What is the ski touring buzz?

In recent years, ski touring, also called touring skiing, mountain skiing, alpine skiing (choose), & nbsp; It is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds. Outdoor resorts and stores have had to adapt quickly. Synthetic seal skins & nbsp; adherent & nbsp; placed under the skis & nbsp; to then enjoy the descent even more fully, well deserved. & nbsp; & nbsp;

If the sport has existed for decades & nbsp; – & nbsp; skiing was practiced this way & nbsp; originally, long before the appearance of chairlifts & nbsp; -, it & nbsp; recently & nbsp; evolved a lot. & nbsp; Its & nbsp; boom & nbsp; popularity began five years ago. Since then, growth has been continuous & nbsp; and particularly accelerated & nbsp; during the pandemic, & nbsp; when the outdoors & nbsp; was preferred to indoor gatherings. & Nbsp; & nbsp;

Fashion effect & nbsp;

But what explains such a boom? & nbsp;” 25-30 years ago, we have known the arrival of the snowboard . This is what was in fashion. Today, we are in the fashion of & nbsp; touring , so everyone equips themselves for this & nbsp; sport ”, explains quite simply Patrick Daigle, lecturer in the outdoor program at the 'UQAM. & Nbsp; & nbsp;

A cross-country skier himself, he believes that social networks are helping to increase the sport's popularity, as the beautiful images of off-piste skiing and fresh powder abound. & nbsp;

Demanding, & nbsp; but satisfying! & nbsp;

“With the ski resorts opening up trails and the Gaspé, a touring ski paradise, which has developed a lot in recent years, skiers have more and more access to new territories, with less skied snow, ”he points out. & nbsp; & nbsp;

When asked what he likes about the sport, the skier first mentions the endorphin that this highly cardiovascular practice gives him. He also admits & nbsp; enjoying & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp;

The resorts are adapting & nbsp;

To meet the enthusiasm of athletes, ski resorts have started to create ascent trails traced expressly for this discipline. & Nbsp; ; & nbsp;

The Bromont station created three trails for cross-country skiing in 2017. Today it has eight. & Nbsp; It is & nbsp; however & nbsp; Mont-Orford & nbsp; in Estrie, & nbsp; which has the largest network of tracks and trails, with a total of 22! & Nbsp;

For the 2021-2022 season, it & nbsp; added three new ascent trails as well as three shelters at the top of each of its mountains for & nbsp; hikers & nbsp; change. & nbsp;

The addition of these & nbsp; trails is consistent with an increase in clientele. & nbsp; & nbsp;

Bromont had 1000 members & nbsp; with & nbsp; a season pass & nbsp; for & nbsp; touring & nbsp; in 2019-2020. & Nbsp; They were then & nbsp; 3000 in 2020-2021. & Nbsp; “And & nbsp; we & nbsp; further growth this year “, indicates Marc-André Meunier, marketing director of the station. & nbsp;

Still & nbsp; for the 2020-2021 season, Mont-Orford & nbsp; for its part & nbsp; noted a 200% increase in subscriptions for alpine hiking, compared to the 2019-2020 season. & Nbsp;

A & nbsp; boom & nbsp; in store & nbsp;

This sudden craze & nbsp; has also & nbsp; pushed sports stores & nbsp; to adapt. & nbsp;

“We have been selling this equipment for a few years, & nbsp; but last year we had to create a department entirely devoted & nbsp; to mountain skiing “, indicates Daniel & nbsp; Levert, supervisor at La Poubelle du ski. & nbsp;

The boutique on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, well known to outdoor enthusiasts , & nbsp; usually sell surplus inventory at attractive prices. But recently, there is no more surplus for certain touring equipment. The store must therefore now & nbsp; buy equipment in advance, even before it is produced. & Nbsp; & nbsp;

Ski lifts are shunned by amateurs off-piste skiing. & nbsp;