Simon Pfandler

As long as we are on the move, we hardly feel the cold. But who hasn't experienced it: after just a few minutes at the summit, it creeps more and more into our limbs. I admit, a change of T-shirt would be appropriate now. But exposing my skin to the icy wind? I'm just too frozen for that. So I prefer to quickly put on a down jacket.

Anyone who has been out and about on touring skis for a while can observe a welcome development: More and more children and young people are on the mountain with their parents and are enthusiastic about this sport. This may be because fewer and fewer families are willing to pay the high lift prices or because long lift queues encourage them to climb up together using their own muscle power.

Modern phones can not only replace the classic map, but also offer compass and GPS functions - as long as the battery keeps up. Slope maps are particularly useful for us winter sports enthusiasts. Below is a guide on how to use open source slope maps on your cell phone without having to subscribe to an app. A comparative overview of some of the more popular subscription map apps will follow soon.