Ski Touring FAQs

Here you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions we are asked about ski touring and how our trips work.  Please also read our using alpine huts article for further info on life in huts.

Can I recharge my phone in the Huts?

Most larger huts in the European Alps now have re-charging points for phones and small electricals such as cameras, but it’s not guaranteed.  Take a power pack on longer trips if you need to be able to recharge your phone. In Scandinavia, many huts don’t have electricity.

Do huts have Wifi?

Wifi is very uncommon in Alpine huts, so don’t expect it and treat it as a luxury if you find a hut with open wifi. Ski touring is a great way to de digitize your life for a few days!

Can I get phone/cell reception at the huts?

Phone reception is very variable in Alpine huts, but you can often get a signal outside or nearby – text is most reliable.  If your loved ones might worry if you don’t ‘check in’ each night, then advise them in advance that ‘no news is good news’!

Do I need to bring slippers/trainers to wear in the huts?

• All French, Swiss and Italian Huts provide hut slippers, so you don’t need to bring any on hut tours to these nations.
• Austrian and Scandinavian huts do not provide hut slippers, so either walk around in your socks/ski inner boots, or bring some Crocs or lightweight slippers for these countries (a pair of hotel slippers are perfect, or buy some down camping slippers for a bit of luxury!)

What should I bring to wear in the evenings on a multi-day tour?

It depends how civilised you want to be! All ski tourers try to keep their pack weights as low as possible, so you definitely won’t be alone if you sit down to dinner wearing some of the same clothing that you’ve been skiing in during the day.  Most people however, change into at least a spare T shirt and some also bring a spare pair of trekking trousers or leggings to wear in the huts.  Whatever you choose to bring, make sure it’s as light as possible!

Do I need to bring a towel and washkit?

Huts do not provide towels and personal washing supplies.  It’s worth carrying just a small wash kit, as most huts only have wash basins with cold water. Top tip – take a small packet of wet wipes with you on a multiday ski tour! Some of the Swiss and Austrian huts also have hot showers and fresh towel rental – where available, shower facilities are mentioned in the tour itinerary.

Do I need to bring a sleeping bag/sleeping bag liner?

All huts are equipped with duvets and blankets, so you don’t need to bring a sleeping bag. However,  you do need to bring your own personal sleeping bag liner with you – a lightweight silk one is best.

Where can I store my excess luggage whilst I’m On Tour?

Your start/finish hotel will look after your excess luggage during the week whilst you are out on tour.

What type of avalanche transceiver do I need, and do I need to update it?

Please see our Ski Touring Equipment Advice page for more info on transceiver suitability. Many modern digital transceivers have the ability to receive manufacturers firmware updates – this may require visiting a specialist store or sending the transceiver away though, so if you want the latest firmware on your transceiver, then please ensure you do this before arriving on your trip. NB Your transceiver will still work correctly and be compatible with other transceivers even if it doesn’t have the latest firmware updates – however, it will be a little faster and easier to use if you do get the updates, so we always recommend having the latest firmware on your transceiver.

Do mountain huts cater for special diets?

All huts will happily cater for vegetarians, and most can provide gluten free and vegan meals too. For vegan/gluten free and other more specialist diets, meals may not vary much from hut to hut due to the extra difficulties associated with catering in the high mountains. We would therefore recommend that you take a few extra luxury items/sources of protein to supplement hut meals.

What happens if bad weather, high avalanche risk or other conditions related issues affect my tour, will it be cancelled?

We won’t cancel a trip in these circumstances, but we sometimes modify our itineraries, or even relocate trips to a different area, to ensure you can continue skiing safely and get the most from your holiday.

What happens with our accommodation if we cannot go to a mountain hut due to bad weather?

If you have to spend an extra night or two in the valley whilst waiting for bad weather to pass, we will reorganise the teams accommodation and provide extra hotel nights as required. These are provided on the same basis as the other hotel nights on your trip, ie if your start/end point hotels are on a BnB basis, any extra nights will also be BnB.

Can I hire equipment, and when do I need to collect it?

You can hire avalanche safety equipment, ice axe, crampons and harness from us at the time of booking, if required for your trip. This will be provided by your guide at your course briefing. If you need to hire skis, skins and/or boots – this can usually be done in resort at a local rental shop. For most trips this needs to be collected before your briefing, the day before you start skiing, so please arrive in resort with enough time to do this. Please see our Equipment Hire page for more details, including a list of recommended shops in each of our resort bases.