Ski Touring

Arm yourself with ski skins and climb up our slopes: you'll have the world at your feet

Ski Touring

There are several excursions which we highly recommend you do if you spend your winter holidays in Airolo; the level of difficulty varies depending on the chosen itinerary

During the opening hours of the lifts, fans of this discipline, much loved and practised in the region, can climb up along the edge of the slopes. Ski touring enthusiasts must in particular comply with the following rules:

  • Only climb up on the edge of the slopes,
  • Move in line and not side by side,
  • Do not cross the track in places with poor visibility,
  • Use special caution in case of bumps, narrow passages, steep slopes or ice,
  • Respect the users of the slopes, they have priority.

In winter 2021, Valbianca has also started a collaboration with the Movement Tracks platform, which aims to make the discipline more popular and offer safer conditions for enthusiasts.

In Airolo, we have therefore created two Movement Tracks of intermediate difficulty, and a link between them.
A panel installed at the Airolo cable car station provides all the practical information, and a map of the trakcs.
On the map, the tracks dedicated to ski touring are drawn in yellow and marked with the Movement icon.

Movement Tracks

  • Airolo-Cassinello: 7.4km
  • Airolo-Pesciüm: 4.7km
  • Nante-Culiscio link road: 0.84km

Outside the operating hours of the lifts the slopes are closed. Even skie tourers must respect the opening hours.
Warning: danger to life! Only slopes explicitly open for those who are taking a ski tour may be used outside the opening hours of the ski area.

Airolo-Pesciüm welcomes all mountain enthusiasts but it is necessary to respect some simple rules to avoid potential accidents.

The following rules must be respected:

  1. Never go alone
  2. When in doubt, you must immediately know when to turn back.
  3. Before setting out to do ski mountaineering, you must know how to correctly use a shovel, a probe, as well as avalanche research and rescue equipment. You must also, at the very least, have attended an avalanche rescue course
  4. Never lose track of the weather forecast, adapt your exit to the scheduled time, and communicate your destination and expected arrival time to a trusted person
  5. Always carry your avalanche search and rescue equipment, a shovel and a probe
  6. Make sure you stay at a safe distance from fellow skiers so that risks only affect individuals at any one time and not the whole group
  7. Avoid snow that has been blown into basins and slopes on the side that is sheltered from the wind
  8. When you descend, go back down the same way you went up.

If you want to learn how to handle emergency situations, you can use the Avalanche Training Centre free of charge or take part in one of our courses.

Ski Touring

Skilifts Information

Impianti
Lifts: 0/11
Slopes
Slopes: 0/17
Footpaths
Footpaths: 0/4
Airolo Weather

Thursday 30/3/2023

meteo
Friday 31/3/2023:
2°/8°
meteo
Saturday 1/4/2023:
1°/7°
meteo
Sunday 2/4/2023:
1°/8°

Discover other excursions

The simplest excursion is the one to Capanna Corno Gries: the tour takes you to the top of the spectacular Corno Gries which dominates the valley with its dome and extended glacier. The tour is easy and gives you a great sense of satisfaction. The route is suitable for hikers with snowshoes, who can easily reach Lake Gries, as well as ski-mountaineers who want to try a climb on a glacier.

Another interesting excursion is the one on Passo San Giacomo: the "normal route" starts from All'Acqua and after crossing a bridge over the Ticino river it rises and follows the summer path up to Alpe di Val d'Olgia; so you basically follow the high voltage line until you get to an altitude of 2,200 m in the region of All'Uomo. There is a great opening with a magnificent view from here; in the west you can see the Bernese Alps, while in the south you can see the military buildings and the little church, and a little further on, you'll have a full view of the San Giacomo Pass, which is marked by a wooden cross. The route is easy from here on; simply follow the high voltage line, passing between the church and the border guard building, and, continuing south, you'll reach the col.

The climb to the Chüebodenhorn is a little more challenging: a highly rewarding classic route, which covers open slopes with a wide panoramic view of the fascinating Val Bedretto. To fully enjoy and appreciate the sheer beauty of the valley, the route can be split into two days by stopping at Rifugio Piansecco. With good snow conditions, you can attempt this climb right from the beginning of the season. Some sections, both uphill and downhill, require a certain level of ski mountaineering experience. Under certain snow conditions, a rope, an ice axe and crampons may be needed to reach the top of the Poncione. Due to the amount of steep slopes, you should only attempt the tour if the snow covering is stable and safe.

By continuing to browse, you consent to the use of cookies.
Customize Cookies Accept cookies

Weather

Skilifts

Webcams

Contacts
E-Guma
Gift Vouchers