Backcountry Touring & Splitboarding
Scotland is the perfect adventure playground for anyone looking to get into backcountry snowsports
LIBRARY
QUALS
SNOWSMART
AVALANCHE
FORECAST
What are Backcountry Snowsports?
Backcountry describes any snowsports activities that take place in off-piste unpatrolled terrain outside a ski resort boundary.
Snowsports activities that take place off-piste but within a ski resort boundary are known as sidecountry snowsports.
When in the backcountry, ski touring and splitboarding enable you to journey through through the environment using specially designed equipment with skins on the soles of the skis/board, that allow you to ascend as well as descend.
This offers the ski tourer or splitboarder complete freedom to choose their own routes and enjoy the very best of the Scottish winter mountain landscape, away from the crowds and queues of the ski resort.
Ski Touring
Put simply, ski touring is a blend of cross-country skiing and off-piste downhill skiing, but, rather than relying on lifts to get you up the mountain you use specialist equipment allowing you to do what’s known as ‘skinning’.
Skinning is the technique of moving uphill on your skis in a gliding motion, using ‘grippy skins’ attached to the soles of your skis. This will give you the freedom to explore far beyond the confines of the pistes and once you’ve reached the top of that perfect line, it’s yours for the taking.
Splitboarding
A splitboard is essentially a normal snowboard which splits into two halves. These halves become skis for travelling uphill, or touring. To enable the rider to walk uphill, adhesive-backed ‘skins’ are attached to the base of the skis to provide traction on the snow.Once at the top of the slope, the rider removes the skins, attaches the two skis together and it transforms back into a snowboard, ready for a well-earned descent through untracked powder.
The Backcountry Environment
The Scottish backcountry environment can be a hazardous place where conditions can change quickly and self-reliance is necessary.
For this reason, we strongly recommend going with someone who has done it before on your first excursion and starting a journey of learning all about mountain weather, snowpack, avalanches, and terrain choice.
To help start this learning journey, we strongly recommend using our free online learning resource, SNOWSMART which will lead you through the subject matter allowing you to test your knowledge and learn. It also provides you with the opportunity to become approved for off-piste snowsports insurance through Snowsport Scotland.
Although not designed to replace appropriate tuition, our Snowsmart courses will help with on and off-piste safety, and build on your knowledge and confidence.
Click the logo below to get started and get smarter on mountain safety!
Equipment
Ski Touring
Touring skis have special touring bindings, these bindings allow the user to ski the skis just like alpine bindings do when skiing downhill. However, when it comes to “uphill” mode or skinning uphill, touring bindings allow the heal of the boot to be released but the toe stays attached. This allows the user to raise their heal and slide the ski along the snow all without lifting the ski from the snow.
To “slide” uphill you can attach “skins” to the sole of your skis or split snowboard. Touring skins are like natural animal fur in that they lay smooth and flat if brushed in one direction but are rough and grippy if pushed in the other direction. With skins attached to the bottom of the skis these enable the skis to grip the snow and not slide backwards as you ascend the slope.
Splitboarding
Splitboards are snowboards which can be split into two, to make two splitboard “skis”. Each of these splitboard “skis” also has a similar sort of touring binding enabling you to lift your heel and slide in the same walking motion across the snow. Once you reach your destination you simply remove the skins from the skis, lock the two halves back together, and then snowboard back down the hill as normal.
Other equipment:
Navigation, snow safety and mountain skills are fundamental to enjoying the backcountry and this presents further equipment consideration beyond the actual skis or snowboards. To find out more check out Glenmore Lodge’s video’s:
Getting started
Backcountry requires multiple skills due to its environment setting. Because of the broad skillset required it is good to take your first forays supported by someone who you trust or a guided tour to give you a good introduction. Choosing a good day and the best place to be on the mountain makes all the difference. This could be the difference between fun snow or icy slopes, the difference between playing or surviving, or the difference between celebrating or spending the night out. A reasonable on piste standard of skiing or snowboarding competence is required to make safe descents in variable non-groomed snow.
To safely enjoy riding in the backcountry, be it snowboarding or skiing, the user should be comfortable making turns in variable snow conditions and have an ability to find the safest and most enjoyable snow on offer that day. If still improving your backcountry riding then it is highly beneficial to have professional input which in turn helps increase your enjoyment, efficiency and safety.
We have also developed a comprehensive library of online videos to also help you get into, or find out more on backcountry:
Where to go?
Backcountry can literally take place anywhere if there is snow!
Scotland’s hills and mountains offer a fantastic opportunity to enjoy Backcountry skiing and snowboarding.
If you have never done it before you can start at a ski area where there are recommended ascent routes to areas beyond the pistes.
It is also good to go with a qualified person who can help you learn and understand the basics of the sport before venturing out alone.
Once you have an understanding of the sport the Scottish mountains are all there for the taking, but a great starting point is the Backcountry areas around Nevis Range, Glencoe and Glenshee, where you can even take advantage of uplift to get you started for the day.
Important to note about touring from a resort
When accessing the Backcountry from one of Scotland’s five ski resorts tourers are expected to adhere to the Snowsports Touring Code.
Educators
GLENMORE LODGE
Their staff share a passion and desire for wild skiing, taking their skills to the backcountry and enthusing others to do the same.
From January to April, their Scottish and International ski programme is suitable for anyone. For beginners, check out their off piste courses. They also do a annual ‘Wild Ski Weekend’ open to all levels.
Each course provides a fitness and technical grading description to help you decide if this is the right course / level for you.
WANDERING WORKSHOPS
Based in Aviemore, Cairngorms, Wandering Workshops offers one day backcountry courses, covering: avalanche awareness and avoidance as well as backcountry skills.
It includes a basic introduction in to avalanche awareness and safety, including how to use avalanche safety gear.
These courses can also be used to count for Snowsport Scotland CPD.
BRITISH BACKCOUNTRY
British Backcountry offer ski touring days and skills courses.
Their mission is to introduce people to a more sustainable alternative to travelling abroad for snowsports, and to help participants become independent in the mountains.
They offer a host of skills/safety and intro days, as well as touring experiences and advanced skills in the backacountry - all based in Scotland.
Want to get competitive?
Upbattle is the biggest splitboarding event in the UK calendar, and is a weekend in the Cairngorm Mountains made up of action packed activity, seminars, demos and to top it all off the renowned ‘La Mans’ style derby race up the mountain. Whether you are an experienced backcountry adventurer or just have just started to explore the world of split boarding this event is not to be missed.
Although there is no formal pathway into competitive splitboarding, UpBattle are now offering workshops in technique and safety.
Other resources
Guidebooks:
- Scottish Offpiste Skiing & Snowboarding Glencoe: Kenny Biggin
- Scottish Offpiste Skiing & Snowboarding Nevis Range and Ben Nevis: Kenny Biggin
- Ski Mountaineering in Scotland SMC: Donald J. Bennet
Apps:
- Fatmap (for route and avalanche awareness planning both before and during the backcountry)
- View Ranger (Digital mapping compatible with smart phone)
- OS Mapping (Digital mapping compatible with smart phone & computer)
- Trailforks (Some ski area info, limited use)
Maps:
- Ordinance Survey & Harvies Maps cover all of the UK’s best skiing areas