I'm relatively new to ski touring - it's something I only took up a couple of seasons ago as my friends and I looked to expand the skiing we were doing.
Touring is an activity that more and more people are getting involved in. The sense of accomplishment that comes with completing a tour, and the increased chances of scoring perfect untouched powder, are just two of the reasons people ski tour.
It can seem really daunting to take up touring. The mountains can be dangerous places, and touring sends you out into the unknown and away from civilisation.
But touring isn't that difficult from skiing off piste, and is hugely rewarding. For those of you experienced in backcountry or those just starting out, here is Skiing Unlocked's guide on how to ski tour.
Get The Gear
This is the most important first step. Ski touring gear is different that normal ski gear, especially the skis and boots. Whatever you do, don't try and ski tour with normal alpine skis, bindings and boots - you're going to have a bad time.
Touring bindings - the bit that attaches your boots to your skis - are made up of a pincer of pins at the toe. These slot in to matching divots in the toe piece of touring boots and act as a pivot. The heel of the binding can feature several different styles of binding, but every one of them is designed to release and tuck away; you can therefore pivot the toe around the toepiece of the binding to step forward, bring the heel up, and push forward with the toe of the boot.
There are loads of other minor differences between touring boots and skis, and normal alpine set-ups.
Touring skis are straighter, lighter and feature notched in the tip and tail to hook skins through.
Touring boots are lighter, too, but also more upright and feature the required pin divots on the toe piece something not all alpine boots have.
You will also need skins; these are pieces of fabric that stick to the bottom of your skis, and, because all the hair - synthetic, mohair or a blend of both - is brushed in a single direction, will grip the snow and act as a brake, stopping you from sliding backwards down the hill as you climb!
All of this gear is available from good quality rental shops, especially in resorts that offer good touring opportunities. Expect the usual drawbacks with rental equipment, but as with downhill gear the quality is really improving across the board.
You also need to think about the clothes you wear. You dint need a brand new wardrobe to tour in, but bring layers that you can easily swap between.
You can easily start out bathed in sunshine and warmth, and be touring in a t-shirt, and generating a lot of your own heat, too - but remember, the atmosphere loses a degree of temperature for every 100m elevation you gain, and if the wind picks up as you become more exposed, you can really feel the chill. A lightweight, semi-windproof insulating layer is a must-have; I use my Arc'teryx Atom SL vest for exactly this purpose.
Find a Route
There are loads of great routes to get started with ski touring. The best thing to do is to go with friends who have been before, or hire a guide to show you the basics.
Remember, never venture out into the backcountry alone, unless you are familiar with the terrain you are travelling in, it is overwhelmingly safe, the avalanche risk is incredibly minimal, and other people know where you are going and what time you are expected back.
A guide is by far the best way for absolute rookies to experience ski touring. They will know the ski area like the back of their hands and be able to suggest routes that match your fitness, off piste ability and your aims. They will also consider avalanche safety so you (almost) don't have to.
Second best is to DIY your ski tour. This is only suitable for experiences backcountry skiers who are familiar with avalanche safety and know how to deal with emergencies should they happen.
There are a variety of mapping software out there that will help you identify suitable routes. Unfortunately, the best of these was FATMAP, but since it's purchase by and integration with Strava in October 2024 it is not yet known how effective this new model will be.
Your first ski touring route will be very gentle. We first toured Balme de l'Ours in Val d'Isere, a short, 90 minute tour that was more like a traverse than a beast of a climb.
Many of these routes will be very well tracked and with plenty of people on them as you go; it will therefore be really difficult to get lost or lose track of where you are aiming for.
It is really possible to DIY your own first ski tour; just make sure you plan carefully and know what to look out for as you go.
Build Your Technique
Ski touring technique is basically a form of complicated walking. However, rather than picking your whole foot up of the ground, simply raise the heel and slide forward with through the toe of your boot.
It will be really tempting to pick up the whole boot and ski with you as you go. Try to avoid this as much as possible, as doing so wastes energy picking up the full weight of the ski.
When the terrain gets steeper, don't forget to flick down the little platforms in your bindings that will stop you falling backwards!
And don't worry, your kick turns will be awful when you first start - thankfully this is not a style contest!
What's a kick turn, I hear you cry?! When you need to make a turn on steep uphill terrain, you need to execute a nearly 180° turn in just two steps. Start by firmly planting your downhill ski in the snow, parallel to the angle of the hill. Swing your uphill ski around as close as you can to 180° the other way, transfer your weight to it, and bring the downhill ski round to join in. This is a move that requires flexibility and confidence in your technique, so don't be afraid if it takes a you a few goes to get it right!
And finally, fitness. You need to be fit to ski tour. Not Iron Man triathlon fit, but enough to hike at altitude with gear on. You'll also find yourself running away up the hill, so make sure to keep your pace in check to ensure you don't have to pause every few minutes!
And that's about it. Make sure you are generally abiding by the rules of backcountry skiing, so stay within your abilities, makes sure you have a known, shared and understood goal for the day, and keep the group together at all times.
Final Thoughts
I've loved ski touring ever since I started only a couple of seasons ago. Some of the best powder we've been able to find has been thanks to striking out into the unknown, and the feeling of satisfaction you get from completing a your unscathed is unparalleled. So why not give it a try? Get the gear, find a route, build your technique and away you go!
.jpeg)
Comments