WILDERNESS SKI TOUR in the karwendel mountains

SKI LOCAL WITH HENDRIK

For ORTOVOX employee Hendrik Reschke, the wild, rugged Karwendel mountains represent home. The Karwendel massif sits between Bavaria and the Tyrol, a vast expanse of rock with rugged flanks, magnificent vistas and awe-inspiring rock faces. Hendrik will take you on a ski tour to the GRUBENKARSPITZE – a long, energy-sapping but utterly rewarding tour.

“FOR ME, HOME IS THE FEELING OF BELONGING AND FAMILIARITY.”
(HENDRIK RESCHKE)

Ortovox Tour Tips

Ski tour on the Grubenkarspitze

HENDRIK’S 5 TIPS FOR SAFE SPRING SKI TOURS

1. SET OFF EARLY

Spring ski tours are not for late risers. On neve and glaciers, temperatures can rise rapidly during the day. The hard frozen snowpack transforms first into firn or corn snow before turning into slush. The risk of triggering a gliding avalanche rises considerably. 

2. BIKE AND SKI

By May, if not before, access routes to the valleys are free of snow and the lowest skiable slopes can be reached by bike. Here, too, it is important to take current conditions into account. Routes may be closed on account of avalanche risk. 

3. PACK YOUR SKI CRAMPONS

In the mornings, the snowpack is usually frozen hard, and sometimes even iced over. In such conditions it is often difficult to get adhesion using skins alone. So you should always carry ski crampons and attach them before tackling a steep, icy passage. 

4. SHOVEL AND ICE AX

Versatile equipment helps you to save weight when ski touring. For example, it is useful to have a shovel with a shaft that can double as an ice ax. The ice ax can be used for additional support in difficult passages.

5. SUNBLOCK

In spring, with the arrival of warmer temperatures, you should also carry adequate fluids (2 to 3 liters in the hydration system, depending on the length of the tour). And, of course, sun protection in the form of a hat and sunscreen (UPF 50+). 

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