Chasing the Snow with Bernardo - Ski Touring

(Mr.M & Bernardo ski touring in St. Mortiz)

For Bernardo, an Argentinian world class skier and ski-tourer, snow is in his blood and it goes back generations. He began skiing when he was just three years old and has been chasing the snow ever since. His family originally hailed from Austria and were avid skiers and ski instructors for the local crowd and travelers looking to spend their time on the slopes. Today, Bernardo continues the tradition of skiing and teaching and for the past decade has split his year between Europe and Patagonia; if the snow is there, so is he. Mr. M and Bernardo met years ago touring the backcountry of St. Moritz, and quickly developed a friendship rooted in exploring, adrenalin and family. Bernardo learned to ski from a young age and went on to compete as an alpine racer and cross-country racer. Now, he gets his thrill ski touring, a subcategory of winter sports not all may know exists, probably because most of us couldn’t even begin to do it. 

 Ski touring is similar to cross country skiing but about 1000x more difficult physically. The objective is simple, start at the bottom of the mountain and climb up it, to ski back to the bottom. Here is the kicker, you do not use ski lifts to get to the top and you are mostly discovering new terrain in the backcountry, not climbing groomed slopes which makes it crucial to have a guide when ski touring or you could find yourself in a bad bind. 

So, what do you need to know if you want to venture into the world of ski touring? To start, it is helpful if you already have a basic understanding of skiing, and secondly it is important to be in good physical shape or you will be exhausted quickly and you not only need energy to climb up the mountain, but energy to ski back to the bottom of it! Hire a guide to take you; Bernardo strongly suggests that no one go into the backcountry alone for if something should happen you need a partner to help, and you should always come prepared with a shovel, an avalanche probe, and an avalanche beacon. Bernardo also packs a dry tee shirt to change into once he reaches the peak to stay warm and dry, since there is nothing worse than being wet and cold.

Patagonia is known for its fabulous terrain and bounty of volcanoes, which makes it the ideal destination for all levels and especially, in the springtime when the snow isn’t as deep. A tip for ski touring is to go out early in the morning when the snow is still hard and easy to climb and then enjoying the snow softened by the sun on your ride down. 

But what about equipment? “You can rent ski touring equipment such as the poles, skis and boots but the boots are the most important part. You must make sure that you have boots that are comfortable for your feet otherwise you will be miserable, get blisters and be in a lot of pain. If you enjoyed ski touring, my suggestion is to purchase boots for yourself that you are comfortable in and travel with those and rent the ski’s once you get to your skiing location. The best boot is the boot that fits you and that you like, the boot brand doesn’t matter as much.” 

Bernardo’s father opened up an outdoor gear shop in Argentina in the 1970’s called Austria Ski Resort where they outfit local Argentinians and travelers with top-of-the-line gear for all outdoor adventures including skiing and ski touring. “It started as an ice cream shop in the summer and would change over to a ski shop in the winter,” said Bernardo with a big smile on his face, because who doesn’t love ice cream! While the shop no longer converts to an ice cream parlor in the summer months, Bernardo has started his own ice cream factory, Andina Helados, paying homage to his father’s original vision, you can follow the shop on Instagram here.

So, how do you fuel up for a big day out on the backcountry? Plenty of rest the night before, and for breakfast the day of a ski tour, Bernardo recommends having a very light breakfast to ensure you are not weighted down or feeling sluggish; don’t worry you will make up for it when you après ski, a long-standing tradition for skiers globally. “My favorite après ski meal is a steak and a big beer, we earned it out there, but I always have a power bar in my backpack in case I need extra fuel on the climb!” 

(Après ski photo by Slim Aarons)

 Next time you are in Patagonia, be sure to stop by his family’s business Austria Ski Resort for all of your outdoor needs!