Ski touring

Ski touring is another type of skiing that is gaining more and more fans and Sierra de Guadarrama is the ideal place for practising it. Cross-country skiing is a winter skiing discipline consisting of climbing and descending mountains with the help of the skies and no other mechanical propulsion. This  makes it one of the most complete sports; those who practice it need to be able to ascend with their skies on, to move on flat terrain and to know how to descend on all types of snow and slopes, and also to be good mountaineers – to know the specifics of a mountain in winter, its dangers and difficulties.The techniques of advancing and descending are different from the ones used in alpine skiing. Therefore, it is advisable to learn about them at initiation courses or to ask guides or other professionals for help.

Recommentations:

• Taking into account that this type of skiing can be practised on any slope, be very cautious in the areas with different types of snow and where ice sheets form, as they might be the cause of accidents. Since it is practised in areas not trodden on, avalanches or landslides are not to be discarded. Therefore, it is advisable to bring the material needed in such cases (and know how to use it); for example, snow probe, shovel, ARVA or location system, adequate clothing, telephone with sufficient battery life and other essential items for unforeseen events such as getting lost, accidents, etc.
• Find out about the risk of avalanches. If this activity is done with a group, pay special attention to the risk of sheets of ice breaking due to overload and consider the circular route.
• Make sure that the trail you are following does not take you into restricted areas of the National Park.

Source: Web PN Sierra de Guadarrama  and FEDME