Abenteuer Skitouren - Best of Europa

Scope and structure

Abenteuer Skitouren – Best of Europa is a wide‑ranging ski touring guide that consciously looks beyond the Alps. Part of Panico Alpinverlag’s “Best of Skitouren” series, Stefan Stadler curates classic and off‑beat objectives he has personally researched. The book opens with practical travel chapters—trip timing, border formalities, transport, health and emergency info, gear and planning, grading systems—before moving into 11 regional sections. Each tour follows a consistent template: access, ascent, descent, variants, stats (distance, vertical, time), slope angles, aspect, and difficulty, supported by clear maps, ascent topos, and strong panorama photography. GPS tracks are available for download.

Coverage and destinations

The selection stretches from Arctic islands to Mediterranean ranges, showcasing varied snow climates and styles of terrain:

• Norway: Sunnmøre/Romsdal, Lofoten, Senja/Tromsø, Lyngen Alps
• High Tatras (Poland/Slovakia)
• Bulgaria: Rila and Pirin
• Greece: Crete’s Lefka Ori and Psiloritis
• Italy: Abruzzo (Gran Sasso and Majella)
• Spain: Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada
• Iceland: Snæfellsjökull and the North

Examples illustrate the range: coastal pyramids on Senja (Keipen & Grytetippen), long valley approaches to Kôprovský Štít in the Tatras, beech‑forest ascents in the Abruzzo (Monte Blockhaus), and firn marathons above the Libyan Sea on Crete (Páchnes & Trocháris).

Activity-specific appraisal

For ski tourers, the guide excels where it counts:

• Route clarity: turn‑by‑turn descriptions with sensible caution notes (wind slabs, cornices, ice) and equipment hints where needed.
• Mapping and topos: legible lines, key waypoints, and exposure/aspect labeling aid safe route‑finding and avalanche decision‑making.
• Grading: uses familiar Central European scale (L/WS/ZS/S/SS) plus slope degrees, which planners will appreciate across snowpacks and countries.
• Seasonal and climate insight: concise local context—reliable maritime snow in northern Norway (December–May), wind‑affected summits, and the need to juggle aspects day by day—adds real‑world usefulness.

What makes it stand out

Uniqueness lies in its pan‑European lens and the balance of “classics” with adventurous outliers (Crete, Bulgaria, Iceland). Stadler’s own photography and ground‑truthing tie the volume together, and the logistics chapters smooth the multi‑country reality of a roaming ski trip.

Verdict

A thoughtful, inspiring, and practically structured guide for strong intermediate to expert tourers who want to widen their European horizons. Use it as both planning tool and trip‑dream generator—then download the tracks, check the forecast, and go find your line. Recommended.

Details

Weight

670g

Pages

480

Publisher

Panico Alpinverlag