Jonas Blum

Alaska ... Spines, steep slopes, endless glaciers, all covered in a thick layer of powder snow. The holy land of freeriders. The land of heliskiing. The ultimate dream for many powder addicts. Last winter, we tried to turn this dream into reality. Without heliskiing, but with all the other ingredients. An adventure report with diary entries by Lukas, at 21 the youngster in our group of four.

In recent years, Black Diamond has spared no effort to catch up with the big names in ski construction. As is well known, the American company opened its own ski factory in China in 2012. The factory attempts to combine modern ski construction with the demands of sustainability. A large proportion of the electricity consumed is generated by solar power. In addition, all skis are pressed with prepreg fabric (glass fiber layers pre-impregnated with epoxy resin and hardener, the hardening of which is prevented by deep-freezing). This avoids superfluous synthetic resin and at the same time increases process reliability. Most skis are now also fitted with an ABS sidewall.

Versatility and the freedom to ride what you want. This requires freeride boots like the Movement Antidote. We have tested it.

Functional clothing is particularly important when it comes to working out your own turns. Bergans piqued our interest with their Dermizax™ NX combo and we tested it for you.

Using my hands and feet and the few words from the Georgian book that I have learned in the meantime, I try to ask Temuri, the father in our host family, what he does for a living. He tells me that he is employed at the border police station in the region. What does he have to do at the station? With a mischievous smile, he simply says: "Ruski, bang bang!" Aha, as if a Russian would ever cross the Shkhara massif to get to Georgia. However, the border post is important for the village, as 13 of the 15 fathers of the family are employed by the border police and this provides them with a small regular income in a fairly deserted area.

The Georgians call their country "Sakartwelo" the land of the Kartvelians and derive their origins from the mythical progenitor Kartlos, who they believe was one of Noah's great-grandchildren. The Kartvelian tribes are considered to be the original inhabitants of the Caucasus, with their own script and language. Located on the border between Asia and Europe, Georgia is a mosaic of different cultures and religions. Important trade routes such as the Silk Road ran right through the middle of the country and brought Georgia into contact with the cultures of Egypt, Persia and Europe.

The request in the fall came out of the blue: "Do you want to go to Georgia? I was there in the summer, the mountains look promising." Georgia, hmmm. Check the rusty geography in my brain. It should be somewhere in the east, close to Russia. Oh yes, there was a conflict over an autonomous region between Georgia and Russia in 2008. That's it for my knowledge of Georgia. Wrongly so, because the country has an incredible amount to offer, as I will gradually learn during the trip.

The freeride descent to the Lac de Moiry reservoir in Zinal is not particularly technically demanding. However, the descent shines with the typical charms of the main Valais Alpine ridge, the characteristic dam wall and some crisp alternatives. This tour in the rear Val d'Anniviers can only be recommended to anyone who appreciates peace and seclusion and at the same time doesn't want to climb too much – also and perhaps especially because of the return journey on the Postbus. According to the current snow conditions (end of Dec. 2011), this freeride tour is already skiable – PowderGuide tested!

"The invention of the national park was the best idea the Americans ever had..."

Flown halfway around the globe, and yet the snow is melting here and there. Our Swiss road trippers torture their aged motorhome over the mountain passes of British Columbia one last time in the Canadian spring. They reap what are probably the last powder shots of their Canadian ski season with a sigh of "goodbye winter".

Endless expanses far away from civilization, good terrain. Light and deep powder snow that disappears behind a white wall at every turn and lets you sink in up to your stomach when you get out of your bindings. Trees so deeply snow-covered that you can barely make them out. Meter-high pillows? these are all thoughts that make you dream of a skiing adventure in Canada – something like the snow conditions in the Alps this season. But then, when envy soon made us burst, then came the turning point?

"Seek and ye shall find." This truism has proven to be true to a large extent on our trip so far. In our search for snow, we found Retired heating engineers, car mechanics who can't help, party mad snowboard pros, the nicest ski resort staff, cool locals and a first timer. Only the much-praised Canadian fresh snow is a master at hiding.