New Uphill Ski Run Created at French Ski Resort

Ski touring has become increasingly popular in recent years.  There are multiple reasons for this – the equipment has improved and the number of people with the fitness levels and drive to skin up mountains as well as ski down them has also grown.

There is also an environmental issue with some (particularly the people who are already fit and determined enough to skin up before skiing down) arguing that if skiers really care about fighting climate change they should forego the lifts and skin up the slopes.

The popularity of touring has caused some issues for resorts though as tourers tend to skin up the edges of groomed slopes, which some resorts see as a potential hazard for a potential collision with descending skiers. As a result some resorts have banned or limited slope access for tourers.

Les Gets, on the French side of the huge Portes du Soleil region, has taken a different approach through and announced they’re creating a new uphill-only ski run for the coming winter that tourers ca use to go uphill, then join the downhill piste network from the top.

The three kilometre long slope climbs 665 vertical metres from its start point at the bottom of the Chamois piste, next to the Mont Chéry cable car bottom station, then it emerges at the summit of Mont Chéry, at an altitude of 1,827 metres where tourers can re-join the downhill run network.

“A lift pass will not be needed if tourers are happy to ski the whole way down.  There is the option to download in the cable car (from half way down) if they wish but for that they will need a lift pass,” a Les Gets spokesperson said.

The piste is signposted by yellow and orange markers, as an uphill route only.