Skitouren

A leisurely ascent in the sun, a racy descent in the shade. Doesn't sound bad, does it? You can find it on the Roccabella, at the end of the Julier Pass, above the small village of Bivio.

Célia Lucas, 29, has been an avalanche forecaster at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos since last winter. In this interview, she tells us how she ended up in Switzerland from Luxembourg, about her day-to-day work at the SLF and how her profession also accompanies her on private ski tours.

While the number of alpine skiers is stagnating or even declining in some cases, the ski touring market is growing rapidly. More and more people are seeking this special winter experience by the sweat of their brow. Even if ski touring is one of the more nature-friendly sports compared to alpine skiing - for which special infrastructure has to be built - it still has an impact on nature and the environment.

A jumble of terms! What do they mean for us recreation seekers and where do they apply - especially now in winter?

Since the merger with neighboring Fieberbrunn a few years ago, the "Skicircus" really does offer an almost infinite number of descents for freeriders and ski tourers. During our visit, we were particularly impressed by the opportunities to access long descents in great freeride terrain with short hikes. From extreme variations on the Wildseeloder to relaxed alpine terrain - there is something for everyone.

The small, North American equipment manufacturer CAST has brought its system to serial maturity. PG skiers Tobi and Sebastian have been using the previous Cast - S&I system for some time and favour its attributes over conventional touring bindings. Having had the new CAST system on their equipment bucket list for a while, they have now been able to test it extensively.

The morning wind is fresh, the leaves are becoming more colorful, the peaks whiter: Winter is just around the corner and the season is slowly getting underway again at PowderGuide. The PG core team takes the opportunity to indulge in the anticipation and discuss their individual ski destinations and weather wishes for the coming season.

The PowderGuide weather service is taking a summer break with tomorrow's forecast for May 16, 2019. After the winter has stepped on the gas again in late spring (last PowderAlert on May 3rd!), we are slowly but surely heading into summer. The PG team is taking a breather and is secretly already looking forward to the first snowflakes in the fall when things get going again.

French glacier eyewear specialists Julbo have long been known for the "classic" design of their aviator-style glasses with leather rims. At some point, a "sportier" style was added and the range was expanded into the cycling and lifestyle sector.

The granite giants in pre-Gallia stand ruggedly. However, they were only able to withstand the Romans until around 100 BC, when they passed under Roman rule. No, this is not about a new volume of Asterix and Obelix! It's about the Bergell, whose name was originally derived from the Latin word Praegallia (pre-Gallia). Today, Bergell is mainly located in the southern part of Graubünden. The wild mountain peaks form the border with Italy.

Most outdoor sports enthusiasts are familiar with the company "La Sportiva". The Italians have become an integral part of climbing equipment in particular. However, the company also supplies well thought-out products for skiing. For example, the Zagros GTX Pant M, which is not only suitable for ski touring, but is also ideal for everyday use as rain trousers.

White Risk, the SLF's comprehensive learning/knowledge tool for avalanche prevention, has been around for several years now. While version 1.0 was still distributed via DVDs, White Risk has been web-based and interactive since 2013. The White Risk app for IOS and Android is also available so that you can use the planned tours on your smartphone. I tried out how well the whole thing actually works for you using a tour to the Seekarspitze as an example