Ruchstock Rundtour
Classic tour with a bit of everything
Ski Touring Severe
- Distance
- 15 km
- Ascent
- 1.7 km
- Descent
- 1.7 km
- Duration
- 1 day +
- Low Point
- 1.6 km
- High Point
- 2.8 km
- Gradient
- 38˚
We skied this in early April - but after snow and a cold snap. 10 am bannalp lift - you need to take cash, they don't take cards. From the lift station, decend on a traverse and then follow one of the many options up to the Bannalp pass. Don't be tempted to traverse high to say height - the slopes are avalanche prone when melted and bullet hard when not.
Description
From the col, skin up the ridge - but don't go too high or you get cliffed out.
Descend 100m on fun spring snow. Skin up Schlittcuechen. Boot pack for 70m (moderately exposed - crampons and axe mandatory), skin to summit and then ski to the start of the downclimb (or if you are very bold you can ski the down-climb, but it is steep and technical and a fall would be catastrophic. likely 5.1 plus with high consequences)
from the col, ski West. this is skied a lot and takes the sun, so frequently very hard snow, but nice spring snow awaits below.
We planned to ski the small couloir heading N from 2211, but it was fully tracked, so we skinned to the col near 2335. Nice spring skiing all the way to the Unterstafel hut.
All slopes were in the sun at this time of day/year, so corn at best and slush at worst.
All in all a very rewarding tour - but most of the ski is accessible from other routes, so you are unlikely to score significant fresh tracks
Difficulty
Severe
Steep skiing at 38-45 degrees. This requires very good technique and the risk of falling has serious consequences.
Medium Exposure (E2)
As well as the slope itself, there are some obstacles (such as rock outcrops) which could aggravate injury.
Remoteness
Away from help but easily accessed.
Best time to visit
Features
- Ski Mountaineering
Equipment required
- Skins
- Ice axe
- Crampons