The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Graubünden

It is a mellow gentle wide slope in an alpine environment without vegetation and not to many rocks. Great for freeriding beginners because of its steepness, like a blue run, and orientation....

The Albula Alps traverse is a particularly satisfying linear tour, travelling N and E, so you've got a great chance to have powder on the descents. Many of the days are not that long, easily allowing flexibility for groups of varying standard, by bolting on additional peaks or ascents in search of more great skiing....

Before embarking on this route, check the lifts are running and if possible be on the first one. This is in 3 stages, to the top of the lift system. There follows a stunning traverse, up and over Piz Darlux, down slightly to a col, then about another kilometre along an exposed and beautiful ridge, to the Tschimas de Tisch, at 2870m....

There are some route choices for today, depending on conditions, fitness and weather. The most interesting route, as marked here, is to go over a high shoulder on the S side of Piz Grialetsch, but this is a higher alternative, at over 3000m....

In good conditions this is a fantastic way to finish off your tour. Acclimatised now you should have no difficulty with the skin to the top of Piz Sarsura at 3175m....

After the big mountain day and long valley the day before, this feels like a much easier day. This is mainly because you are nearly 1000m lower and it is either up or down with minimal flat terrain....

From the top of Seetäli ride down slope nº30 till it turns to the right and goes to the flat area from there traverse to the right and cross the T-bar line....

Easy freeride area with easy access on the right site of Furka T-bar. Good spot to get started on deep snow and off piste riding on a safe environment. You just have to go around the T-bars at the top and drop in, traversing to the left side between a rolling area....

This is another of the popular and safe freeride areas on Jakobshorn. A really wide area on the left side of Jatz Quattro chairlift from the top. It has stunning views to Sertig valley....

This a lovely day skinning through a col with optional summit, descending to the amazing Jamtal Hut. Skin steadily S from the Heidelberg Hut through the Kronenjoch Col at 2980m with optional Breite Krone summit at 3079m, depending on party fitness and weather....

This is an iconic mountain and a great ski peak providing relatively steep skiing. Acclimatisation may be an issue for some so consider doing a few days high up before getting underway with this tour....

From the Boval Hut, cross the moraine, reversing yesterdays approach and descend down onto the Morteratsch glacier. Skin up, easily to start with, trending L across the glacier as you ascend....

Depending on fitness, conditions and motivation there is the obvious 4000m peak above you, Piz Bernina, which is ripe for picking. Alternative peaks include Piz Argient or the Bellavista if you haven’t been up it the day before....

From the Marinelli Hut you initially reverse your tracks from the day before, to the Marinelli Pass at about 3000m. From here you head N, NE, then E, ascending gently across the wide glacier....

From the hut reverse your route of yesterday a short distance, to about 2810m, then continue up to the SW, aiming to find the easiest line onto the glacier above, the upper Roseg Glacier....

This is a great day, but needs to be stable avalanche conditions, as you begin with an exposed rising traverse. This is to take you around the shoulder of Piz Jenatsch, into the mellow bowl to the E of that peak....

There is a technical ridge in between these two huts, with a lot of rocky terrain and the way through is not obvious from below. Fortunately there is a natural weakness, the Porta d’Es-cha (a col at 3007m), which allows you through....

Riding down slope nº15 to Parsennhütte there is a little Bar on your right after Meierhoftälli chairlift, just go through and go around the left side of the artificial lake. From there walk up the west ridge of Totalphorn (2553m)....

From the top of Weissfluhgipfel face down to the Hauptertälli T-bar bottom station. Traverse right from the first slope from the top. From there a few lines open up between wide couloirs and rocky sections....

Follow Nüllisch Grat ridge form slope nº9 till the slope corner, you are almost the the ridge level from there go to the top of the ridge and enjoy the views from Leidbach valley and Leidbachhorn standing on the left....