On Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:48:20 +0000, Pip Luscher
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:01:44 +0100, Ace wrote:

snip

- next year maybe you'll feel up to a proper
mountain-guided trip?

I think that if I did do a guided trip I would probably want it to be
the second week of two.

Yeah, makes sense to get your legs and confidence back first, although
TBH going out with a guide doesn't mean doing stuff any more difficult
that you'll have done with Yann and Dianne. They'll vary routes, and
pace, depending on ability and fitness levels just like an instructor
or SkiClub rep.

Can one hire a guide for half a day or so and specify that one wants
to find some powder that's not too challenging, (Conditions
permitting, obviously) as a sort of warm-up/refresher?

Half-days wouldn't be usual, but it may be worth asking. But certainly
getting a guide for a single day is perfectly normal practice, and if
you tell them what you want they'll try to oblige, I'm sure.

But they ain't cheap, so it'd usually be best if you could get two or
three others together to share costs. Most Ski Club reps will be happy
to arrange a guide for the group on one of the off-piste days, so you
might just like to join one of them...