I would say guides are good value if say a group of 4. most guides are about 3-400 euros a day. you can learn alot from them if you ask. many clients like to guided and don't care about mountain craft so sometimes the guide just "guides"
I have used loads of guides over the years all over the alps
Neil Mcnab
Rick Marchant
Phillipe Andre
Seb Montaz
Cerdic Mercet
Simon Christy
have hung down crevases, dug snow holes, learn rope knots - but also ridden terrain I would not feel comfortable on without their knowledge, especially glaciated and opening a slope when there has been heavy fresh snowfall.
Equally in places I know well,like Grand massif where I have a family place, valdisere, whistler and morzine where I used to skibum - I never use guides and have just learnt the routes over the years following tracks and locals - of course with a few close calls etc.
Rob, which airbag do you have? thinking of the snowpulse guide 30l or the Mammut 30l. hopefully big enough to get snowshoes in? and easier to fly with compared to the ABS
