For the first time, the BigLePowSki tour stopped in Scandinavia from April 13 to 15, 2012. The Dude also had the right nose for this fourth and final event of the winter in Sogndal (Norway), as the temperatures dropped to wintry degrees again just in time and it snowed the finest powder snow that you wouldn't expect even in Norway in April. The BigLePowSki-Happening is organized by Black Diamond and Arc?teryx and is supported by Fritschi, FreerideMap, Pieps and Polartec.
Once again, the Dude had a good instinct at the last stop. As in the European Alps, March 2012 in the south of Norway was far too mild with little precipitation and people were already preparing for spring and summer. After a short but quite heavy winter (there was an above-average amount of snow in Sogndal) from mid-December to the end of February, nobody expected a few more powder days on Norway's longest fjord. As if it was planned, the temperatures dropped in time and on Friday it started to snow. By Saturday morning, between 10 and 40 cm had accumulated (in Norway, it can happen that three times as much snow falls 5 km further down the valley) and the conditions couldn't have been better.
Skiing and seagulls screaming
When you wake up in the morning to the sound of seagulls, you're not sure for a moment whether you're just dreaming about your next surf trip or whether you're in the right place. You actually wanted to go skiing, didn't you? Slowly it dawns, because in Norway and Sogndal this is completely normal. Sea and ski are as close together in Norway as salt and pepper on the lunch table. Ski runs down to the beach are as much a part of the Norwegian winter as wide skis are to freeriding. Sogndal in particular has become a well-known freeride area in recent years.
Exactly the right place to hold the last BigLePowSki of the winter. On Friday evening we met at 'Ski Senter Sogndal' for the obligatory welcome drink, to get to know each other and for the evening ski tour, which in Norwegian light conditions was more reminiscent of an afternoon tour in the Alps. Headlamps are not yet used for the descent at half past eight in this country - let alone tinted ski goggles. Afterwards, everyone met up for a beer in the Largreid Pub to round off the evening. The next morning, everyone was back at the Ski Senter in time for the briefing with lead guide Markus Landro. As at the previous stops, all kinds of workshops were offered that were well worth attending: Freeride beginners / advanced, girls only, freeride photography workshop, backcountry ski touring. All the courses were surprisingly well attended given the temperature in March.
Lots of fresh snow and occasional sunshine
It was snowing heavily in the ski resort and the participants of the backcountry ski tour had the best nose on Saturday. There was much more fresh snow at the end of the valley (less than 5 km from the ski resort) and the sun came out from time to time during the course of the day. Before the big party at the Meieriet in the evening, all participants, organizers and helpers met at the Ute Plassen to open the barbecue season despite the snow. The highlight of the weekend was the Saturday evening program: the obligatory raffle of many prizes from Black Diamond, Arc'teryx, Fritschi, FreerideMap and Pieps with the limited edition BigLePow skis had to take place at the back. The up-and-coming Norwegian band Tyyl was invited and played a great set!
On Sunday, only a reduced number of participants turned up at the exhibition tents. The other half were still struggling with the late effects of the evening program, which is completely normal in the student village of Sogndal. This meant that those present were free to choose which mountain guide they wanted to go on which tour. Since freeriding in Norway requires far more ascents (as the areas are quite small), it was not surprising that four groups decided on tours. Two of them led down to just above the fjord after a descent of almost 1200 vertical meters and none of the participants were able to stop being amazed - for the locals, however, this was nothing special for the reasons mentioned above. For the rest, it was pretty special and a very successful end to this year's BigLePowSki tour.
All pictures from the weekend in the gala
The resolution of the BigLePowSki competition took place in the first week of May 2012.
