Off Piste Verbier

If you are looking for a great off piste run to start you off, but don't want to fork out just yet on all the off-piste equipment, Verbier might just be the resort for you. Situated in the Verbier 4 Valleys ski area, it was one of the first resorts to introduce the off-pste itinerary runs (marked with a yellow and black line).

Whilst purists might say this is hardly off-piste, we would retort that we all have to start somewhere! Yes  it isn't necessarily away from the masses and the solitude that some expert, but it does give you a taster in terms of skiing great scenery, and un-pisted ski terrain, knowing that it is relatively safe if you are competent skier and stick to the marked route.

One of my favourite such routes is in Verbier to ski is Tortin, entered ideally from the Mont Fort side, the run has spectacular scenery and some challenging, if not too difficult elements to it. Prior to the 'itinerary' status, it was a black, but by black standards its difficulty would be moderate to average, rather than extreme as was the case on the Mont Fort black (which is now unmarked and they have made the red Mont Fort run the black piste).

So why not have a go, its a great introduction to life as an off-piste skier, despite what the grumpy purists might say!