Ski Touring | Samoens Grand Massif

Ski touring or ‘skinning’ is a challenging sport in which you first ascend a mountain slope on skis before skiing down it.  Ski touring opens up a wide range of route choices and participants can explore terrain both within and beyond the marked ski area.  

The basic principle of ski touring involves adding ‘skins’ to the underside of your skis that allow you to walk up a snowy slope without sliding backwards.  With skins attached, you simply walk uphill, much as you might hike up a mountain during the summer months. Upon reaching a summit, you simply remove the skins from your skis and enjoy a pristine downhill descent.

Snowboarders can also enjoy touring, which is called ‘splitboarding’.  A splitboard consists of two touring skis that can be connected together at the summit to transform into a snowboard.

Ski touring offers total freedom, allowing you to climb any mountain before enjoying a well-earned descent.