Freeriding is king in Airolo!
Sense of freedom, adrenaline, solitude: Freeriding is king in Airolo!
Temperatures are dropping and mountain peaks are starting to turn white: off-piste time is approaching. More and more people are looking forward to venturing off the slopes and groomed trails to take advantage of fresh snow, spectacular runs and breathtaking views.
Are you among the many enthusiasts looking for new destinations?
To get started, try departing from our Pesciüm ski area, which can be reached in just 7 minutes by cable car; from there you can dabble in the first off-piste runs of the day along forest-protected slopes, which will allow you to have fun safely even in situations of poor visibility or less than optimal weather conditions. A second cabin will then take you even higher: up there, when the sun is shining, you can enjoy more open and very exciting slopes. Thanks to its optimal location, Airolo has an avalanche situation that is often better than in the northern part of the Alps: nevertheless, we advise you to always consult the weather report on our website and the latest updates on the state of the slopes.
Whether you are preparing for your first outing or are now an experienced freerider, caution is never too much: the mountains are always unpredictable and the dangers of off-piste skiing are many. Snow can suddenly break away from slopes and overwhelm those in its path, or it can hide hidden hazards such as crevasses or unstable terrain underneath. Those new to the discipline may overestimate their abilities, but even the most experienced can fall into serious misjudgments. Finally, sudden changes in weather conditions could easily cause you to lose your bearings, and your day of fun could soon turn into a nightmare.
In recent years, off-piste skiing has been attracting more and more enthusiasts, which is why in Airolo we offer courses to help you learn how to handle emergency situations. Learning how to behave while waiting for help can in fact make the difference between a tragedy and a story with a happy ending.
Does the idea of leaving marked trails tickle your fancy but you don't know where to start or want to brush up on the most important rules of the discipline?
For winter 2022-23 we are planning 4 courses open to all winter mountain goers, such as ski tourers, freeriders and snowshoers.
Together with our mountain guides, you will be able to test yourself in a theoretical and practical day that will teach you how to recognize the dangers of snow in off-piste and ski touring. Thanks to our Avalanche Training Center (ATC), you will learn how to properly use your equipment (Barryvox, shovel, probe) and basic rescue techniques.
The Avalanche Training Center is open to everyone for free and is only a 10-minute walk from the Pesciüm middle station on the way to Val Bedretto. It is located at the beginning of the N.453 Swiss Mobile Route.
Thanks to the 8 transmitters, different critical situations can be simulated, including searching for avalanche victims that are buried under thick layers of snow. The transmitters come with a reactive surface that automatically responds to the prodding of the probe: whatever is found is transmitted to the control unit which indicates the finding on a screen and confirms it with an acoustic signal. Search times for each transmitter are also indicated and the control unit has an activity counter that can be read at any time.
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