We were at ISPO in Munich again this year and have already reported on the latest innovations in skis, safety equipment, ski boots & ski bindings, snowboard equipment and clothing. As we do every year, we will also be presenting selected, interesting products from PowderGuide partners that we took a closer look at at ISPO. The first part of the partner news is about the new airbag backpacks from Arc'teryx and Mammut, skis from G3, Black Diamond and Völkl, ski touring boots from Dynafit, the new FreerideMaps and the new ski touring backpacks from Bergans.
Immediately after the Freeride Junior World Championships, the Skiers Cup Big Mountain Competition was held on the same face. So it was certainly interesting for the young freeriders to compete indirectly with the invited freeski pros from Europe and America. Compared to some of the juniors, their performances were not all that different, understandably somewhat adapted to the conditions. Nevertheless, most of them made the best of the conditions - a show worth seeing. It was clear to see, especially in the first run, that the riders had been riding in good conditions in North America over the past few weeks and that almost none of them were tempted to perform bigger tricks or riskier lines in the spring conditions that currently prevail almost everywhere in Europe. At the end of the first day, it was Collomb-Patton's Team Europe that took the lead with 9:7 points, leaving Sage Cattabriga-Alosa's Americans behind.
The Tyrolean Avalanche Warning Service has polished up some of its additional services and optimized them for use with mobile devices. The situation report is now also available via WhatsApp.
With WhiteRisk, the SLF has been offering an online platform for several years that primarily serves to prevent accidents and impart knowledge. For the 2015/16 season, there are some new features and expanded offerings.
In the third part of the Arc'teryx web series Commit, the likeable Norwegian Pia Nic Gundersen talks about a torn cruciate ligament and her return to skiing.
He likes it best when it's "clinking and clattering". Today*, however, it was quiet, almost too quiet for his taste. Danger level 2 - moderate - little avalanche activity. The Friday interview with Radio Rumantsch at 5.50 p.m. - a home game for the 29-year-old avalanche forecaster from Ruschein in the Grisons Oberland - then it's time to call it a day.
Although the current weather, like the current snow conditions, hardly suggests it: in just a few weeks it will be that time again. Christmas is just around the corner again and it's probably not only large parts of the PowderGuide editorial team that are looking for Christmas presents. Reason enough for us to offer our readers a little inspiration!
Perhaps the most famous mass start freeride race in the Alps looks back on an impressive 27-year tradition. On April 3, 2015, 832 freeriders plunged down the normally 2000-metre descent from the glacier (Dome de La-Lauze) at over 3500 m to La Grave. Due to the poor snow conditions, the 2015 race had to be started on a shortened route so that the descent "only" covered 1500 vertical meters.
It is one thing above all: eye-catching. The Merino Guardian Shell jacket from Ortovox stands out with its bright colors. But what can the jacket do apart from being colorful?
The new PowderGuide book "Tirol - The best freeride tours" presents 50 selected deep snow tour destinations with short ascents and exciting descents on 184 pages. From pleasure slopes to challenging steep terrain, there is something for everyone between Kitzbühel and St. Anton. The tours are accompanied by detailed route descriptions with topographical maps and all the important information, as well as many high-quality freeride pictures that will make you want to follow them.
Oh horror! Christmas is less than a month away. Normally a clear warning shot that you should slowly but surely get to grips with the present madness. Wishing for presents, thinking them up, finding them, buying them, wrapping them and finally giving them. It's the same old song that has surely stumped everyone at some point. What, where, how? But what could be easier than peeking over the shoulders of like-minded people and copying from their wish lists? So here are the PG crew's Christmas wishes.