The Ultimate Tirolian Ski Touring Ticklist

From steep couloirs to mellow trees runs - these 25 adventures showcase what ski touring in Tirol is all about!

Charlie Boscoe

Images

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Looking down the huge south face of Thaneller.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Arriving on the summit.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking down the couloir as it widens into the bowl.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skis and skins back on after booting up the couloir.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking back along the last few metres of the ascent route from the summit.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Birds circling above the summit and adding to the ambience.

by Charlie Boscoe

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The col from where you break onto the main face.

by Charlie Boscoe

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A fantastic view of the Ampferstein.

by Charlie Boscoe

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The first turns on the main face.

by Charlie Boscoe

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First turns off the summit, with Innsbruck visible far below.

by Charlie Boscoe

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View from trail looking east

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View from trail looking east

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Skiing down looking east

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View on route up

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View looking west near the top

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Brutally cold conditions just below the summit of Geier.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking up into the valley behind the Lizumer Hütte.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking back down the valley from the Lizumer Hütte.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Heading up towards Geier.

by Charlie Boscoe

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The second ascent, up past the Pfeisshütte.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skiing down into the upper section of the Halltal.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Hiking up to the Reither Spitze

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skinning up to the Lafatscher Joch

by Charlie Boscoe

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Digging out the hut!

by Charlie Boscoe

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The Hallerangerhaus winter room at sunset

by Charlie Boscoe

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At the Stempeljoch, about to drop into the Halltal

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking across to the Lafatscher Joch from the Stempeljoch

by Charlie Boscoe

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In the huge bowl beneath the final bootpack up to the Birkkarspitze

by Charlie Boscoe

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Getting skins on for the start of the climb

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skiing away from the Karwendelhaus

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking across at the Ödkarspitze from just below the summit of the Birkkarspitze

by Charlie Boscoe

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Truly wild ski mountaineering on the way up the Birkkarspitze

by Charlie Boscoe

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At the foot of the couloir

by Charlie Boscoe

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Enjoying the mellow middle section of the descent

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking down at the final section of the descent in late season conditions

by Charlie Boscoe

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On the descent down from the Col

by Charlie Boscoe

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In the guts of the couloir itself.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Beautiful views across the Inn valley from where you transition from skinning to bootpacking.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skinning up the Pfaffenferner Glacier.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking back down the Pfaffenferner from the Pfaffenjoch.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking down on the Gaisskarferner lift and pistes.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Midway up the Pfaffenferner Glacier.

by Charlie Boscoe

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A happy but cold (!) team beneath the final summit tower.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Beginning the skin up the Pfaffenferner Glacier.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Crevasses opening up on the Sulzenauferner Glacier as summer approaches.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking down the couloir high above Schlick 2000.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Beginning the traverse around before the final short ascent.

by Charlie Boscoe

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The reward for all the effort - a fabulous ski down into the valley that leads to the Kemater Alm.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Arriving at the final col.

by Charlie Boscoe

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At the end of the bootpack section.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Almost at the Serlesjöchl

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking back on the ascent route from the Serlesjöchl

by Charlie Boscoe

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The first few turns in the couloir

by Al Schulkins

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Great snow in the middle section of the line

by Al Schulkins

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Looking down the lower half of the couloir

by Al Schulkins

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Scrambling up the ridge to the couloir entrance

by Charlie Boscoe

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Beautiful views on the final traverse back to Maria Waldrast

by Charlie Boscoe

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That moment of anticipation....

by Charlie Boscoe

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Starting the ski down from the summit.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Bootpacking the final steps to the summit.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Mellow skiing midway down the descent.

by Charlie Boscoe

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On the steep upper face.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking up at the upper section of Serles.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Excellent compact powder on the top section of the descent

by Al Schulkins

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Checking the route!

by Al Schulkins

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Looking across the north face

by Charlie Boscoe

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Approaching the mountaineering section

by Charlie Boscoe

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Starting the steep section of the ascent after leaving the jeep track

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking into the line

by Charlie Boscoe

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Almost home! Arriving into Navis at the end of the day.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Heading up to the Mandlscharte, which is clearly visible in this photo.

by Charlie Boscoe

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On the Mandlscharte and looking forward to a great descent.

by Charlie Boscoe

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On top of the Schartenkopf, with only the relatively brief ascent to the Krassspitze still to come.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Earning the turns skinning up to the Schartenkopf in bad weather.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking back up at the upper section of the route, with a skier coming down.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skinning up the lower valley.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Branching off from the ascent to the Mitterzeigerkogel.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Looking across to the Gaiskogel on the descent.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Fun skiing with the peaks of the Karwendel visible behind.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Great skiing and an immaculate view of the Inn valley.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Bootpacking up to the access slope.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Dropping into the second gully.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Traversing across to the entry of the line.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Skiing down the second gully of the day.

by Charlie Boscoe

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In the couloir itself.

by Charlie Boscoe

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Description

With no 4000 metre peaks and countless small ski areas but no 3 Vallees-style monster resorts, Tirol doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves as a destination for adventurous skiers. That's bad news for the local hotels and restaurants, but it's fabulous for the tourers who do visit and don't have to share the mountains with too many other skiers!

The so-called "big 3" of Tirolian ski touring are a trio of legendary hut to hut trips, in the Stubai (https://fatmap.com/guidebooks/37/big-mountains-big-views:-the-stubai-alps-ski-traverse), Ötztal (https://fatmap.com/guidebooks/38/climb-tirol's-highest-peak-on-the-otztal-ski-traverse) and Silvretta (https://fatmap.com/guidebooks/36/bagging-big-peaks-on-the-silvretta-traverse) ranges, but there are literally thousands of day tours to be enjoyed all over the region. 23 of the tours listed here are single day adventures, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the legendary Tirolian cuisine every evening. It's hearty stuff but by doing these tours you'll have earned the vast number of calories you'll consume in the average Austrian restaurant...just!

The only multi day trip in here is a 2 day crossing of the truly wild Karwendel National Park - a trip which should be high on any adventurous skier's to-do list. The Karwendel is said to be the largest area of the Alps which is not inhabited year round and the only way to cross it in winter is to tour on day 1 to an unmanned hut and then over the highest peak in the range on day 2. It might just be the biggest non-glaciated ski adventure in the Alps, but don't take our word for it - go and check it out for yourself!

So if you've got a free winter and want to "tick" the Tirol then get your skis waxed and get started!

Adventures

Thaneller North Face

A fantastic route to an amazing summit with a bit of everything; a bowl, couloir, face and even some trees.

Stempeljoch

A truly wild tour through a series of stunning valleys.

Kuhlochscharte

An exciting and varied tour from the Seefeld lift system

Pockkogel

Lift access helps to make this a short tour with big rewards

Roßkogel Nordrinne

A classic steep couloir which has the added draw of being visible from Innsbruck city centre!

Zuckerhütl

A wonderful, varied and scenic tour to the highest peak in the Stubai range.

Kalkogel Loop

An awe inspiring journey around the Kalkogel range, home to some of Tirol's most dramatic peaks.

Serles

An exciting and varied route up the peak which dominates the Innsbruck skyline.

Habicht

A long tour which takes you onto one of the Tirol's most famous peaks.

Arzler Scharte

A trip into the wild and untamed Karwendel range - the largest uninhabited area in the Alps - followed by an exciting ski back to the Inn Valley.

Kraspessspitze

A roundtrip from a great ski area to a great mountain hut!