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PowderPeople | Chris Berner - Conditions Reporter of the Week

Get to know our CR students

by PowderGuide 02/08/2018
The community of Conditions Reporters is a central part of PowderGuide. After all these years, it's high time we got to know our CRers a little better! Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing some of our community members in short interviews. We'll start with Chris Berner: The ex-windsurfer is now back on the water in a solid state, preferably on the Titlis.

Hello, how are you? How has your season been so far?

I can't complain at all about how the season has gone so far. So early in the season, so much snow... The last time it was like this was probably when I was a kid. And that was a hell of a long time ago. I've heard that Central Switzerland, or rather the Titlis, was the snowiest place in the Northern Alps. At least before Burglind, that wretched spoilsport.

There's always a little round of introductions to start with. You are a ConditionsReporter at PowderGuide. What else should we know about you?

Hello first of all. My name is Christian Berner and I was practically born with skis on my feet. But then I swapped the skis for a windsurfing board for ten years and traveled after the summer and the wind. Yes, today I own up to my mistakes...

The Exerzist has now put me back on the right track and back to winter sports. The only downside: I earned money surfing, but I spend it skiing. And not too tightly.

Where do you often go freeriding and what is special about this place for you?

I'm usually out and about in Little Sweden - or rather on the Titlis above Engelberg. A truly exceptional spot. There are descents of up to 2000 vertical meters to enjoy! And without having to walk a single meter. Unfortunately, word of this has spread far and wide. This means that on good days, every single meter of the huge backcountry is ploughed up after just a few moments.

What does your ideal freeride day look like?

An ideal freeride day starts on the first run and ends healthy and satisfied at après-ski. There you can look back on the day with good friends and a big grin on your face and talk about face shots and empty slopes.

What does your perfect freeride setup look like and why?

Of course, I prefer to ride the really wide slats - something with 125 mm under the binding. Otherwise, the material and brand aren't that important to me - the main thing is that it's stable and works reliably.

Which gadget from your freeride equipment would you recommend to the PowderGuide community?

Nutritious and protein-rich power bars are essential. You have so much dead time on the lift that I don't want to spend time in the mountain hut - at least at lunchtime. You can also eat well on the train. And instead of lugging a whole packed lunch with me and annoying the other passengers on the lift with smelly sausage sandwiches, I always enjoy a power bar like this when I get hungry.

What does your risk management look like when freeriding?

My motto is: It's better to do without a day and ride for many years to come. I get information from the Avalanche Institute in Davos, which provides detailed information on the avalanche situation, snow and weather on its website and Whiterisk app. In addition to the avalanche courses I've taken, I regularly train at the Avalanche Training Center on the Titlis, where you can practice using avalanche transceivers and probes under relatively realistic conditions. However, me and my freeride buddy have also hidden the beeper under the leaves in the forest and the other one had to look for it.

What has been your best freeride trip so far and what is your dream destination?

Why go far away when you have the perfect spot on your doorstep - the Titlis with world-famous freeride routes such as Laub, Steinberg, Galtiberg etc.? Half of Sweden and whole hordes of freeride junkies from x other countries come to Engelberg to experience these runs. Well, I also dream of Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Canada. But it can't be much better there than on the Titlis. It's just that I sometimes get fed up with the powder stress up there.

What is special about freeriding for you and what makes it different from other sports?

I spent ten years traveling the world as a windsurfer. I had freedom, enjoyed nature and released adrenaline en masse. Freeriding is now the substitute drug, so to speak. There, too, you float through the water, close to flying. The only difference is that the water is frozen in the mountains.

How long have you been a Conditions reporter at PowderGuide and why?

I think this is my third or fourth year as a conditions reporter. Why am I doing this at all? Actually, I'm stupid for attracting even more freeriders to the Titlis with my reports. But what could be better than sharing your experiences and bringing others closer to your great passion? I'm also happy when I know what kind of conditions I'll encounter on the mountain. That can help when choosing skis.

A few quick questions to decide: chute or further powder slope?

Powder slope.

SchniPoSa (schnitzel, chips, salad) or cheese spaetzle?

Neither

Willi or beer?

Beer

Malle or Ischgl?

Engelberg

Biking or climbing?

Climbing

Singing or dancing?

Both a disaster

Après ski or sauna?

Après ski

Finally, tell us a joke from your freeride life.

The best thing about the whole winter is the vacation week with my ski buddy in Engelberg. Everyone thinks: "They ski all day and in the evening they really hit the slopes". That's true about the skiing. But in the evening... We have probably never been up later than 9.45 pm in all these years. I would still be partying!!! But my buddy, he's always so tired from a bit of skiing and 1-15 beers in the après-ski...

Here are the CRs from Chris.

And here are the articles that Chris has written for PowderGuide.

Photo gallery

ℹ️PowderGuide.com is nonprofit-making, so we are glad about any support. If you like to improve our DeepL translation backend, feel free to write an email to the editors with your suggestions for better understandings. Thanks a lot in advance!

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