Symphonies are moving, poignant. They are images brought to life in the form of musical notes. Made up of multiple movements, various scenes, emotional ups and downs - just like our long­ weekend of ski touring in Graubünden. Getting there takes you through Davos, the highest town in Europe, and, in winter, a busy ski resort surrounded by mountains, cable cars and epic freeride terrain. Just a stone's throw away lies the little town of Monstein, a typical Walser village with rustic, sunbaked wooden houses, where time seems to have stood still. From its pine paneled dining room through to its traditional shingle roof tiles, the Hotel Ducan, named after the highest peak in the valley, exudes the charm of the bygone centuries. lt also makes for the ideal base from which to go ski touring. A bit further up, at the end of the village road, we (Anna and Jürg) put on our skins and click into our touring bindings. The first skin of the trip starts with a moderate 'Andante'. 'Ccchhhrr, ccchhhhrr!' as the skis scrape along the crusty, frozen slush at the base of the valley. lt's still cold andin the shade here this morning. Dur breath rises in small plumes as we make progress. After just under 300 vertical meters, we reach Oberalp - a collection of rustic alpine huts. In winter, these are deserted, however. With their rooftops covered in snow, they look like they are cozily tucked in under a duvet.

Post the 2,000-meter mark, we leave the last larch trees behind us. The upper valley opens out wide like an alpine symphony hall. Summits as far as the eye can see. To the left, to the right, and straight ahead. And above it all, the sun shining down on us. "Wow", 1 say, "it's hard to image not being moved by this!" l've finally got into my rhythm and can enjoy the ascent. As an experienced ski tourer, 1 know that going at my own pace is the key to enjoying the day out. "Don't rush it," I think to myself, "you'II get more out of the day."

A little while later, we reach a knall. 1 open the back panel of my Freescape Pro and get out my thermos flask. Making sure I drink plenty is another ground rule for ski touring that I stick to diligently. Jürg scans the terrain occasionally for our raute to the summit. Dur goal is the 3,000- meter-high Älplihorn. Turn left and head up the direct and steep raute to the summit, or loop back and take the gentler raute from the south? Jürg doesn't take lang to decide. As a highly experienced ski touring and freeride guide he has a good eye for the terrain and possible objective dangers. "The snow has settled better on the south side," he says. "Plus, it's not as steep via that raute, and so the ascent will be more pleasant."

Monstein - Sea of peaks and champagne powder

There's barely any wind today. So the conditions are ideal for enjoying a snack on the summit and soaking up the views of this sea of peaks: the Albula Alps, Bergüns and Silvretta. "The powder is good on the steeper west face," says Jürg, getting his skis ready. lt doesn't take much convincing on my part. That morning, of course, we both checked the avalanche reports. 'Level 2'on the avalanche danger scale, which means a green light for somewhat steeper terrain. But we still assess the terrain and snow quality thoroughly on the first slope. We're in luck. When it last snowed there was very little wind, so the snow has consolidated weil - and slab avalanche risk is minimal. So, with our lines selected, the ski down into the valley is one lang, beautiful allegro in glittering champagne powder.

"Let's keep to the left," I suggest as we get closer to the tree line. The peace and tranquility when you're ski touring, far from busy ski resorts, is an incredible experience. But it also makes you respect mother nature. To the right on the map, 1 can see there is a wildlife sanctuary, which I consciously want to ovoid, even if the untracked snow there looks exceptionally inviting, compared to that on the regular descent raute. For much of the wildlife here, winters are harsh, and survival is uncertain. Even simply startling the animals them can rob them of critical, life­ sustaining energy. And in just the same way as we like it to be nice and peaceful when we're ski touring, so does the wildlife. Acting responsibly and respectfully toward the natural world does not stop with the purchase of sustainably made gear like deuter's touring backpacks.
 

Fideriser Heuberge - good things come in small packages

Our second day, and the second movement of the symphony. Today, the music is gentle, soothing. The mountains are a little less high, a little less steep. We take the shuttle bus from Fideris im Prättigau ta Fideriser Heuberge. lt's a small family-friendly ski resart with endless opportunities for leisurely ski tours in every direction. 0ne of the three mountain hotels up here at 2,000 meters makes for a good base camp, surrounded by an orchestra of little hay barns. Sleeping in a comfortable two- or four-bed room instead of in a mountain hut dormitory, and dealing with the inevitable sound of snoring through the night, is another plus point of this ski tour. But right now, it's time for action. A draglift up to Chistenstein (2,474 m) cuts down our ascent by a good hour. Just shy of the summit, our winter symphony turns into a dramatic Intermezzo. In no time, we've strapped our skis to our packs using the modular gear straps. "lt'II be easier up this way," reckons Jürg. We make our way up the last few meters of the steep summit ridge with our skis strapped to our backs. Time for the next movement in the symphony: Wide-open powder faces, fast little chutes - the descent turns into an impassioned Appassionato. We are still raving about it in the evening over a glass of fine Merlot. In contrast to the tour, this is not a Graubünden variety. lt comes from the neighboring sunny region of Ticino.
 

Short climb, widescreen cinema descent

Good things tend to come in threes. And so for our last day, we devised a very special treat. A raute that paid out big, for minimal effort. Just a short climb up, and maximum downhill enjoyment. From the Berghaus Arflina it's a mere 400 meters elevation gain to the summit of Glattwang. 1 release my freeride helmet from the mesh helmet net that I use to attach it to the front of my pack and secure the chin strap. 0ne last equipment check before Jürg and I set off on the most incredible descent: 1,600 vertical meters in one stretch. Just the two of us. Not a soul in sight. A spectacular powder snow finale - topped off by a few turns through corn snow back down in the valley. "Time for Panache!" [or shandy) - on the terrace of the guesthouse down in the valley, we take off our backpacks. "Here's to three days of pure delight! Cheers!" 1 laugh. We glance back up at the peaks. What a grand final chord to end this ski touring symphony.

For our Graubünden trip we tested out the deuter Freescape Pro 38+ SL and Freerider Pro 34+ backpacks. They proved to be technical, reliable ski touring partners with enough space for clothing and gear for an overnight ski tour.

Tour description

Älplihorn (3,005 m)/Monstein

Magical landscape to ski through with predominantly steep terroin towards the summit, stunning 360° summit panoroma and numerous options for skiing down.
Elevation gain: 1,400 m up /1,400 m down
Difficulty: Moderate
Fitness: Good

Chistenstein (2,473 m)/Fideriser Heuberge

Chistenstein is one of the few rocky summits in the Fideriser Heuberge area (literally: the hay mountains of Fideris) and offers multiple descent options, from leisurely to full-on steeps.
Elevation gain: From Fideriser Heuberge ski resort approx. 600 m up/ 800 m down
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Fitness: Moderate

Glattwang (2,376 m)/Fideriser Heuberge

A lot of downhill for your buck. Minimal effort and maximum gain. The ski tour from Fideriser Heubergen to Glattwang has a short ascent with dreamy, lang powder slopes to ski down. A good option for freeriders too.
Elevation gain: LiOO m up/ 1,600 m down
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Fitness: Low

Good novigation is essential for outdoor adventures. That's why deuter has teamed up with fatmap https://fatmap.com/. one of the leading touring app providers. The app offers 30 rotating perspectives for a realistic impression, including gradients and cruxes. lt's also a great way to take a closer look at the tours we did an our Graubünden ski trip.

Accommodation:

Hotel Ducan, Monstein, www.hotel-ducan.ch

Berghaus Arflina, www.heuberge.ch