Celebrating 22 years!







Facebook YouTube
Instagram Twitter
Blog Photo galleries

Otztal Ski Tour du Vent, Austria
Course overview
The Otztal mountains of Austria offer a great area for ski touring, that is peppered with 3000m peaks. The 'Tour du Vent' ski tour is a true classic ski tour which tackles the most famous mountains surrounding the Otztal valley.
On the third day of skiing, you visit the actual site where the famous iceman was discovered, high up on the Austrian-Italian border.
During the week you ski tour across many glaciers and high passes, taking in many of the key summits of the region. The main peaks that are skied include Similaun 3606m, Finailspitze 3514m, Weisskugel 3739m, Fluchtkogel 3500m, and Wildspitze 3774mn.
Previous touring experience is required, but this is of a similar level to the Silvretta ski tour, and a good level of fitness is essential.
Any mountaineering skills or knowledge of ropes are an advantage, but not essential as all necessary techniques are taught. As with all arctic travel, it is important for the guide to keep the itinerary very flexible to take account of the weather and avalanche conditions.
The accommodation in the mountains is in huts. These are looked after by a guardian and their team, and all bedding is provided, as is a good evening meal and breakfast. Packed lunches can be obtained in the huts, though many prefer to ski light, snacking on cereal bars to keep a steady rhythm going.
Dates: these are listed in the column on the right, and they show the live availability from our secure online booking system. When you book online, you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine Information Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice.

Brief Course Itinerary
The itineraries are for guidance, but should give an idea of what you can achieve during the week. Each week this course runs slightly differently to cater for your preferences, the conditions, and where the best weather and snow is to be found. This flexibility allows you to have the course tailored to your needs. This trip is lead by Francois (see photo below), who is an IFMGA mountain and ski guide. He has worked with Icicle for over a decade, and spends most of the year in the Alps. Francois is a keen ski tourer and ice climber, who lives in the Vercors massif.


Satuday - Travel to the village of Vent in the Austrian Otztal, and spend the night on a half board basis in a local hotel. Meet the rest of the group.
Sunday - In the morning, the guide will make final kit checks, and brief you on the plan for the day. The first day is relatively easy, to allow you to get your ski legs back, and to practice with avalanche transceivers. The aim for the day is to skin up to the Martin-Busch hut at 2501m, which involves about 3 hours of ascent.
Monday - An early start to head up to the summit of Similaun 3606m, which takes about 4 hours from the hut. From the summit, you ski down to the Similaun-hutte mountain hut, where you spend the night. The day involves 1105m height gain, and 600m height loss.
Tuesday - Another early start to ski up to the Tisenjoch col, where the Iceman of Similaun was discovered. From there you may even continue to ascend the north east ridge to the summit of Finailspitze 3514m. You ski down Hochjochferner, followed by the short climb up to the Schonen Aussicht mountaim hut. Today you gain 680m, and lose 860m.
Wednesday - The objective today is Weisskugel 3739m, which is reach by the short climb to the col between Am Hintern 3270m and Egg 3219m, followed by a short descent on Hintereisferner and the climb to Hintereisjoch. From here it is a short ascent to the summit of Weisskugel by its south ridge, then a long ski down ro the Hochjoch Hospiz hut. This is a big day with 1360m ascent, and 1790m of descent.
Thursday - The tour then heads to Kesselwandferner via the Gularjoch pass, before ascending towards the summit of Fluchtkogel 3500m. You ski down the huge Mitterkar glacier, to reach the Vernag hut at 2755m. The height gain for the day is 1100m, and loss is 760m.
Friday - It's the final day, and passing ober the Grosser and Keiner Vernag glaciers, you ascend to the pass at Brochkogel 3423m. Then there is a long traverse taking you to the foot of Wildspitze, from which you ascend to the summit at 3774m. The long descent takes you all the way back to the village of Vent where you spend the night in a hotel. The height gain for the day is 1100m, and the loss is a huge 1870m.
Saturday - Breakfast in the hotel, then you are free to depart for the return flights home.

ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant, so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans. If this is the case, suitable alternatives are offered. Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of route / activity that you will attempt.

Course Prices
Standard course
6 full days IFMGA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
8 days holiday in total, Saturday-Saturday
£1299
Live availability
Click on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
Latest Availability
Secure online booking system
Standard Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guide(s) for six days, 2) Pre course information booklet, 3) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 4) Two nights half board accommodation in Vent, Austria (inc. bedding & towels), 5) Five nights half board accommodation in mountain huts including three course cooked evening meals. 6) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet.
Exclusions: 1) Travel to and from Vent, Austria, 2) Cable Cars and valley transfers (budget on £60), 3) Ski hire, 4) Personal laundry, telephone calls, lunches, & any purchases in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants, 5) Activities insurance, & excess baggage charges, 6) Saturday pre-dinner drinks & Friday celebratory meal & drinks.
Group sizes: 3 - 6 people per IFMGA mountain guide. For group sizes of over 6 people, there are multiple guides, and the teams travel independently of each other.
Current course availability

Course Dates
Otztal Tour du Vent
  • No Dates Available
NOTE: This trip has scheduled
dates, but if there are four who
are booking together, it can be
operated on any date you wish
Facebook
YouTube
Blog
Twitter
Mobile
Photos
Podcasts
News

Price: £1299 Book online

Alternative courses
Chamonix Off Piste
Haute Route (Cham-Zermatt)
Silvretta Ski Tour

Intro Touring & Backcountry
Testimonials
Press & media
Films & videos
Photo gallery
Location data for this trip

The trips all start in Vent in Austria, which is easily accessed by train, from the nearest airport of Innsbruck, or slightly further away to fly to Zurich.

Time Difference
GMT +1hr
Local Currency
Euro €
Travel from UK
1hr flight
Latest news from Icicle
Skis & equipment advice
Because we know it is so important to you to have the most suitable equipment and clothing for off piste skiing and touring, we have devoted a page especially to it, which you can access by clicking on the image, or by clicking here. This page outlines the key equipment you should bring, and gives examples of skis that are suitable for the course. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Suggested reading and kit
View full course equipment list, with examples of kit, click here
So why choose us?
We are true specialists in ski touring. See our blog, by clicking on the logo (on the right).
Icicle Blog
Itinerary flexibility to allow you to take full advantage of the weather and conditions each day, so that you maximise the amount of time spent skiiing each day.
Our prices are fixed in £ pounds sterling, to protect you from euro currency fluctuations, so that you can budget accurately.
We have a team of over 30 IFMGA guides, and a resort support team, who all want you to have the best skiing possible! For more details on the guiding team and qualifications, please click here.
Any further questions?
A key part of choosing a company is being able to come and talk about your plans with an experienced course advisor face to face. In an increasingly virtual world, we know our clients value speaking to real people, getting open and honest advice. The vast majority of our clients are British, and our office and outdoor store is based in Windermere in the English Lake District.



Get in contact to arrange a meeting, and come in for a coffee to discuss your course in person with a trip advisor.


Facebook Icicle Instagram Twitter Icicle
Windermere & online shop technical kit clothing & shoes the book shop special offers
conditions|privacy|sitemap|copyright © 2022 Icicle, Church Street, Windermere, Lake District, LA23 1AQ
Icicle logo is the registered trademark ® of Icicle Mountaineering|UK company 413 6635. VAT 770 137 933