North Macedonia

Ski Touring & Mountain Culture 

The mountains are calling – are you ready to follow them? 

Come along to North Macedonia and discover a whole new side to Europe’s mountains. Here, the Shar Mountains await, with snow-capped peaks, deep snow, small mountain communities and plenty of space to learn, explore and challenge yourself. 

In this cultural studies course, we combine ski touring, backcountry skiing, mountain skills and cultural encounters. We will learn to navigate the mountains effectively and responsibly, whilst also getting to know North Macedonian culture and meeting local young people. 

It won’t just be a skiing trip. 

It will be a journey into the mountains – and into a culture that is completely unknown to many Danes.

FROM SKIING TO MOUNTAIN CULTURE

In the cultural programme, we’re moving away from the traditional ski resorts and out into the backcountry. 

Based on the principles of Popova Shapka and SharOutdoors, we will learn how to ski outside the controlled piste areas. We’ll be working on touring equipment, ascent techniques, route selection, weather and snow conditions, group dynamics and basic avalanche awareness. 

Of course, we’ll also have plenty of great days out skiing along the way. 

We’ll get five days of ski touring lessons and two days of snowcat skiing, where we head into more remote areas of the Shar Mountains. 

But the mountains are only one part of the journey. 

THE MEETING WITH NORTH MACEDONIA 

North Macedonia is our classroom outside school. 

We’ll start in the capital, Skopje, where we’ll explore the city’s history and culture. Among other places, we’ll visit Macedonia Square, the Stone Bridge, Kale Fortress and the historic Old Bazaar. 

We carry on to Tetovo and Popova Shapka, where we get a closer look at life in and around the mountains. 

An important part of the cultural studies course is interacting with people. That is why we are going to visit a local school and meet North Macedonian pupils and teachers. 

Here, we will share experiences, introduce our different countries and take part in joint activities. We will discuss, amongst other things, school life, sport, nature, the environment and sustainable tourism. 

For perhaps it is precisely when we meet other young people that we realise just how different – and how similar – we actually are. 

LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE THE MOUNTAINS

Ski touring isn’t just about getting back down again. 

It’s all about being able to get there up. 

We’ll learn how to use touring equipment, fit skins and move efficiently on skis as we make our way up through the mountains. We’ll practise kick turns, learn how to plan the ascent and work on switching between ascents and descents. 

Along the way, you’ll have the chance to take responsibility yourself. 

Among other things, you’ll be helping to: 

• choose a route 

• create an effective skin track 

• plan today’s trip 

• assess weather and snow conditions 

• communicate with the group 

• choose safe stops 

• manage the pace and energy 

• look after your own equipment 

The aim is not for everyone to be an expert. 

The aim is for you to become more independent, more aware and more confident in the mountains. 

MOUNTAIN SAFETY 

When you venture outside the controlled ski areas, you take on a greater responsibility. 

That is why safety is a natural part of the teaching. 

We are introduced to the basics of avalanche awareness and companion rescue. Among other things, we practise using transceivers, probe poles and shovels, and learn about group movement and exposure in the terrain. 

We also work on understanding the weather, snow conditions and the clear signs of terrain that may pose an avalanche risk. 

Important: The culture module is an introduction to avalanche awareness and rescue procedures and is not a certified avalanche course. 

A DAY IN THE MOUNTAINS 

Days in the mountains start early. 

After breakfast, we get our kit ready and go over the day’s weather, conditions and plan. We then take the snowcat out into the terrain, where the day’s lessons and ski touring begin. 

We spend the day learning through practical experience. 

We head uphill, practise techniques, take breaks, work with our equipment and learn to make decisions as a group. When we turn our skis downhill, we get the chance to put what we’ve learnt that day into practice on the snow. 

Back at the hotel, there’s time to relax, have dinner and briefly review the day. 

In the evening, the lessons continue with theory, a discussion of the conditions and planning for the following day. 

The mountains set the pace. 

Weather, snow conditions, visibility and the group’s ability level mean that the programme may change as we go along. 

And that’s part of the experience. 

THE CULTURAL STUDIES SUBJECT – FROM SCHOOL TO THE WORLD

At Ranum, cultural studies are all about experiencing the world. 

In North Macedonia, the world becomes our classroom. 

We shouldn’t just look at the countryside through a bus window. We should meet people, visit schools, explore towns and mountain communities, and investigate how nature, culture and tourism are interlinked. 

Among other things, we’ll be discussing: 

Mountain culture 

How do people live in and around the mountains? 

Outdoor activities and tourism 

What is the significance of winter tourism for the local area? 

Environment and sustainability 

How can we make use of nature without destroying it? 

Youth life 

What is it like to be young in North Macedonia compared to Denmark? 

Community 

How do you work together when you’re dependent on one another in the mountains? 

Academic programmes 

Teaching at the school is based on the following: 

Knowledge of North Macedonia’s culture and history. 

An introduction to and explanation of how to use the equipment we’ll need on the trip. 

Preparing for the cultural exchange. 

Physical training, so that we are as well prepared as possible for active days in the mountains.

YOU’LL GO HOME WITH…

Lots of days on the slopes and even more stories. 

But hopefully also something that will last a bit longer. 

You’ll return home with new experiences in: 

• ski touring and backcountry skiing 

• touring equipment and skiing technique 

• planning and navigation 

• basic avalanche awareness 

• cooperation and communication 

• Responsibility in the mountains 

• nature and sustainability 

• North Macedonian culture 

• meeting young people from a different culture 

And perhaps most importantly: 

You’ll come home having learnt to do something you couldn’t do when you set off. 

PLEASE NOTE!!! 

It is possible to stand on touring skis or a splitboard. This means you can be either a skier or a snowboarder. 

REQUIREMENTS: 

As this involves mountain activities of a certain level of difficulty, it is a requirement that you have At least 6 weeks’ experience on skis or a snowboard, plus the ability to turn and brake safely on blue, red and black runs at a standard ski resort.  

Teachers

Kristian Fog Wogensen

kfw@ranumefterskole.dk

Terms and economy

Self-payment: 11,500 kr.

Pocket money: recommended 1.000 DKK.

Vaccinations:

 

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