guided mountain adventure
Ski touring in the Silvretta Alps is perfect for the intermediate ski tourer. The Silvretta Alps consist of seventy 3,000m peaks along the Austrian/Swiss border, including the highest peak in the region, the famous Piz Buin. On this ski tour you will have the chance to bag a number of peaks including the Piz Buin if conditions are right. The area is surrounded by glaciers, giving the area its alternative name - the Blue Silvretta.
The huts are amongst the best in the Alps - excellent food, hot showers and plenty of beer! The tour starts and finishes in Galtür in Austria. The stunning glacial terrain is ideal for ski tourers with a penchant for 'peak bagging' as there are so many to go at! Huts open in mid-February so this is a great early season ski tour.
Day 1
Arrive in Galtür. Meet up with the guides for welcome meeting, kit check and briefing on the itinerary for the week. Stay overnight in Galtür.
Day 2
We start with a short road transfer to Ischl where we'll spend the first few hours doing some runs on and off-piste. A 1-day lift pass costs about 42 Euros. After lunch we ascend to the top of the Palinkopf lift for the 2 hour skin over the Piz Val Gronda (2611m) to the Heidelbergerhutte where we stay the first night.
Day 3
Today we traverse from the Heidelbergerhütte to the Jamtalhütte taking in the summit of the Breite Krone (3097m).
Day 4
Peakbagging from the Jamtalhütte. Lots of options depending on weather and snow conditions. On previous visits our preferred summit has been the Hintere Jamspitze (3156m). Return to the Jamtalhütte for a second night.
Day 5
Leave the Jamtalhütte and head for the Wiesbadenerhütte, another well located and comfortable hut. Optional ascent of the Dreilanderspitze (3197m) en-route.
Day 6
Day tours from the Wiesbadenerhütte. If conditions are good Piz Buin (3312m) is a good option. Return to the Wiesbadenerhütte for a second night.
Day 7
Our last day - we traverse back from the Wiesbadenerhütte to Galtür. Enjoy a final night in the hotel.
Day 8
Departure following breakfast.
❄ Private group departures available on request from mid-February until end April ❄
| Dates | Accommodation | Price | Availability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sat 22 Feb 14 - Sat 01 Mar 14 |
7 nights |
£1,095 |
||
|
|
Sat 08 Mar 14 - Sat 15 Mar 14 |
7 nights |
£1,095 |
There are lots of options for week-long tours and the exact chosen itinerary will depend on the conditions and the preferences/aspirations of the group.
We recommend a tour where you spend a couple of nights in each hut which will make the tour more relaxed with the emphasis on comfort and enjoyment! There are plenty of route variations depending on weather and snow conditions. You’ll need to carry ice-axe and crampons but there is no full-on alpinism involved.
For a more advanced group we can include additional peaks including Piz Buin (3312m) and Piz Fliana (3281m).
Day 1
Arrive in Galtür. Meet up with the guides for welcome meeting, kit check and briefing on the itinerary for the week. Stay overnight in Galtür.
Day 2
We start with a short road transfer to Ischl where we'll spend the first few hours doing some runs on and off-piste. A 1-day lift pass costs about 42 Euros. After lunch we ascend to the top of the Palinkopf lift for the 2 hour skin over the Piz Val Gronda (2611m) to the Heidelbergerhutte where we stay the first night.
Day 3
Today we traverse from the Heidelbergerhütte to the Jamtalhütte taking in the summit of the Breite Krone (3097m).
Day 4
Peakbagging from the Jamtalhütte. Lots of options depending on weather and snow conditions. On previous visits our preferred summit has been the Hintere Jamspitze (3156m). Return to the Jamtalhütte for a second night.
Day 5
Leave the Jamtalhütte and head for the Wiesbadenerhütte, another well located and comfortable hut. Optional ascent of the Dreilanderspitze (3197m) en-route.
Day 6
Day tours from the Wiesbadenerhütte. If conditions are good Piz Buin (3312m) is a good option. Return to the Wiesbadenerhütte for a second night.
Day 7
Our last day - we traverse back from the Wiesbadenerhütte to Galtür. Enjoy a final night in the hotel.
Day 8
Departure following breakfast.
On the days when no peaks are included, you will be crossing some high cols and there are some excellent ski descents.
Private group departures available on request from mid-February until end April
Prices include: all guide fees and expenses, 7 nights accommodation – 2 nights HB in Galtür, 5 nights HB hut accommodation.
Prices do not include: travel to/from Galtür, local transfers & uplift, personal insurance, equipment hire, lunches and beverages.
All our ski tours are led by our team of IFMGA Mountain Guides. The team is led by Olly Allen, Matt Dickinson and Nick Parks. The maximum ratio for this tour is 6 skiers with 1 guide. The minimum group size is 4. The maximum is 12 with 2 guides
On this tour you will stay in some of the most comfortable alpine huts in the Alps. Most have running water, showers, drying rooms and even duvets! Food is plentiful and nourishing.
Sheet sleeping bags are compulsory in at least one of the huts.
At the start and end of the tour you will stay in a comfortable hotel/pension in Galtür.
You should aim to arrive in Galtür sometime in the afternoon. There will be an initial briefing with your Mountain Tracks guide on the first evening. This is an opportunity to meet the guide and the rest of the party, to discuss the plans and objectives for the week and to ask any questions you may have relating to the week’s itinerary.
If you need to hire touring equipment we recommend Sport Walter in Galtür.
They have a shop in Galtur-Wirl next to the Birkhanbahn lift station.
You should contact them in advance to reserve gear.
"I can be pretty much summed up by one word - Fantastic! The whole process was superb from start to finish. The booking was smooth and easy and your patience while we faffed about trying to get the group together was much appreciated. The follow up from yourself to our varied questions before departure was quick and useful and the general information was spot on. Obviously the route, the scenery, the huts and the company of good friends made this trip wonderful but this was enhanced significantly by the guiding of Geoff. Thanks for all your help and for making it such a successful trip. "
"I don't suppose you had much input in creating the mountains or arranging the Bluebird days and powder conditions (with enough low vis days and tricksy wind crust thrown in to make us appreciate the good stuff admittedly!) but they certainly helped! As for stuff you did arrange; the pre-info was clear, the travel advice was useful and the accommodation in Galtur friendly with good food. The level of comfort in the huts was such that it almost felt like cheating! Biggest influence on the experience though was of course our guide who was relaxed and funny and did a superlative job."
1:25'000: 1198 Silvretta
1:25'000: 1178 Gross Litzner
1:50'000: 249 Tarasp (S)
(S) indicates that the map has ski routes marked
Having your own maps is optional as your guides will carry all the maps needed for this tour.
Alpine Ski Mountaineering, Volume 2, Central and Eastern Alps, by Bill O'Connor.
Published by Cicerone Press. ISBN 185284373X
Silvrettahütte (Switzerland) sleeps 75. Hut offers: duvets, running water, drying room
Wiesbadnerhütte (Austria) sleeps 50 in rooms and another 150 in their dormitory
Jamtalhütte (Austria) sleeps 206. Hut offers: Indoor climbing wall, 2 drying rooms and showers. Sheet sleeping bags compulsory.
I can ski red and black runs on piste without a problem. I am new to off piste skiing or maybe I have skied a little on the sides of the piste, or even attended a previous off piste specific course. I would like to ski powder snow with confidence and learn to link turns off piste. Learning to vary turn radius and control speed is an important goal. Gaining confidence in a variety of terrain would move my skiing to the next level.
I have at least a couple of weeks off piste skiing experience and/or received some previous instruction on an off piste specific course. I can link at least 8 – 10 turns together in reasonable control, speed and style, following the fall line in most snow conditions. I would like to improve my skiing in deep powder, heavy crusty snow uneven terrain and trees. I am happy to hike or ski tour for short distances to get to the best snow and terrain. I aspire to ski fluidly off piste and to ski steeper slopes. At this level all ski tourers must have some previous experience of using a touring set up, skinning and kick-turns.
I am confident skiing challenging terrain and steeper slopes. I can sideslip forward and backwards, side-step up and downhill and traverse steep slopes with no problems. I am happy to ski tour and hike for 1 – 2 hrs to reach the best snow and terrain. I aspire to ski the best snow available, push myself to ski steeper slopes and extend my ski touring experience. At this level all ski tourers must have some previous experience of using a touring set up, skinning and kick-turns.
I can ski fluidly and autonomously on all terrain. I often ski couloirs and gullies and seek out steep slopes to ski. I can jump turn in narrow couloirs and have experience of abseiling and side-slipping on steep terrain. I dream of skiing powder snow, I can ski fast, fluid “freeride” style turns, I can jump off small rocks, ski trees and challenging terrain with no fear or problems. I will often hike and ski tour to reach the best snow and terrain. I am familiar with using ice axe and crampons and some basic rope techniques. My aim is to push my skills and challenge myself further.
This is an extensive list of the recommended clothing and equipment you will need if you are coming on one of our Alpine Ski Tours.
During the tour you will be staying most nights in catered high mountain huts and will need to carry all the equipment and clothing you require for the duration of the tour. The huts are comfortable but basic with limited facilities – running cold water, European-style toilets, dormitory-style accommodation. All the huts provide ‘hut slippers’ – these days they are usually crocs - and so you will not need to carry additional footwear.
Any clothing or other items not required on the tour can be left in a travel bag at your first hotel ready for your return on the final night.
We recommend keeping the weight of your pack as light as possible. If you are new to alpine multi-day ski touring, try taking your pack out on the slopes before the tour to see how it feels. You quickly realise the benefit of ‘skiing light’.
If you are uncertain or need further information, don't hesitate to contact us.
When choosing clothing for ski touring you want to think lightweight, comfortable and versatile. During the trip weather conditions will change and you’re likely to go from icy-cold mornings when you’re wearing everything to keep out the chill to warm afternoons where you’ll be carrying most of your gear in your rucsac. Getting hold of the best and lightest kit available is always worth it and most of the major brands have suitable clothing for backcountry skiing.
to include warm hat and sun-cap or wide-brim hat for extra protection from the sun. Although we do recommend helmets for off-piste skiing, for ski touring they are not essential and actually can be a hindrance – they are hot, heavy and you can’t hear very well when wearing it
a light, stretchable tube. Excellent despite the name!
made of breathable material (Gore-tex or equivalent) with an excellent hood. The lighter the better and so a shell is recommended rather than a padded jacket and you supplement this with some good quality thermal base and mid layer tops following the principle of layering – i.e. allowing you to easily add/remove layers depending on the temperature and the activity
For the lower half it’s essential that you have a pair of thermal base layer pants (longjohns). These can then be combined with either
in a goretex fabric (such as the Berghaus Couloir pant) or
together with a pair of lightweight, breathable overtrousers with long side zips
Very popular at the moment are the wool based layers from companies such as Icebreaker and Smartwool. They are comfy, breathable and warm when needed and can be worn for days without your friends catching a whiff!
2-3 thin fleeces rather than fewer thick layers between your skin and the outer shell
an approach which gives better heat retention and good flexibility
good quality goretex gloves or mitts and a thin pair of softshell gloves for when it is hot and for skinning in
if you feel the cold
Investing in good quality ski socks will improve fit, warmth and feel when skiing for long periods. Bring along a few pairs
a light and comfortable shirt to change into once you get to the huts. Most huts sell their own t-shirts, so save weight and have a souvenir at the same time!
For our alpine ski tours we recommend an all-mountain touring ski that isn’t too heavy. A really lightweight ski comes at a cost to performance on the descents so are only recommended for really good off-piste skiers with a strong interest in ski touring.
There are plenty of great skis to choose from and here are 4 recommendations
a light touring ski which skis well in all conditions, 80mm underfoot
very easy to ski, lightweight for the uphills! 80mm underfoot
a very light uphill ski for expert ski tourers, 75mm underfoot
a good all round touring ski, 88mm underfoot
If you are planning on buying skis for ski touring and general skiing then these are great recommendations. If you are going to be renting skis then these models are not always available in every shop but you will be able to rent something similar by another manufacturer that will work just as well.
Garmont and Scarpa lead the field in touring boots and we recommend
Lightweight Touring Boots (ideal for good skiers)
both 3 buckle boots which are light but good to ski in
very light, great to walk in but you lose a bit of performance - dedicated tourers only!
top choice! Awesome performance for skiing and pretty light. Particularly suitable for a narrow foot
this is the very light, 3 buckle version and is equally good to ski in but 400g lighter
Heavier Ski Tourers
both great downhill performers but not that light – ideal for fit but less adept skiers!
again both great downhill but rather heavy for the uphills
These days many manufacturers offer ‘thermo-fit¹ liners as standard equipment. You may also want to consider a custom liner. Heated and moulded to your foot and boot for a perfect fit, they can make all the difference especially if you have trouble finding really comfortable ‘off-the-shelf¹ boots. Zipfit liners are a great option for anyone seeking total customisation in fit and comfort. They will replace the original liner.
Fritschi lead the way here with their Diamir bindings, Marker have produced 2 touring bindings the Duke and the Barron which both work very well but are quite heavy. Many more people are seeing the advantage of the Dynafit “pin” binding system; they are very light, offer excellent security despite their minimalist looks!
We recommend telescopic poles. They must have wide powder baskets (4-5 inches/100-120mm diameter) otherwise you’ll be up to your armpits on the ascents. Go for an alloy rather than carbon poles which are lighter but have a nasty habit of snapping near the basket due to ski edge nicks.
cut to fit exactly to your skis. Bring some duct tape in case of sticking problems
general lightweight mountaineering / alpine pick, keep it short (50cm)
lightweight aluminum alloy crampons are suitable for this tour and are a great weight saver compared to steel crampons
most ski touring bindings have ski crampons specifically designed for the binding.
a simple lightweight harness. The key feature should be that it has fully adjustable leg loops for putting on over ski boots and crampons
most of our guides use and recommend the BCA Tracker although other digital models are entirely suitable
now compulsory in most huts
good quality with a lens for low light is essential in the event of snow and poor visibility
good quality with 100% UV protection
35-40 litre (2100-2400 cubic inches) with straps for carrying skis
we don’t recommend hydration systems (e.g. camelbak) in winter as they have a tendency to freeze
with small personal first aid items ie any medications, wet wipes, blister kit. The guide will carry comprehensive set for all other needs
Most huts have limited washing facilites
lightweight and carry spare batteries
optional. Your guide will have these
with a large capacity memory card
most hotels, shops and restaurants accept credit cards, but not the alpine huts. You should allow about 25-30 Swiss francs or €15-20 per day for lunch and drinks
for gear that is not required on the tour – can be left in your first hotel and collected on return
Please note that your guide will have a few “spares” and other saftey items that he or she will ask the group to carry between them; so leave a small space in your sack for an item e.g. spare skin, spare ski pole, emergency shelter
Galtür is a small village in Austria. It is just up the Paznaun valley from Ischgl and about 30kms from Landeck at the head of the valley which is the nearest train station.
The nearest airports to Galtür are Innsbruck, Munich, Friedrichshafen and Zürich. To get to Galtür from any airport you will need to take the train to Landeck-Zams station and then take the bus. The bus journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. The bus runs regularly throughout the day but the last bus leaves Landeck bus terminal at 1855. The terminal is less than 100m walk from the railway station.
To Innsbruck Airport: 100km. Journey time between 3 and 4 hours and trains run at least every hour between Innsbruck airport and Landeck-Zams.
To Friedrichshafen Airport: 170km. The journey time is between 4 and 5 hours via Lindau and Bregenz.
To Munich Airport: 230km. The journey time from Munich is about 6 hours. You would need to arrive in Munich by about 11am in order to make the journey to Galtür by evening.
To Zurich Airport: 236km. The journey time from Zurich is about 6 hours. You would need to arrive in Zurich by midday in order to make the journey to Galtür by evening.
Details of all train connections can be found on the Austrian Railways website at www.oebb.at
.jpg "Silvretta Alps Ski Touring - Heidelberger hut")
.jpg "Silvretta Alps Ski Touring - Jamtal hut")
.jpg "Silvretta Alps Ski Touring - Selina enjoying the powder descent")
.jpg "Silvretta Alps Ski Touring - perfect skinning weather!")
250 York Road, London
SW11 3SJ, United Kingdom
info@mountaintracks.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8123 2978
Fax: +44 (0)20 7905 0921
