petekeanemountainguide

For the last 5 years or so, I have had the good opportunity to ski guide in Europe with John and Olivia  Race for the spring season in Europe. They operate the Northwest Mountain School, and are very active in the spring ski guiding scene over there. In 2015, we had the opportunity to put together a group to do something a little less ordinary in Austria- The Silvretta Ski Tour.

This tour is a big horseshoe loop, and in this way, there is little to worry about in terms of logistics. It starts above the town of Ischgl, and finishes in Galtur. The route zig-zags along the border with Switzerland, and crosses in and out of both countries- although, you would never know it! The huts are cozy, with home-cooked meals, and friendly people. The valley is well connected by public transportation to either Innsbruck, Munich, or Zurich.

We decided to start our 2015 tour by snowcat, instead of spending most of the day riding lifts from the ski area and skiing down to the hut. This swift method of approach allowed us to get to the hut at about 10:30 am, and we ended up skiing some really nice north facing open terrain with great weather!

After a great first day skiing, we spent the night at the Heidelberger Hutte. Most of the people their were surprised that we would come all the way to their mountains to go skiing. “Don’t you have mountains at home?”, they would say. I would reply, “Yes, we do, but we don’t have huts like this in our mountains.” When I told them we had to carry our tents, sleeping bags, stoves and foods in the mountains, they would just shake their head in disbelief. After you travel on skis between the huts, you really do realize how fun it is to ski with a relatively light pack!

On day two, we went up and over a pass, and then skied down to the Jamtal Hutte. This hut served free soup and bread for lunch, and hosted an ice climbing tower for those who are inclined for such things. Part of the group decided to rest and relax at the hut for the afternoon, while part of the group headed out in search of good snow to ski. We ended up finding a really good North facing run for the afternoon that entertained us.

On this tour, we spend 2 nights at the Jamtal Hutte, so we have time to do some exploring. On day 3, we woke to murky skies, so we decided to focus on a more ski-mountaineering objective and climb the Gemspitze (3114m), with a ski down. We did climb it, and ski it, with some flat light, but the snow was pretty good. After this, part of the group peeled off and headed back down to hut. The folks who stayed on decided to climb the Hinter Jamspitze (3156m) and take a long run down the glacier back to the hut.

Day 4 started cloudy, but we were still able to get up and over another pass, and arrive at the Weisbadener Hutte. The skies cleared enough for a good run down to the hut, off of the shoulder of the Drielanderspitze.

Again, we planned for the 2 nights in this amazing place to explore. That afternoon, we headed up a side valley, hoping for cold snow, but got a mixed bag. When the clouds came back in, we used our GPS to get back to the hut!

In the morning, the storm was brewing! We skied up to a small emergency hut on the border with Switzerland. It was nuking up there! We struggled back to the hut in bad visibility, and took stock of the situation. This is most normally done by eating some treats, and enjoying the mountain ambience at the hut.

After indulging in some sweets, and caffeinated drinks, we struck out in search of good snow, in one of the many valleys that were more wind protected. We made one attempt, got thwarted by visibility, bailed, and headed to another one that was lower. Despite the group getting a little frustrated with the weather, this time we hit pay dirt! We did 3 laps on a low angle glacier, where the snow was completely blower! So much for big mountaineering objectives, we just had to take what mother nature gave us, and it was good. In the evening, the skies began to clear for our final day. My co-guide John Race and I were prepared for a stormy exit via IFR, and we were very excited to see the clouds parting in the late afternoon.

On the final exit day, we awoke to find bluebird skies, light winds, and about a foot on new cold smoke that was stable! What happened next was one of the best ski days I have had anywhere! We worked 3 successive valleys on the way over to our exit valley to the town of Galtur. This was some of the most amazing powder skiing we had done. High in the mountains of the Austria, it was out of sight! Fresh lines available everywhere, smiles on everyone’s faces, and the views that couldn’t be beat. The team was ecstatic!

The final run of the day was mind blowing…some of the best turns for me for the whole season!

The Silvretta really produced! This tour is a great option for folks of all abilities. The transit times between huts are relatively short, allowing folks who want to take it easy a relaxing time. For skiers who want to get after it, it provides plenty of time for climbing peaks and afternoon sessions to make sure you get enough! We will be offering Silvretta Ski Tour every season now through the Northwest Mountain School. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions!

As a program coordinator for Oregon Ski Guides, I answer a lot of phone calls and emails about our ski programs and avalanche courses. Many folks call in and assume that our Avalanche Courses teach people how to backcountry ski, and others assume our backcountry ski courses teach people avalanche safety skills. Neither perception is accurate, and I thought it might be worth talking about the differences between the two types of courses so that our clients can sign up for the most appropriate program.

There seems to be a consistent theme out there that every backcountry skier should start with taking a Level I Avalanche Course. I don’t entirely agree with this philosophy, although it won’t necessarily hurt. However, a better approach to taking an avalanche course would be to get some experience out in the field going backcountry skiing with friends or more experienced people to learn some of the basics of backcountry travel. A basic understanding of gear, clothing layering and reading terrain will go a long way towards creating some sort of framework to apply the learned skills in an avalanche course. Even if you are unable to to go backcountry skiing, it is worth spending some time getting to know your own gear set by skinning at your local ski area before they open for instance. If you are able to get out before your avalanche course, you’ll get a lot more out of the course and be able to take more skills away for use later. In an avalanche course, you will do very little skiing, and spend a lot of time learning new skills. It is critical that this is understood before signing up for any avalanche course.

Backcountry Ski Courses are designed for people who want to learn how to skin, uphill trackset, and use their gear. An emphasis is placed on getting out, learning how to you use your equipment and finding the best snow conditions in the area. Sound fun? It is! This is actually what most people want out of day or two with a guide. Secondary to these skills, you will have some basic instruction on how to use your beacon, shovel and probe. This will be a cursory instruction on these skills, just enough to get started.Your guide will typically be happy to discuss the terrain with you, so you may be able to pick up a few tidbits on terrain selection and what is going on in the snowpack. Compared to an avalanche course, you’ll get a lot more ski time and be able to get into terrain that you wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable in on your own.

Guided Skiing- just the thought of it makes some people bristle! I have heard the phrase “there isn’t enough room in the American ego for a ski guide”. While this makes me chuckle, I can definitely understand where people are coming from. However, I would counter, that a day going out with a guide is well spent. It will allow you to brush up on some skills, learn a few new ones, and find the best snow in the area. This can be great if you don’t have time to plan a full tour, or if you are wondering about difficult avalanche conditions. On a private basis, you can cover a lot of material in one day, much more so than in a structured class with many people in it. Guided skiing will help you get the most out of the day, and you can leave the planning to the guide! Just go out, have fun, and learn a few new things!

In summary, there are a lot of programs to choose from. Hopefully, I have illuminated some of the differences between different types of instructional experiences. If you contact us, feel free to share your goals with us and tell us what you want to do. We’ll be able to steer you in the right direction and get you into a program that meets your needs.