Want to Ski Touring in Switzerland? Here Are the Best Resorts for You

Ski touring puts you in charge of the mountain: no lifts, just your own effort earning turns through untouched snow, one skin track at a time. Switzerland is one of the best places in the world to do it, and nowhere more so than the Alps rising above the Rhône valley.

We’re based in the Valais, in Val d’Anniviers and Saas-Fee, and that’s where most of our guided touring days happen. But the Alps don’t stop at the edge of our home valleys, and if you’re planning a touring trip to Switzerland it helps to know what else is out there.

In this guide we look at some of the best ski touring resorts and regions in Switzerland, from our own valleys to the high peaks of Zermatt, Verbier, the Engadin and the Bernese Oberland, along with what you need to know about snow, gear and planning before you go.

Best ski touring resorts in Switzerland

Val d’Anniviers: our home valley for ski touring

Val d’Anniviers is where Freeride Guiding is based, and it’s still one of the more underrated ski touring valleys in the Valais.

The valley is made up of five villages, St-Luc, Chandolin, Grimentz, Zinal and Vercorin, connected by more than 120 kilometres of runs across the Grimentz-Zinal ski area alone.

Four peaks above 2,800 metres, Combe Durand, Corne de Sorebois, Becs de Bosson and Roc d’Orzivals, give touring skiers plenty of options depending on the day’s conditions and how far you want to skin.

• Low humidity and consistent wind protection that help the snowpack hold up
• A hut-to-hut route running north to Saint-Luc and west toward Brig
• Access to guided touring at every level, from a first skin track to full-day objectives

For most visitors, Val d’Anniviers works well as a base for a full week: you can ski a different aspect or peak most days without repeating a line.

It’s also the easiest of the valleys we cover here to combine with lift-accessed freeride on the days when touring isn’t the priority.

Saas-Fee: glacier touring above 3,000 metres

Saas-Fee is the other valley we call home, and its glacier terrain puts it in a different category to most Swiss resorts for touring.

The Metro Alpin funicular, the highest underground railway in the world, reaches Mittelallalin at 3,500 metres in minutes, which means a touring day here can start well above where most resorts finish.

1. Skin from Mittelallalin across the Fee Glacier toward quieter terrain away from the lift network
2. Rope up for the Allalinhorn, at 4,027 metres the most accessible 4,000-metre peak in the Alps, on a two to three hour glacier ascent

The Allalinhorn route is a natural first ski-touring objective at altitude: a serious day out, but a guided introduction to glacier travel rather than a technical mountaineering climb.

Because so much of the terrain sits on glacier, crevasse hazard is a real factor here, which is why we always guide this valley rather than suggest routes to explore alone.

The reward is snow that stays cold and dry for longer than almost anywhere else in the region, thanks to the altitude alone.

Zermatt and the Matterhorn region

An hour or so from Saas-Fee, Zermatt is probably Switzerland’s best-known name in ski touring, and for good reason.

The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car climbs to 3,820 metres on the Klein Matterhorn, the highest cable car station in Europe, opening up a vast network of glacier terrain on both the Swiss and Italian sides of the border.

• The finish point of the classic Haute Route, a multi-day ski tour that starts in Chamonix and covers around 180 kilometres of glacier terrain over six to eight days
• A hut network including the Vignettes and Chanrion huts, used by touring parties on the final stages of the route
• Enough terrain around the Matterhorn itself to fill several days without ever touching the Haute Route

Zermatt is worth building a trip around on its own, or treating as the finish line for a longer tour that starts elsewhere in the Alps.

Either way, it’s the kind of place that rewards planning ahead: huts get booked up, and conditions on glacier terrain change fast.

Verbier and the Four Valleys

Verbier anchors the Four Valleys, or 4 Vallées, one of the largest connected ski areas in Switzerland, and it has a serious reputation among freeriders and ski tourers alike.

Mont Fort, at 3,330 metres, is the high point of the lift network and the usual starting point for touring further into the backcountry, including the glacier route toward Rosablanche.

1. Ride the lifts to Mont Fort to save the first hour of climbing
2. Skin across the Grand Désert glacier toward Rosablanche with a guide who knows the current crevasse situation
3. Choose from several descents back into the Four Valleys lift network to finish the day

Verbier is also the finish town for the Patrouille des Glaciers, the famous ski mountaineering race that runs from Zermatt, and that history says a lot about how seriously this valley takes touring.

It’s a good choice if you want a touring base with plenty of lift-accessed skiing to fall back on when the weather closes in.

Alpine snowpack and how it affects your tour

Understanding the Alpine snowpack through the season

Every Swiss touring resort sits inside the same broad snowpack, but altitude, aspect and how continental or maritime the local climate is all change how that snowpack behaves.

Early season, snow is often thin and variable, and a guide’s job is as much about finding coverage as finding good turns.

• Midwinter storms build a deep base at altitude, but wind can strip it from exposed ridges within hours
• A cold, dry spell after a storm is usually when the best powder holds longest, particularly above 2,500 metres
• Spring brings a freeze-thaw cycle that rewards an early start and good timing over raw snow depth

None of this is unique to one resort, but where you tour changes how much it matters.

A glacier valley like Saas-Fee buffers some of these swings with sheer altitude, while a lower, more exposed valley can flip from great to tricky within a single day.

Saas-Fee: glacier snow that holds all winter

Saas-Fee is the clearest example of altitude doing the work for you.

With most of its touring terrain above 3,000 metres, the snowpack here stays colder for longer than in lower resorts, and storms tend to arrive as snow rather than rain even late in the season.

That’s part of why we base one of our two operations here: it extends the season on both ends compared with lower valleys.

1. Check the current crevasse bridging before choosing a glacier route, ideally with a guide who tours the terrain regularly
2. Expect the best snow on shaded, north-facing terrain once the sun gets stronger from March onward
3. Plan an early start in spring to catch the overnight freeze before it softens

It’s not unusual to find good snow here into April, well after some lower resorts have turned to slush.

Tips for finding the best snow on tour

Wherever you’re touring in Switzerland, a handful of habits make the difference between an average day and a great one.

Check recent snowfall and wind direction before you commit to an aspect, since wind loading and stripping can undo a storm’s benefit within hours.

• Favour north and east-facing slopes for cold, preserved snow later in the day
• Track the freeze-thaw cycle in spring and time your climb around it
• Ask a local guide rather than relying on a forecast alone: conditions can vary hugely between valleys only a short drive apart

This is where a guide who works a specific valley day after day earns their keep: they know which aspect held snow from three storms ago, not just what the forecast says today.

Access and logistics for ski touring in Switzerland

Essential gear and preparation

Ski touring gear has come a long way, and lighter setups now make covering serious vertical realistic for most reasonably fit skiers, not just racers.

At minimum you’ll need touring skis with pin or hybrid bindings, climbing skins, and boots that switch between a rigid downhill mode and a free-moving walk mode.

• An avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, worn and practised with, not just packed
• A touring-specific backpack with space for layers, water and emergency gear, ideally with an airbag system for more serious terrain

Renting a full touring setup is straightforward in most Swiss resort towns, so it’s not something you need to own before your first trip.

Safety considerations for ski touring

Ski touring moves you through terrain that no patrol controls, which changes the safety equation compared with lift-accessed skiing.

Avalanche risk is the obvious factor, but crevasse hazard on glacier terrain, like much of what’s above Saas-Fee and Zermatt, matters just as much and is easy to underestimate.

Conditions can also vary sharply by aspect and altitude on the same mountain, which is why we reassess every route each morning rather than following a fixed plan.

A certified mountain guide brings route-finding experience, current knowledge of the snowpack, and the judgement to turn back when conditions call for it, which is worth more than any single piece of gear.

Planning your ski touring itinerary

A good touring trip usually mixes objectives: a shorter, lower-commitment day early on to build fitness and confidence, then bigger days once you’re moving well.

Building in a rest day or a lift-accessed freeride day partway through a trip also helps, especially at altitude, where the effort of skinning adds up faster than most people expect.

If you’re combining resorts, like a few days in Val d’Anniviers followed by a trip to Zermatt or Verbier, allow time for travel between valleys rather than packing every day back to back.

And build in flexibility: the best touring itinerary is one that can shift a day or two around the weather rather than forcing a fixed plan onto changing conditions.

Beyond the Valais: more ski touring destinations in Switzerland

The Engadin and St. Moritz

The Engadin, in the east of Switzerland, has a different character to the Valais: a drier, more continental climate that tends to hold cold snow exceptionally well.

Diavolezza is the classic starting point, with its top station at just under 3,000 metres giving direct views of Piz Bernina and access to the Pers and Morteratsch glaciers.

• A well-known glacier descent runs from Diavolezza down to the Morteratsch railway station, a genuine point-to-point ski tour
• St. Moritz itself adds a wide network of groomed and off-piste terrain to combine with touring days
• The dry Engadin climate means powder can stay in good condition for days after a storm

It’s a long way from Val d’Anniviers, but worth the trip if you want to experience how different the snow feels on the other side of the Alps.

The Bernese Oberland

West of the Valais, the Bernese Oberland is better known for its iconic skyline, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, than for touring, but the terrain around Gstaad and the Diablerets glacier deserves a mention.

• Glacier 3000, above Les Diablerets, gives lift access to around 3,000 metres and a starting point for tours into the surrounding glacier terrain
• Gstaad’s lower valleys offer gentler, forested touring options for stormy days when the high peaks are out of the question
• The region combines well with a stop in the Valais on the way to or from Geneva

It’s not the first name that comes up in a conversation about Swiss ski touring, but it rounds out a longer trip nicely if you have the time.

Gstaad and the Diablerets glacier

Gstaad itself trades on a different kind of reputation, chalets and fine dining as much as skiing, but the mountains above it are genuinely good touring terrain.

The Diablerets glacier, reached via Glacier 3000, sits close to 3,000 metres and stays skiable well into the season thanks to that altitude.

• Shorter tours suited to a half-day or an add-on to a longer Swiss itinerary
• Panoramic terrain with fewer crowds than the bigger-name resorts
• A useful base if you’re also spending time on Lake Geneva or in Montreux

It won’t replace a dedicated trip to the Valais or Zermatt, but it’s a solid option if your travels bring you through this part of Switzerland.

Planning a multi-resort touring trip

Switzerland is small enough that combining two or three of these regions in a single trip is realistic, even over a week or two.

A common pattern for our guests is to start in Val d’Anniviers or Saas-Fee, where we can guide the whole trip, then add a few days in Zermatt or Verbier before heading home.

Trains and postbuses connect most Swiss resort towns directly, so a multi-resort trip doesn’t necessarily mean renting a car.

1. Book guiding for the valleys where you want a local guide’s terrain knowledge, particularly anywhere involving glacier travel
2. Leave at least one buffer day in the itinerary for weather or travel delays
3. Confirm gear rental in each town in advance if you’re not travelling with your own touring setup

However you build the trip, the Valais is a sensible place to start it: it’s where the terrain is most varied, and where we can guide you from your very first day.

From there, Zermatt, Verbier, the Engadin and the Bernese Oberland are all close enough to add on without losing the heart of the trip.

Switzerland rewards skiers who take the time to see more than one valley, and ski touring is one of the best ways to do it.

Ready to plan a Swiss ski touring trip? Contact Freeride Guiding to build an itinerary around Val d’Anniviers, Saas-Fee, or a longer route across the Alps.