Ski Touring & Splitboarding in Ariège: Wild Snow from Chateau Pouech

While the Alps struggle with crowded slopes and tracked-out snow, the Ariège Pyrenees remain a sanctuary for ski touring (ski de rando) and splitboarding. Here, the mountains feel wilder and more remote. You can skin up through silent beech forests, emerge onto sparkling snowfields and often reach a summit without seeing another soul.

Loge de Chateau Pouech, centrally located in the Couserans foothills, offers the perfect balance: you are close enough to the high mountains to access multiple valleys and starting points, but you return each evening to a warm, comfortable home far from the noise of ski station apartments. Whether you are looking for a gentle initiation or a technical alpine day, the Ariège backcountry delivers.

For those staying at Chateau Pouech, the Couserans sector offers exceptional touring right on the doorstep. The terrain here often combines atmospheric forest ascents with open, panoramic ridges.

• Pic de la Calabasse (2,210 m): A local classic starting near the village of Saint-Lary. It offers a long, beautiful ascent through forest and summer pastures before a final steep push to a summit with commanding views of the Spanish frontier. The north-facing slopes often hold excellent cold powder.
• Mont Cein (2,086 m): Accessible from the Guzet area or the Col de la Core road (depending on snowline), this rounded summit is an ideal intermediate tour. It provides wide, open slopes perfect for wide turns on the descent and a stunning 360-degree panorama.
• Tuc de la Messe: Another favourite near the Guzet ski station, offering accessible vertical gain and playful terrain that suits splitboarders as well as skiers.

Always check the Bulletin d’Estimation du Risque d’Avalanche (BERA) for the 'Couserans' or 'Haute-Ariège' massifs before you go. Local knowledge is key, and hiring a guide for your first few outings unlocks the safest and best snow.

If you are willing to drive a little further east (approx. 1h–1h15 from Chateau Pouech), you reach the Haute-Ariège, a playground of higher peaks and alpine feel.

• Pic de Tarbésou (2,364 m): Perhaps the most famous ski touring summit in the department. Starting from the station of Mijanès-Donezan or majestic Plateau de Beille, it offers relatively easy access to a high-mountain atmosphere. The wide ridges and open bowls make it a paradise for intermediate tourers, though wind can scour the top.
• Dent d’Orlu Area: For expert ski mountaineers, the couloirs and steep faces around the Dent d’Orlu and the valleys above Orlu reserve offer serious challenges.
• Goulier Neige: This tiny family ski station is a secret gem for tourers. From the top of the lifts (or skinning from the car park when closed), you can access the towering Pic du Sarrasi and Pique d'Endron, offering big vertical drops and technical lines.

These areas are also excellent for splitboarding, with wide, rolling terrain that minimises the need for awkward traversing.

Ski touring is demanding. After a day of breaking trail and earning your turns, you need more than just a bed—you need space to dry your skins, check your maps and relax properly.

Loge de Chateau Pouech provides a level of comfort that simple ski apartments cannot match. With spacious living areas, a warm atmosphere and a central location in the foothills, you can decide each morning where the weather and snow are best—heading west to the Couserans peaks or east to the Tarbésou sector. You are not stuck in one valley; the whole Ariège range is your playground. Plus, our local knowledge can help point you towards the right valleys and guide services to make your trip safe and unforgettable.