Theoretical and practical course initiated by Dixie Dansercoer
Highlights
- Supervision by an experienced guide
- Operational preparation for your first polar adventure
- Learning to be self-sufficient in a bivouac
- Theory, practice and safety concepts
- Magnificent setting in the Jura Mountains
- In small groups of 2 to 5 participant
During this hands-on program, Dixie immerses us in a polar environment that will train us in most of what we need to know before setting off on an expedition. For more than two days in the beautiful natural setting of the Chäserstatt plateau, we pull our pulka and learn from Dixie about such subjects as progression and pulling techniques, bivouac conditions, polar environments and orientation, risk anticipation, etc. We also consider essential concepts for preparing an expedition, including detailed knowledge of equipment and the right weight/calories/energy ratio for our diet. Dixie shares with us his experience of his many polar expeditions. This program is ideal for all polar enthusiasts, those who dream of discovering the vastness of the poles and those who already have a specific project in mind.
Overview
For almost 3 days, we will be using hiking boots, snowshoes (or cross-country skis) with pulkas and, depending on conditions, progress and towing techniques, bivouac conditions, polar environment and orientation, dangers to anticipate, physical and mental preparation.....
We also cover essential notions of expedition preparation, from intimate knowledge of equipment to food. Our supervisor shares his expedition experience. This course is aimed at both enthusiasts who dream of discovering the polar immensity and those who already have a concrete project in mind.
Itinerary
Day 0
Our courses are organized in the Jura, where conditions are often capricious and changeable, and temperatures and wind sometimes approach polar conditions.
Our terrain is moderately uneven, mainly in the Monts Jura, whose highest point is the Crêt de la neige (1720m), closely followed by the Reculet (1718m).
Access will be 1 hour from Geneva or 30 minutes from the Valserhone TGV station (01) by car. Cabs or carpooling are available, please ask us.
To meet the different expectations of our participants, we have designed courses with two levels of difficulty: level 1 for those with no experience of polar environments, and level 2 for those planning their first expedition. Depending on your profile, and following a discussion with us and our supervisor, we will guide you towards the course and dates that best match the experience you're looking for.
In all cases, our supervisor will balance the course between practical advice and training on the field.
Around 10 a.m. on day 1, we start the course and our supervisor presents the program for the next 3 days (or 5 days for level 3):
- Essential parameters (wind, cold, sleep, perspiration, recovery, digestion, etc.)
- Typical expedition day (schedule, preparation, active time, breaks, etc.)
- Physical and mental preparation
- Safety (guide's instructions, firearms, watchtower, beacon, gps, satellite phone, headlamp and batteries, weather during the expedition, Ifremmont)
- Equipment (layering system, weight, suitable footwear)
Below you will find the schedule for Level 1 and Level 2 courses:
Day 1: Level 2 course – Progression in expedition and bivouac conditions
Day 1
Lunch together at the gîte (or refuge). Our guide explains the program for our 3-day course. We get organized and prepare for 2 days in the field. We get to grips with our collective equipment. In the afternoon, we set off for the Jura crests, where we each carry our own equipment. We set up our bivouac and tents.
Day 2: Level 2 course – Team spirit and guiding
Day 2
We have breakfast in the tent before dismantling the bivouac, clearing our tracks and preparing the pulkas. We then set off, probably by headlamp light, to enjoy the sunrise over the Monts Jura and make the most of this long day where everyone can try their hand at guiding. We have our picnic facing the Alps, Mont Blanc and a magnificent panorama of nearby Lac Léman. We return to the gîte in the late afternoon. We debrief the day's activities and discuss any areas for improvement.
Day 3: Level 2 course – On the way to self-sufficiency & reminding of instructions
Day 3
We have breakfast together at the gîte. We go over all the important points and tips. We set off on a final field trip to put the advice to good use, make final adjustments and test the equipment. In the afternoon, we return to the gîte and pack up our gear. We have a hot snack during the course debriefing before saying goodbye at around 5 p.m., depending on everyone's schedule.
END OF EXPEDITION
For reasons that cannot be foreseen at this stage, such as unpredictable weather, the physical fitness or lack of fitness of participants or other circumstancess (customs formalities, road conditions, traffic, landslides, force majeure, etc.), your expedition leader may have to adapt the program, if necessary, to ensure the smooth running of your trip. He remains the sole judge and the one who guarantees your safety. Activity times are given as an indication and may vary from one participant to another.
The itinerary for all our expedition programs, or the ascent program for our high-mountain expeditions, are given here as a guide only. They are flexible enough to adapt to weather conditions with a few contingency days. In any case, you should follow the recommendations of your guide, who may suggest that you cancel your expedition due to weather, safety or physical conditions.
It is important to remember that this is a truly unsupported expedition, and that anything can happen. Expeditions Unlimited, your expedition leader, your guide or our local teams can in no way be held responsible.
Any costs incurred as a result of a change in the expedition schedule (extra nights' accommodation, extra flights) will be borne by the participants and not by the organizers. "Contingency days" refer to the expedition in the strict sense of the term (base camp/base camp in the mountains, departure point/exit point on a traverse, etc.).
Any early return of the expedition or of certain members only (early success, abandonment, etc.), generating costs for accommodation, meals, changes to air tickets or other activities not provided for in this program, will be charged in full to the participants.
Trip notes
Guiding
Your instructor is Olivier Bourcet, sports mental trainer and mountain trekking guide. If, for reasons beyond our control, Olivier is unable to lead the group, he will be replaced by another experienced polar guide. The services provided would not be modified, the conditions of the course would remain the same and this change would not constitute a valid reason for cancellation.
For unpredictable reasons at this stage, like adverse weather conditions, insufficient physical condition of participants, insufficient competencies of participants related to the intended activities, your guide may decide to adjust the intended program and/or activities. At all times, his decision will be final on all matters likely to affect the safety and well-being of the trip.
Difficulty level
Level rated: challenging
This program is designed for participants who take part in a regular sports activity several times a week, including endurance activity.
Activity times are between 5 and 8 hours. The elevations are not very steep.
Meeting point
We meet at around 10 a.m. at the meeting point arranged for you by our teams. The venue will in any case be in the Alps, and less than two hours from Geneva.
As participants in this expedition often come from different countries, we have not included the international flights in our price. However, we can reserve these flights for you. Do not hesitate to contact us. If you book your flights, we will give you all directions for your flight plan so that all participants land around the same time. You will need tickets that can be modified.
Accommodations
In a gîte or refuge in the Monts Jura.
For bivouacs, we have a 2-person tent. Each tent is equipped with a stove to melt snow (MSR Reactor type) and to make water for your freeze-dried meals and hot drinks.
Meals
Meals are taken, depending on the accommodation chosen, in a gîte or refuge (mountain hut), then in tents.
Transfers / Transport
No transfers provided. Meet directly at the course site at 10 a.m. Participants' own vehicles can be used to get to nearby activities, according to the program defined with your instructor. We can put you in touch with other participants for car pooling if required.
Group size
The group is composed of 2 to 5 participants maximum. The number of participants is deliberately limited to allow for greater immersion, to avoid embarrassing our hosts, and to develop freedom and flexibility. However, the maximum number may be exceeded if the last person to register wishes to travel with one or more other people. The services will not be modified, and the conditions of the trip will remain the same.
Equipment
All logistical equipment is provided, including tents with mattresses and all collective and individual cooking equipment, stoves with gas cartridges, ropes, etc. Personal equipment is not provided.
Personal equipment is not provided. A full list is provided later in this document. If you're planning an expedition and would like your guide's advice on certain equipment, please feel free to bring it with you to the course.
This course is basically designed for progression on snowshoes, which will be provided for participants. It's also possible to do the course on cross-country skis to prepare for your next expedition. You'll need to bring your own equipment, skis, boots and skins. You can also rent this equipment. Don't hesitate to ask us about it.
We provide the sleeping bag, so please bring your own sleeping bag liner. If you wish, you can bring your own equipment (sleeping bag and pairs of snowshoes).
Our commitments to sustainable development
Our commitment to a better planet has been a reality since the beginning of our story but we always need to do more and better. Please find out more about our charter and our commitments in terms of sustainable development. We have drafted our charter and take action through six themes on which we act as concretely as possible, most often with you: social equity and cultural respect, preservation of water, waste management in expedition, protection of biodiversity, raise public awareness on these subjects and finally, the optimization and recovery of CO2 emissions.
Regarding carbon emissions, most of which are due to air travel, we calculated and communicated in 2018 on the carbon footprint of each of our programs, expressed in tonnes of CO2.
These calculations made us aware of the importance of the total carbon emissions generated by our activity. Also, we have committed in 2022 to a carbon reduction that we believe is unprecedented in the tourism industry, aiming to reduce the total emissions of our activity by 5% per year, taking 2019 as the reference year (3,430 tonnes of CO2). This commitment is in line with the trajectory of the Paris climate agreements of 2015, the current benchmark. Thus, in 2030, we will not entitle ourselves to exceed 2,160 tonnes of C02 and until then, each year, as soon as the carbon footprint budget is reached, we will stop taking any reservations for the current year. Thus, our maximum “carbon” budget for 2024 is 2,950 tonnes and for 2025, this budget will be reduced to 2,800 tonnes. And so on until 2030. To find out more about all of our calculations and our commitments in terms of reducing our carbon emissions.
In addition, since 2019, we have been encouraging you when you book for your journey to contribute with a donation to an independent NGO, among the two we have selected that share the commitments made in our charter. We matched the amount of this donation to this program's carbon footprint. Thus, the journey you are considering generates 0,03 tons of CO2, which corresponds to a 100% donation of €1 for an estimated value today of €30 per tonne of CO2. This donation remains of course optional and you can decide to give between nothing and 100% of this amount. Since 2019, including covid years of 2020 and 2021, we have been able to collect thanks to you nearly €7,000 for these associations.
Please do not hesitate to come back to us with any questions you might have regarding this carbon footprint mechanism, our other sustainable développement commitments or even to share with us your experience through a chat or a mail at contact@secret-planet.com.
Olivier Bourcet, polar guide
Olivier is in charge of polar expeditions at Expeditions Unlimited. In this capacity, he works with our polar guides, in particular those of the Polar Experience team.
He supervises all our polar training courses in the Jura region of France, from beginner to advanced 3-day courses, as well as our crossings of the Jura and Vercors mountains. He also supervises our polar trips in Scandinavia.
A sports mental trainer and mountain trekking guide, Olivier is passionate about the polar environment and the mountains. He has taken part in several expeditions to Greenland and the Himalayas.
With his experience and teaching skills, Olivier will prepare you physically, mentally and practically for your next polar expedition.
Reviews
See you at Level 2 this winter. I'm already looking forward to it !
Marie T.
Dear Marie, thank you for your enthusiastic review of our polar training course. We look forward to the next part !
Geoffrey X.
Thank you, dear Geoffrey, for your feedback and enthusiasm during and after the course.
Anthony X.
Dear Anthony, thank you for your feedback. You and Geoffrey make a great group. See you soon!
Departures and pricing
Please find below all dates and prices for this expedition. Prices are quoted "from" and may be adjusted notably according to the number of participants (see trip notes for details). Please note that dates and prices for years beyond 2024, when given, are for guidance only and are subject to change and readjustment to take account of current economic realities.
No date works for me!
I initiate a new datePrice includes
- Meals as mentioned in the day-by-day guide
- Accommodation in gites in shared rooms and dormitories
- 1 experienced French guide for the group
- Collective technical equipment required for the program (snowshoes, tents, stoves, etc.)
Price does not include
- Transport to the meeting point on the first day
- Any transfers not mentioned in the day-by-day program
- Meals other than those mentioned in the day-by-day program
- Expenses related to early return of the course or of certain members only (early success, withdrawal, etc.), generating costs for transfers, accommodation, meals, modification of air tickets or other activities, not included in this program.
- Tips for your guide
- Personal equipment, including individual polar gear
- Rental of personal equipment, subject to availability (ask us)
- Drinks and personal expenses (sightseeing, cabs, souvenirs, dry cleaning, etc.)
- Travel insurance (assistance, evacuation and repatriation)
Your custom expedition
We put our expertise, our knowledge of the terrain, our creativity, our experience, the quality of our guides and the reliability of our partners at your service to build your custom expedition. We can also personalize an expedition to your wishes as soon as you form a "closed" group, whatever the number of participants.
This means that, unless you authorize us to do otherwise, no outside participants join you, and we can personalize your expedition by adapting it to your own pace, with the program extensions you desire, a higher level of comfort, certain activities, other encounters, etc.
Every expedition of this type is subject to a specific quotation. To get in touch with us now, please fill in the short questionnaire below. One of our experts will get back to you to refine your request and make you a proposal.
Explore all our expeditions and training programs in Europe
Introductory and advanced mountaineering courses in the Alps
Exploration en snowkite des péninsules de Nordkinn et Varanger en Norvège
