If you are unsure where to go check with a member of staff for information on where to ski safely.
Keep reading for the full Snowsports Touring Code - please follow it and explore responsibly
Many snowsports tourers set off on their adventures from one of Scotland’s five managed ski areas: Nevis Range, Cairngorm, Glencoe, Glenshee and The Lecht. The resorts all welcome tourers and are keen to ensure this activity does not impact upon the safety and enjoyment of their downhill snowsports customers.
Under access legislation*, snowsports tourers only have access rights within managed resorts if they do not ‘interfere’ with the primary recreational activities (see below for more detail).
The snowsports touring access code has been developed with our partners and the endorsement of resort managers and users to raise awareness of tourers’ access rights and responsibilities and help everyone enjoy their day out on the hill.
This Code has been produced by Mountaineering Scotland and endorsed by:
Ski areas produce artificial snow areas to provide a learning environment for ski schools. These areas can be compact and very busy and as such the resorts request ski tourers, in the interest of safety, to avoid these areas when in use and to follow alternate routing provided by the resorts.
Photo: Alistair Todd
Photo: Alistair Todd
If you are unsure where to go within the resort area then please ask a member of staff or ski patrol. They will be happy to help and will have information on the best and safest conditions and areas to ski.
Photo: Alistair Todd
Section 6 para (1) (e) (ii) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 states that “The land in respect of which access rights are not exercisable is land ……. which has been developed or set out ….. for a particular recreational purpose”.
However, Section 7 para (7) qualifies this statement and states that “Section 6 (1) (e) ….. prevents the exercise of access rights over land to which it applies only if - the land is being used for the purpose for which it has been developed or set out, and, in the case of land which is not a sports or playing field, the exercise of those rights would interfere with the recreational use to which the land is being put”
In other words, if touring is considered to be “interfering” with downhill snowsports, then access rights do not exist. However, in the majority of situations, it is unlikely that those who are accessing more remote areas will be interfering with the activities of the managed resorts. Tourers who use the pisted slopes to descend whilst the resort is open will not be interfering with the normal operations and therefore access rights do exist.
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code states that “active pursuits such as …..ski touring, ski mountaineering” are recreational purposes and are therefore included in the access rights.