Supreme Powder on Mount Lillytop
Posted on | February 19, 2010 | 1 Comment
We had a Gulmarg like experience today. It has not really snowed in these Alps since well before I left to India one month ago. So things have gotten realy tracked up. Plus, there has been lots of wind high up, and the persistent cold temperatures for well over a month have realy done some damage to the snow. Facets are present throughout the snow pack, cause one’s skis to go right through the whole snow pack.
But we spent a couple of hours yesterday skinning to the col de . A few more steps got us to the summit of Lillytop where we found fabulous powder amid 3 other tracks. The 1500 meter run took us down 2 really nice unskied slopes. It was like Gulmarg all over!
The forecast calls for some snow today, then variable weather for the next few days. It has finaly gotten a lot more mild. Temperatures at 2000 meters should be around -3. It does not look like we will get enough snow to pull out all those bad grains in the snow pack. But hopefully the high temps will help.
India- Kashmiri Curry Powder in Gulmarg
Posted on | February 9, 2010 | 1 Comment
I’m back from incredible India. Though traveling to Gulmarg to ski deep powder amongst the ancient pines is the reason to go to India, one realizes immediately that just going to India is the real reason. Living with these people for even a few days makes one marvel at our obsession with material things and our apparent misery with our added wealth and income. To be with these lovely people, and see how happy they are with just so little, always makes me so content. Just siting on the plane in Geneva, leaving for India, I feel relaxed. The plane is delayed, meaning I may miss my connecting flight. But because I am already in India’s touch, I sit relaxed, knowing only that whatever happens, will happen. I am completely open for the next event, whether it is making the next flight or not, perhaps meeting another amazing person, or getting to know the weeping woman sitting next to me. (She is obviously a bit more tense about making our connection…)
Rumors circulate there is no snow in Gulmarg this year. People have returned very disappointed. I meet John and Paolo at the hotel and see the smile in their eyes. Can’t wait to ski tomorrow. We climb the half hour on skins from the lift to the summit, ski down over variable terrain, then finally dip into the untracked Kashmiri forest as I start to launch myself off of every snow covered stump and bump I see. Howls of glee erupt from deep in me, I see my clients smiling ear to ear, hugs all around as we make the trek back to the hotel, wood stoves, beer, chai, khava, curry, more beer then bed.
India, Incredible India. January 22 - February 5, 2011
Early winter roundup
Posted on | January 19, 2010 | No Comments
Oh my! How time flies! December and January have flown by. It’s time again for Kashmir Curry Powder- and I have not even written about the 40 days skiing I have done since my last update. The 3 rain events we had early winter have played a major role in route decision this early winter. The Avalanche danger was at level 3 until last week. And it’s not like those weak faceted layers have gone away or anything. They are just being bridged by a thicker layer on top and/or have gotten so general that a collapse in the snow pack would mean a slide of loose facets rather than a slab. It sounds like a bit what is going on in Gulmarg right now.
But it has meant that I have searched for higher elevations. That rain left the valley floors quite dry, and the summits caked with a thick layer of powder. Mt.Fort summit was left to the guides for weeks, since the front slid and left the piste with bare ice. That was kind of nice, not being chased by a group of helmeted freeloading “Freeriders” everywhere I went. We skied into the Val d’Heremence several times, Fionnay, Hidden Valley while it was still hidden, and recently been re-discovering the fine cappuccinos the Italians can do.
The people I have been skiing with have been outrageously open for adventure and we have come home fully satiated with emotions of outdoors. The snow at higher elevations has now been battered by the North, South, East and West winds. But the mid-elevations are still offering up fine pow for those willing to climb for it. Here are a few of the shots…
Avalanche Course
Posted on | December 7, 2009 | 1 Comment
We had a fun day in the snow Saturday. A snow pit analysis on the slopes of Mt.Gele revealed lots of facets under the Sahara sand from the foehn event before this last snow fall. We skied some powder lines on soft grass, and even dipped into the lovely Vallon D’Arbi. As the sun set, we buried a few transceivers, highlighting the difficulties of searching and skiing in the dark!
It is raining now in Verbier, snowing from 2200 meters (Ruinettes). The forcast calls for colder temperatures tonight, then snow to the valley floors tomorrow. It does not look like we will get much fresh, but this rain may be a good thing for us, creating a real solid base for the coming winter. Wednesday could be a superb day for skiing, before the next front moves in Wednesday evening.
Sunset skin over Col des Mines
Powder Time
Posted on | December 2, 2009 | No Comments
The Foehn stopped and it dumped. How lucky we were. The winds turn out of the North West and gave us a good dose of the White Gold. It snowed 35 then 20 overnight. The north slopes in Lac des Vaux ski real nice with little damage to the p-tex. Skied down the initial wall of Chassoure and missed all the rocks! Skinned back up and did a fun run out Col des Mines. Nice pow on smooth grass. Seems like there are some good options out there for skiing now. How nice. Winter is here.
Antarctica Finale
Posted on | November 20, 2009 | No Comments
It was the trip of a lifetime and I’m gonna come back. We are on the ship Clipper Adventure returning to Ushuaia and the 71 skiers have bonded in quite a unique way. I feel so lucky to have met so many aboard, to have seen see their slide shows and hear about the amazing things they have done.
Andrew McLean is a world renowned ski mountaineer who has done so many descents all over the world. His slide show was about as good as it gets. I was humbled to be able to hang out with Glen Poulsen and listen to some of the things he has done in the Sierra Nevada. I hope I get to see him on one of his trips through the Alps. I just traded back packs with Dana! How cool is that? Maybe he can come up with the ultimate ABS/ski mountaineers back pack I have been searching for these past few years. Tero Repo took some amazing photos. Look out for his soon to be published photos in every snowboard magazine known to mankind! Guido Perrini is the man behind the lens in many hot new ski/board films. There were so many other characters, that I can’t list them all. But it simply was the trip of a lifetime.
Doug Stoup and Karen Stanley worked for 2 years to put this together. Doug is THE polar guy who has gone more that a few times to both poles with clients from all over the world. That he and Karen were able to pull this off so well speaks volumes about the organization. With a few of his friends, amateur and professional mountain guides and a few extremely accomplished ski alpinists, he chartered this entire ship from Quark Expeditions, to take just over 70 skiers onto the wild and untouched slopes of the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. I hope I get the chance to come back with a few of you to discover more of what Antarctic ski touring has to offer. And being able to spend a bit more time with Jeremy Jones and Xavier De Le Rue was a blast.
We are all aboard the ship Clipper Adventure heading back to Ushuaia after a more than memorable visit to Antarctica. Doug Stoup and Karen have worked for 2 years to put together this trip of a lifetime. With a few of his friends, amateur and professional mountain guides and a few extremely accomplished ski alpinists, he chartered this entire ship from Quark Expeditions to take just over 100 skiers onto the wild and untouched slopes of the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula.
Antarctica Ski Touring
Posted on | November 11, 2009 | 1 Comment
We have just had two wonderful days, ski touring and filming on the Antarctica Peninsula. It was just mind boggling, as we skimmed over the ocean surface in our zodiac to our landing site. There was so much to take in, I didn’t know in which direction to point my camera. We have been working hard, getting footage for the film crew. As a result, I have not been able to get many wildlife photos. Hopefully later in the week.
The ship we are on, Clipper Adventure, and her crew, could not be better. We are in the lap of luxury as we weave our way through the islands of the Peninsula. It is just so surreal, dining on yummy food while watching glaciers and outrageous ski mountaineering sites glide by in front of you. This place is HUGE, with enough touring potential to last a few life times! Doug said Greenland was like Alaska on steroids. Well Antarctica is like Greenland on steroids. Travel on the glaciers is like any other, except the ice is 5 times thinker than that of Greenland.
Antarctica Arrival
Posted on | November 9, 2009 | No Comments
Due to strong head winds slowing our progress, we have gone by Trinity Island and are going directly to Cierva Cove, where there appear to be endless wild first ascents/descents to be made. I will be posting my photos to Facebook to lighten the load on the transmissions I am making from the ship.
to Antarctica!
Posted on | November 9, 2009 | No Comments
We are getting close now, after 2.5 days sailing across the Drake Passage. The boat was pitching and poling, along with a few of the passengers aboard. 25 knot winds and 10 foot seas meant it was a smooth passage I guess.
Doug Stoup put this unique and first time trip together with Quark Expeditions. Laurie Dexter has been great, lecturing us on all the aspects a trip to Antarctica involves. We have vacuumed all dirt and dust from every seam of our jackets to avoid introducing any alien species to this pristine environment.
We are about to touch down at Trinity Island, so I will be posting photos in the next 24 hours…
Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula
Posted on | November 6, 2009 | 1 Comment
Pen Pough and his production company Between the Eyes is back to film Xavier De Le Rue and Jeremy Jones riding with the penguins- this time on the Antarctica Peninsula, for Relentless. We had a fun day above Ushuaia today, riding a little couloir to shake out the wrinkles of the 14 hour plane ride.
