Dotted line on piste maps - off piste?

Can you get insurance with your ski pass? This often coveres rescue in the resort

So ....
I am confusing itineries with piste naturelle?

Quite a difference from an insurance perspective.

Am I right in thinking that in France itineries are rarely shown on maps but piste naturelle's are dotted whereas in Switzerland itineries are often shown as dotted lines?

Austria?
Italy?

Wish there was a convention to help us all.

The routes marked with a black dotted line on the periphery of the ski area, including the route back to Zug from the top of the Steinmähder lift are alpine touring routes so there is no obligation for the lift company to implement any safety measures. Some of them have uphill sections.

The shorter routes marked with black and red dotted lines within the ski area are ski routes (Skirouten). Precautions are taken against avalanches, but they are not patrolled. Even though the red route 48 back to Zug is a ski route it is regularly pisted.

http://www.tirol.gv.at/fileadmin/www.tirol.gv.at/themen/sport/berg-und-ski/downloads_berg_und_ski/piste.pdf (German)

In Switzerland precautions are taken against avalanches on itineraries (L'itinéraire / Abfahrtsrouten) marked with yellow poles down the middle of the route and marked in yellow on the piste maps, but as in Austria they are not patrolled.

http://www.seilbahnen.org/download.php?file=dcs/users/6/Verkehrssicherungspflicht_06_d.pdf (German)

http://www.seilbahnen.org/download.php?file=dcs/users/6/Obligation_d_assurer_la_securite_06_f.pdf (French)

Bear in mind that often the only avalanche precaution taken on these routes is closure, so if you chose to go down one when it is closed and have an accident you might have issues with your insurance.

Thanks for all the contributions so far.

I'm looking forward to the trip - looks really good.

So I'm now thinking I just need to make sure of my insurers coverage of 'Skirouten'.

Don#t fancy buying an avalanche pack tbh just because I don't like carting stuff about on the slopes - but I'd rather ski home than have to wait for a bus :lol:

These are the markers you're looking for:

The red ski route down into Zug is long but good fun we used it a lot last year. Not tried the black route down yet as I'm still honing my hucking skills lol. Are you staying at the Alpenland? -)

AlistairS wrote: Are you staying at the Alpenland? -)

We're booked into a different chalet though have registered that one for next time - didn't quite get the number of people this year for various reasons and we like to book out whatever chalet we're in so Alpenland would have been too big this trip.

Bought some new ski pants, goggles on the shopping list. March seems ages away now :-(

Thought I'd update this - my current insurance covers the dates of the trip but the lad who answered my call (no email contact address) indicated that Skirouten would be covered by insurance 'if the resort considered it safe'

Now emailed them to get that in writing.

All too vague to be honest. Another insurer contacted via email at least went back to their underwriters who considered the run off-piste and therefore requiring a local guide. Not what I wanted to read but at least it's definitive and in writing.

Real pain that there's not one proper piste down to the hamlet really (even a black)