Ski touring
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Ski touring is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas. Touring is typically done off-piste and outside of ski resorts, and may extend over a period of more than one day. It is similar to backcountry skiing but excludes the use of a ski lift or transport.
Free moving heels during the ascent are a defining characteristic of ski touring. After reaching the mountain top or other destination, the heel portions of the special touring bindings are fixated such that the skis behave like normal alpine skis on the typically long ride downhill.
Marked ascent track of a previous ski tour to the Wildspitze (3.768 m) in Tyrolia in Austria. The route leads over the glacier Taschachferner, whereby the mountaineers made a detour around an area with open crevasses (middle).
A descent from a mountain in Switzerland under nearly perfect conditions, meaning powder snow and sun. In contradiction, depending e.g. on the local weather history, mountaineers may also have to struggle with previously melted and re-frozen deep snow, which can be very tiring especially for lesser skilled skiers.
Skiers in western Norway
Skiing
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Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
Alpine skiers
Spring ski touring on Hardangervidda, Norway
Four groups of different ski types, from left to right: 1. Non-sidecut: cross-country, telemark and mountaineering 2. Parabolic 3. Twin-tip 4. Powder
Giant Slalom Ski Racer