X-Team Advanced Ski Clinic //
Valle Nevado, Chile
The X-Team members are wily veterans of the U.S. steep-skiing world. The five-man crew—brothers Dan and John Egan, Eric and Rob Deslauriers, and Dean Decas—has been offering top-quality steep-skiing clinics in North America, South America, and Europe for the past 16 years. But their cred goes beyond the classroom: These pioneers of the extreme-ski movement have notched countless magazine covers, ski-porn appearances, and first descents. For one week in mid-August each year, they bring their skills and knowledge to Valle Nevado, Chile, a resort known for supreme off-piste terrain and an annual average of more than 24 feet of light, dry snow. According to Dan Egan, "extreme" describes your enjoyment level, not your anxiety level at the clinic. Still, those with big-mountain ambitions stand to gain the most from the collective experience of these guides. With more than 22,000 acres of skiable terrain and a 12,045-foot summit, Chile's largest resort has an abundance of steeps, rocky couloirs, alpine bowls, and powder fields that make it an ideal classroom. For the price of the weeklong clinic you'll also get access to El Colorado and La Parva, two smaller, less crowded resorts nearby, plus nightly meals at local four- and five-star restaurants and optional heli-skiing.
Dates: August 11–19
Price: $3,199 (heli-skiing costs up to an additional $550 per day)
Contact: 800-983-2670, www.skiclinics.com