Conditions for early-winter ski tours this year (2013) have been quite good and www.gipfelbuch.ch already lists more ski tours than usual. Even if there is enough snow at least in Central Switzerland, the snow cover is – at this time of the year – still soft and tours in rocky areas take a heavy toll on the skis.

Typical rocky places are the Flüela Pass Region where I did an early tour in September (!) 2010 http://www.gipfelbuch.ch/gipfelbuch/detail2/id/50625. Also, Gemsfairen which gets early snow, usually very rocky. Better is the Clariden which can be done sometimes in October (when the Klausenpass is still open). This year the pass closed early, and one had to start from Urnerboden (http://www.gipfelbuch.ch/gipfelbuch/detail/id/62579).

A good early-winter ski touring region is Andermatt. The Pazzola Stock is an early-winter candidate (link to tour last fall). Stotzigen Firsten (http://www.gipfelbuch.ch/gipfelbuch/detail/id/62588) or other mountains reachable from Realp are recommended as well.

Last Saturday (16 November 2013) I went with Stephan to the Fronalp Stock region where we put our skis on at 1300 meters in fine powder! The weather was great and the snow conditions were almost perfect (very little “Steinkontakt”). I prefer to climb the steeper (and slightly higher Silwellen), instead of the usual Schilt. From Silwellen there is a steep downhill. Check out the pictures below. More information on the tour here.

At 1400 meters

Klöntal Lake under the fog

Mürtschenstock in the Back

On top of Silwellen

Me celebrating the first ski tour in 2013

Glärnisch on the left

Below Silwellen

Powder Tracks

Alp Mittler Staffel

There is more snow coming this week in Switzerland, get your touring skis out!