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Not so long ago in a mountain range close close by..... DROUGHT. The stars don't lie. At least not the ones in the PowderGuide ConditionReports. One star, two stars. There's rarely more for the snow conditions at the moment.

Ski touring is more than just a sport - it is an invitation to experience nature intensively and discover the magic of snow-covered mountains away from the piste. But what does it take for children to enjoy this adventure safely?

In the ninth edition of Videos of the Week, we celebrate Joona, the well-deserved 'Freeskier of the Year,' and take a look at creative film projects from the French Freeski team. We also join Torstein Horgmo on a psychedelic snowboarding journey through Baldface and Japan. On the competition side, we finally have fresh new Games of SLVSH, and the X Games kicked off with its first day full of exciting action. A week full of highlights for all Freeski and Snowboard fans!

For several years now, a handful and a half of friends have been getting together once a winter to explore more or less distant mountain regions on skis and splitboards, but also to get to know other countries and cultures. They have travelled far to Romania, Kamchatka or Armenia, but have also travelled closer, for example to Ticino. This time, in winter 2023/24, the destination was chosen by lottery for the Julian Alps in Slovenia, with the additional requirement of 'winter camping'. The fresh snow forecast maps on PowderGuide.com were particularly colourful for the start and everyone was full of anticipation. But things turned out a little differently than planned... read the first part to find out how the first few days went!

The malfunction is caused by a defective electronic component on the circuit board. After several months of use this defect may manifest.

It won't get any more wintry in January. Apart from low pressure activity in the Thyrennian Sea, not much precipitating weather is to be expected. Although the western Alps will get some snow again at high altitudes, there will also be rain. We see that the main reason for the uneventful westerly weather is the stability and positioning of the polar vortex. Is the winter weather dead and if so, when will it rise again?

Ski straps, perhaps better known among snowboarders as voile straps, are now with me and my board every day. Not only on tours, but also in the ski resort, they have already saved me one or two days of riding. If a strap tears on the binding or you have an icy traverse ahead of you on a tour, it's a lot less unpleasant with ski straps.

Spectacular season opener of the FIS Freeride World Tour 2025 in Baqueira Beret. The FIS Freeride World Tour 2025 by Peak Performance kicked off with an impressive event at the Baqueira Beret Pro by Movistar in Spain. Freeride stars and up-and-coming talents delivered top performances on the newly introduced "La Bamba" competition slope. The challenging east-facing slope with a gradient of up to 53 degrees provided the perfect stage for spectacular freeride action and set the tone for an exciting season.

The Kilo from La Sportiva is a newly developed ski touring boot that is named after its weight of one kilogramme and promises strong downhill characteristics despite its lightness. Here we present the boot based on initial but not yet ultimate impressions.

In recent years, films have emerged that go beyond the sport itself, encouraging us to reflect on our responsibility in the climate crisis. They urge us to take imperfect, yet necessary steps to create change. With impressive action and artistic vision, some of these projects show that change doesn't have to be perfect, but instead that every step matters.

An essential tool for off-piste skiing and ski touring is the avalanche report, also known as the avalanche bulletin. This has changed considerably over time. Not only does it appear more frequently - once or twice a day - but its spatial resolution has also become more detailed and precise. With the advance of artificial intelligence and the integration of model-based forecasts, new perspectives are opening up in avalanche warning.