While most of us wrote off the ski season last year, with lifts shut and borders closed, the lucky few who found themselves in the mountains often had to improvise to get their kicks. There was nothing for it but to climb up under your own steam and — there is even a hashtag for this — #EarnYourTurns.
From the Cairngorms to the French Alps, equipment sales and rentals rocketed. Ski touring shifted up a gear and will never look back. It ticks endless boxes — open spaces, solitude, adventure, health and wellness goals, not to mention a lower impact on the landscape.
If all this sounds to you like too much hard work, you’re not alone. I vacillate between love and dogged perseverance. Nevertheless, after a few days in Verbier giving hut-to-hut touring a go, I’m hooked on the freedom of “skinning” — adding the grippy covers to my skis so I can climb up as well as slide down slopes. I’m also hooked on the joy of watching the sun rise at altitude, knowing the first run of the day is all mine.
In Le Châble earlier this year, fresh off the train from Geneva, I left my suitcase in storage, hired lightweight touring skis and set off up the valley in a taxi, with a mountain guide and a few overnight essentials in my backpack. Soon after we were clipping in and ascending through the forest by moonlight so bright there was no need for a torch. The air was still, the boughs of the trees voluminous with glistening powder.
After a three-hour climb, gaining 800m in height, we reached Cabane Brunet for fondue and a glass of wine. The roe deer mounted on the walls sported surgical masks, though we had the place to ourselves — by all accounts it fills up later in the season, as the days grow longer.
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In our newly renovated dorm room a platform was laid out with mattresses in a neat row, each with duvet and pillow; hut etiquette is to bring your own sleeping-bag liner. I’m more of a glamper than a happy camper, so the hut guardian became my new best friend when he presented me with a token for a hot shower, timed for a strict seven minutes in order to conserve water. He also made us a packed lunch the next morning, a simple ham sandwich with chunky bread to keep us going.
The following day began before dawn, with a good two-hour ascent before the sun peaked over the mountain to our left. Onwards we climbed, until we were caught up by a father and his teenage sons. Obviously local, very fit, they were rushing up from the valley floor, in training for the Patrouille des Glaciers — a hardcore ski mountaineering race organised by the Swiss army.
We waved them on and took our own path off to the right, drawn by a beautiful, pristine expanse. Tracing S curves is always a joy and the sensation is heightened when it includes the knowledge that you only get one run down. So off we went, weaving our way through the trees and finally reaching a car park where a taxi was waiting for us, ready to take us to Le Châble.
Rejoining the piste-map area, we caught the lifts up to Cabane Mont Fort, a renowned hut towards the top of Verbier’s slopes. We arrived just in time to see off the last of the lunchtime guests and enjoy the sunset all to ourselves on the terrace, savouring a warming Jagertee.
Inside a smorgasbord of cured meats, cheeses and rosti awaited us, with plenty of wine and schnapps. Upstairs it was another token-timed shower and a bunk smothered in a cosy duvet. Sleep was blissfully easy and, at first light, I ventured out to watch pink tinges appear on the distant ridges as I played catch-the-snowball with the resident dog.
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After a hearty breakfast we set off for the drops and gullies of the Rock Garden valley, navigating a mini couloir to blow away the cobwebs before a half-hour traverse-and-climb. Not one to disappoint, my guide, Richard Michellod, again delivered fresh tracks. We bounced all the way to the bottom before catching the gondola back up for our final descent to Verbier.
Our last route took us past beautiful old mayens — wooden huts used as staging posts when herders put livestock out to pasture in the summer months. As we reached a clearing above the town we found a bench and unclipped for a chat in the sun.
Verbier satisfies a range of ski-touring fans, Richard told me — those who like big mountains with no lifts and those who want access to interesting routes just that bit further than you’d like to walk carrying skis. The age range is huge: the older crowd seek tranquillity in nature while the young enjoy the adventure.
Most go for the creature comforts of a chalet at night, and I’d normally be one of them. Our Alpine huts, though, were at the luxury end of the spectrum — many others are much more basic, as touring-veteran friends back home were quick to tell me. But the ski-touring experience? An exhilarating combination of silence, scenery and escapism.
Annabel Illingworth was a guest of Cabane Brunet, which has half-board dormitory beds from £65pp (cabanebrunet.ch), and Cabane Mont Fort, half-board from £75pp (cabanemontfort.com). Guiding for up to six from £490 a day (guideverbier.com). Fly to Geneva
Ski touring: a beginner’s guide
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Intermediate skiers and up who are confident on red runs and the odd bit of powder should be well positioned to give touring a go. Skinning uphill is a workout and the fitter you are the easier it will be — but you control the pace and can take as many stops as you like.
Choose a gentle slope for your first attempt and always go with a guide or someone experienced to show you the ropes and offer safety advice. In the UK relevant groups include the Eagle Ski Club, the Alpine Ski Club, Scottish Ski Club and the Ski Club of Great Britain.
Some resorts have dedicated “skimo” training tracks and there are plenty of recommended routes in the back country. Off-piste it’s always easier to follow in someone else’s tracks than break in fresh snow. You usually climb a hill in zigzags, which means learning how to do a kick-turn to change direction.
Equipment has come on in leaps and bounds. The kit takes a little getting used to, especially clipping in if you have pin bindings. Lightweight boots and skis are best for long tours. For a combination of piste and powder, heavier hybrid boots and all-mountain skis with pin or hybrid bindings will provide more stability and grip — but they are harder work on the ascent.
Keeping down the weight you carry is a fine art, bordering on obsession for many. Only take the essentials, which include water, an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe — and know how to use them. This year Ortovox has brought out the first transceiver with voice navigation, which is aimed at beginners upwards, has an impressive battery life and useful avalanche videos online.
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Wearing the right clothing is key. Going uphill generates a lot of body heat, so layering and breathable fabrics are essential. You could get away with downhill gear for short sessions, but realistically you will need dedicated outer gear if you intend to do this regularly.
Last but not least, snacks. Gum drops for marathon runners will help keep energy levels up or you could go all out and make protein balls to share with your companions. You’ll win brownie points and they might even offer to break the trail first.
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