Ski touring, also known as ski mountaineering, has become increasingly popular in recent years and that’s set to increase further after the sport is included in the Winter Olympics for the first time at the 2026 games in Italy.

Although the sport focuses on the ascent through pristine nature on your ascent, and then, ideally, a run down on fresh untracked powder, dry slope designer and manufacturer Skitrax has found a use for their surface for ski tourers too!

“Competitive sport requires year-round training. With the Slopetrax mats, there is now a way to practise this sport in summer too, usually even on the mountain on your doorstep. Ideally, there should be a ski jump ramp with mats. The mountaineer can then use a serpentine track with his Touring skis with skins and on mats to get to the top, stow his skins in his rucksack and ski down the ski jump “piste” with his Touring skis. Once at the bottom, quickly put your skins back on your skis and head back up,” a Skitrax spokesperson explained.

In ski mountaineering, the focus is less on speed and more on the ascent and mastering the terrain. In contrast to alpine skiing, which is all about fast descents, ski mountaineering is a discipline that emphasises the ascent in untouched terrain.

During the ascent, you move at a moderate pace in order to conserve your strength and maintain your stamina. The speed depends on various factors, such as the steepness of the terrain, snow conditions and individual fitness. As a rule, speeds of around 2 to 4 kilometres per hour are achieved on the ascent and this can be practiced on a dry slope too.