Ski touring for beginners
Ski touring is climbing the mountain on skis under your own power, then skiing back down beyond the lifts. To start safely you need three things: confident intermediate downhill skills, the right gear, which you can rent for around $50 to $80 a day, and a qualified guide or course for your first outings. The skiing is the easy part. The avalanche awareness is the part you cannot skip.
The short answer: book a guided introductory day or a short avalanche and touring course, rent the gear before you buy, and start with gentle tours from a resort that has easy off piste access. Touring rewards fitness and patience, not bravado. Last reviewed May 2026.
What ski touring actually is
Touring means walking uphill on skis using grippy strips called skins on the bases, with bindings that release the heel so you can stride. At the top you peel off the skins, lock the heel down and ski the descent, usually in ungroomed off piste snow. It opens terrain the lifts never reach and gives you the quiet, the effort and the reward of earning your turns.
There are gentler and harder flavors. A lift assisted or side country tour starts from the top of a lift and keeps the climb short, which is the ideal beginner format. A full backcountry tour starts from the valley and can climb for hours. Begin with the former and progress only as your fitness, skills and avalanche knowledge grow.
The gear and what it costs
Touring uses specialist equipment. Rent it to start, because a full kit is a real investment and you want to be sure you enjoy the sport first.
| Item | What it does | Rough cost to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Touring skis and bindings | Lighter skis with heel release bindings for climbing | Around $800 to $1,500 |
| Touring boots | Walk mode for the climb, ski mode for the descent | Around $500 to $900 |
| Skins | Grippy strips on the ski base for traction uphill | Around $150 to $250 |
| Transceiver, shovel, probe | The avalanche safety trio, non negotiable | Around $350 to $550 |
Buying everything runs roughly $1,500 to $3,000 once you add the safety kit. Renting a touring setup costs around $50 to $80 a day, and the safety trio can be rented too. Pre book your hire through our ski hire partner and consider off piste travel insurance that covers backcountry skiing and rescue, which a standard piste policy often excludes.
Safety is the whole game
Touring takes you into unpatrolled, uncontrolled terrain where avalanches are the real hazard. Treat the following as rules, not suggestions.
Take an avalanche course. A one to three day avalanche safety course teaches you to read the snowpack, plan a route and run a rescue. This is the single most valuable thing a beginner can do, and far more important than which skis you buy.
Carry and know the safety trio. Always tour with a transceiver, shovel and probe, and practice using them until a rescue is second nature. Gear you cannot use quickly is just weight.
Go with a guide first. A qualified mountain guide or touring instructor keeps you safe, picks safe lines and teaches as you go. Book lessons or a guided day through our lessons partner.
Check the avalanche bulletin and the weather. Read the regional avalanche forecast every day and turn back when conditions or visibility deteriorate. The mountain will be there next week.
Where to start, and your first season plan
Begin at a resort with easy off piste access and good instruction, so a lift and patrol are never far away while you learn. Alpine bases such as Chamonix, Sainte Foy and Verbier are well set up for guided introductions and gentle side country tours, and you will find the off piste credentials of each in our list of the best off piste resorts in Europe. Make sure your downhill is solid first, which our first ski holiday guide can help with if you are newer to the sport.
A sensible first season looks like this: confirm you can ski a red comfortably in mixed snow, book a guided introductory tour or short course, rent your gear, do a handful of short lift assisted tours under instruction, then slowly extend the climbs. Within a season you can be touring gentle routes with confidence and the right judgment.
If you would like specialists to arrange a guided touring trip alongside lodging and transfers, tell us your dates and budget and we will route your brief to the right operators.
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Questions worth asking
What is ski touring?
Ski touring means climbing up the mountain on skis under your own power, using grippy skins on the bases and bindings that free the heel, then removing the skins to ski down. It lets you reach terrain beyond the lifts. It is also called ski mountaineering or, with lift assisted starts, side country touring.
Do I need to be an expert skier to start ski touring?
No, but you should be a confident intermediate who can ski a red run in varied snow before you tour. The climbing is accessible to anyone reasonably fit, but the descent is often in ungroomed off piste snow, so solid downhill skills matter more than the uphill. Start with short, gentle tours and build up.
How much does ski touring gear cost?
Buying a full setup of touring skis, bindings, boots and skins typically costs roughly $1,500 to $3,000, plus a safety kit. Renting is far cheaper at around $50 to $80 a day, which is the sensible way to start. Add an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, which can also be rented.
Is ski touring dangerous?
Ski touring carries real avalanche risk because you travel in unpatrolled, uncontrolled terrain. The risk is manageable with training, the right safety kit, good conditions awareness and, for beginners, a qualified guide or instructor. Never tour in avalanche terrain without a transceiver, shovel, probe and the knowledge to use them.
Should I hire a guide for my first ski tour?
Yes. A qualified mountain guide or touring instructor keeps you safe, teaches technique and route choice, and reads the snowpack so you do not have to learn it the hard way. A guide costs roughly $300 to $500 a day, which split across a small group is modest and well spent on your first tours.
Where should I learn to ski tour?
Start at a resort with marked or supervised touring routes and easy access to off piste, where you can learn with a guide and a lift safety net nearby. Alpine bases such as Chamonix, Sainte Foy and Verbier are well set up for instruction and gentle introductory tours. Book a guided day or a short course rather than heading out alone.