Beginner Ski Touring: Level, Gear and Your First Tour

Ski touring rarely starts with a long traverse or an untouched slope. It usually starts with a simpler question: do I have the right level, the right gear and the right conditions to try it? If you already ski confidently, have some off-piste experience and want to learn to climb as well as descend, a guided trip is a good place to begin.

You climb with skins under your skis and a free heel, then remove them for the descent. That change of rhythm, as much as the gear, is what makes ski touring different from resort skiing.

Check your starting point before you begin

A first trip does not require you to be an athlete, but it does require comfort on variable snow. For Wildhartt’s introductory trip in La Grave, the benchmark is clear: confidence on black runs, prior off-piste experience, regular exercise and the ability to ski for a full day with a light pack.

That is not there to make the sport feel exclusive. On the ascent, you learn to pace yourself. On the descent, snow changes with altitude, time of day and weather. The right first trip leaves you enough energy to learn, rather than merely trying to keep up.

What does a first day look like?

In La Grave, the group meets in the morning outside the partner hire shop. Everyone checks that their equipment fits properly, then heads to Le Chazelet for a first outing towards Côte Belle or Pointe Laurichard, depending on the day’s conditions.

This is where you find the rhythm: putting skins on and taking them off, making your first kick turns, keeping a steady pace uphill and moving as part of a group. A qualified mountain guide teaches the practical moves and adjusts the terrain. In the evening, the group returns to the hostel for a meal and time to take in the day.

Ski touring gear: what you can hire

Available to hire	Bring yourself
Skis, bindings, skins, boots, poles and ski crampons	Warm layers, waterproof jacket, light gloves and warm gloves
Helmet and avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe kit	Sunglasses, water, snacks and lunch for day one

On the La Grave trip, technical equipment can be hired when booking. You do not need to buy a full kit before you know whether ski touring suits you. Do take time to try on boots and prepare your layers, because warmth feels very different while climbing, stopping and descending.

Four days from first steps to a mountain itinerary

After the introductory day, the route gains height. The climb to Cime du Rachas is a chance to work on pacing over a longer day, followed by a descent that changes with the snow. The next two nights are spent at the Pic du Mas de La Grave hut, facing La Meije.

The aim is not instant independence. It is practice in route choice, terrain observation and effort management in a guided setting. Sébastien, a participant, described it as “a wonderful discovery and a great introduction to ski touring”, adding that the guide adapted well to both the group and the weather.

What is included on a guided trip?

In La Grave, guiding, accommodation and meals from dinner on day one through the final picnic are included. Transport to the meeting point, equipment hire and lunch on day one are not. Knowing that difference helps you plan your budget without confusing what is included with what is available to hire.

The best way to start

For a first ski touring experience, choose a format that makes room for learning: a small group, checked equipment, terrain adjusted to conditions and a guide who explains what is happening. The big summits and long traverses can wait. Your first track often begins with a steady climb and the simple feeling of moving through the mountains in a new way.