Skiing is one of the most popular extreme sports in the world, so it won’t surprise you to learn that there is more than one kind of skiing.
You may have heard of ski touring, as distinct from other, more common types of skiing—but what exactly is ski touring?
Ski touring is skiing through backcountry, or otherwise less trodden paths than marked and dedicated skiing slopes or pistes. A defining and important characteristic is that the skiis feature free heels, to allow the skier to glide more naturally along varied terrain. It’s effectively cross-country skiing.
So, whereas ordinary skiing has you going down the slopes designated and modified for that purpose, ski touring is more about trekking the slopes to find a variety of terrain to ski on.
From the steepest parts of the mountain to the long, flat plains and valleys, nothing is off the cards.
Let’s find out more.
What is the difference between touring and regular skiing?
There are a quite a few differences between the two activities, but the main differences are just in how you traverse the landscape.
In regular alpine skiing, at a ski resort, you’ll have a chair lift usually to take you to the top of the slopes.
You can just sit back as you are carried to the top.
Ski touring has no place for this kind of thing. It’s as much about traversing the landscape as it as about the actual skiing.
The point is largely that you are out in the backcountry, off the beaten trail, making your own way around and finding places and slopes to ski on.
Once you’re down a slope, you’re down it, and you’ll have to walk back up if you want to do it again.
But the overall aim is naturally different.
Thus, it involves different equipment.
As I mentioned, free heeled skis, or touring skis, are important to give you the freedom to move along varied terrain.
Being able to move your heels makes it easier to essentially walk with your skis still on.
Unless you are very confident, experienced, and have knowledge of the local area, ski touring is also usually done with a guide, rather than alone.
There are many designated ski touring areas, where you can get maps and are free to roam around at your leisure.
But it’s very easy to get lost if you are truly alone and off the beaten track.
How easy is ski touring, then?
Is ski touring easy?
No, ski touring really isn’t all that easy.
It requires a good deal of stamina and endurance, as you’ll be out trekking for long periods of time.
It also is generally a lot more arduous to walk with your skis on, too, making it even harder.
That said, there are usually many routes available depending on where you are, and some will be more accessible than others.
You don’t need to be the most physically fit person in the world, capable of running all day long.
Just make sure you have the stamina to be out for a long period of time, and that you aren’t having any issues with your joints or anything similar.
Ski touring is by no means easy, but it isn’t the hardest thing in the world, either.
If you’ve never tried it before, it is definitely a good idea to speak to a guide beforehand, even if they just give you the advice and point you in the right direction.
They can let you know how difficult or straightforward a certain trail is, and you can make a decision about your capability of doing it based on first-hand knowledge.
Can I use touring skis for downhill?
Yes, you definitely can use touring skis for downhill skiing.
It usually is not most people’s first choice, but it’s certainly an option.
You’ll need to adjust the speed for icy conditions, but most touring skis do react to slopes the same as alpine skis.
If you are going to be doing a lot of both kinds of skiing, it’s definitely worth considering having two separate sets of skis.
While touring skis will work downhill, and sometimes without even much adaptation from your usual technique, downhill skis will usually give you better speed and traction.
What about ski touring with ordinary ski boots?
Can you ski tour with regular boots?
Ski touring with regular boots is not really a good idea.
Some tours do allow for the use of alpine ski boots, but you’ll get a lot of advantage out of using proper, specialized boots.
At best, you’ll just be a bit uncomfortable—but this can become incredibly grating after an arduous day on the trail.
At worst, though, some regular boots are just going to be completely impractical for ski touring.
It’s to do with the bindings, which you’ll find in either tech or frame bindings.
As I mentioned, for ski touring, you really want your ankles to be able to lift from the ski.
Without this feature, walking on the slopes is many, many times harder.
So, I would definitely advise getting some special tour boots.
They’ll do you a world of good out there.
Ski touring is quite a different activity from regular skiing, then.
It can be a lot more physical arduous and is more of an endurance exercise than regular skiing.
That said, it’s also a fantastic way to explore and adventure round stunning landscapes, and there’s emphasis on more than just the high-speed glides down slopes.
If you’ve never tried it, it could certainly be for you!
