Pascal Schindler

Drei Worte fassen die Rose Merinounterwäsche von Kari Traa perfekt zusammen: weich, bewegungsfreundlich und wunderschön.

When the snow slowly disappears and the sun gains strength, it's Figl time again! Hardly any other piece of sports equipment symbolizes the transition from winter to spring in the Alps as much as the Figl - short for firn glider. What was once born out of necessity is now almost a cultural asset of alpine skiing.

PowderGuide meets every year at the end of the season to celebrate a successful season together, catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances. Every year it's a highlight and this year Ullr meant well with us and blessed us with fresh snow. What a weekend - something between freeriding, abseiling, cooking and laughing together and talking shop about equipment and weather. THANK YOU to everyone who was there, took part and organized, we are already looking forward to next year! Special thanks to Engelberg Tourism for the support.

With breathtaking lines peppered with courageous tricks and unforgettable moments, the YETI Xtreme Verbier by Honda once again showed why it is considered the ultimate stop on the tour.

Ski skins are essential for anyone who wants to be independent of lifts in the mountains. This week I present the Contour Hybrid Pure ski skins - a great choice for ski tourers looking for a high-quality companion.

Today I'd like to introduce you to the Arc'teryx Rush jacket. Advertised as a freeride jacket, this model has been on the market for a few years now. But what characterises this jacket? I've had it with me on ski days in the resort, on tours in remote corners of the Alps and when buying soil for my houseplants - in sunshine and rain. Does this jacket deliver what it promises?

Who cannot relate? You wake up in the morning full of anticipation for a day of skiing, put on your ski boots and... urgh! Cold, clammy boots, accompanied by a smell that rivals ripe mountain cheese. After a long day on the board or boards, your boots are damp from sweat or snow. The perfect breeding ground for odour! Some people may celebrate this smell as a sign of frequent use, but nobody is really happy about it. Ski boot dryers provide a remedy for this.

Winter is just around the corner - and with it the biggest freeride event of the year. In less than 20 days, this year's Freeride World Tour (FWT) kicks off in Baqueira Beret, Spain, probably on 19th of January 2025. New riders and venues, legendary comebacks and changes to the contest format promise pure excitement. So buckle up, because the freeride elite is waiting in the wings, ready to thrill us with epic lines and wild moments.

When motivation is high but the snow is hard, it can happen that the "leg party" ends bad. "Shred till death" - but perhaps not in the way you planned. Knee problems are one of the most common reasons why many skiers have to put their ski boots away for good. One of the main reasons for this is overloading due to heavy impacts. Everyone has seen the videos of famous extreme athletes on social media in which they attempt huge jumps. This raises the question: how do athletes actually protect their bones, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and muscles? Because at some point, a point is reached where the body can no longer compensate for the strain and pain or injuries occur.

From cycling in the valley to mountain biking on the mountain - from relaxed walks across green meadows to challenging trail runs. Whether cross-country skiing on the trails in the valley or powder skiing on the mountain - the Zillertal, located south of the Inn Valley, offers an impressive variety of activities. Known for its numerous ski resorts, it invites you to explore with varied powder runs and ski tours in unspoilt nature. Every outdoor enthusiast will find the right adventure here, whatever the season.

The weather is going crazy and leeward cyclone Anett has caused chaos in many regions with large amounts of precipitation (a more detailed analysis in weather blog #1 2024/25). It brought an early onset of winter to the Alps at higher altitudes and even below 1500 metres. Even if the beloved snow is just melting again, the start of winter cannot be stopped. Here is an overview of the ski resorts that are the first to open.

At the first stop of the finals, I had the opportunity to accompany the Freeride World Tour in Fieberbrunn and not only see the surface of a contest, but also get to know the people behind it. The entire organisational team, all the riders and some of the support staff spend the week of the weather window together in the hotel. The team does a lot of work and discusses details of the competition late into the evening. The dinners with the riders and staff have shown me that there is a very friendly relationship between the participants and the organisers.