 Poster: A snowHead
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Reality of the touring boom was driven home to me today. We visited Diemtigtal to do a lovely short ski tour up the Meniggrat.
This is a fabulous tour of 700m ascent through easy terrain on totally north facing land.
The entire hillside was skied out! Impossible to know how many tourers had been up there but the figure was vast!
My first time on the tour was about 8 years ago with a Swiss Alpine Club group, similar time of year...possibly 20 sets of tracks.
The weather pattern could be a contributory factor, good snow a week ago, fabulous settled weather during the week and an ever improving avalanche forecast.
The surge could well have begun last winter with a desire to get away from the crowds, it will be interesting to see if it is sustained.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Easy 700m tour on north facing slopes is always going to be popular during a period of sustained sunshine.
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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?
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Go retro and take up carving again on empty pistes
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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There are noticeably more people out on AT gear in St Anton this year.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Never seen so many ski tourers at any ski area as we saw two Saturdays ago on an afternoon at Imst in the Austrian Tirol.
We were skiing on piste, with every descent passing an endless procession of people skinning up each side of the runs. It was non-stop in the 3 or 4 hours we skied. Must have passed dozens of ski tourers.
So, yes, looks like boom times for ski touring
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Guess it is a natural progression from more people getting into skiing, more people looking for the 'next' thing and a reaction away from crowded motorway slopes. Plus rise in adventure lifestyles/travel/sports. Also better kit.
Plus its obviously much more fun 
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It's the unvaccinated people who are forbidden to buy a lift ticket. 
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
Never seen so many ski tourers at any ski area as we saw two Saturdays ago on an afternoon at Imst in the Austrian Tirol.
We were skiing on piste, with every descent passing an endless procession of people skinning up each side of the runs. It was non-stop in the 3 or 4 hours we skied. Must have passed dozens of ski tourers.
So, yes, looks like boom times for ski touring |
I have never been touring so maybe I am missing something but why would you skin up a slope? (where presumably there is a perfectly good lift).
I thought the point of this was to get away from the crowds and into back country that lifts do not serve ?
Seems faintly masochistic otherwise.
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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.
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@sheffskibod, for exercise - training in a relatively safe environment
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| sheffskibod wrote: |
| mountainaddict wrote: |
Never seen so many ski tourers at any ski area as we saw two Saturdays ago on an afternoon at Imst in the Austrian Tirol.
We were skiing on piste, with every descent passing an endless procession of people skinning up each side of the runs. It was non-stop in the 3 or 4 hours we skied. Must have passed dozens of ski tourers.
So, yes, looks like boom times for ski touring |
I have never been touring so maybe I am missing something but why would you skin up a slope? (where presumably there is a perfectly good lift).
I thought the point of this was to get away from the crowds and into back country that lifts do not serve ?
Seems faintly masochistic otherwise. |
There are lots of people around here who do it for purely for fitness, just as an alternative to running or cross-country.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| kat.ryb wrote: |
| @sheffskibod, for exercise - training in a relatively safe environment |
Ah I see - that is fair enough .
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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.
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Aussois is full of ski tourers, snowshoers and just uphill walkers this week. Very quiet though and plenty of room for all.
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| kat.ryb wrote: |
| @sheffskibod, for exercise - training in a relatively safe environment |
I’d council would be tourers to watch the video posted this morning of an ESF instructor doing Super G down a piste 
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You know it makes sense.
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| JamesHJ wrote: |
| kat.ryb wrote: |
| @sheffskibod, for exercise - training in a relatively safe environment |
I’d council would be tourers to watch the video posted this morning of an ESF instructor doing Super G down a piste |
Haven't seen that. Link please?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
| JamesHJ wrote: |
| kat.ryb wrote: |
| @sheffskibod, for exercise - training in a relatively safe environment |
I’d council would be tourers to watch the video posted this morning of an ESF instructor doing Super G down a piste |
Haven't seen that. Link please? |
Et voila:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=4918615#4918615
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Poster: A snowHead
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A brief conversation with one of the Leysin based British mountain guides.
Touring numbers increased exponentially over the last two seasons.
Knowing the Alpes Vaudois as well as he does he is still digging out great powder. Interestingly below 1800m, avoiding the stronger winds higher up.
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