    Kok Boru is essentially a mounted game of polo using a headless dead goat as the ball. Games are fast, full contact and fierce, especially between rival villages. Winning is a source of huge pride and claiming the bragging rights over who has the best equestrian prowess is everything.  If you want to see footage from a Kok-Boru game you can search it on the web but be warned, it can be pretty gruesome.

    We’ll be on the horses too, but for a much calmer experience.

    A highlight of this trip is using the horses to help us move deeper into the backcountry.  Heading through open snowscapes and into the forests on horseback is really one of the most amazing experiences you can have with a splitboard on your back.  The horses can make between 400m – 600m of ascent depending on the conditions.  As soon as they tire we carry on up using the splits, the horses find their way back to the village with the help of a guide.

    For anyone that doesn’t get along with horses or perhaps has an allergy to them then we will also have a guide on a splitboard from the start who you can follow instead.

    Skidoo Freeride

    We will spend a day using sleds to uplift us into the designated ‘freeride zone’ in Jyrgalan.  Piloted by local Kyrgyz these sleds are fast and fun.  You’ll ride pillion as they fly up to the top of this seemingly never ending zone of fresh pow lines.  There is a cat-ski that runs but this is by far the better way to travel, we’ll get more laps in using these sleds and don’t have to sit in a smelly old cat burning 300l of diesel.

     

    Yurt night

    As a nomadic people the Kyrgyz know how to camp out in comfort.  On this trip we’ll be looking to split and ride for a day ending up at a remote backcountry yurt which has been set up for our private use.  It will be manned by a local shepherd who will cook us dinner and keep the fires burning through the night.  Any toiletries, other clothing etc that you’ll want for that evening can be brought up in a separate bag by sled and also taken back down for you.

    Apart from an excellent under the stars camping experience in the Tien Shen mountains, using this yurt for a night serves another purpose.  The next morning we’ll be in a good position, nice and early,  to make the summit of a local peak topping out at around 3700m in altitude.  We can then ride all the way back to our guesthouse.

     

    There is so much going on during this trip that it’s  hard to describe the overall experience, it’s one you just have to come and live.

     

    Read the 2026 trip update HERE

    Book the trip HERE

     

     

     

     

     

    6th Mar 2026 – 13th Mar 2026

    13th Mar 2026 – 20th Mar 2026

    Find out more
  • Splitboard Georgia

    Splitboard Georgia

    Camp out under bright stars in heated accommodation at night. Make soul turns in deep snow during the day.

    This special basecamp has hot showers a sauna, wifi and skidoo’s and it’s situated in a very remote zone.  It’ll only be us there and we’ll have the place as our own private playground.

    Join an IFMGA guided splitboard only crew on this basecamp adventure.  Feast on delicious, authentic Georgian meals cooked up by our personal camp chef and explore this incredible corner of western Asia.

    “I rode more powder here in 2 days than I have living in Switzerland over the past 2 years”  – Diego Bersini, Lausanne Switzerland.

     

    Getting there

    After having arrived at Tbilisi International airport we’ll transfer you in a private mini-coach to a small village situated in the highlands of the Racha region of Georgia. In the village is an amazing 200 year old guesthouse surrounded by grapevines from which Nika and his family make their own wine (a lot of it) and a local brandy known as ‘ChaCha’.

    Nika and his family will out-do themselves in welcoming you to their family home.  Here we’ll also have lunch and dinner – brace yourselves, this is Georgia and the food hospitality is next level.
    Having experienced a hit of Georgian culture, we’ll spend the night there before making the onward journey to camp.  Early on the Sunday morning we’ll jump into their old 4×4 decomissioned military jeeps and head off.
    Head off to where?
    We’ll be situated in the Racha region,  our basecamp accommodation is situated at 1850m surrounded by the stunning Caucasus mountains and we splitboard from the camp door to access the varied freeride terrain that this zone boasts.
    The camp is only accessible on foot or by skidoo.  There is no road up there so on arrival at the camp trailhead we’ll use skidoos to transport our main bags up there and make the 600m ascent ourselves on splits.   When we get there we’ll unpack, have lunch, fire up the fuel powered heaters in the tents and go for a short tour, practice with transceivers and refresh on search & rescue techniques.
    Sleeping in tents?!
    Yup, Russian made, surprisingly spacious winterised sleeping modules that have been designed for extreme weather conditions.  Each tent sleeps two people on surprisingly comfortable single beds (thanks to memory foam toppers) with lots of space for bags and for drying clothes and kit.  LED lights provide night time visibility and there are drawers for your ‘stuff’.  For warmth, each tent is fitted with a custom made fuel powered heater that keeps things toasty at night.  It really is a serene way to spend time in the mountains – night times are very special there, with zero light pollution you’ll never have seen the moon and stars shine so brightly.
    What’s the food like?
    The dining tent is where you’ll spend most of your time whilst in the camp.  It’s large, warm and serves the most delicious homemade Georgian food.  Breakfast is a feast  – pancakes, omelettes, fresh bread from the stove and other delights await.  There is an apres ride soup served at 4pm before dinner at 7pm which is again a huge array of traditional cuisine.  It really is some of the best food we’ve ever had on a trip away – the fact they knock it out in a tent at altitude is nothing short of incredible.
    Oh, Georgian wine and beer are on tap throughout the trip.
    The camp also has a good Wi-Fi – satellite connection and 220v generator charging for your phones and other devices.  It also has a super hot sauna and a shower too, a delight after a day of riding powder.
    Who else is going?
    The Rider Social books the whole camp out for its private use.  The camp has room for 10 clients but we will only take 5 on this trip.  We also start the group chat / comms early so you can get to know one another before we get there and after living together in close proximity for a week you’ll make new lifelong mountain friends.
    What’s the riding like?
    It really does have it all, steep alpine pitches and insane views await for the sunny days and some of the best and most open forest tree runs we’ve ever ridden that are on hand for poor visibility days.  The East forest features large, open glades and West has fluffy pillow lines for the more adventurous rider.
    Long, fun undulating powder fields serve as the home run back to camp.  We can guarantee you’ll not ride the same line twice, even in the trees.
    The other cool thing is that none of the terrain is difficult to access in split mode.  You’ll not need any boot crampons, harness or axe on this trip – in fact you’ll be hard pressed to make a kickturn or use splitboard crampons.  It’s the perfect week for folks wanting easy access to powder – this isn’t a technical splitting trip ( if technical alpinist splitboarding is your jam then you should be looking at our 5-day Trip and Split sessions that run in the Alps).
    That said, you should be physically prepared to make ascents of approx 1200m + vertical per day.  This could be one single 1200m walk up into the alpine where we’d make one transition at the top before riding down.  In the forest zones, it could be that we make 3 or 4 ascents of 350m each time that require multiple split transitions.
    How good do I need to be to join?
    You’ll all have the ability to float linked turns in deep snow and have the confidence to navigate and tack your way down through the (very well spaced) trees.  We don’t race up on the ascents and we’ll also ensure the descents are suitable for your individual level.
    Racha is a special place and while there are bigger mountains in the Upper Svaneti range you’ll be hard pressed to find a better playground than this.

    Who are the guides?
    Lead Guide: UIAGM Paul ‘Polo’ Verdier
    Polo is a French born UIAGM (IMFGA)  splitboard guide from Evian Les Bains. He is supported by Jones Snowboards and Spark R&D, and has helped  with the safety day training courses for the Jones European Pro Team athletes on their early season safety shred days, here in the Alps.
    Tour Manager & Guide Assist:  Paul Shirley
    Paul is  there to ensure smooth running of the trip, from arrival to departure. He’ll also be the group’s back-marker when on the mountain.
    “How do we get home?”
    After five and a half days of splitboarding we’ll make the descent back down from camp (by snowboard) on Friday afternoon.  At the bottom we’ll be picked up in the jeeps and taken back to Oni and the guesthouse for a farewell lunch and dinner.  Expect the food, wine and chacha (Georgian brandy) to flow while the entertainment is provided by a very talented group of local girls who’ll sing and dance.  Expect to join in the dancing and throw it down, Georgian style.
    Another comfy night in the guesthouse follows and we’ll be picked up by the mini-coach on Saturday morning for the trip back to Tbilisi where the trip ends.  Polo and I tend to stay in the city for the Saturday night, travelling home on the Sunday.  It is worth considering doing the same to check out this quite incredible city, a beautiful, cultural melting pot of East meeting West boasting architecture that will inspire and amaze.  It really is worth exploring while you’re there.
    Got any more video of the place?

     

     

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    24th Jan 2026 – 31st Jan 2026

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  • Splitboard Romania

    A Romanian Alpine Adventure.  Nestled in the Fagaras range of the Carpathian mountains in Transylvania is a gem of a zone.  Backcountry access equipment will be required on most days  to help us make the technical ascents.  The reward is a staggering variety of terrain  to ride – steep couloirs,  big faces and long fields of powder await.

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OUR TEAM

UIAGM Splitboard Guide

Paul Verdier

UIAGM Splitboard Guide

Jean-Yves Fredriksen

BASI 4 Snowboard & Splitboard Instructor

Rory Burton

Crew Support

Paul Shirley

Crew Support

Jeremy Gordon

Lurent Bibollet Splitboard Guide

UIAGM Splitboard Guide

Laurent Bibollet

COURSES FOR ALL LEVELS

We can cater for all level of snowboarder. Introductory splitboard courses teach the fundamental basics of touring. Sessions for splitboard improvers include high alpine trips with a focus on backcountry craft whilst our finely paced hut to hut tours & speciality storm chasing road trips are perfect for those with a little more experience.

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Popular Course

3 DAY CHABLAIS

Splitboard Chablais sessions are designed to be exhilarating & physically comfortable at the same time.

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LATEST BLOG POSTS

Splitboard Chablais

SPLITBOARD TRIP AVAILABILITY 2026

8th July 2025

Splitboard Trips: Winter / Spring 2026 Our scheduled worldwide splitboard trips to Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Norway have started to fill up, some sessions are already sold out.  If you are...

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splitboard Kyrgyzstan

Splitboard Kyrgyzstan

20th February 2025

Splitboard Kyrgyzstan We're back to Jyrgalan, Kyrgyzstan in March and have some new trip developments to share with you. Joining Polo Verdier on guiding duties will be UIAGM splitboard guide...

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Splitboard Georgia

Splitboard Georgia Basecamp Experience

28th August 2025

SPLITBOARD GEORGIA - The RACHA Sessions [embed]https://vimeo.com/1117056006?fl=pl&fe=sh[/embed] Spend nights under the bright stars of the clear Georgian sky in a unique mountain basecamp. Make soul turns through, deep cold powder...

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