Ski touring

Skiing on unmarked or unpatrolled areas Free moving heels during the ascent are a defining characteristic of ski touring. After reaching the mountain top or other destination, the heel portions of the special touring bindings are fixated such that the skis behave like normal alpine skis on the typically long ride downhill. Marked ascent track of a previous ski tour to the Wildspitze (3.768 m) in Tyrolia in Austria. The route leads over the glacier Taschachferner, whereby the mountaineers made a detour around an area with open crevasses (middle). A descent from a mountain in Switzerland. Ski touring is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas. Touring is typically done off-piste and outside of ski resorts, and may extend over a period of more than one day. It is similar to backcountry skiing but excludes the use of a ski lift or transport. Ski touring can take place anywhere that has suitable snow and terrain as well as reasonable means of access to the trailhead, i.e. plowed roads, snowcats, aircraft or public transport. Ski touring combines elements of Nordic and alpine skiing and embraces such sub-disciplines as Telemark and randonnée. A defining characteristic