Читать книгу Alpine Ski Mountaineering Vol 2 - Central and Eastern Alps. Ski tours in Austria, Switzerland and Italy онлайн

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The itinerary for each tour is broken down into recommended day stages. Each stage begins by giving details of:

 ascent

 descent

 principal aspect

 difficulty

 time.

This is followed by a description of the day's stage. Describing a ski route is very different from describing summer climbs or walking routes. In summer, paths and features are clear and often waymarked. During the ski season many features including way-markings, outcrops, streams and paths will be buried under snow. Therefore ski-route descriptions are less prescriptive – snow conditions and ability will often decide the precise line of ascent or descent. Some routes are obviously determined by the terrain – say when it follows a valley, ridge or couloir – but the precise line will always be a matter of judgement or of following old tracks! When crossing untracked snow, the skier will have to call on skill and judgement to find the best line through crevasses or to make the most efficient and safest track on a snow-laden slope. Even if you know an area in summer, don't assume the ski track will follow the same route. Although maps and route descriptions can indicate crevasses, their precise position changes with the movement of the ice. At all times the ski mountaineer must be willing to make a judgement about route choice and snow stability – no guidebook can do that. One of the great things about ski touring is, no matter how popular the tour, after new snow you will always have a clean sheet to work with. At all times the ski mountaineer must be observant, paying particular attention to the critical factors of weather, terrain and snow conditions before committing to a specific route.