Do you find the ‘up and down’ of the ski resorts a bit monotonous? Do you long to explore off piste lines far into the backcountry, away from the masses? If ski pass prices make you wince and you want to escape to the wintry wilderness, ski touring may be for you!
More and more walkers and alpine skiers are being converted to ski touring. It’s the best of both worlds, and each trip is an adventure.
Ski touring requires specific equipment - skis with touring bindings, ski touring boots, climbing skins, ski crampons and of course avalanche safety equipment.
Have the right ski clothing is also important – ski touring is hard work, so you’ll need clothes with maximum breathability.
The past few years has seen the rise of "free touring". This is the idea that, when ski touring, we needn’t sacrifice the pleasure of downhill skiing by demanding an easy, lightweight hike up.
Instead, some manufacturers are now focusing on weight optimisation and floatation of their touring skis – because why choose between an easy ride up or an awesome ride down when you can have both?!