Ski touring – ‘earn your turns’

By Skier & Snowboarder on 13th November 2020

The need to maintain social distancing during the covid-19 crisis has led to a prediction that there will be a rise in the popularity of ski touring – walking up mountains with skins on the bottoms of your skis to ‘earn your turns’. Iain Martin, Claire Burnet, and Briony Key, all report on why ski touring – for beginners and the more experienced – is the future in a pandemic-affected world

‘Where we’re going, we don’t need lifts!’

by Iain Martin

“All ski lifts will close for the rest of the season. Effective immediately.” Like thousands of other skiers, I was in the Alps when winter prematurely ended in spring 2020 due to covid-19.

I was travelling by train to Andermatt in Switzerland on the day the country’s lockdown started. Before I’d even arrived in resort, I learned there would be no lifts open the next day, as the country took severe measures to control the spread of the pandemic.

Unlike the majority of skiers, however, my plans for the weekend were unchanged. When you go ski touring, who needs lifts?

I did have to change my itinerary slightly. Instead of starting my day via the gondola in the Gemsstock sector, my companions and I took the regular train service to Oberalppass (2044m) to start our climb to the Pazolastock at 2748m.

On this first day of the ‘lockdown’ it seemed as if every skier in Andermatt had the same idea, but as we passed the lighthouse on the pass, the crowd spread out across the open slopes to give us plenty of space.

And yes, I did say ‘lighthouse’. Since 2010 the Oberalppass has hosted the ‘highest lighthouse in the world’: a scale replica of the original, which stood at the mouth of the Rhine in the Netherlands from 1900 to 1970. It now represents the symbolic source of this famous river that flows from the Swiss alps to the North Sea.

For day two, with slightly less favourable weather conditions, we decided to stick to the pistes and climb to Gütsch.

I normally recommend keeping right at the edge of the piste when ski touring, but in a world when no one is coming down, that wasn’t something we had to worry about.

The trek up to Gütsch was a different challenge – a 900m vertical ascent, some of which was very steep and icy. It couldn’t have been achieved without special touring crampons that can be attached to your bindings to give extra purchase to every hard-earned stride.

The pay -off was spectacular as we enjoyed views back to the Gemsstock from the ‘Gutsch by Markus Neff’.

Lunch here normally costs CHF150, but in this unique winter, the terrace was full of picnicking ski tourers tucking into sandwiches and flasks of steaming coffee.

Those picnics in a five-star restaurant say a lot about ski touring – it’s easy to do on a budget. You don’t have to swipe bread rolls from the breakfast buffet to save money, but when ski touring, it’s valid to ask if you need a lift pass.

This coming season, masks will be required on most lifts but even then, do you really want to be stuck in a gondola or cable car with strangers from multiple countries?

A two-day lift ticket for Les 3 Vallees costs €128 this winter and a six-day pass €321. Even in a smaller resort such as Valmorel a lift pass costs €90 for two days and €239 for six.

So why wouldn’t you ski for nothing with cost savings like that?

Obviously, ski touring is a lot harder than taking a lift and cruising to the top by mechanical, rather than physical, means.

It’s only when you ascend a cruisy blue run for the first time that you realise how surprisingly steep it is when you’re hauling yourself upwards.

And if the snow is slightly icy, then even with good quality skins on, you can lose your grip if you don’t have touring crampons as well as a back-up.

And talking of kit, if you’re going to ski tour regularly, then all those lift pass savings can disappear as you discover the multiple ways to upgrade your equipment.

In ski touring, where the goal is to overcome gravity, lighter is always better. And lighter means more expensive.

Owning your own gear isn’t necessary as most hire shops have a good selection of ski touring equipment these days. Avoid hybrid bindings, designed to fit your normal ski boots, and rent specialist boots, perhaps half a size bigger than normal, as you want them more roomy than an alpine fit.

You need to be aware that if you choose to earn your turns, you really will be earning them. Depending on your level of fitness and the terrain, you can estimate that for every 30 minutes skiing down, you’ll spend 2-3 hours going up.

If accumulating distance or vertical on your SkiTracks app is important to you then ski touring isn’t for you (although sharing your ski touring stats should impress your friends!)

All of that should be set against the benefits.

Tiring it may be, but you burn through the calories when ski touring. Estimates vary, but you will probably burn 500-1000 calories per hour when climbing, compared with 200-300 skiing down.

Throw in the fact that you’re exercising at altitude and a week of touring is going to leave you very fit. There’s a reason why top ultra-runner Kilian Jornet spends his winter ski touring in Norway, before his trail running races in the Alps in the summer.

Ski touring will also bring you closer to nature. I’ve spotted deer in Les 2 Alpes and chamois in Chamonix while quietly sliding up tracks through the trees.

And the silence is important too. You don’t have to travel far from the pistes to put the sound of lifts and other skiers into the distance. Forget yoga and pilates, you can find true mindfulness on two skis in the forest when it’s just you and the mountains.

In our current pandemic-affected world, the remoteness that ski touring offers also means you don’t have to worry about social distancing.

And with no lifts, means there’s also no masks required, leaving you free to breath in the clean mountain air.

If you want to save money, get fitter, get away from the crowds and find your inner peace, then why not try ski touring this winter.

To misquote Doc Brown in Back to the Future, “Where we’re going, we don’t need lifts!”

Making fresh tracks in pristine snow

by Claire Burnet

According to recent research, ski touring is currently the biggest niche market worldwide in skiing.

‘Ski de Randonnée’ as the French call it, is simply hiking uphill on skis and then skiing back down. So why bother when you can take the lifts?

Part of the reward of ski touring is the workout involved, but it’s especially about making fresh tracks in pristine mountain environments away from the crowds. It gives you such a feeling of wellbeing, exhilaration and relaxation it just makes you want to start all over again.

The Chamonix valley, flanked on one side by the Mont Blanc Massif and on the other side by the Aiguilles Rouges offers excellent terrain for ski touring. The lifts provide easy access to a mountain wilderness that make this region so special.

Ski touring might be a niche, but it should not be exclusive and for that reason the Chamonix valley has created three ski touring routes accessible to all levels of skier.

These routes are: Les Houches/Prarion – elevation 841m; Argentière/Lognan via la Trapette – elevation 730m; Le Tour/Les Autannes – elevation 701m. It is possible to ski back down on the piste on all three routes.

Once you have mastered the walking uphill with skins on skis technique, you can sample some back country and glacier tours. This involves venturing off-piste, probably into unknown terrain, so be sure to go with a local guide who knows the lay of the land intimately and who can ensure you have a memorable adventure for all the right reasons.

An example of this begins at the Grands Montets. Take advantage of the Bochard lift, which reaches an altitude of 2,766m, and from there a short ski tour up of less than a 300m elevation, will bring you to the Col des Rachasses at 3,030m.

On the other side of the Col is a magnificent 1,000m off-piste descent on the Rognons and Argentière glaciers.

Other famous routes departing from the Grands Montets include the Col du Passon, the Col du Chardonnet and the famous ‘Haute Route’ which links Chamonix with Zermatt. For more glacier experiences, the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842m is a fantastic starting point and many tours finish with a magnificent descent of the ‘Vallée Blanche’.

Equally the Aiguilles Rouge range offers great ski touring terrain, with an incredible backdrop of the Mont Blanc range to enjoy. Classic tours include the Crochues- Bérard traverse, Col des Dards, Col du Beugeant and Mont Buet (also known as the ‘Mont Blanc des Dames’).

Ski touring can be traced back to the days before lifts, but the leap in the design of modern day ski touring equipment means skis, bindings and boots have become lighter and easier to use. This has also made the sport more accessible.

The equipment used for ski touring also works perfectly well on the slopes so no need for two sets of gear. Most ski hire rental shops supply ski touring equipment.

The ski season in Chamonix begins early December and continues through until early May. You can enjoy ski touring throughout the season, but the best time is during March and April.

For more information go to: chamonix.com

Purely Pyrenees offers ‘Try It Out Weekends’

by Briony Key

Purely Pyrenees has added ski touring to its English language holiday programme in the the UNESCO Heritage site of Cirque de Gavarnie which has been described as ‘the most stunning location in the whole of the Pyrenees’.

The company is offering ‘Try It Out Weekends, which begin when, following your arrival at a 3 star hotel such as the Hotel du Tourmalet in Luz Saint Sauver on a Saturday, guests are given a few ski touring lessons on easy tracks nearby.

This is followed by another two days of ski touring before returning home on Tuesday. The trips are designed to be stress free, as Purely Pyrenees organises everything for you including transfers, ski hire, accommodation, meals and, most importantly, a highly qualified guide to ensure your safety.

“Potential clients only need to bring the desire to get a little out of their comfort zone, and of course their sense of humour,” says Sally Simmonds, the sales and communications manager

Anyone thinking of trying ski touring should be at least blue run confident. You don’t need to be super fit, but it’s wise to do some training before you reach the snow.

The French Pyrenees provide a spectacular alternative to skiing in the alps. Steep limestone rock faces that border the valleys give the area a dramatic feel which is softened by the hardy pin a crochets trees which cling to the high mountains and the small, farming hamlets that pepper the landscape.

The Pic du Midi provides a beautiful back-drop to one of the ski touring routes in the Domain de Tourmalet and the Cirque de Gavarnie scenery is breathtaking.

Sally Simmonds, the Purely Pyrenees sales and communications manager

Purely Pyrenees, founded by Vincent Fonvieille, is part of La Balaguère, a successful walking and cycling company that has been offering different holiday experiences in this part of France since 1984. The company was originally aimed at the French market but in 2016 Vincent, who studied in the UK in his youth, saw an opportunity to tap into the British market and Purely Pyrenees was born.

Sally, who is originally from Sussex, was taken on by Vincent to help establish the brand in the UK. She said: “Purely Pyrenees is known as being a reliable provider of enjoyable hiking holidays, and we saw this new venture as an exciting opportunity to share more of our lovely area with our guests. Not just in the summer months, but in the winter too.

“Most are nature lovers who want to enjoy the beauty of the mountains and spend more time in them. We felt ski touring was a natural addition to the outdoor activities we already offer.

“This is a super experience for skiing friends who would like to try something new.”

Here is an example itinerary:

DAY 1: Purely Pyrenees reps meets guests from the Saturday morning London-Lourdes flight and transfer them to their hotel. After checking in, an English-speaking guide will first help select the right equipment for you (included in the holiday price), and then give an introductory lesson on nearby easy trails.

Ski touring time: 1 to 2 hours. Elevation: + 200m / – 200m.

Skins on the bottom of your skis are used to help walk up snow covered slopes

DAY 2: Short transfer to Bareges where the group explores the wonderful mountain landscape around the village. The cable car is used to get higher up without any hard work before skiing on trails especially suited to ski touring. Guests travel through the Lienz pine forest, beside frozen streams and small waterfalls, surrounded by the magnificent peaks including Tourmalet, La Mongie and Quatre Termes before gently descending by way of the beautiful Aygues-Cluses valley.

Ski touring time: 3-4 hours including cable cars etc. Elevation: + 100m / -100m.

DAY 3: It is the day when guests can totally immerse themselves in the natural surroundings, or what the French call ‘plein nature’. After a short transfer, guests ski gently up to a col which offers a magnificent panorama across the UNESCO Heritage site of the Cirque de Gavarnie. From here the group skis on a route chosen by the guide depending on snow, and weather conditions when there are plenty of opportunities to stop to take photographs of the spectacular scenery.

Ski touring time: 3-4 hours. Elevation: + 500 à 900m / – 500 à 900m.

DAY 4: After breakfast on Tuesday morning, guests are transferred to Tarbes-Lourdes airport in time to catch the mid-morning flight back to London.

Transfer time: 30 minutes

TRAVEL FACTS

Prices for a four-day Ski-Touring Try-it Weekend start from £858pp. This includes two and half days ski touring with a guide (no more than eight to a group), three nights in a three-star hotel, plus three dinners and breakfasts – picnic lunches are provided on day two and three – transfers to and from Lourdes Airport, and ski touring equipment.

La La Balaguère (Purely Pyrenees) is a founder member of Action for Responsible Tourism in France and is a holder of an Ecocert certificate, which signifies it has proven its commitment to responsible tourism. This ensures it considers the environment in all decision making, from encouraging responsible tourism, to interacting with the local community where they provide trips

For further information go to: purelypyrenees.com