The Ötztal Region Traverse

Freshtracks holidays are group ski trips organised by the Ski Club of Great Britain for solo travellers, couples, and friends who want to ski with like-minded people. We offer social skiing, instructional, off piste, and touring holidays. On all holidays, a dedicated Freshtracks Rep will be on hand to make sure the holiday runs smoothly.

Find out more here – Holidays – Ski Club Of Great Britain.

Single room availability will be shown in the "View Dates & Prices" tab on each holiday page, located under the holiday name. If single rooms are available, this will be clearly stated there. If no single room option is listed, unfortunately this means they have already sold out.

Sometimes we can request additional single rooms from the hotel. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

This information is usually sent out 7-10 days before departure. It will include your final itinerary, Freshtracks Rep contact details, and any important information relating to your transfers, flights, and accommodation, depending on what is included in your specific package.

Freshtracks holidays use a ski profiling system to ensure you’re skiing alongside members of a similar ability, creating well-matched groups and a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

We recommend reviewing our Ski Profile page and selecting the profile you feel best represents your current skiing. The profiles are there to help us place you on the right holiday, so please choose honestly to ensure you get the most out of your time on the slopes.

Our Ski Profiles

If you’ve been on a Freshtracks holiday before, your Rep will give you an official grading at the end of the week. This will be recorded on our system and available to view in your Ski Locker.

No. Freshtracks holidays cater to a wide range of skiing abilities, from early intermediates to advanced skiers. Each trip includes detailed information about the recommended ski level so you can choose the right holiday for your ability.

Absolutely. The majority of Freshtracks guests travel solo – in fact, 85% of our guests last winter were solo travellers.

Our holidays are specifically designed to help you meet other passionate skiers and feel part of the group from the start. Group dining, organised skiing and fun social activities all help to create a friendly, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, making Freshtracks an ideal choice for anybody travelling alone.

Ski rental is not included on Freshtracks holidays and is arranged separately. That said, Ski Club of Great Britain members enjoy access to a number of ski hire discounts, which can be found on our Discounts page.

Ski Club of GB Rental Discounts

Please note that inclusions differ by holiday when it comes to lift passes, so it’s important to check the Essential Info tab beneath the holiday title, as well as the "What’s Included" and "What’s Not Included" sections at the top of the holiday overview page.

For Freshtracks holidays that include group flights, it is not possible to check in online beforehand. You simply need to turn up to a manned check-in desk with your passport on the day, where you will be checked in and issued with a physical boarding pass.

Make sure you read the full travel information in the Travel tab and, once you have booked, keep an eye out for your final information document. This will provide further details on your baggage allowance.

Ski carriage cannot be pre-booked and is payable at the airport.

We highly recommend bringing your own equipment for this holiday (full touring setup), renting touring equipment in the area is very difficult.  Shovels, probes, and transceivers are also available for hire –  from the guide once in resort.

Please let us know if you are going to require equipment so we can update the guide ahead of time to confirm if they will be able to provide you with the equipment.

Baggage

• 1 day ski touring backpack (ideally with a dedicated safety compartment
  for transceiver, shovel, probe; optional airbag backpack)
• 1 ski bag (optional for arrival/departure) You should be able to leave this at the Hotel Gundolf during your tour.

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT

• Touring Skis and skins – (ensure good adhesive properties; NO hybrid
  skins permitted)
• 1 pair of ski crampons compatible with the binding system
• 1 pair of ski touring boots
• 1 pair of ski touring telescopic poles
• 1 avalanche transceiver (LVS) (insert new batteries before the tour; no
  spare batteries required)
• 1 shovel
• 1 probe
• 1 alpine harness
• 1 small first-aid kit
• 1 ski touring helmet
• 1 headlamp (insert new batteries before the tour; no spare batteries
  required)
• 1 thermos or water bottle (max. 1 liter)
• 1 pair of sunglasses
• 1 pair of ski goggles
• 1 small sunscreen
• 1 lip balm
• 1 mobile phone with charge

Please contact us if you have any concerns over equipment, and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We can also ask your guide if he can assist with rental of specific equipment you may not have.

Additional

• Sun cream & Lip protection Personal medical supplies inc anti-blister
  plasters!
• Passport; Tickets; Insurance; Phone; Chargers for all electronics

Clothing

• A layering system is best
• 1 Gore-Tex pants (hardshell)
• 1 Gore-Tex jacket (hardshell)
• 1 Primaloft or down jacket
• 1 pair of ski touring pants (softshell)
• 1 ski touring jacket (softshell)
• 1 pair of thin gloves
• 1 pair of thick gloves
• 1 thin beanie or buff/neck gaiter or headband
• 1 warm beanie
• Extra layer
• Sun hat
• Ski goggles
• Sun glasses
• Head torch optional

General Advice

It is as important not to overheat and to avoid sunburn as it is to keep warm.
Therefore, try to choose light-weight, good quality equipment over heavier
items. A clothing system based on layers is best – you can control your
temperature much more easily than wearing one thick jacket. Avoid one piece
ski suits, they are not suitable for ski mountaineering. Average sea level
temperature in May are Min -10C Max 5C

Fitness Requirments

This requires at least a few weeks of ski touring experience and a high level of skiing. You will be doing 300-400 vertical meters per hour ascent, averaging approximately 1200 maximum vertical meters per day. You can expect to tour 4 – 6 hours/day.

Pre Trip

The best training is long weekend mountain walks. If that’s not possible, regular running or jogging works well. In the gym, focus on breathing and endurance – not strength

Raphael Eiter will be the guide on this holiday.

It is a condition of booking that you have valid and adequate snowsports insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure your policy provides cover for all the activities that you participate in during your holiday.We offer a Ski Club Insurance policy which provides the cover we require for all bookings. This policy can be found here: Ski Club Travel Insurance – Ski Club Of Great Britain.

If you decide to purchase insurance elsewhere, it is your responsibility to ensure that your policy provides cover as that of the Ski Club Insurance policy. The policy of insurance should provide cover for personal injury, death, medical and repatriation costs in the countries which you intend to visit, together with cover for loss of baggage and valuables, personal liability, delay, cancellation, curtailment, missed departure and legal expenses. The policy should also include cover against losses caused by the effects or consequences of Covid-19.

Due to the type of holidays that you will be booking with us, we also advise that your policy should include skiing off-piste without a guide. Please note, insurance premiums must be paid at the same time as booking in order for the package holiday or single service cancellation cover to be effective. It is also advised to keep your insurance details with you while you are on your holiday. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

Passport – Check your passport is in date and valid for travel by checking the entry requirements for your destination country – you can see these here: Foreign travel advice – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

When venturing off piste, it is compulsory to wear an avalanche transceiver. These can be provided by the Ski Club and should be worn by every person on every all mountain, off piste and touring holiday. Anyone joining these holidays will also be required to bring their own backpack, shovel and probe.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Any Member wishing to ski/snowboard with a Ski Club Group, in any of the resorts where the Ski Club is represented, agrees to do so under the following conditions:

1. You appreciate that the Ski Club Rep is a volunteer with no formal qualifications as an instructor or mountain guide.
2. You also appreciate that no other member of the group undertakes any obligations to you concerning your safety for which you remain solely responsible.
3. You must ensure that your equipment is in good working order before setting off for the day and that you are suitably clothed for the proposed itinerary and all possible weather conditions.
4. You must decide whether or not a particular run or route is within your competence.
5. You must ensure that you are properly equipped for that day. If you are skiing off piste you must have a shovel, probe and transceiver, and know how to use them. If you are using a Ski Club transceiver, it is your sole responsibility to know how to use it.
6. It is your sole responsibility to ensure that you are suitably insured for the activities intended to be undertaken.