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Ski Touring Gear Print E-mail

Le Tour Idéal

ASPEN ALPINE GUIDES TAKES THE HUT OUT OF SKI TOURING. AT LAST!

By Megan Michelson
Photo by Jeff Harris

If the phrase “hut-to-hut ski trip” conjures images of waddling around with an overstuffed pack on too-long skis between mean little shacks, you haven’t skied Colorado’s 10th Mountain Division Hut System. Saying that the 10th Mountain system has huts is like calling Mammoth Mountain a quaint little resort. Most of these structures are multistory constructions, with private bedrooms, fully stocked kitchens, solar-powered electricity, and (in a few cases) wood-fired saunas. Just ring up Aspen Alpine Guides and let them organize your tour. “Our hut trips can be more comfortable than home,” says Josh Gross, a veteran ski guide and co-owner of AAG. “We can take care of everything.” On the approach, you’ll have no pack to carry because your guides will sled it in for you, along with bed linens and, if you like, a few bottles of 20-year-old Maison Brillet cognac. By day, AAG will cater the best—and safest—untracked snow. And after all the face shots you can take, you’ll return to slippers, a stoked fire, a four-course meal, and a snifter of brandy. Trips from $985 per person; aspenalpine.com

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1 SIGG BLACK OVAL WITH CUP
If this 20-ounce flask was good enough for the Swiss army in 1941, it’s good enough for us. Pour your bourbon into this redesigned classic, upgraded with a sleek, modern look and durable stainless-steel casing. We like its convenient cup for mixing drinks too. $30; mysigg.com

2 SCARPA T2X
The three-buckle T2Xs are as close as ski boots get to rabbit-fur slippers—they’re comfy and easy to walk in. Credit the custom-fit thermo liners (heat in the oven, then mold to your feet) and a locking tour mode that allows more ankle flex when you’re hiking uphill and less when you’re not. $559; scarpa.com

3 BLACK DIAMOND 01
Until last year, no telemark binding offered the frictionless uphill mode that alpine touring bindings do. Then came the revolutionary 01, which, with the press of a ski-pole tip, cuts your energy output in half for the skin uphill. For touring, we suggest the least stiff spring cartridges (called FreeFlex). $300; bdel.com

4 G3 ALPINIST SKINS
Thanks to extra-strength waterproofing and a super-sticky, nontoxic glue, G3’s skins out-climb the competition. The new Alpinist takes it up another notch, hooking onto the edges of your skis (rather than over the ski tip) for a tighter fit. $143–$163; genuineguidegear.com

5 DALE OF NORWAY ÅRE SWEATER
In 1956, Dale crafted a sweater for the Norwegian ski team to wear at the Olympics. It resurfaced at the 2007 World Championships in Åre, Sweden—this time in a light but dense merino wool. Now you can have your very own medal-worthy pullover too. $249; dale.no

6MOVEMENT IKI
Swiss-born Movement skis are no longer just for freestylers. The Iki is one of the company’s newest powder boards—and we’re impressed. At 80 millimeters underfoot, they float like water skis but are still light enough (just 2.5 pounds per ski) for long tours. Bonus: The part-poplar core is sustainably harvested. $675; movementskis.com

7 MAMMUT PULSE BARRYVOX
We hope you’ll never need this, but avalanches do happen and you have to be prepared. Mammut breaks the mold with the easy-to-operate Pulse Barryvox, which comes equipped with a 3-D motion detector that determines which buried victims are still alive. $449; www.mammut.ch

 

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