Keen to have a go at ski touring next season. Of course Chamonix would be fantastic but having just come back from skiing there I did find it nose-bleedingly expensive. So just as I always think skiing beginners are generally wasting their money going to French or Swiss mega-resorts does the same apply to ski touring? Has anyone had good experiences ski touring in Bulgaria, Italy or lesser known areas in Austria or Switzerland?
Also UCPA (Action Outdoors) do intro to ski touring weeks. Not done one though.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@BenTisdall, there are many, many far better places to start ski touring than Chamonix. (Actually almost anywhere...). Both frok a cost perspective but also a number of people touring perspective and also better terrain for first ski tours. The small French resorts (La Clusaz, Les Contamines, Areches Beaufort, Pralognan etc etc) all have great touring, quite a lot of it with lift-assisted potential to improve the up to down ratio...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I may be biased but the Aravis area offers limitless touring from gentle to extreme. If you're not convinced have a look at "Les Vieux Garçons" YouTube channel.
Oh, and you can expect prices on the hill at Le Grand Bornand to be half those in Chamonix.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Consider Andermatt. Uniquely suitable for day touring due to the railway that's included in the lift pass. The climb up, and ski down Rosbodenstock must rank as one of the best in the alps, although maybe not as your first tour.
Excellent beginner tours by taking the train one stop, touring directly up from the station to the saddle point, loong descent to the train station two or three steps along the line.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Thanks for all the suggestions. A big help!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Only ever toured in Austria so here's my 2 cents... Ronachkopf the far side of Zell Am See, it's an old ski slope that was reopened last year to be used by ski tourers. St Johann is a good starting point too and ski-touring friendly. If you haven't done it before I would recommend easing yourself into it, get to know your equipment, when to step up, use crampons and various other techniques for climbing.
Ski touring in Hochkonig is great too. It's very well set up for it and some great tours. Rent a car and you could do all these spots in a week, maybe throw in a tour in Kitzbuhel at the Bichalm too
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
offpisteskiing wrote:
@BenTisdall, there are many, many far better places to start ski touring than Chamonix. (Actually almost anywhere...). Both frok a cost perspective but also a number of people touring perspective and also better terrain for first ski tours. The small French resorts (La Clusaz, Les Contamines, Areches Beaufort, Pralognan etc etc) all have great touring, quite a lot of it with lift-assisted potential to improve the up to down ratio...
Apart from Simon (offpisteskiing), if you go to the Arêches-Beaufort Leo Rochaix works for the ESF there and is a very good ski tourer. In the Maurienne at La Toussuire Laura Deplanche may be worth looking up, again instructor ESF specialized in ski touring.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Link to a trip report I did on an intro to touring day in Les Contamines
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Depends how much you want to do. Val Thorens do a great tester session, first thing in the morning before the lifts are open, skin up with an instructor, cup of tea and then ski back...all before anyone else is on the slopes
@AndAnotherThing.., I forgot the UK. This is near Bleaklow on 27 Feb 2005:
Don’t think we’ll have an opportunity this year though.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@altis, Like it
I was impressed with the Derbyshire video as the ground looked like pasture and the run seemed reasonably long. Lots of stuff going on the Lakes this year but Snowdonia has been less good.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
More Alpine would be also be to stay in Aosta which opens up a multitude of options.
Yep, the problem with home-grown touring like this is the snow cover. Rarely is it anything better than sketchy so you really have to pay attention on the downhill. Skinning up snow that moves can be really tiring too.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've had a dozen days touring in Scotland so far this winter plus two days on XC skis in Glenmore forest. It's snowing heavily as I type this. Hopefully there'll be touring well into April if you know were to look.
@OwenM, +1. Most winters, Scotland offers consistent cover for touring, this season so far has been no exception and the best part is still to come. But I can imagine the terrain around Warrington is probably not so reliable for the likes of altis
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
My suggestion is the Dolomites.
Came back 3 weeks ago from 9 days day touring here (well 7 touring +2 resort) and it was fantastic.
We used the Baccanti+Tremolada guidebook which was excellent. It's good for starting as it has lots of easy and comparatively safe route suggestions in it; specifically at a quick count 22 routes between ski grade 1.1 and 2.3 / alpine E to F+. This isn't common in many books in my experience. We hired a car, which was cheap from Venice, and based ourselves 1/2 the time in San Martino and the 2nd half in Caprile.
The other good thing is most of these routes you can easily retreat if you don't like the route or conditions. I've only been touring about 5 years and thought to myself at the time that this would be an ideal place to start.
Here's the video from the trip showing the locations if you are interested. Best day and run was from the Cima di Forca Rossa del Pelmo @ 2min46s.
After all it is free
After all it is free
The UCPA Intro week at Argentiere was awesome earlier in the season.
With UCPA pricing it worked out very good value.
The kit they lend you is very good.
The meals great for canteen style.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
For an intro the area around Galtur is amazing. You can either catch a piste basher up to some of the huts and do day tours, or a hut to hut tour over the Silvretta with a guide. From Ischgl to Heidleberger hut is abut an hour and from tehre you can do Jamtal or just a day tour. Great place to start.
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