is sueo 4 . january 2 0 0 5 pleasetakeone

Transcription

P L E A S E T A K E O N E
I SS U E O4 . J A N U A R Y 20 05
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MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
Editor In Chief
Daniel Crawford
[email protected]
07986 669 244
Editor
Zack Wragg
[email protected]
07815 888 157
Assistant Editor
Susannah Osborne
[email protected]
07944 579 366
Senior Photographer
Ross Woodhall
[email protected]
Marketing Manager
Andrea Conneely
[email protected]
technique Editor
Warren Smith
warrensmith@snowsportsyner
gy.com
Director
Adrian Swift
[email protected]
Editorial Contributors
Chris Fecher
Dan Loots
Phil Martin
Warren Smith
Pike Truelove
Photographic Contributors
Nate Abbott
Chris OʼConnell
Endre Løvaas
Melody Sky
Pike Truelove
Published by
Dark Summer Ltd
Contact
[email protected]
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHERS OR EDITORS. WE OCCASIONALLY USE MATERIAL
THAT WE BELIEVE HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. SOMETIMES ITʼS NOT POSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY OR CONTACT THE COPYRIGHT OWNER.
IF YOU CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF PUBLISHED MATERIAL WEʼLL BE HAPPY TO MAKE PROPER ACKNOWLEDGMENT. WE ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY
FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF UNSOLICITED MATERIAL BEING SENT TO US. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
I canʼt believe a year has passed since we launched Dark Summer. A magazine born of frustration
and passion. Itʼs been a tough year both financially and emotionally with frustration and passion
continuing to fuel us even now. We get so wrapped up in our own little world here that we have to
remind ourselves that itʼs just a bit of paper with printed words and pictures, that weʼre not saving
lives. At the same time, I think back to the first ski magazine I ever saw and the fact that my world was
never the same again. If we have that effect on someone else, then we have purpose and a reason
for being beyond just making money.
I want apologise to everyone whoʼs letters and emails have gone unanswered. Itʼs nothing personal,
Iʼve done the same to my friends, weʼve simply struggled to cope as Dark Summer has grown, but
every letter, email and enquiry is read and truly appreciated, thank you.
Weʼre going to have a little break now to recharge the batteries and Iʼm going to spend some time
with my partner and new baby daughter. There are new people joining the magazine during the
summer so we should be more efficient next season and maybe able to answer all of those letters.
Go ride, the rains will come.
– Daniel.
Here we are at the end of our first full year of Dark Summer, and itʼs been quite a journey. I know that
Iʼve learnt a lot over during this time, and Iʼm sure that my colleagues feel the same.
✌
This magazine is printed on
paper that is sourced from
sustainable forests. Please
recycle it by passing it on
to a friend (or your Doctors /
Dentists surgery) when youʼre
done. Unless, of course, you
are proudly keeping them
on your coffee table. Please
respect our beautiful planet.
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
You may have noticed the subtle changes that weʼre continuously making to the magazine. This
reflects the firmer picture developing in our minds of what we want Dark Summer to be. It also shows
the influence that you, our readers, have had through your greatly appreciated feedback.
With this being the last issue of the 2004/05 season, we are now heading into what would normally
be our ʻdark summerʼ. However, this year itʼs looking slightly less dark. Instead of a season devoid of
snow we see 6 months where we can work (hopefully on a nice beach somewhere for once) on the
ideas we have to push the future of Dark Summer and freeskiing in the UK.
In the midst of all the work, there never seems to be enough time to say thank you to all the people
that go out of their way to help us. Without them Dark Summer wouldnʼt be anywhere near where it
is now. It doesnʼt really seem to sum it up, but here is one great big thank you to all who have had
input, however big or small.
Live, love and ski.
– Zack
ACONCAGUA (PATAGONIA)
∆ 6,962 m
WWW.DARKSUMMER.CO.UK |
007
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
Daylight robbery
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
Having your skis nicked is enough to send even the most
chilled out ski bum into a red faced rage. But having ski
insurance means that if a scally does makes off with your
pride and joy at least you can replace them with this seasonʼs
model, pronto. Or does it? Check the small print on your
insuarance policy and you might get a shock. Ski Insurance
(www.ski-insuarance.co.uk) says that if you and your skis are
not “within eye contact” (do skis have eyes? and what if they
are not looking at you?) you are not covered even if they are
locked. Read even if they are locked.
Dog Tag (www.dogtag.co.uk) says that your skis are only
covered if they are “physically stolen from you” – ie you have
a Starsky and Hutch style tussle over your Ten Eighties. The
company says that if they are “unattended in a public place
locked or unlocked”, you are not covered. Basically you
wonʼt have a leg (or replacement ski) to stand on with your
insuarance company unless you and your skis are attached at
all times. However, they will cover you if your skis are locked
in the boot of your car or in another lockable compartment
but only between the hours of 9am and 9pm local time – the
hours you are usually out on the hill or in the bar.
In a Dark Summer straw poll of insuarance companies the
only organisation that talked any sense was the good old
British Mountaineering Council (www.thebmc.co.uk) which
said: “You would be covered if you have locked your skis in
a public place even if they were out of sight. We see locking
your skis as a perfectly reasonable measure to take.” Two
damned right. The moral of the story is check the small print.
New Profeet
Ski Boot Lab
With just two short months to go until the
Orange Brits, the guys at Soulsports
Events have given us an update on what
to expect there.
This year the Brits will be held in Laax, Switzerland on 12th – 19th
March. The event will see skier and snowboarder Halfpipe, Big Air,
Skier-X/Boarder-X, and Slopestyle competitions run over the course
of four days.
As usual, the event has open entry and the riders split into
age categories: Kids (max age 13), Youth (max age 16), Junior (max
age 18), Senior (max age 29), and Masters (30 or older). The
registration fee is £20 per discipline or £70 for all four.
As anyone who has attended the Brits before will know, the daytime
events are matched pound for pound by the eveningʼs entertainment.
This year is set to be no exception. A solid line up of DJs will be
rocking the tunes in the park during the day, and then laying it down
in the bars and clubs at night. Already confirmed are Bonobo, of
Ninja Tune fame, a DJ known for his chilled out tunes, Russell Porter,
the soul and funk front man of the amazing Quantic Soul Orchestra
and The Limp Twins.
If this all sounds like your particular brand of vodka, there are still a few
places left in the Riderʼs Palace for the bargain price of £249 for your
accommodation, liftpass and party wristband, so book now.
www.orangebrits.com.
Hamish Wolfenden has built a reputation as
the leading authority in ski boot fit and
comfort. Heʼs the man behind the hugely
successful Pro Feet – recently voted
Independent Snowsports Retailer Of The
Year in the Snow Awards 2004.
One step inside and you immediately sense
the difference in the way boot fitting is
undertaken. ʻLabʼ is the operative word with
a seemingly scientific-like approach to the
process. Hamish has fitted everyone from
Olympic Mogul Champion, Jonny Moseley,
to Prince ʻAfter all these years, Iʼm still a crap
skierʼ Charles. But itʼs not all about Hamish,
the Profeet team all know their onions
boasting instructors and coaches with over
60 seasons between them.
Profeetʼs service is appointment based so
youʼll need to call for a booking. A full custom
ski boot fitting takes between 1.5 hrs – 2
hrs, costs £99.00 and may require 2
sessions (foam liners extra).
On-site, Profeet have a ʻSkierʼs Edgeʼ ski
simulator to help guarantee that your boots
are aligned correctly and to identify any
potential problems before you leave the store.
Boots are your most important piece of kit.
Youʼll have a lot more fun in a pair of decent,
well fitted boots on a dodgy pair of skis than
you will the other way around, so it makes
sense to invest in some footbeds at least –
especially if youʼre planning more than one
trip or a season this year.
Profeetʼs new store is at, 347 New Kings
Road, London SW6. Tel: 020 7384 0603.
www.profeet.co.uk
Ellis Brighamʼs 8 in stores now
The new EB Freeski Team movie, ʻ8ʼ is now available in Ellis Brigham stores. The movie features the
Ellis Brigham team riders and friends, showing the level of riding that we have come to expect from the
emerging UK freestylers and freeriders.
Follow the crew as they hit France, Switzerland, Italy, America and the Andes, taking on rails and big hits
in the park and the backcountry, some sweet powder lines and drops, and of course slamming hard just
for the camera. There are awesome sections from the likes of Andy Bennett, Eddie Thelwell, Paddy
Graham, Dave Young, James Vernon, Jamie Cameron and Nick Southwell, plus many others.
The movie is not for retail and will only be available in limited numbers, exclusive to Ellis Brigham
customers, so get yourself down to your local Ellis Brigham and ask them for a copy. Remember to say
ʻpleaseʼ and ʻthank youʼ, they are giving you a free movie after all.
08
| WWW.DARKSUMMER.CO.UK
MT. McKINLEY / DENALI
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
Right // Zack
wears Helly
Hansen beanie,
WE Laslo
Superlative
knitted jumper
and Vans Tony
Trujillo TNT
shoes. Ridge
backpack by
Da Kine. Erin
wears zip Logo
hoodie and
crochet Siv
Beret, both by WE. John wears
Bonfire Fusion Strobe puffer jacket
£150. Fjall Raven Off Limit 32L
backpack, Beanie as before.
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
Some of the Orage kit
to expect next season:
Tactical Crackle jacket
and Rig Crackle pants
Orage event:
Jumpopotamus
Right // John wears Fusion Frame
jacket by Bonfire £120 and Exploit
pants by Helly Hansen £115.
Beanie by Chocolate. Base Camp
Duffle bag by The North Face
(Large £90, extra Large £110).
Erin wears hooded Parka by WE
Sheffield Ski Village Developments
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
On Thursday 27th January, Sheffield Ski Village unveiled its plans for an £80m development of
its facilities. The new “Snow Mountain” alpine-style leisure development will be built next to the
existing Ski Village slopes to supplement the facilities.
The leisure, retail and residential development is set to generate hundreds of new jobs and act
as a catalyst for the Upper Don Valley area in Sheffield.
We spoke with the management of Sheffield Ski Village and they talked us through the plans
for the new development. The new indoor ski slope will be twice as long as any existing artificial
snow piste in the UK. It will have a vertical descent of 70 metres and will be 300 metres long.
The slope will have a number of runs which intersect, a permanent halfpipe and four kickers.
Unlike most ski slopes in the UK, Snow Mountain would have chairlifts instead of button lifts.
There are also plans to install a cable car system, which will run from the Shalesmoor area of
Sheffield to Shirecliffe, with a stop at the new Snow Mountain complex. The cable car will be
able to move 2,500 people per hour.
The plans for the new development have been submitted to the Sheffield City Council and they
will find out within the next 3 months whether they are able to go ahead. If the plans are agreed,
then the new centre is expected to be ready in 2008.
Dominic Perretʼs 24 Hour Freeride
January 29th 2005 was the start of the 24 Hours Freeride event organised by freeskiing
legend Dominique Perret. Whatʼs unique and super cool about this comp is that its soul
purpose is to raise cash for the cause of land mine victims through the passion and
community of freeskiing.
Over 150 teams comprising 4 skiers per team, total 600 skiers, left Verbier town centre the
Saturday morning to ski for a full 24 hours non stop to raise money. The average kilometres
covered by the teams was 230km. The best total was over 400kmʼs from one team. The
money raised is yet to be announced by you can work out approximately from the point
that teams where being giving between 3 and 15 Swiss francs per kilometre. In total over
40,000km will be skied.
Dominique Perretʼs reason for starting the event was thought up after driving and thinking
of the severity of the land mine victims. He was driving to do his daily job, freeskiing, and
thought of the freedom and luxury of freeskiing. He wanted to use that purity to give back
the energy it creates to the land mine victims. His event, the 24 Hours Freeride was perfect
for that. The motivation for freeskiing is about self achievement, not so much about racing
against the clock. This is whatʼs on the mind of the now 600+ skiers. It was the perfect
philosophy for the event and reason to raise money.
Check out www.verbier.ch for news on the event and the total money raised.
Check out www.skier.ch for more on Dominique and his freeride history.
010
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
∆ 6,194 m
With riders like JP Auclair, Iannick
B, Julien Regnier and TJ Schiller
on the books, the Orage global
team almost rolls off the tongue.
Their range of clothing will be hitting
our shores next season but in the
meantime theyʼre spreading the
good word with cool events like
Jumpopotamus – a week of pipe
and park madness. Andy Bennett,
Mike Wakefield and Slavemonkey
will be flying the flag for the UK.
A handful of the coolest ski mags
(yes, thatʼs us) and photographers
in Europe hanging out in Laax. Or
should that be ʻworkingʼ in Laax.
Jumpopotamus follows straight on
from the Brits: 12th – 19th March.
www.orageski.com
Crazy Ben Hawker got in touch to
let us know that heʼs chuffed to now
be riding for Animal clothing. Ben
is already hooked up with Dragon
Optical and Faction Skis. Bad news
though, is Benʼs just bust his ankle!
New LINE signings
Not content with already having
one of the strongest teams in the
UK, LINE Skis recently welcomed
Mike Wakefield to the family along
with female Scots ripper Jo Guest.
18 year-old Mike is arguably the
best pipe rider in the country and 26
year-old Jo has quietly been plying
her trade and came 3rd in the Red
Bull Snowthrill in kanin, Slovenia.
In Memorandum
Sadly, Mikey Lewis died on January
25th 2005 in an avalanche on the
Combe des Lachettes in Les Arcs.
Mikey was a freerider in the true
sense of the word, whether on skis
or on a board he lived for riding.
With five seasons under his belt
his death has hit the seasonaire
community hard. Our thoughts go
out to his friends and family, his
enthusiasm, huge smile and huge
hair will never be forgotten. Weʼll
miss you Fuzzy Bear.
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
[ REVIEWS_ZACK WRAGG ]
Pass It On
Featuring some of the best riders in Europe, Pass It On shows the highest level of freestyle and freeride
skiing from across the continent. Huge airs, steep faces and sick rails abound and accompanied by one of
the best soundtracks we have heard this year. The action opens strongly with Lars Veen hitting (and bailing
on) some amazing rails with his trademark style. Laurent Favre has a great section too with some ridiculously
huge pipe hits and some nice piste jibbing. All that action with Eurotrash-style section intros. What more
could you ask for?
Forward >>
This fourth offering from Josh Berman and Level 1 Productions is by far their best yet. Featuring some of the
biggest names in skiing, and a whole bunch of ʻunknownʼ talent from around the world, Forward offers a solid
selection of freeskiing in the mountains and the city streets. Highlights were Dave Crichtonʼs immense downflat-down-flat-down rail, and Steele Spence hitting a rail inside a school. Other riders include, Emil Coty,
Peter Olenick, Simon Dumont, Tanner Hall, Derek Finn, Jon Reedy, Candide Thovex, Mikael Deschenaux,
and Rory Silva.
High Five
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
The first thing that caught my attention in High Five was Travis Redd hitting a huge S rail. This thing was
massive and he took it on. The funny thing is, that isnʼt the best part of the movie. It is so jam-packed full of
great skiers throwing down all sort of crazy stuff. Flaming rails, huge drops, and massive unnatural spins.
High Five is another hot offering from Josh Berman and the guys at Level 1 Productions. Other sections of
note include Corey Vanular, Craig Coker and Emil Coty (who has a pre-occupation with wearing monster
face masks!).
Jusimi
The movie is a bunch of ass. I couldnʼt even stand having it on in the background. I honestly canʼt think of
a single thing to redeem it.
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
Serious
The Free Radicals guys have been producing quality Swedish ski movies for years now. They consistently
have breathtaking scenery and amazing action, and this one is no exception. Serious sets its line squarely
between big mountain skiing and jibbing and, unlike many films that try to do this, sticks it very well. You can
see the likes of Jon Olsson and Henrik Windstedt ripping it up with Per Huss and Niklas Karlström. Rather
than focussing too much on the individual skiers, Serious takes a look at the places they visit, such as the
hunt for Engelbergʼs freshest powder and a session on Norwayʼs rails.
Stimulus
After last years offering from Rage Films and Team 13 Industries, Junkshow Diaries, the pressure was on
Stimulus to meet peopleʼs expectations. In our eyes, Stimulus delivers a solid set of amazing riders doing
some progressive park riding and jibbing. For the freeride fans out there, you guys are catered for too. One of
the craziest bits we have seen in any film this year is in this movie; Jamie Pierre hucks a ridiculous 180-foot
cliff in Engelberg. A pumping soundtrack and great cinematography are the finishing touches to this movie.
Monolog
The second film by Regime Change Productions shows just how far this company has come in the past year.
The graphics, cinematography and soundtrack on this UK ski movie are great. Featuring all your favourite
UK riders, alongside some international guys, this is a great step forward for UK ski movies and UK skiing.
Andy Bennett, Eddie Thelwell, Mike Wakefield and Milo de Glanville all put down amazing sections, and the
movie opens with a great tribute to the late Rich Taylor. We definitely canʼt wait to see next years offering
from Regime Change. Keep it up guys!!!
Standing Sideways
The first snowboard movie to be filmed entirely on UK dry slopes and snowdomes, Standing Sideways is
the first movie by Damian Doyle. The movie features some of the UKʼs best artificial slope riders throwing
down some serious tricks. Arguably the best section in Standing Sideways belongs to Charlie Clarke who
rips up Sheffield, Halifax and Castleford slopes, as well as hitting a good number of gnarly urban rails. Other
riders of note are Tom Twelvetrees and Johnny Russell. It should also be mentioned that Damian was good
enough to include a skiing section in the movie featuring, among others, Mike Wakefield, Glen Lawley, Jay
Earles and Jan Buczynski.
012
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
��
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[ WORDS AND PHOTOS_DANIEL CRAWFORD UNLESS OTHERWISE MARKED ]
THREE VERY HAPPY GIRLS FLEW BACK FROM SWITZERLAND TO THE UK DURING
DECEMBER� ONE SMILING A LITTLE WIDER THAN THE OTHERS. THE WEEKEND HAD
SEEN THE FINAL OF IT�S A GIRL THING�� A �SEARCH FOR A FEMALE SKI STAR�
COMPETITION THAT ATTRACTED ENTRANTS FROM ALL OVER THE UK. THE PRIZE?
SPONSORSHIP WITH INDUSTRY BIG HITTERS� THE NORTH FACE� NORDICA AND
ADIDAS EYEWEAR.
015
When, to our surprise, The North Face, Nordica, Adidas
Eyewear and Switzerland Tourism all agreed to back the
competition, the realisation kicked in that we had a big
event to organise with quaifying rounds run in a different
country to the final. Suddenly the list of responsibility grew
but somehow we managed to pull it off. Warren Smith, of
Freeski Britain, drove across from Verbier to lead the
judging panel and the lovely Éadaoin Hutchinson from
The North Face joined us in London to make sure we were
all on our best behaviour... at least, until after the final.
The gamble of an early season trip to Europeʼs new hotspot, Engelberg, almost backfired with the terrain park not
opening due to a lack of snow. The solution was a lot of
kicker building up on the Titlis Glacier by the crew from the
X-Dreams Backpaker Hotel who took it upon themselves
to look after us and show us around Engelberg during the
weekend. On the second day as the girls began dropping
a cliff (in the only spot offering a soft landing we could find),
the local ski patrol turned up and warned us that the area
was riddled with crevasses and that the snow could go at
any moment. We didnʼt need telling twice.
[ “AND THEN, THERE WAS THIS
ONE TIME IN BAND CAMP...” ]
[ BECKY HAMMOND STAKES HER CLAIM
PHOTO_ROSS WOODHALL ]
Renowned for his hard work ethic, DS photographer, Ross
Woodhall, had everyone constantly hiking and Zack and
I reluctantly took on the role of Nepalese porters, lugging
everything from camera gear to food and drink for a dozen
people. And when everyone was getting hot and sweaty
from the hiking, who ended up carrying everyoneʼs discarded
layers of clothing? Yep, muggins here.
Though the girls showed a lot of camaraderie on and off the
snow, the final was a closely fought affair and all three girls
excelled in different areas. Beanie Mine-Holme, a 20-yearold student at Northumbria University and 18 year-old
Becky Hammond from Sheffield pushed 22 year-old Lorna
Carmichael, a student at Edinburgh University, all the way.
Many onlookers stopped to watch the girls bravely hucking
themselves off cliffs and kickers. The lean snowfalls meant
conditions were pretty tough but the girls surprised everyone
with a fearlessness and commitment that should set a great
example to other budding female freeskiers in the UK and
demand the respect of their male peers.
On the Sunday evening, with bodies tired and aching, an
awards dinner was held and the winner announced. Much
discussion was had before the judges came to an agreement,
and it was Lorna who got the nod. The champagne that the
girls were given to enjoy back at home was necked within
minutes and with the skiing out of the way, it was off to the
Yucatan bar, Cyndi Lauper style.
Éadaoin summarised; “We know that the UK boasts some
extremely talented female skiers and they donʼt always get
the recognition they deserve. We chose to launch this
competition to raise the profile of this vibrant sport as well
as further endorsing our commitment to female athletes.”
Dark Summer would like to give a big hug and thanks to
Switzerland Tourism for making the competition possible
and the cool crew at the X-Dreams Backpacker Hotel in
Engelberg for their fantastic hospitality and kicker building;
The North Face, Nordica and Adidas Eyewear for their
support of the competition and commitment to the girls
market; Warren Smith for his expertise and Ross Woodhall
for documenting the action.
X-Dreams is a brand new spot, has a great atmosphere and
is part hotel, part backpakers in the centre of Engelberg.
Accomodation starts at around 20 Swiss Francs for B+B and
ranges from dorm style to smart double rooms. Andy and
the boys can help you arrange a variety of activities including
heli-skiing during your stay. More info: www.openmovie.ch
016
[ Left to Right: BEANIE,
LORNA AND BECKY ]
[ WHEN THE GOING GOT TOUGH, LORNA CARMICHAEL PULLED A
BACKFLIP OUT OF HER BAG OF TRICKS PHOTO_ROSS WOODHALL ]
[ ROSS WAS LIKE THE YANKS IN
WW2: CAME IN AT THE END WHEN
ALL THE HARD WORK WAS DONE,
THEN CLAIMED ALL THE GLORY ]
[ ÉADAION HUTCHINSON
FROM THE NORTH FACE ]
[ ANDY FROM THE
X-DREAM BACKPACKERS ]
[ BANIE AND BECKY DROWN
THEIR SORROWS ]
[ LORNA CARMICHAEL
PHOTO_ROSS WOODHALL ]
017
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
[ EL CHALTEN PEAKS ]
��
��
��
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
[ WORDS AND PHOTOS_PIKE TRUELOVE ]
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
[ HERMES USHUAIA ]
Despite the question of a little animosity due to a small war not so long ago
between our two fair nations, Argentina has rarely been a primary destination
for the British. Until recently, skiing in South America has been an activity
reserved solely for Argentinaʼs wealthy. Not only has it been a logistical
nightmare for us simply getting there it has also been an incredibly expensive
one. But things have changed; due to the corrupt tendencies of government
and a recent collapse of the Argentine wool trade, the local currency, the
Peso, has seen a massive devaluation. Unfortunate for the locals maybe but
not for us gringos as itʼs opened up the country to adventure tourism giving
the serious skier another string to the southern hemisphere bow in the search
for the endless winter. So forget about dendex and glacier skiing in Europe
this summer and get your atlas and phrase books out...
“No, way! Stop the car man, stop the car!!!” This was a desolate, featureless and windtorn place, scarcely
different to every other mile of scenery weʼd seen the last 24 hours. Yet in the blink of an eye things had
changed. My whole world had changed; we had passed the sign that read “Welcome to Patagonia”.
Many people know Patagonia as the name of a successful outdoor clothing company, not the wilderness
area straddling Chile and Argentina at end of the world. But I had finally stumbled into my Shangri La,
the wildest place on Earth, a place Iʼd always dreamed of experiencing. I couldnʼt contain myself. The
others stood bemused as I bounded from the car screaming with joy and rolled about on the dusty soil
like a five-year old with ADHD.
To be honest I had never known exactly where it was, or much about it but just the name “Patagonia”
018
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
[ SKIER_MARJA PERSSON ]
[ SKIER_UNKNOWN ]
∆ 6,962 m
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
[ SKIER_OYVIND EEK ]
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
[ DOWNTOWN BUENOS AIRES ]
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
019
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
[ SKIER_WARREN SMITH / CATEDRAL ]
had conjured up mystical images in my mind for years. And now
the prospect of what lay ahead of us had just become that much
more intruiging.
With the hectic bustle of Beunos Aires far behind us desert
tundra turned to rolling hills, delirium to elation as we reached
the foothills of the Andes to be greeted by a wall of growling
storm clouds. The last 48hrs of monotonous travel faded into
insignificance as we approached our goal deep in the midst of
a hefty snowfall. San Carlos de Bariloche was our oasis in the
desert; a stunning lakeside town in prime National Parkland,
twinned with Aspen Colorado (of all places) and Argentinaʼs
most important destination for adventure tourism. The change
in scenery was incredible and it reminded me of Queenstown,
NZ. Apart from bungy jumping there were the facilities to do any
outdoor pursuit here, summer or winter, you name it, they had
it. Direct flights come in from Buenos Aires for around £75 and
Bariloche acts as the central hub to South Americaʼs ski areas
– you can access three, relatively, nearby fields as well as the
gateway across the Andes into Chile.
With a population of 100,000 Bariloche is a big city, by Argentinean
standards, so itʼs not surprising that its ski station, Cerro Catedral,
is the most established and accessible in the country.
The Gods had delivered; high above Lake Nahuel Huapi, surrounded
by fresh snow we stood on a peak and surveyed the mind-blowing
vista around us. We had been placed in the capable hands of
local freeskier Gabriel “Chimango” Martinez who spearheaded
Argentinaʼs skiing revolution over the past few years. (“Chimango”
is the name of a local parrot like bird the locals tell us itʼs not worth
wasting bullets on…mmm).
There was no person more qualified or willing to show us around
his backyard and we took full advantage of the next few days
milking his extensive knowledge of the awesome terrain. Despite
020
[ TOURIST BOAT AT MORENO GLACIER ]
the language barrier we deduced that his secret spots were named
after parts of the human digestive tract – we particularly enjoyed
the fresh dump accumulated in a couloir named “Colon”.
I have never felt such an overwhelming feeling of space and
seen such varied terrain than in Cerro Catedral. It was unlike any
mountain environment I had ever been in before. Mighty condors
soared above the multitude of gnarly minarettes that crowned
the summits, we skied bamboo-lined pistes and through petrified
forests hanging thick in old manʼs beard. On or off the mountain
a unique and unparalleled beauty surrounded us at every turn, and
the hospitality of our hosts and warmth of the locals was humbling.
Catedral is indeed a special place.
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
Famed for its chocolate production, Bariloche is as cosmopolitan
as any European ski town and its multitude of bars, clubs and
restaurants make for buzzing nightlife. Vegetarians beware,
Argentina doesnʼt appear to have any; Parillas (steak houses)
are the pride of the country. Washed down with a bottle of fine
local Malbec youʼll scarcely break a fiver at each sitting.
Argentinean hospitality it seems is second to none and this was
apparent at our very cool hostel in town, La Bolsa Del Deporte.
A melting pot of nationalities hung out here, coming and going in all
directions, amazingly even a few familiar faces from Europeʼs hills
rocked up over the duration. Far better than any Lonely Planet™
guide book; all the information you could ever need to know about
Argentinaʼs mountain secrets was being shared around. From this
we learned that the conditions in Las Lenas, our intended next
stop were the most shocking in recent years. The three snowfalls
Catedral had experienced in as many weeks had brought these
dedicated skiers flocking down from the highest and steepest
of all the Argentine stations. Knowledge came at a price though;
Catedralʼs backcountry was getting noticeably busier by the day
and fully aware weʼd had the best of it began to hatch a plan to get
as far away from the cluster as possible.
[ SHIPWRECK / USHUAIA ]
[ SKIER_CHIMANGO / LAGUNA CATEDRAL ]
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
An uncomfortable silence spread across La Bolsaʼs lounge, Diego
from the hire car office looked twitchy. The long haul we had
planned as our escape was to take us through countless miles
of the Patagoniaʼs steppe (the largest desert in the Americas)
and across the Straits of Magellan into Tierra del Fuego. We
wanted to experience the raw nature of this landscape and we
knew, despite a few hardships that the car was the only way to
see it. And so it was that five brave souls left the safe bosom
of Bariloche heading south 2600kms toward the southernmost
town in South America, Ushuaia and the last ski hill on Planet
Earth, Cerro Castor.
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
Patagonia is without specific boundaries. It is neither a country
nor a state but a loosely defined region of South America; twice
the area of France and stretching as far south as man can go
before Antarctica. Shared between Chile and Argentina it also
encompasses the southern quarter (a 1500-mile stretch) of the
majestic Andes and some of the most diverse, remote and
untamed environments on the planet.
The stark contrast from city to complete wilderness is all too
immediate, as is the change from an area of obvious wealth to
one of extreme poverty. The arid landscape of the steppe has
been raped by the elements, mainly the vicious winds that tear
across it stripping it of habitation and trees and earning it the title
of ʻThe roaring fortiesʼ.
The skeletal remains of the vast Estancias (sheep farms)
are evident in the landscape, once a thriving culture and the
backbone of the Argentine economy. The eruption of Mt Hudson
in Chile spewed tonnes of ash across this landscape, clogging
its watering holes, suffocating its grassland and leading to the
swift demise of the wool industry in the 90s. As we drove on,
a gaucho (shepherd) appeared on horseback at the side of the
road, a pack of sheepdogs at his heels, a lone figure in an infinite
space and a ghostly reminder of what used to be. His sheep
were nowhere to be seen, the only sign of wildlife, a glimpse of
the occasional herd of guanacos (llama type animals) or emu.
[ EL RETORNO LAKE GUITTEREZ ]
Chasing the horizon across the empty plains in a dome of blue
sky encountering no other cars or civilisation for hours on end,
the infinite expanse provided a sense of great freedom but
the feeling of sheer remoteness was equally unnerving. And
it became more apparent when we found ourselves driving
anxiously on the fumes we had left in the tank praying for the
next fuel station to arrive. When it finally appeared it could easily
have been a mirage, a run down gas station sat on the edge of
a frontier settlement consisting of a few bare streets lined with
near empty shops and houses. How did these people survive out
here? They surely couldnʼt all work at the gas station?
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
021
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
[ SKIER_MARJA PERSSON / CATEDRAL ]
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
takes a while – two hours passed before
a car drove past and
stopped to help. With fewer people per
square mile out here than in the Western
Sahara, we were undoubtedly blessed to
have seen these Good Samaritans.
Having refuelled, I pictured Diegoʼs face as we screamed down
the pothole-infested roads in his Kangoo towards El Chalten. This
was a 700km detour from the tarmac of the RN 03 in the name
of sightseeing but Mt Fitzroy (3405m) and its sister peaks were a
sight to behold and definitely worth the extra miles. Some of the
most imposing mountains on the planet; their vertical granite walls
are fabled as one of the toughest challenges for alpine climbers
all over the world. Had I not had a blow out at 80mph we would
have arrived a lot earlier and spent more time taking in the
majesty of these jagged peaks. But then attempting to change an
egg shaped wheel in the middle of the desert with the wrong tools
022
A day on and in the heart of the Parc
Nationale de Los Glacieres near the
town of El Calafate another absolutely
awesome spectacle awaited us. The
Moreno is one of the only advancing
glaciers in the world and just a small
finger of an incredible 3000 kilometer
square piece of ice that covers the
Southern Andes. This beast descends
into an azure blue lake groaning and
creaking as it moves forward an average
of 3m a day. Huge chunks of blue ice
continually break off the 65m front wall
and plunge into the water below. The
noise is deafening and the iceberg filled
waves that are created by these falling
tower blocks have been the fate of many
people unfortunate to have ventured too close. Eventually the
hour we planned on staying here effortlessly drifted into five as
we stood mesmerised by this gargantuan feat of nature.
By the time we reached the Straits of Magellan day four was upon
us and as the ferry delivered us safely across the gateway into
Tierra del Fuego and the “Furious Fifties” our spirits lifted. “The
Land of Fire”, I had imagined volcanoes erupting as far as the eye
could see but this strangely calm stretch of water had made little
difference to the surroundings we had become accustomed to.
The land is highly rich in natural gas though and fires burn brightly
from towers dotted throughout the landscape. These beacons lit
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
the route as we drove the final stretch toward our goal eager to
taste the rewards of our efforts.
Four days after we set off we were greeted by a symbolic
message written four feet high on the harbour wall. ʻUshuaia
end of the world, beginning of everythingʼ, and it was exactly
that. The southernmost town on the planet is balanced
precariously at the tail end of the vast Andes range and the tip
of South America. The only thing between here and Antarctica
is Cape Horn, final resting-place of more dashed vessels and
fine seamen than any other in the world.
This fishing town and naval base has grown enormously since
its beginnings as a small penal colony 80 years ago. With
a population of 50,000 it is also regarded as a city by Argentinean
standards housing half of Tierra Del Fuegoʼs inhabitants. At
55 degrees latitude on the north shore of the Beagle channel
Ushuaia is renowned for its viscious winds and year-round
hostile weather. Hence the “furious 50s”, with an average yearly
temperature of 5 degrees centigrade you can see the bitter
salty air etched into the faces of the locals. The flip-side of bad
weather can mean heavy snowfalls and snow is often found
at sea level for up to five months of the year. A stretch of good
weather is therefore a rarity in these parts and advantage must
be taken of these days on the mountain.
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
Despite its temperamental conditions Ushuaia has become
a tourist destination for Argentineans and outsiders thanks to
its wild beauty and significant location. For the sake of those
tourists everything in this area is labelled as the southernmost
version of whatever it is in the World. Try playing the ʻend of the
world golf courseʼ, well, pitch and putt. Or, catch the ʻend of the
world trainʼ, which coincidentally comes to a halt at the ʻend of
the world stationʼ. Thereʼs also the ʻsouthernmost petrol stationʼ
and ʻsouthernmost set of traffic lightsʼ on the southernmost
street in the world.
[ SKIER_PIKE TRUELOVE / USHUAIA ]
[ BUENOS AIRES SUNRISE ]
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
[ USHUAIA ]
It seemed our efforts crossing the continent had paid off; our first
morning dawened with perfect blue skies and on the drive up
to the ski station we were buzzing with expectation. There had
been a good snowfall two days ago and the conditions looked
perfect. Cerro Castor (thatʼs “Beaver Peak” to you and me) is
just 14km from town and there are frequent buses and transfers
from a big choice of £4-a-night hostels. It is the newest of all
the Argentine stations and visibly more modern than Catedral
and even most of Europeʼs ski stations. Admittedly Castor
isnʼt huge; there are 3 quad chairs and two drags accessing
17km of piste on a mountain whose summit is a mere 1052m.
Nevertheless the vertical drop is 800m and we all know thatʼs
more than enough when the snow is good and thereʼs no one
else to share it with. Like Catedral, the weekends get busy with
direct flights coming in from Buenos Aires (£70) but the hill is
left empty during the week for most of the season.
We arrived in mid September – late in the season. The holiday
crowds had gone but the temperature was still unusually low
for this time of year. Itʼs was crisp, still Tuesday morning and in
front of us there was foot of, unaffected by the wind and without
a track in sight. It would appear that no-one skies off-piste in this
part of the world and certainly nobody can be bothered to hike.
Not that the hikes were any more than five minutes to access
the goodies at this little gem. There was more than enough for
the five of us, including the handful of locals now sheepishly
following our boot pack, and we were surrounded by a blank
canvass with all the time in the world to make our mark. Life
seemed so simple at that point. We had a dream – a group of
friends dropping lines all day in the bountiful snow and after an
epic mission to get here we had hit the jackpot.
A perfect powder day coupled with the elation of standing on
the summit of the most remote ski station on Earth, things just
donʼt get sweeter than that. ✪
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
023
SKIER LORNA CARMICHAEL
LOCATION PEISEY VALLANDRY
PHOTO ROSS WOODHALL
/ FRANCE
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SKIER TANNER HALL
LOCATION TIMBERLINE / USA
PHOTO CHRIS O�CONNELL
LOCATION
PHOTO
SKIER TJ SCHILLER
TIMBERLINE / USA
CHRIS O�CONNELL
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MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
��
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[ WORDS_SUSANNAH OSBORNE ]
I am a girl, so it stands to reason that I like flowers, real ones
though (and not those minging ones from garages either). But
on my skis, give me a break. Just cosʼ I have curves, bad moods
and strops doesnʼt mean I like all things pretty and pink. Talk
about stereotyping… but then again, check these beauties out:
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
K2 T: Nine Phat Luv £330.00
OK, OK, they ski like a dream... a fluffy, flowery one. With a huge
90mm under foot these skis are designed for girls who rip in the
backcountry. Women carry their weight lower on the body than men.
Fact. K2 says: “T:Nine ski mounting positions and sidecuts are 2cm
further forward than K2ʼs unisex skis to accommodate womenʼs
physiques. The design means that you are perfectly positioned over
the skisʼ center flex which will enhance your performance and control.”
Try them, we think you will like them. Enquries: 01527 510 570
K2 5 Speed Poles in True Luv Yellow £45.00
Colour co-ordinated to match your skis. You gotta have them.
Enquiries: as before
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
Pro-Tec Ace Freeride helmet in matt brown £50.00
Itʼs your head. It may be full of candy floss but protect it anyway.
Enquiries: 020 8846 8260
Da Kine Comet Mitt £49.99
No moaning about cold hands and bad circulation, or wanting to go
in and drink hot chocolate. These snugly mitts will keep you warm.
And thereʼs a nose wipe panel for when you start snivelling. Yeah
right! Enq: 01303 850 553
Spy Soldier B4BC goggles £89.95
So you hate pink... not so fast. Spy is donating 100% of the proceeds
from this limited edition B4BC Soldier to Boarding For Breast Cancer
(www.B4BC.org). Forget the boarding tag, this is a good cause.
Enquiries: 020 7243 2772
Salomon X Wave 9.0W £240.00
Salomon has a reputation for making womenʼs boots that are slimmer
at the heel and narrower at the front which suits our delicate feet very
nicely. And because the big wigs at Salomon realise that we girls
are not just there to make the place look pretty, there is a PU shock
absorbing footbed to soften big landings and make a smoother ride.
Enquiries: 0800 389 4350 or www.salomonsports.com
032
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
[ INTERVIEW_DAN LOOTS PHOTOS_NATE
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
ABBOTT AND ENDRE LØVAAS ]
PERSONALITIES�
T TALKED ABOUT
OS
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AS ONE OF
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AFTER A DECADE
INNOVATOR AND
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THAT IS SETH MOR
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
[ PHOTO_NATE ABBOTT ]
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
035
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
SSEONTH MO
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
been up to? My
er and what have you
mm
su
ur
yo
s
wa
w
ho
Hi Seth,
had some body wear
of Physical therapy. Iʼve
lots
h
wit
s
lled
fi
s
wa
er
Summ
April. Just over 2 month
aking my elbow in late
ski
a
for
ca
eri
Am
and tear issues after bre
in South
tain biking. Went skiing
of that and then moun
w Zealand with Chainsaw
Ne
to
trip
ute
min
t
las
a
n
the
d
an
test
ek
we
test for a
was a chance for me to
e trip to South America
Th
.
the
Film
at
to
d
ns
min
ctio
d
du
Pro
my body an
was a chance to test
the
for
t
tien
pa
be
my body. New Zealand
to
t need
d out great for me. Jus
highest level. It all worke
upcoming winter.
d
broke your elbow mi
pistol.com that you
the
s
atʼ
wh
,
on
as
We saw on www.Seth
se
t
right at the start of las
season and your ankle
up
t
un
co
hardware/broken bone
ow was in
elb
e
Th
?
ys
da
se
the
to
end of my
late April, pretty much the
me from
t
kep
o
als
it
season, but
this summer.
coaching in Canada
time I broke
That was the second
the same
ke
bro
that ankle. I have
y were
the
er
aft
row
a
ribs twice in
bone at the
healed and my collar
But that was
same time as the ribs.
a helicopter
in
s
wa
years ago when I
in the left
ly
on
is
are
crash. Hardw
g it, since if
ankle and I am keepin
last time
this
it were not in there
lly bad.
rea
it
ken
I would have bro
m the
fro
,
ew
scr
w
ne
e
There is on
ews
scr
4
with
first time I got a plate
and one long one.
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
AS
_ENDRE LØVA
[ SETH // RØLDAL // PHOTO
[ PHOTO_NATE ABBOTT ]
recovery?
Any tips for a quick
y bad habits
Workout hard. Kick an
tobacco. Use ice
like drinking and using
k.
mil
and drink lots of
about you biking
We also heard a story
ur vengeance,
yo
up to Aspen to have
in Vail where
s
wa
It
care to explain?
d been riding up
I broke my ankle. I ha
off on some trails
the mountain and then
ysical therapy
ph
to other areas after
remembered
lly
na
fi
n
the
sessions. And
mp. I had been
one day about that stu
mountain that Iʼd
banging out rides on the
just went on a
so
r,
not done all summe
ught a foldable
bro
I
y.
da
e
untain. Walked
stump mission on
4 at the top of the mo
air
Ch
of
top
the
to
e
saw and rod
tree that was broke in
t and there it was. A live
fee
0
10
n
p”
Ste
rst
“Fi
down
I sawed it down and the
top of that break point.
the
s
my
wa
h
hit
wit
I
it
at
ng
Wh
uri
lf.
ha
lap sec
untain with it across my
rode back down the mo
s 3.5 feet long and 8
wa
mp
stu
e
Th
.
line
lt
be
my
st
ain
ag
up
s
wa
knee that
the top. I rode down as
and 5 inches thick on
m
tto
bo
er
the
on
k
thic
s
inche
re. People riding up aft
stump was not even the
t
tha
d
ha
I
y
wh
w
fast as I could like the
e kne
king at me odd, but som
ker
fuc
t
tha
y
da
their workday were loo
the
r,
November 28th this yea
stump. I will burn it on
broke my ankle.
rt of your off season
you find that a big pa
Speaking of biking do
sh
in ape?
how else do you stay
training program and
to 4 days a week. Try to
e
the best for me. I rid 6
is
ing
re
bik
tain
un
mo
,
Yeah
as well some Yoga he
ek program. Stretching
ing
rid
ile
Wh
t.
tha
stick with the 6 day a we
doing
is into it so she gets me
and there. My girlfriend
of the fall weather I go
se
cau
be
e
rid
ʼt
can
I
ce
On
es.
rid
ur
ho
5
to
I go for 3
from physical therapy.
and do things I learned
ts
igh
we
lift
d
an
gym
to the
036
∆ 6,194 m
[ PHOTO_ENDRE LØVAAS
]
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
ORRIMT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
S]
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
∆ 6,962 m
037
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
a Pro Model ski
ve been working on
Rumour has it you ha
So far we (K2)
t?
tha
inside Info on
the
s
atʼ
wh
,
tly
en
rec
boot
uld. They recently
h the Raichle Flexon Mo
have been working wit
I have skied in that
ter. Changing it up a bit.
acquired it this past win
what I do. I could
rs. It works for me and
style boot for over 14 yea
s make. I would
nie
pa
e boot like most com
never were a four buckl
se.
break my legs with tho
ms of future ski
u like to see in ter
What else would yo
erent ski designs,
diff
e
uld love to see som
equipment design? I wo
u could make
Yo
y.
bu
to
at people want
but itʼs hard with wh
skiers would buy it.
only a small portion of
something radical, but
by it. Iʼm really
would be scared away
The main stream skiers
cific design.
talking about powder spe
al Stormingʼ then
ge back flips in ʻGlob
You gave us the hu
ʻFront Lineʼ What
Movieʼ onto rodeos in
Lincoln loops in ʻSki
t sure, I would like
no
ason to bring? Iʼm
can we expect this se
just need to have
u
Yo
.
run
things into one
to incorporate all these
to do it with terrain
d then the opportunity
ideas and practice an
and snow.
ferences have you
ski Europe, what dif
Most of our readers
d Europe? I like
een North America an
found in skiing betw
and hidden stashes.
and some great skiing
Verbier. It is a nice town
a lot more places,
lor
over there and exp e
re
mo
ski
to
like
uld
I wo
up very fast after
seems to get warmed
but its hard. The snow
ly in Canada and
really happen that quick
a storm. That doesnʼt
difference.
Alaska. Thatʼs the only
in headphones
for helmets with built
With the current trend
ing to these days?
at sounds you are rid
DS wants to know wh
with music unless
like that. I would not ski
I donʼt have a helmet
sic is dangerous,
mu
h
backcountry wit
iing
Sk
.
ort
res
a
at
s
I wa
to know if there
sounds the snow makes
you need to hear the
listen to Slipknot,
d. On the hill I would
are weak layers aroun
Hip-Hop.
Sex Pistols and some
are pretty wild,
on the Seth Pistols
Josh Malayʼs graphics
process of a pro
you get in the design
how much of a say do
nt to see and let
wa
the main idea of what I
model? I give the artist
ʼt head in the
esn
do
he
t
progress so tha
the
see
to
like
I
.
go
him
It was great to work
d new Ideas as we go.
wrong direction, or to ad
.P.
with Josh I hope he R.I
Las Lenas and
ngen Alps, Portillo,
Ly
,
ola
Co
lla
Be
ter
Af
you to conquer?
t on the world map for
Chugach whereʼs lef
eenland and Russia.
I would like to go to Gr
d to your skiing
ur racing backgroun
yo
is
nt
rta
po
im
w
Ho
skiing and staying
so much for mountain
today? It has helped
all that as well as
about working out and
focused. I learned a lot
all the races, so
to
en I raced we drove
the travelling aspect. Wh
g travel times.
lon
d
an
be away from home
to
w
ho
on
d
lpe
he
t
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weather guys say that
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
Park Etiquette
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
[ PHOTO_DANIEL CRAWFORD ]
THINKING ABOUT HITTING THE FUNPARK FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON?
LEARNING TO RIDE JUMPS, RAILS OR PIPE CAN BE GREAT FUN AND ADD A
REWARDING NEW DIMENSION TO YOUR SKIING. HOWEVER, BLUDERING YOUR
WAY INTO THE PARK CAN BE DANGEROUS TO BOTH YOURSELF AND OTHER
RIDERS. THE PARK CAN BE AN INTIMIDATING PLACE FOR THE NOVICE AND
THERE ARE A SUBTLE SET OF RULES TO FOLLOW THAT SHOULD HELP YOU
AVOID MISHAPS AND ENJOY YOUR DAY. ZACK WRAGG EXPLAINS...
When you first enter the park, sit and watch for a while. Youʼll begin to notice a certain
ʻflowʼ to whatʼs going on in there. You should be able to see that most riders will set off
for each jump or rail from roughly the same point. Youʼll also notice a few other people
sitting around – theyʼll either be getting a feel for the park, like yourself, or building their
confidence to hit a jump or rail.
• Always wait until the feature you are about to hit is clear. Make sure that the person in front
has safely ridden away. Never hit a jump if you are unsure if the person in front has safely
cleared the landing area. If they have hurt themselves and are lying at the bottom of a jump,
the last thing anyone wants is you crashing on top of them.
• With some jumps itʼs hard to see the landing area. There are two options to ensure that the
rider in front has cleared the landing area. You can wait until you see them re-appear into your
line of sight, or you can get someone to ʻspotʼ the landing and give you a signal.
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
• Once youʼve hit a feature, clear the landing area as quickly as possible so that the other
people behind can hit it and the chain keeps moving.
• If you have fallen on a feature or on landing, let people know if you are OK or not. If you are
fine or just a little shaken, waving your hand in the air lets everyone around know that you
donʼt need medical attention. If youʼre hurt, then call out; youʼll be surprised how many riders
will stop to help eachother out.
• Before starting your run, especially in the pipe, look around to see if anyone else is
about to go, raise your arm to signal your intention to go, and call out something like
ʻnext!ʼ or ʻdropping!ʼ
• Always allow plenty of space between you and the rider in front. Thereʼs nothing more
distracting than hitting the pipe or a jump and hearing someone close behind you.
• If you are watching, photographing or filming mates in the park, stay off the the run-ins. Donʼt
stand or sit in the landing spots of features and definitely donʼt stand with your skis sticking
over the edge of the halfpipe.
• When queueing for your hit, donʼt snake. Everyone has to wait their turn so why should you
jump in front of them?
• You are responsible for yourself and your actions in the park. Skiing in the park is dangerous
and you can hurt yourself. Be sensible and know your limitations. Start slowly and only
attempt small jumps at first, build up gradually.
• If youʼre an experienced park rider, try to help out newbies and give them pointers if you can.
Help them to learn these rules when they do something that they shouldnʼt do.
• Last, but definitely not least, be polite. People go to the fun park to have fun and itʼs a much
nicer place when everyone is nice to each other.
038
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
Ski camps are like buses, you
wait years for one to come
along and then suddenly they
are everywhere. But how do
you sort the good from the
bad, the wheat from the chaff,
and the extreme from the
lame? Answer? Engage the
services of Messers Smith, W,
and Fecher, C, to
show you the way.
[ WORDS_SUSANNAH OSBORNE ]
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
[ WARREN SMITH ]
British Freeski Camps // 01525 374 757 // www.britishfreeskicamps.com
British Freeski Camps are probably the closest an amateur skier will get to an athleteʼs training camp. Jibbers, racers
and big mountain riders will be pushed to their physical limit and have their skills tested. But the difference is that the
emphasis is on coaching, not instructing. And, this is not just for aspiring prosʼ; the camps cater for every rider from
intermediate upwards.
Warren Smith – the man who created Britainʼs first official Freeride Championships, ʻThe Verbier RIDEʼ – and an overly
qualified team of 28 staff, including Pat Sharples, Andy Bennett, Jason Schutt and Jaimie Willcocks are your coaches for
the week. Each coach has a different speciality (big air, rails, pipe, skier x) and they are really are there to help your skiing
progress, whatever your background.
The British Freeride camps are based in Sass Fee in Switzerland, on the Italian border, where the glacier makes for great
summer skiing. Itʼs a tough schedule, not for slackers, with five hours of practise a day of your chosen discipline – big
mountain, freeride, pipe, slopestyle, skier x or moguls – but you are guaranteed individual attention which as sure as eggs
are eggs, means results. “If youʼre not flexing youʼre ankles at the start, you sure will be by the end,” says Warren.
The extra curricular activities at this camp make it a cut above many others; thereʼs trampoline training, core strength
training, off-piste and avalanche awareness and video-analysis to keep you busy. But with freeride camp comes time for
freeing your mind and your feet from your skis – think downhill mountain biking, advice forums on getting sponsored, ski
photography workshops, biomechanical analyses, footie, tennis... the list goes on.
What stands out about the British Freeride Camps is the commitment of the coaches to make the camps work for you – it
sounds like Yank psych-babble but Warren and his crew really get a kick out of seeing you get better and strengthening
the freeskiing community.
British Freeski Camps have been set up by and are run in association with Freeski Britain (the organisation responsible for
the representation of British freeskiing) and Warren Smith Ski Academy (www.warrensmithskiacademy.com).
The next British Freeski Camp will be in Verbier, Switzerland, from 19-26 March. Cost £499 incʼ half-board accommodation,
coaching, lift pass. Excʼ travel from the UK, insurance. Contact + 41 79 359 6566; [email protected]
040
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
New Generation // +33 4 79 01 03 18 // www.skinewgen.com //
If youʼve not got a week to spare, try a short camp or course. What makes New Generationʼs two-day performance
clinics stand out is the ʻclient-centredʼ coaching technique. The company focuses on high-level skiing and is the only
one of the five UK firms licensed to train ski instructors, that doesnʼt outsource its training.
The instructors are pretty unique too – Tom Saxlund coach and director used to teach in a borstal in Liverpool - but that
doesnʼt mean that fun is off the agenda, nor does it mean that New Genʼ is run like a boot camp. But, “there are lots of
similarities,” says Tom. “People have been let down by bad experiences. The difference is that at the young offendersʼ
institutions I got instant feedback on what didnʼt work when communicating with people. If you go and say ʻdo thisʼ,
theyʼll say ʻIʼm not f***ing doing thatʼ.
Tomʼs aim is to get people using their grey matter. “I aim to change your performance by asking you what youʼre doing,
not by telling you what to do,” he says.
“A lot of people can ski powder on a nice day, but when the snow is heavier they do the same thing and it doesnʼt work.
In fact, most people will only do one type of turn in a whole weekʼs skiing. Professionals always make it look like they
are doing the same thing, whatever the conditions, but theyʼre not.”
Tom is keen to emphasis that New Genʼ coach and guide their clients and that they understand what they are doing
and their equipment. For New Generation itʼs all about seeing what works and what doesnʼt. “At lower levels people
need a lot of information input,” says Tom. “At higher levels we are involving you in the learning process. If we get you
to understand the why, the how becomes much easier.” A two-day performance clinic costs Euro139.
– Colin Nicholson
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
Purefreeride // 01785 661 251 // www.purefreeride.com
When your coach has been at the forefront of the UK freeskiing movement since its inception and has a decade of
winters, in Chamonix, under his belt you can expect to get something out of a week on the snow with him. But whatʼs
different about Purefreeride camps is that Chris Fecher genuinely wants you to come away with a piece of his passion
for freeriding.
“People are getting a lot more adventurous with their skiing, they really want to push the boundaries, even in a week”
says Chris. So what can you, the punter, expect? One major attraction of Fecherʼs camps is the chance to take a look
into the life, and live a bit of the life, of a proʼ freeskier.
Another attraction is getting to know why Chamonix is the freeskiing capital of the world with seasoned locals. Youʼll
spend your days hiking to far away places and finding new challenges all the time supported by UIAGM-qualified
mountain guides.
When it comes to technique, the idea on both the freeskiing camps and the backcountry weeks, is to increase your
awareness and let your skiing take on the natural flow of the mountain. “Steeps, drops, tree runs and powder will
become automatic as you become more in tune with your skiing movements. We will show you how to use the terrain
in different ways helping your skiing progress quickly and effectively,” says Chris.
Safety take a huge priority on the courses and you can expect to come away having learnt some of the essential
backcountry skills needed to safely access and challenge the mountains.
“Skiing is going through an amazing evolution; Ski equipment makes it easier and safer to access terrain that only a short
time ago was considered extreme. For us mortals this means that skiing has never been more fun,” says Chris.
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
041
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
22
WHAT
THE
PRO’S
CARRY
1
MELODY SKY
photographer + filmer
4
3
8
6
2
7
5
9
20
11
10
12
13
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
14
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
15
16
17
19
21
18
Do you ever wish you had become a surf
photographer or something similar? Yʼknow,
sunshine, bikinis, bronzed bodies, gentle waft
of coconut oil... and thatʼs just the men. It was
one of my ideas, but Iʼve seen too many shark
documentaries and the thought of dangling
my legs in the water for long periods puts me
off. I started as an underwater photographer
at dive locations in the Carribean, Australia
and Egypt. Somehow I ended up taking people
diving under the ice in Tignes. Thatʼs when
I started skiing.
How much excess do you pay on average?
I frequently talk my way out of it. Difficult
when thereʼs a pretty blonde at the check-in
desk though, so I aim for the males!
How heavy is your (on-slope) pack usually?
10 kilos approximately.
Your most essential piece of kit? I should say
042
my transceiver. Skis come before cameras,
but you canʼt have one without the other!
How many winters have you been filming?
Iʼve been filming and photographing since the
age of 20 but only the last few professionally.
I ended up working on the Snowʼs in the
House films and am now heavily involved in
the production of the Verbier Ride, Saas-Fee
Ride and London Ride programmes. I also
work on the British Freeski Camps each
Summer in Saas-Fee where I film the guys
and help them with video analysis.
Ever fluttered your eyelids at a man hoping
heʼd give you a hand carrying your kit? I was
always the tough little Scottish girl. However,
with age, Iʼve realised I canʼt do everything,
and if it saves me some energy then why not
flutter my eyelids. Still hurts my pride though!
Best and worst things about your job? Best,
∆ 6,194 m
01_Oakley Dartboard
sunglasses
02_Oakley Wisdom goggles
and Dainese ʻNo Impactʼ
helmet
03_Sony CCD Lip Stick cam
04_Mammut back pack
05_Sony DSR PD150 DV
camera with wide angle
and Fisheye lenses
06_Canon 16-35mm and
24-70mm lenses
07_Canon D1 Mark II
camera with Canon 75200mm Lens & Canon
550Ex speed flash
08_Senheiser Boom mic
09_Volkl Gotama skis
and Scott poles
10_Sennheiser headphones
11_Spare batteries
12_Oakley gloves
13_Motorolla radios
14_Manfrotto tripod 501
15_Manfrotto tripod 525
16_Mammut shovel
17_Mammut Barryvox
transeiver
18_Mammut probe
19_Tecnica Icon boots
with Comformable
PRO FORM Liners
20_Oakley jacket
21_Oakley SI Assault boots
22_My Car: Audi A4 Avant
Quattro, 2.5TDI
for sure, is the environment. Who could ask
for a better office? Next would be the people.
The majority are doing something they are
really passionate about and therefore really
happy and interesting to work with. Worst is
the long hikes with heavy kit.
Your most memorable trip? Argentina, despite
being robbed in London on the way out and
again in Buenos Aires on the way back (a
freak occurence that doesnʼt happen to me all
the time!). However the memories of the
views from Bariloche, the lakes, the sunsets
from the mountains and the openess and
friendliness of the people were quite special.
Where is home? Originally, Bonnie Scotland
where I was born, though I spent most of my
childhood on the beaches in Cornwall. Verbier
is now my year-round home. ✪
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
ROSS WOODHALL IMAGES
www.rwi-online.com
ONLINE FREERIDE IMAGE RESOURCE
[ ENGELBERG, SWITZERLAND ]
ENGELBERG–TITLIS TOURISMUS AG
TOURIST CENTRE
6390 ENGELBERG
+
TEL: + 41 (0) 41 639 77 77
+
WWW.ENGELBERG.CH
[email protected]
+
NUMBER OF LIFTS_24
+
99km FROM ZURICH AIRPORT
148km FROM BERN AIRPORT
[ WORDS_PHIL MARTIN PHOTOS_AS MARKED ]
{EARN YOUR
STRIPES _ }
ENGELBERG
PART
THREE
The anticipation of hitting Engelberg had been building for a while.
Five seasons ago in Flims, Switzerland, a couple of mates took
me aside in the Igloo Bar and, with an air of gravitas, said: “Phil.
We think youʼre ready.”
“Weʼre going to let you into a little secret,” they said, “thereʼs
a place we go and we think youʼll like it.” Over the next hour they
shared The Know about a small Swiss mountain village called
Engelberg and its epic eponymous mountain.
So it was with excitement, tempered by a little trepidation, that
I accepted the invitation from Paul Morris and Mike Steedman at
SnowRide (0870 700 0001; www.snowride.net), five years later, to
join them on their inaugural trip to the Alpine resort around which
they had chosen to base their business.
Mickey and Martin, my freeride mates, had been right. I liked it, a lot.
Whether riding its incredible slopes down or gazing up in awe,
over my four days I quickly fell head-over-heels in alpine lust with
Engelberg, or the ʻThe Angel Mountainʼ, as it is known.
To put it in perspective, Iʼve done winters in Chamonix, Verbier and
Squaw Valley. Iʼve been freeriding in Whistler, Les Arcs, Arolla,
St Anton, Davos, Val dʼIsere and others. Yet Engelberg lit a new
044
fire in my belly. A supposed seasoned pro, I was like a kid, not just
with a new toy, but with a whole new playground.
And Engelberg is some playground. For all-terrain riders for whom
a piste map is an anathema, Engelberg has in chutes, cliffs,
powder fields, kickers, pipes, rails. It is pure, unadulterated, fun.
As a full moon illuminated the enormous daunting rock peak rising
above us, Paul outlined the schedule for the next three days.
“Weʼve got this mad mountain guide called Freddy, well heʼs just
mad in the routes he skis, and climbs. But then thereʼs the other
guy, from the Tourist Office whoʼs going to join us. He really is mad.
Heʼs called Freddy too actually.”
We were supposed to broken in gently. But guide Freddyʼs
definition of gentle didnʼt translate. He took us to Brunni, the
gentler of Engelbergʼs two ski areas and we used lifts to the
top of the mountain but this appeared to be the full extent of his
concession to gentleness.
Straight out of the lift, we peeled off away from the pistes towards
a different valley. After 15 minutes of traversing, pushing and
stepping round, we were set for our first turns of the trip. We were
standing above an untracked snowfield, with nothing and no-one,
[ PHOTO_ROSS WOODHALL ]
no lifts, no pistes nor any hint of civilization in sight. We exchanged
glances and savored the moment.
Then we were off. Heavy grabby snow was interspersed delightful
powder, challenging even the best among us, but the swooping
terrain prompted whoops and cheers. Freddy, supremely serene
on skis, chortled to the other Freddy at our efforts up top. He then
guided us through the glades and meadows lower down bringing
us out onto a stray station platform to catch our train back into
Engelberg. We had skied continuously, off-piste, for over an hour
and covered a couple of thousand vertical feet, in just one run. In
Engelberg, they call that a gentle start to the day.
On the train journey we compared notes. We had descended
for more than 60 minutes with no interruptions, or rests, no lifts,
restaurant stops or on-piste gridlock. Most interesting runs (on
or off-piste), in resorts I had been to, averaged around twenty
minutes at most. Engelberg was already winning us over.
Comparisons were made to the mammoth off-piste routes we
knew in Chamonix, Verbier & Les Arcs, yet this was nothing
compared to what was to follow.
The highlight of that first afternoon was our first venture down
the Laub, one of the resortʼs best off-piste runs. This enormous
triangle of uninterrupted white is visible from much of Engelberg
but the line of sight view ruins any sense of perspective. It doesnʼt
look small, but it doesnʼt look big either.
You envisage a fun last-hoon-down, powder-bumps-run at the
end of the day. It appears to be bite-size until you stand at the top
and realize just how big a trick your eyes have been playing. The
run may be straight, but it is very, very, very long; even Freddy
allowed himself a pause on the way down. The pitch is steep and,
combined with the length, it makes for classic riding. Our bodies
may have been beaten up by the bottom, but the perma-grins on
our faces said it all.
Next day we hit Mount Titlis and the pay-dirt descents of
Engelberg. First came Steinberg – a Hollywood chute with an
ʻElvis-legʼ entry point, fearsomely narrow at the top and then
opening up into the kind of powder fields youʼll be boring your
grandkids about in decades to come. Hollywood? Well, Steinberg
is shrewdly positioned directly under the Rotair, the worldʼs first
revolving cable car. So, as the cabin slowly turns, the occupants
are treated to a birdʼs eye view of the extreme antics going on in
the main chute, only a few feet below.
Two days later I provided my own little Vaudeville, skiing the chute
045
with Cyrille Boinay of Drake-Boinay skis (www.dbskis.com). The
drop in is fairly hectic – angled to skierʼs left and bringing you to an
elbow that bends back skierʼs right, all at a pitch of 45degrees plus.
You can slide-slip in: but if the Rotairʼs overhead …well, come on
...youʼve got to play to the crowd a bit.
[ PHOTO_SWISS -IMAGE.CH ]
a security blanket to get you down and that Mum most definitely
wouldnʼt be there to pick you up if something went wrong.
And then we were there, looking down on a descent so long
that your sense of perspective packed up. It was 6500 vertical
feet – the longest continuous off-piste descent in Europe – well
over a vertical mile dropping away through twists and turns at an
average angle of 40 degrees. You could see the run-out point at
the valley floor. It seemed so close and, yet at the same moment,
so very far away.
This time I got the swing round the elbow slightly wrong, overrotated, spun out the back of my skis & rolled over my shoulder
headfirst into the couloir. Doh. But with a good recovery Cyrille
didnʼt even know Iʼd fallen. However, the Rotair did and I swear
I heard the sharp intake of breath and a small collective cheer
Nobody spoke. We just stood and drank it in. I was transported
as I recovered.
back five winters to that night in the Igloo Bar and I could almost
Totting up the vertical after another single run, it was somewhere see my two friends grinning across at me.
near 3,500ft. What kind of place was this? Then Freddy remarked:
“Okay, now we do some proper skiing.” We were already wearing To attempt to describe the descent is almost unfair – you just canʼt
safety harnesses – crevasses litter the Steinberg glacier – but do it justice. All I can say is it leapt straight into my top three all
Freddyʼs next adventure was proper gut-wrenching stuff. We were time descents and the snow wasnʼt even that great. For the most
part we had a firm re-frozen base (that our skis would occasionally
to ski Galtiberg, the localsʼ secret and Engelbergʼs run of runs.
break through), then some perfect powder on the over-shadowed
From the top of the mountain, we hung right past signs wishing sections and wetter heavier stuff for the last 500 feet of vertical. But
you all the best, but stressing that youʼd be needing more than that was incidental. It was the sustained nature of the slope.
046
It was plain unrefined steep the whole way down, at parts over
45∞, in others down to 35∞ but for the most part, an unrelenting
40∞plus. And it was breath-taking too. The route passes down the
glacier on powder fields strewn with dark crevasses, into couloirs
under daunting rock buttresses, crossing slopes overshadowed by
50-metre high ice walls and then leads you through some highquality tree skiing out onto the valley floor. Nearly two hours after
setting off you hit the cross-country trail back to the bus stop and
the ride home.
At the bottom, exhausted and dripping with sweat, we sat on the
edge of the trail in the sun. Looking back up, we relived what had
been a truly epic experience. As we waxed lyrical about Galtiberg,
Freddy grinned his knowing little grin and quietly asked: “Are you
ready to do it again?”
feet accumulated; bodies exhausted; minds overloaded with
sensation. This was freeriding at its very, very best and this
place was well and truly heaven.
And the rest of Engelberg? The village is lovely, dominated by the
awe-inspiring monastery and church. The night-life is low key in
the week (only 50 ski bums winter there), but kicks off as the Swiss
riders arrive at the weekend. The pistes? Not a clue, I have no idea
– I didnʼt do a pisted run because Engelberg, if youʼre that kind of
skier, is that kind of place.
As we said our goodbyes, Freddy gave me an ironic insight into
Engelberg: “At times, it is too busy now. Five years ago there was
nobody. Now I sometimes have to work even five days a week.”
This is the new Engelberg. It is no longer undiscovered, it is
developing an identity and reaching out to the freeride and new
Second time round was equally as fantastic, though our bodies school audience. But while the terrain park is impressive, Engelberg
were noticeably less up to the task as we neared the bottom. will always remain at heart an off-piste resort.
Freddy threw in a couple of little variations, not least to keep
us away from the massive cliffs, which tend to shed snow And Iʼm letting you into a little secret – thereʼs a place I go. I think
late on in the afternoon. As we crawled back to the bus, we youʼll like it... ✪
considered our day: three runs skied; well over 16,000 vertical
047
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
ALL PHOTOS BY MELODY SKY
UNLESS OTHERWISE MARKED
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
Develop Power Steering
The first area to look at is the steering mechanism you use for actually
turning your skis in each direction. The majority of skiers, even at expert
level, use foot steering, literally turning the ski with their foot.
Foot steering is ok and used a lot by ski instructors to explain to their
clients how to turn their skis. But the power you get from this method
will only take you a certain distance with your skiing. As your speed
increases, gradients get steeper and powder gets heavier and more wind
blown, you need more than just your feet to steer your skis:
THIGH STEERING
(RIGHT): STRONG
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
Warren Smith is a British freeskier
and a professional performance
ski coach. Check out his profile at
www.darksummer.co.uk/profiles.php
FOOT STEERING
(LEFT) : WEAK
Thigh Steering
This is a way of bringing extra power to your ski steering mechanism. You
can begin to develop thigh steering with your skis off by simply standing on
the spot and lifting your leg up and across your body until it just crosses over
the opposite side leg, then rotate the leg back out to the opposite direction.
Repeat this action several times until you feel leg burn. Count how many
rotations you can make until the muscle burn kicks in. If itʼs your first attempt
it will start to burn after approx 10 to 15 rotations. If youʼre athletic probably
20 to 30.
�
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��
��
[ WORDS_WARREN SMITH PHOTOS_AS MARKED ]
Every year there seem to be more and
more skiers looking to become all mountain
freeskiers. And with the emphasis on back
country jibbing in ski movies, ski magazines
and as part of the freeride culture in
general, there are many jibbers now
spending more time on the big mountain
terrain too.
But one thing is for sure, big mountain
skiing demands a lot from your skiing
technique. You canʼt just go from the piste
and expect to survive in a metre of wind
packed powder on a 40 degree face.
Whether youʼre a recreational skier, full
time jibber or an aspiring freeride proʼ, there
are a couple of things worth trying out that
could quickly help you raise level of your
skiing and your game in general.
This action requires rotational muscles that you donʼt usually use. Thatʼs the
reason why people returning from their first or second skiing trip say theyʼve
used muscles they never thought they had. Practice this steering action at
your local dry slope, indoor snowzone or in the mountains. If you can focus
on the thigh rotation and not rush to rotate just the feet, youʼll get a positive
ski turning mechanism and a powerful confident turn.
The Result
If you can train these rotational muscles to be able to
go to 50 or 100 rotations without the burn kicking in
then you can relate it to skiing with power steering.
The comparison of the foot and skinny ankle to the
bulk of the upper leg is massive. Basically if you switch
on the rotational muscles of the upper leg and train
then to have greater strength and more endurance
rotationally youʼll be able to attack heavier or wind
effected snow and ski big mountain faces with full
power right up to the last turn.
Avoid being locked out
Lock out is not the result of a ruck with the girlfriend
after a skin-full on a Friday night out. Itʼs to do with
a ruck with your ski boots, or at least a lack of
domination over them. One of the biggest problems
skiers have on big mountain terrain, steeper slopes,
higher speeds and generally when the going gets
tough, is losing the ability to maintain ankle flex
within the ski boots halfway through a turn. If skiersʼ
canʼt flex their boots they end up sitting back on the
tails of their skis and losing balance. This is because
the only joint left to flex in the legs is the knees, this
puts you in a position that, sideways on, looks a bit
like sitting on the toilet.
SKIER_WARREN SMITH
PHOTO_SERGE SOZANOFF
LOCKED OUT: NO ANKLE FLEX
How it happens
Ankle flex is weak in many skiers technique because their ski boots are too
stiff. Fear also makes us sit back sometimes when we ski to our limits. Half way
through a turn, just as the pressure builds up against the skis, the body needs
048
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
to be flexible to absorb some of the pressure. If the boots are too stiff, or you donʼt
know how to flex them, you get locked out of the turn and the skis just jet away
from you. Youʼre often left out of control and generally end up eating snow.
How to maintain and increase ankle flex
To help maintain ankle flex you need to ask yourself three questions: 1) Are you
strong enough to progressively flex your ski boots, 2) How does your natural
flex pattern work and 3) Could you benefit from an Ankle Flex Development
exercise?
RAISE YOUR GAME WAS PRODUCED IN
ASSOCIATION WITH THE
WARREN SMITH SKI ACADEMY AND
THE BRITISH FREESKI CAMPS
Progressive or punching flex
Of all the skiers that I train (sadly even some ski instructors) over 50% are in
boots that are too stiff for them or not fitted in a correct way that allow them to
take advantage of the boots natural flexing capabilities. One way to check is
to stand in your boots and progressively flex them.
Itʼs easy to punch at your boots to flex them but can you do it slow and
progressively? Slow and progressive flexing is really testing what domination
you have over a boot. If you try to flex rapidly by punching your shin against
the front of your boot, itʼs actually the force of the punch itself that makes the
flex and not your natural flex pattern. If you have to rely on the punch then
your boots are too stiff. In this case take them for a check up at a professional
ski boot retailer and ask them to adjust the boot to allow more flex.
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
100% ankles
When they think of flex, many people look
at both their knees and ankles as the joints
they should try and be flexing. But if you think
of 50/50 for both ankles and knees you will
more than likely end up flexing 80% at the
knees and 20% at the ankles. This is because
the ankles are more difficult to flex inside the
plastic boots. If you think of putting the 100%
THINK 100% ANKLES
NOT 50%/50%
effort into your ankles flex, it will probably work
out about 50% ankle and 50% knee. If you can raise this awareness of the flex
pattern and start to dominate your ski boots youʼll avoid lock out and maintain
control and balance during the higher speed turns on the steeper faces.
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
Ankle flex development exercise
A very effective exercise to develop your ankle flex is trying to hop around on
one leg. Simply lift up the downhill leg and test the flex on the uphill leg. Once
youʼve repeatedly tested the flex on the uphill leg start to hop around 180
degrees on the one leg keeping your hips and upper body facing downhill.
Try it on the flat at first and then move onto gradients.To develop the exercise,
increase the height that you are springing off the ground and work on steeper
gradients. After practicing youʼll have a stronger and more skillful ankle flex.
SKIER_WARREN SMITH
PHOTO_PIKE TRUELOVE
Summary
With the combination of power steering from the thighs and good leverage
from your new found ankle flex, raising your game in the freeskiing
environment is a definite. Give these pointers a try and make them part of
a daily routine. These are just a few of the technical aspects worked on at
the British Freeski Camps (www.britishfreeskicamps.com) and at the Warren
Smith Ski Academy (www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com). For more info email
[email protected] or call 01525 374757.
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
049
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
Avalanche Safety
Part II
In this second feature on avalanche safety by Chris Fecher we look a little
closer at how snow is formed, how it is affected by the weather and
how we can recognise potentially dangerous layers in the snow pack.
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
The birth of our beloved white stuff ʻsnowʼ occurs when
super cooled water vapour crystallises into tiny snow
crystals high in the atmosphere. During their journey to
the ground the small crystals clump together with other
crystals to create the characteristic snowflake. But on
this journey snow crystals can be affected by wind and
temperature and they donʼt always end up looking like
the perfect Stellar Crystal we have grown to recognise. In
fact, there are several different types of snow crystal.
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
Basic snow crystal form:
• Stellar Dendrite (dendrite). Most recognisable snow
flake from, six-branched star
• Plate. Hexagonal flat plate
• Column. Six-sided, hollow column,
• Needle. Fine, long, crystals
Factors that alter the snow pack
As soon as snow crystals hit the ground they begin to
metamorphose, or transform. From the moment they hit
the ground, snow crystals (or grains), continuously change
size and form. Since the snow is constantly changing, it
can either be gaining or losing strength. Internal changes
in the strength of snow pack layers can also be caused
by the mechanical action of packing the snow underfoot,
but they are usually related to temperature.
How the snow pack gets stronger
When the snow pack is deep, water vapour moves from
areas of high vapour concentration, like the ends of the
snow crystalʼs arms, to low, hollow areas of low vapour
concentration, like the place where two round crystals
touch each other. Over time, the snow crystals will become
more rounded and individual crystals will become glued
together, this is called sintering and this strengthens the
snow pack. Characteristics of this snow type would be
hard snow with small densely packed grains.
How the snow pack gets weaker
If a there is a big difference in temperature between the
top and the bottom of the snow pack, free water molecules
in the pore spaces between the crystals tend to move
upwards towards the surface. When they reach colder
air, these molecules cling onto the under-side of the snow
crystals above them.
Over time, these crystals will develop a faceted, or square
appearance and will lose their ability to interlink, or stick to
050
each other. This is known as TG Metamorphism because
the temperature gradient within the snow is usually higher
than 1ºC per 10cm. The faceting process creates uncohesive, sugary snow, called depth hoar. Melt-freeze
metamorphism also weakens the snow pack and is as
it sounds – the rapid melt and re-freeze of snow crystals
in the snow pack. This creates a strong pack when it
is frozen, and weak when not. This is characteristic of
spring snow, when the snow pack becomes weak in the
afternoon sun and gets stronger over night as it freezes.
The development of surface hoar crystals is very dangerous
in a snow pack. Not to confused with depth hoar crystals,
these crystals are produced when there is a deposition
of water vapour from the air on to the cold surface of
the snow. They are typically fan shaped, or feathery, in
appearance and occur when the air temperature is higher
than the snow surface temperature. If found deep in the
snow pack, say from a period of warmer weather, hoar
crystals can create a major instability that can only be
improved by a lot of time, rain and avalanches. In the
backcountry hoar crystals are a major factor in instability.
Strong Snow
Crystal Shape = Small and bonded
Density = High
Bonding = Sintered round grains, frozen wet grains
Temperature = Cold
Weak Snow
Crystal shape = Large
Density = Low
Bonding = Faceted Grains, loose wet grains
Temperature = Warm
Wind
The way the wind effects the snow is one of the most
important factors to consider. Wind transported snow
is deposited in large amounts on more sheltered, lee,
slopes. The wind blows snow crystals around and brakes
them down into smaller grains forming denser layers
(slabs). Warm winds heat the snow pack while cold winds
cool. Loose snow is redistributed by the wind.
Snow Profile:
We have discussed snow grains and the factors creating
a strong or weak snow pack. But the density, weight and
thickness of each layer of snow are as important as the
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
CHRIS FECHER RUNS THE PURE FREERIDE CAMPS IN CHAMONIX
THAT, AS WELL AS IMPROVING YOUR SKIING, TEACH THE BASICS
OF MOUNTAIN SAFETY AND AVALANCHE AWARENESS.
CHRIS IS SPONSORED BY HEAD, THE NORTH FACE, SMITH,
COMFORMABLE, SUUNTO AND ELLIS BRIGHAM.
FOR MORE INFO ON THE CAMPS, VISIT WWW.PUREFREERIDE.COM
grain size, type and shape and the bond between
these layers is, perhaps, the most important factor.
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
Make your test pit big enough so you can get in there
and have a good look, smooth off the sidewall with
a ski and carefully cut through the snow with a thin
card (your mates credit card if you like) feeling for the
layers as you go. Try to identify the weak and strong
layers and the weak bonds between them. Using
a crystal card and magnifying eyepiece to identify
crystal form and size will help you determine the state
of the crystals.
The key to successfully making avalanche predictions
is practise and number crunching, from a more
practical point of view a skier needs to be aware of
all the elements and how the snow is changing from
day to day. Purefreeride freeride and backcountry
holidays offer a practical look at avalanche safety and
the chance to put the theory into practise.
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
The best way to look at the snow pack and build a
picture of the history of a snow pack is to dig a test
pit. Find a safe slope that represents the aspect, or
steepness and angle of the slope you are interested
in. Dig down to base or the last layer you observed
and look at the different layers. To firmly understand a
snow pack, the information really needs to be built up
over the season, so test profiles on different aspects
and suspect slopes should be done throughout the
season. When visiting an area itʼs a good idea to
speak to the ski patrol or local guides to see whatʼs
been going on before heading out.
Tap the shovel blade 10 times with your finger flexing
at the wrist, failures at this point would be ʻEasyʼ. Next
Tap 10 times flexing from the elbow, failures at this point
would be ʻMediumʼ. Finally Taping 10 times from the
shoulder would produce a ʻhardʼ score. Canadian and
New Zealand avalanche research suggests human
triggered avalanches are more likely associated with
ʻEasyʼ fractures than with ʻHardʼ. The more testʼs done
the more accurate your results will be.
Compression test:
One of the most useful tests for snow stability is the
compression test. Get used to doing lots of these as
they provide a quick way of determining the upper
layersʼ stability. Clear off the rear wall of your pit and
as shown below and isolate A test block 30cm wide
30cm long and 100cm deep. Place your shovel blade
squarely on the top of the block.
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
051
MT. BLANC
∆ 4,810 m
MATTERHORN
∆ 4,478 m
THE EIGER
∆ 3,970 m
YOU�RE NOT A BONA FIDE SKI BUM IF YOU�VE NEVER HAD TO REPAIR
SOME PART OF YOUR KIT WITH A TRUSTY SLAP OF DUCT TAPE. BUT
ALL THAT MONEY YOU�VE SAVED NEEDS TO GO SOMEWHERE... YET
AGAINTHE SILVER STUFF COMES TO THE RESCUE. HERE�S OUR GUIDE
TO MAKING YOUR OWN DUCT TAPE WALLET � SO HOT RIGHT NOW!
STEP ONE
Unroll your Duct Tape, leaving the sticky side up and measure and cut a 22-cm length.
This is piece A. Cut a second 22 cm length (weʼll call this piece B) and lay it sticky side
down, half way up piece A. Now, fold A over B.
STEP TWO
Now, flip your piece of Duct Tape over. You now have a sticky side exposed again. Cut a third
22 cm strip (piece C) and lay it sticky side down covering only the sticky part of piece B.
Turn that over and piece C now has a sticky side exposed. Guess what? Youʼre going to
want to cover that sticky side with piece D (22 cm long). Repeat this with 4 more pieces
– you should have used 8 in total.
When you get to your last piece (piece H or 8), fold the sticky side down. Your sheet of
Duct Tape will now measure between 15.5 cm to 17 cm x approximately 22cm. Trim along
your sides now to make them even but donʼt let the length go below 21 cm.
STEP THREE
Fold this sheet of Duct Tape almost in half, leaving _ cm at the top. Now put it aside while
you construct the credit card slots.
MT. KILIMANJARO
∆ 5,895 m
STEP FOUR
Unroll your Duct Tape until the flat portion measures 21cm. Fold this in half making it line
up at the edges with no sticky parts visible. Cut where the two parts meet. Do this a total of
six times. You should now have six strips with no sticky sides. Trim each of these to 10 cm
long. Three will go on one side of the wallet – the other three on the other side.
STEP FIVE
GROSSGLOCKNER
∆ 3,798 m
Take three of the strips and line them up, one on top of the other, leaving a difference of
1cm between them. Fasten them together with a piece of Duct Tape on the back. Repeat
this process with the other 3 strips. On both three-section strips, open the sections between
1and 2 and tape a small piece of Duct Tape into the bottom to create a seam. Repeat this
between 2 and 3 on both sections. This should prevent your credit cards from sticking to
the bottom of your wallet.
STEP SIX
Take your folded sheet of Duct Tape that you had put aside earlier and place one credit
card pocket along one side. Cut another piece of Duct Tape about 10 – 11cm long and lay
it on top. It should overlap your credit card pockets by 1cm.
STEP SEVEN
Now, turn the wallet over so the sticky side of this last piece of tape is facing you. This
is the back of the wallet. You want your wallet to look tidy so cut at the illustrated edges
(below) and fold those points down. Turn your wallet over and fold the length of the piece
into the inside of the wallet – over the edge of the credit card pockets. You have two sticky
pieces left. Fold them over. Now repeat this process for the credit card pockets on the
other side.
STEP EIGHT
Lay your wallet down so the credit card pockets are facing you. Cut a 10-cm length of Duct
Tape and place it along the middle of the wallet so the pockets are held in place. Then fold
over the bottom of the back and into the inside of the wallet.
STEP NINE
Cut a 24-cm length of Duct Tape and place it across the bottom 2-cm of your wallet. The
credit card pockets should still be facing you. Turn your wallet over and cut where the
illustration indicates. Then fold the rest of the Duct Tape over.
STEP TEN
Just a few precision cuts and a little bit more taping and your wallet will be ready to use.
Make a small cut at each arrow – creating more room for your credit cards to slide in and
out. Now cut two 9-cm lengths of Duct Tape and cut each lengthwise into 3 strips. Place
one strip along the top of each credit card slot and fold it into the slot to cover any exposed
sticky parts.
STEP ELEVEN
Stand back and admire.
052
∆ 6,194 m
MT. COOK / AORAKI
∆ 3,754 m
MT. ELBRUS
∆ 5,642 m
BEN NEVIS
∆ 1,134 m
MT. EVEREST
∆ 8,850 m
GOT GAME
[ REVIEWS_DANNYBOY]
FIFA Football 2005 [ EA Sports ]
If youʼre familiar with the FIFA series then youʼll be comfortably controlling 2005 from the off as not an awful lot has changed since
the last release. EA Sports have continued their pattern of adding a new exciting feature with each release (last year brought us the
interesting (but tricky) off-the-ball feature. 2005 sees a less fussy but far more rewarding addition; the ʻfirst touchʼ feature. You have
the ability to flick the ball on and open up the oppositionʼs defence. Overall the game seems quicker, sharper and more attackingfocused game... a great leap as Iʼve always found the FIFA series a little sluggish compared to Pro Evolution Soccer and This is
Football. The presentation of FIFA 2005 remains excellent with officially licensed teams and leagues plus 11,000 real players.
EA can be relied upon to provide an entertaining, addictive and long-lasting football game each year.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Third Age [ EA Games ]
EA have done a magnificent job in capturing the excitement of the big screen and recreating it for this hack and slash RPG. Orcs
and Uruk-Hai are splendidly detailed as are the swords and armour with the all-round graphics surely satisfying even the most
demanding gamers. Many comparisons have been made with Final Fantasy X which is by no means a bad thing.You control one
character but are regularly joined by others to engage in turn-based battles against evil. On the downside, none of the fellowship
are featured and instead you play as one of a number of new, unknown characters that fail to capture that feeling of old friends.
ESSENTIAL KIT:
Subscribe Now
Weʼre good to you arenʼt we? A subscription service that
merely covers the cost of post and packing. So even if
you live in the ass-end of nowhere, and your piggy
bankʼs a little on the slim side, we want to make sure
youʼre still able to ride the Dark Summer train.
UK subscribers simply need to send us a cheque. Overseas
subscribers will need to post an International Money Order
or a Bank Draft to us. We regret that we are unable to accept
personal cheques from outside of the UK at present.
Download the subscription form on our website, print it out,
fill in your details and post it to us along with your payment.
The following subscription rates are for 4 issues.
United Kingdom: £5.00 / €7.50
Europe + Eire: £8.50 / €12.75
Rest of World: £15.00 / €22.50
Please make all cheques and International
Money Orders payable to: Dark Summer Ltd.
MT. KOSCIUSKO
∆ 2,228 m
∆ 6,962 m
053
MONTE ROSA
∆ 4,634 m
Amped 2 [ Microsoft Game Studio_ XSN Sports ]
OK, so itʼs not exactly new, but Amped 2 is soooooooooo good we couldnʼt not mention it somewhere. Itʼs rare for a snowsport game
to have much realism but the creators of Amped 2 thoroughly deserve a pat on the back. In the career mode you can, as with most
snowboard games, customise your character and board, enter comps etc. Amped 2 goes one further and lets you appear in
photoshoots. The coolest feature however, has to be the ability to control the speed of spins and how much you tweak your tricks
by the amount of pressure you put on the analogue joystick. This makes for much more realistic gameplay... Thus a really stylish,
floaty 3 may score as highly as a ragged 7. The graphics and soundtracks are solid and Amped 2 quite simply stands head and
shoulders above any other snowboard game.
MT. FUJI
∆ 3,776 m
Goldeneye : Rogue Agent [ EA Games ]
Goldeneyeʼs a bit of an inbetweener... You play the role of a ʻ00 agentʼ relieved of his duties and who turns to the darkside under the
employ of Goldfingerʼs criminal mob. The game is designed so you can weild two weapons at the same time. What could possibly
be cooler than bouncing around in a sharp suit putting caps in peopleʼs asses with both hands you may think, but sadly the game
just doesnʼt really grab you. There are some excellent features and bonuses as you progress but the main problem seems to be a
lack of personality. You end up feeling little empathy for a character that has hardly any dialogue. That said, there is obviously an
entertainment factor and lots of scope for interesting use of weapon combinations: For instance, stun someone with the Venom gun,
watch them squirm for a second or two, then offload some lead into their face (before popping out to your anger management
session). Being able to grab enemies and use them as a human shield is a nice touch too.

is sueo 4 . january 2 0 0 5 pleasetakeone

Transcription

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