SKI TOURING TRIPS
ON TOURING SKIS AROUND THE WORLD
EUROPE
Beyond the Alps, Europe has many other rewarding destinations for ski touring trips
CRETE
Greece
A very special corn-snow paradise awaits us on the Greek island of Crete. Carving fine turns in perfect corn snow straight down into the olive groves, always with the azure water of the Mediterranean in view, and in the evening talking shop over Greek wine about the ski technique you showed off on these perfect slopes. Crete is definitely an exotic ski touring destination that not everyone has on their radar. Yet the conditions on this island so far south are actually not bad at all. High mountains rise almost 2,500 metres out of the Mediterranean. In the coldest months, especially December, there is a great deal of precipitation, which in good winters builds a deep snowpack that can last into April on the slopes of these otherwise barren scree mountains. Add to that a climate that produces corn-snow conditions you would normally only know from southern ski touring areas such as the Abruzzo.
SCANDINAVIA
Ski touring trips to the far north. Scandinavian countries such as Norway or Iceland are ski touring paradises, with descents all the way to the sea. And depending on when you travel, magical northern lights in the sky.
ICELAND
Tröllaskagi
Iceland ski touring trip: the island of fire and ice, known for its magical landscapes and the warm hospitality of the Icelanders. It is the largest volcanic island in the world; nowhere else are glaciers and fire so close together. Our ski touring trip takes us to the north of the island, where we stay in cosy accommodation right on Iceland's largest fjord. Ski tours of 800 - 1,200 vertical metres and wide slopes offer ideal terrain for maximum descent enjoyment – and we can carve our turns right down to the sea. Afterwards we warm up again in one of the many hot pots (Iceland's natural hot springs) or relax in the in-house jacuzzi. Ski touring is not the only reason to visit Iceland, though. Of course, we will not miss out on the island's most beautiful natural treasures either, and can enjoy them at a very quiet time of year for tourism.
LOFOTEN
Norway
The Lofoten Islands in the far north of Norway are surely among the most beautiful and magical places on earth. A wild mountain range, deeply cut by countless fjords, with peaks of up to 1,150 metres offers ideal terrain for varied, dreamlike ski tours with descents right down to the sea. Idyllic little towns and our cosy accommodation with its own sauna are perfect for recovering from the ski tours and simply unwinding. On one night or another we will also head out in search of the mystical Northern Lights. From February to early April the chances of seeing them in all their glory are especially good.
LYNGEN
Norway
Lyngen lies in the far north of Norway, 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle to be precise. This means that the sun does not rise here from the end of November to mid-January. In March or April, when we plan our trip to Lyngen, the days will already be about as long as they are in the Alps in midwinter. That means more than enough daylight for unforgettable ski tours from summits up to 1,800 metres high right down to the beaches of the Norwegian Sea. After dinner, as soon as it gets dark, we will head out in search of the mystical and breathtaking Northern Lights; the chances are particularly good in this region. We will stay in a wonderfully cosy apartment with its own sauna, where we can relax and recharge after our ski tours.
ASIA
Distant cultures and deeply snow-covered, exotic landscapes. In Japan, Asia is home to one of the snowiest countries on our planet. But the largest continent has many more rewarding destinations to offer.
JAPAN
Hokkaido
"Japow" – a word that makes every freerider's heart beat faster. Hokkaido's unique climate means not only that plenty of snow falls in winter (15–20! metres), but also that it is especially light and stays that way. Japanese powder is probably the best you can find anywhere in the world. On this ski touring trip to Japan, though, we don't just dive deep into the powder, but also into a foreign culture with wonderful customs and culinary delights. Of course, after a long day in the snow, the obligatory visit to an onsen, Japan's hot springs, is a must. We'll climb a few summits under our own steam to enjoy superb views and ski untouched slopes, and we'll also often use the lifts to clock up as many vertical metres of descent as possible in the "Japow".
GEORGIA
Gudauri and Kazbek
Our ski touring trip to Georgia takes us to the freeride mecca around Gudauri, which, besides breathtaking mountain scenery with numerous 3,000-metre peaks, also promises reliable snow well into May. Gudauri already lies at over 2,000 metres above sea level and could hardly be better placed as a base. No trees, just wide, open ski slopes define this region. Here we will acclimatise for the second part of the trip with plenty of vertical metres of descent and great ski tours to the surrounding summits. Not far to the north (less than an hour's drive) lies Stepantsminda, a small mountain village at the foot of the easternmost 5,000-metre peak in the Caucasus: the 5,054-metre Mount Kazbek. Over several stages and huts we will approach this magnificent ski mountain and, as the highlight of the trip, hopefully stand together on its breathtaking summit.
RUSSIA
Siberia
A ski touring trip to one of the remotest corners of the earth. Siberia stands for landscapes on an unimaginable scale. A land of superlatives, so it is only fitting that we will be right by the largest and deepest freshwater lake on earth, Lake Baikal: to be precise, south of it in the Mamay Mountains. An area where finest powder snow is guaranteed from as early as the end of November. The unique climatic and geographical conditions, with cold temperatures combined with a lake that has not yet frozen over, bring plenty of precipitation in the form of snow from late autumn onwards. Temperatures that stay constantly below freezing ensure that this fine powder stays that way. Once the lake freezes over later in the winter, the climate becomes much drier and there is hardly any precipitation.
SOUTH AMERICA
In the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed, so we simply turn damp autumn days in Europe into spring and corn ski tours on the peaks and slopes of the Andes.
CHILE
Volcanoes and corn snow
Volcanoes instead of classic Alpine peaks, araucaria trees instead of larches, and corn snow instead of powder and crust. Southern Chile offers ski mountaineers a landscape that initially seems almost unreal. Around Malalcahuello, Pucón, and Puerto Varas, towering volcanoes stand side by side, their uniform flanks often covered in perfect firn fields during the Chilean spring, just waiting to be skied. And then there are the distinctive, ancient araucaria trees, among which we carve our tracks at the foot of these volcanic mountains.
