Ski Touring: Winter Navigation

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Winter Navigation – Tips for Skiers.

Most British hill walkers and mountaineers will be familiar with the ‘white-out’ conditions of low clouds and fog that are often encountered in the mountains. Inside the ‘white room’ the definition between the sky and snow can become almost impossible to distinguish between. This can be most disorientating, especially when sliding along on skis. For skiers on the piste, such conditions may just mean a rest day off the slopes, or heading down for an early drink, but for the ski tourer half way to a hut, such easy escape may not be possible.

There are many good books on the subject of navigation – both in summer and winter conditions, so rather than re-write such information, this article will focus on a few tips and tricks to help things go smoothly.

Needless to say, a forecast should have been obtained before heading out to help gauge the probability of poor weather. Snow conditions can also be obtained from forums, avalanche reports and by phoning the hut guardians. A map and compass should be carried as standard on such ventures. One thing to check if you are using foreign maps is the contours, they are often differently spaced (for example 20m - rather than 10m on Ordnance Survey Maps of the UK - height gain per contour) to allow for the greater height differences in alpine ranges compared to Scottish mountains.

Once you have decided on your route, get the map folded over to show the correct area and keep somewhere handy. Mark on key points to help your eye focus in quickly on the designated area. Do not just assume that a set of ski tracks is automatically going to where you had planned to go. It is very tempting to follow a well beaten trail, but before you do, just double check on your map! While the weather is good, take the time during stops and breaks to check you position on the map. Even if the weather and conditions are perfect, by doing this, you will begin to get an idea of the speed you are travelling and be able to judge the timings for your day. It is also far easier to locate yourself with regular checks rather than suddenly getting caught out by incoming bad weather and having no gauge on your progress.

In ‘white-out’ conditions, distances can be roughly measured by counting the amount of double paces you take. On average, you will travel a hundred meters in sixty double paces. It’s worth practicing this in good visibility conditions to give you an idea. Your pacing on skis will probably be different to on foot. (TIP: lay out a rope - of know length! - and measure your pacing against it). Don’t forget though that the amount of paces with have to increase as you walk up hill, as the length of your pace will shorten.

Being able to pace a distance helps you to know how far you have gone, but it is the job of the compass to help ensure that you are travelling in the right direction! Again, in misty conditions, it is very easy to become disorientated and very difficult to maintain a straight line of travel. As with all navigation techniques, they are best mastered in good conditions, before being tried out for real.

Walking on a bearing to a point in the distance may not always be practical if you can not tell where the horizon is. Sending someone out in front may help your field of vision, but communicating with that person may be all but impossible if the clouds are accompanied by strong winds. Holding the compass level, in front of your chest and slowly pacing forward is probably one of the best ways to maintain a steady course. To help check your progress, turn 180 degrees, and check that your ski tracks line up accordingly and are in a straight line behind you.

Before embarking on a navigational ‘leg’ or a compass bearing, make some quick observations and calculations from the map:

How far do you intend to travel?

How long do you expect it to take you?

How will you know if you’ve gone to far?

Are you expecting the terrain to change?

Will the slope angle/aspect change?

By having made these observations from the map, you can then keep a track of your progress by observing the ground around you. You are now more likely to notice sooner rather than later if things are turning out differently to how you expected them to and therefore reduce the chances of becoming misplaced.

A common problem with navigation is that with ‘your head in the map’, you miss what is happening on the ground, so make sure you stay aware of the terrain you are skiing on. It’s easy to stray onto an avalanche prone slope – and if you are unsure, stop and check before continuing.

An altimeter is a useful aid to navigation, especially if you are travelling on a wide open snow slope that lacks any obvious identifying features. They need to be re-set regularly to maintain accuracy and should be done each time you reach a point of known altitude, such as a col, peak or building. In conjunction with the pacing and bearing techniques mentioned earlier, the altimeter can help pin point your position as well as giving a gauge on your rate of progress during ascent or descent. A barometer function also allows you to notice a change in the atmospheric pressure and the possible onset of poor weather.

Developments with GPS (Global Positioning Systems) have resulted in very accurate and easy to use navigation tools, where hut locations etc can be pre-programmed, reducing much of the stress mentioned above. These can prove very useful tools, but it is always worth having the basic skills yourself rather than having to rely solely on something that is battery operated.

So to conclude, keep your eye on the map, even when the weather is good. Look at how close contours on the map are in relation to how steep a slope actually is in reality. This will help you to make a good guess from a map whether or not a slope will be too steep to ski up or down. Keep a track on the weather or conditions and by studying the map prior to departure, have a mental picture of what the route should be like and an idea of any possible escape routes or bad weather alternatives.

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