Plas y Brenin and the BMC are joining forces to produce Off Piste Essentials, a DVD for off piste skiing, ski touring and ski mountaineering.

Twenty or so years ago off-piste skiing was the preserve of perma-tanned euros, carving up the powder in their florescent suits. The clothing has since changed, the skis are now shorter and fatter, and each season skiiers set out on the hunt for fresh tracks.

As well as those off piste skiing in and around resorts, hundreds go ski touring every spring, undertaking single and multi-day trips in the mountains.

Off Piste Essentials is designed for all skiers wanting to venture into the mountains confidently and safely. The film will follow a group of skiers in Austria as they explore the off piste potential of a ski resort before undertaking a multi day ski tour.

Also included in the DVD will be a series off chapters covering a range of topics, including, clothing and equipment, slope assessment, skiing in glaciated terrain and dealing with emergencies.

The DVD is being written and directed by staff at Plas y Brenin's ski department, who have put together a video storyboard, and will be filmed by Slackjaw productions this March.

The BMC and Plas y Brenin are providing funding, with contributions from both the Jonathan Conville and Benjamin Brabner Memorial Trusts. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

Off Piste Essentials will be the third DVD produced in the successful essentials series, and will be available in the autumn.

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