
The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Highland
Explore Backcountry Skiing RoutesTop 32 backcountry skiing routes in Highland
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CIC Hut Walk-In
It’s possible to do a few routes in a day when based at the CIC Hut, with only around 650 metres of ascent from the hut to the summit of the Ben....
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Ptarmigan Ridge
The Ptarmigan Ridge descent is the perfect introduction to off-piste snowsports. The route is fairly short, while for the majority of the route the gradient is roughly equivalent to a blue-graded run....
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Fionn Bheinn
This is a great 'bang for your buck' ski tour in the remote Scottish Highlands.
With wide open grassy slopes it's ideal for early season shark-avoidance adventures, wilderness lovers and/or newbie ski tourers looking to bag a Munro in the magnificent Northwest of Scotland....
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Ben Hope
Remote, wild and rarely in condition, the long, long journey required to ski Ben Hope is undeniably a gamble but when it pays off, boy does it deliver!
The most northerly Munro in Scotland, Ben Hope is a truly majestic mountain with excellent views across the wilds and the North Sea....
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Back Corries - Back Track
The famous Back Corries of Nevis Range are the go-to spot for all backcountry enthusiasts visiting the area, if conditions are stable.
With different entrances across the whole corie rim that vary in steepness (steepest on the skier’s right hand side), the Back Corries caters for all ranges of skill levels from intermediate - expert skiers....
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Back Corries - Yellow Belly
The famous Back Corries of Nevis Range are the go-to spot for all backcountry enthusiasts visiting the area, if conditions are stable.
With different entrances across the whole corie rim that vary in steepness (steepest on the skier’s right hand side), the Back Corries caters for all ranges of skill levels from intermediate - expert skiers....
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Back Corries - Winger Wall
With different entrances across the whole corie rim that vary in steepness (steepest on the skier’s right hand side), the Back Corries caters for all ranges of skill levels from intermediate - expert skiers....
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Spikes
Spikes gives access to a fantastic hidden corie, just beyond Coire an Lochain and is great choice to head towards if you see the Back Corries getting heavily tracked out. Just be aware that this bowl isn’t assessed by patrol (although it is named on the piste map) and is therefore a full backcountry itinerary....
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Summit Gully
Summit Gully gives you an awesome 470 metres of descent, directly from the summit of Aonach Mor (hence the name!). It never gets too steep or technical and for that reason, should be on the ’to-do’ lists for all intermediate and above level backcountry skiers/snowboarders who wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the Back Corries in favour of something a little quieter....
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Coronation Wall
The Coronation Wall is a wide, open face, accessed from the Ptarmigan top station, which finishes in Coire Cas. The route has a lengthy traverse to access the main face, but it is a great asset for assessing conditions around Coire Cas if you're thinking of tackling the more serious Coire Cas headwall....
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East Wall of White Lady
The East Wall of the White Lady is a wide, open face which towers above the famous White Lady piste. The face is littered with small bowls and mini-cliffs to drop off, but there's always a route around for those who aren't keen to get any air time! Before trying the run, check out snow cover from the Sheiling (funicular mid-station) or Coire Cas, to make sure it's in good condition....
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Braeriach via Allt Buidheannach aka 'The Escalator'
Any trip that combines bikes and skis is always going to be an epic adventure!
This fantastic bike/ski tour is most often done towards the end of the season when the main faces are bare and you're sniffing out the last remnants of spring corn snow....
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Geal Chàrn Mòr
Ideal for both newbie and experienced ski tourers looking for an accessible adventure with fantastic panoramic views of the Cairngorms, Geal Chàrn Mòr offers straight forward touring close to Aviemore.
At 824m with a choice of sheltered NW and NE facing bowls and wide open easy angle slopes on all aspects, Geal Chàrn Mòr can provide excellent powder skiing when the more exposed higher mountains have been stripped by the wind....
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Flypaper Freeride
Quite possibly the most well known run in Scotland, the Flypaper flanks Glencoe Mountain resort on its steep north eastern side.
Home of Scottish Freedom Series’ Coe Cup and with ample rocky drops positioned throughout the length of the run, this is also a freeriders' paradise....
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Sgùrr nan Clach Geala
On a powder day in Scotland, there are few places I'd rather be than tearing up the south west face of Sgùrr nan Clach Geala in the Northwest Highlands!
A wide open powder field with a friendly but still exciting 25-35 degree gradient, the face of Sgùrr nan Clach Geala itself offers a fantastic 600m-800m descent (conditions dependent) - making it perfect for lapping if the legs allow!
The approach to the bottom of Sgùrr nan Clach Geala is undeniably long and the terrain is constantly undulating....
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Back Corries - Chancer
The famous Back Corries of Nevis Range are the go-to spot for all backcountry enthusiasts visiting the area, if conditions are stable.
With different entrances across the whole Corie rim that vary in steepness (steepest on the skier’s right hand side), the Back Corries caters for all ranges of skill levels from intermediate - expert skiers....
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An Chul-Choire
Dropping over on the northern side of the col between Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag offers some of the best skiing in the area, for up to 450 metres. The extra effort required to get over to and back from this area of Nevis Range also seems to keep the masses away from visiting and tracking this descent out - win win!
Starting from the summit of Aonach Mor, descend in a southerly direction along the broad ridge line towards Aonach Beag....
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Cairngorm 4000ers Ski Tour
The Cairngorm 4000ers ski tour is a classic loop that takes in the five highest mountains in the Cairngorms: CairnGorm, Ben Macdui, Cairn Toul, Sgor an Lochain Uaine, and Braeriach. At over 31 kilometres long, the route requires great physical fitness, mountain experience, and determination....
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Coire Cas Headwall
The Coire Cas Headwall is an epic descent from the summit of Cairngorm which stands at 1245 metres above sea level.
Begin by hiking up the marked path from the Ptarmigan station to the summit....
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Dragon Bowl
Nestled between Stob A’ Ghlais Choire and Creise, the Dragon Bowl has a real ‘out there’ feel, and for that reason can remain untracked long after the last snowfall, whilst making a fantastic journey for keen ski tourers to complete to get way out of the resort boundary....
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