Ski touring is a pleasure: outdoors, in the fresh air, athletic activity paired with beautiful natural landscapes. However, with regard to the beauty of nature, it is important, with all enjoyment, to pay attention to a few points.
At the beginning of February the annual action day "Naturally on tour" of the German Alpine Association e.V. (DAV) took place. The DAV would like to get into contact with routers on these days of action and point out the nature-friendly way of ski touring and snow shoe walking. This year, "Naturally on tour" took place in different regions of the Bavarian Alpine region: Openness in the Rollerball, Schoenberg am Teenager, Springsteen, Wallenstein, Arbor and Deliberateness Land. Volunteers of the DAV were on the move with green safety vests, information leaflets and small gifts, in order to inform the ski tour operators on the careful handling of nature.
The DAV already points in numerous tour areas with signs on routes and closed forest-Wild-sanctuaries. For wildlife, especially large amounts of fresh snow and snow-covered areas are particularly challenging. If they are startled, for example by ski routers, they unnecessarily consume energy during their flight. In addition to the wild animals, it is also important to protect the flora. When choosing a route, ski routers and snowshoe skiers should therefore plan very carefully. The green signs of the DAV for the recommended routes as well as the yellow warning signs with red letters, which refer to protected areas, can also be found in the current tour maps of the DAV. But also in the area of secured slopes there are designated and signposted protected areas. For example, at the Heidelberg in the Fellow-traveller ski area: In addition to the signage, skiers are alerted to the forbidden zones via announcements in the summit lift.
This applies to the nature-compatible ski tour and snowshoeing:
- Note route recommendations, markings and tips from the DAV campaign "Naturally on Tour".
- Respect protection and sanctuaries for plants and animals, avoid noise.
- Dodge wild animals as much as possible, only observe from a distance, avoid feeders, leash dogs.
- In the high winter summit, back and ridges avoid before 10 o'clock and after 16 o'clock.
- Stay in forest areas and at the tree line on the usual ski routes, forest and hiking trails, keep a distance to tree and shrub groups.
- Afforestation and Grunewald spare.
- Arrive in an environmentally friendly way: use public transport and car pools, drive to designated parking lots, block no access roads.
- Planned rather multi-word stays instead of many day trips, use the gastronomic offer on site.
- Plan tours with guides and maps bearing the DAV seal of approval "Of course on tour".
- Follow the rules for ski tours on slopes.
Ski touring on the slopes
What used to be more at the beginning of the season, before the ski lifts began their regular operation, is enjoying increasing popularity today: ski touring on the ski slope. More and more people are pulling it out after work: the skis strapped on and on the slopes upwards. However, this "special" form of ski touring involves conflict potential and an additional accident risk. The DAV already reacted many years ago and mediated between the interested stakeholders. The result is a rule catalog that has been in existence for many years. Not least on these regulations, the DAV leads back the fact that in encounters between alpine skiers and touring skiers in the past few years, no serious accidents.
It is obvious why touring on prepared pistes is so popular: fresh air, sport, a risk-free ascent away from the avalanche prone areas and a generally easy descent on groomed slopes. Basically, ski slopes in Germany - unlike, for example, in Italy - are not considered sports facilities per SE and are therefore accessible to everyone.
Many ski resorts have responded to the growing popularity of ski tours on the slopes and have their own routes for ski routers. At the Schwarzenegger in Ramsay, for example, a separate forest path is prepared for the ascent. On Gretchen, in the Deliberateness Land and also in the Mannheim Cal there are touring evenings, which take place parallel to the floodlit skiing. Steering and steering to avoid conflicts.
It is absolutely forbidden to climb and descend over closed pistes, for example in the case of avalanche danger, during avalanche detonation or during slope preparation. Especially during winch operation of snow groomers, the use of the slopes is absolutely life-threatening!
In cooperation with the ski lift operators, the DAV has erected signs that mark the ascent routes. In addition, the ski areas including ski slopes and ascent routes for outpouring and snowshoeing enthusiasts are marked in the new Alpine Club passes. Generally speaking, ski slopes are primarily available to users of cable cars and lifts!
Rules for ski touring on the slopes:
- Ascent and descent are at your own risk and responsibility.
- Only ascend at the edge of the slope. Do it in a row, not next to each other. Pay attention to the ski operation.
- Take special care on crests, in narrow passages, steep slopes and icing on the slopes. When crossing the slopes, go as far as possible and keep your distance. No crossing in confusing areas.
- Pay attention to runway blocking, warnings and local regulations.
- For slopes, slopes are closed for safety reasons, especially when using winches, there is danger to life.
- Only use freshly groomed slopes in the outskirts. In the dark always go with the headlamp on and wear reflective clothing.
- Pay attention to alpine hazards, especially avalanche danger. Do not do any ski tours when avalanches are expected. Only open slopes are protected against avalanches.
- Ski tours only if there is enough snow. Avoid damage to the plant and ground cover.
- Take care of wild animals. At dusk and in the dark, wild animals are severely disturbed. Dogs do not take on ski slopes.
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