PowderPeople | Phillip Crivelli, winner of the Julbo White Session Iconic Slopes Contest 2016

PG: The movie about your trip has been available to watch at Julbo since last week. You were the lucky winner of the contest and got to go on a ten-day ski trip with Samuel Anthamatten and Vivian Bruchez. How did you come to apply?

PC: I discovered the contest announcement on PowderGuide. Going skiing together with one of the world's best freeriders, Samuel Anthamatten, and the legendary steeps rider Vivian Bruchez in Zermatt and Chamonix appealed to me and I spontaneously applied. It was quick: I had to fill in an online form and send in a photo of myself skiing. In the form, you also had to state what you've skied so far.

PG: And that would be?

CR: I've already skied a few relevant north faces in the Alps - for example the Marinelli Couloir, the Lenzspitze, the Obergabelhorn, the Bernina Westflanke and the Dom Westwand. So I've already ticked off most of Jérémie Heitz's "La Liste"!

PG: When did you start skiing?

CR: I grew up in Davos. Thanks to my mother, who is a passionate skier, I was on the slopes as often as possible. As a child and teenager, I also skied at FIS level. Funny story, by the way: I used to be faster than Vivian Bruchez in a race. My personal highlight in my career was as the lead skier at the World Cup in Wengen. Skiing the entire World Cup course with an audience - unique. I think I had eight seconds on the winner at the time.

PG: How did you then get into freeriding?

CR: Even as a child, I loved skiing through the forest. My first ski tour was in Davos - with snowshoes and giant slalom skis on my back. I only really got into it during my studies and my time at the Snow and Avalanche Research Center in Davos.

PG: What's the difference between normal freeriding and steep face skiing? Rope, crampons and safety equipment such as an ice screw are part of the basic equipment. A steep face is defined as a slope with an incline of more than 45 degrees over several hundred meters. A fall on a steep face can be fatal. There are various rankings for ski slopes. The one from Toponeige is widely used. For me, steep skiing starts at category 5 of the descents. The Breithorn, for example, is rated 5.2, the Matterhorn east face 5.5.

PG: Congratulations on your victory and the spectacular film that was made. What happened after the decision?

CR: Vivian and Sam welcomed me in Zermatt. I only met Sam at the train station, by the way. That was exciting. I had been following their appearances on social networks for a while and had also seen them both at the Freeride World Tour as reporters for PowderGuide. So I really enjoyed getting to know them in person and exchanging ideas.

PG: Had you already decided which slopes you were going to ride?

CR: It was clear that we would spend the first part in Zermatt and the second part in Chamonix. Originally, the Marinelli Couloir in Monte Rosa was on the plan. However, Sam had already remarked on the first evening that the conditions for this were poor. A helicopter flight then finally led to the couloir being ruled out. That wasn't a problem for any of us, as Vivian and I had already skied it. I made the suggestion of doing the east face of the Matterhorn instead - which, however, had received quite a lot of snow. However, after a night in the Hörnlihütte at the foot of the east face, the crew didn't want to take the risk either, because north föhn had brought additional drift snow to the upper part all night. Then it was clear that we would ski the north face of the Breithorn. After a short ski tour together over the Schwarzror, we climbed up to the Testa Grigia hut. From there, we went to the summit early in the morning and then climbed the north face via the Triftjigrat.

PG: The pictures and the film look like a trailer for a new James Bond movie. Building ice protection, abseiling and then climbing a steep face with a gradient of over 50 degrees in places - that's spectacular. Were you nervous?

CR: I wasn't scared. I was absolutely delighted and it was a great experience. We were able to talk as equals and I learned a few climbing tricks from Vivian and Sam, who are also both mountain guides. What was unusual for me was the presence of the film crew. The cameraman naturally wanted the best shots. We had to wait for the right times, light and perspectives and then of course everything had to be safe, not only for us but also for the crew.

PG: What did you do in Chamonix then?

CR: We originally wanted to ski the western flank of Mont Blanc. But then we decided on the Couloir de la Passerelle and Couloire des Aiguilettes. It was a spectacular approach, first through a tunnel, then we had to abseil down from a bridge. The slope was exposed to the southwest and the conditions were not easy, but this descent was also a great experience. In general, Chamonix is the big boys' playground. I met Glen Plake in the ski store and Seth Morrison in the hut in the evening. There's a huge scene there, it's great.

PG: Do you behave differently when you're on your own?

CR: I'm more deliberate, I weigh up the risks I'm prepared to take much more consciously. But being on the road alone also allows me to ride at my own pace. I like to be sporty on the climbs and descents, not all of my friends can or want to keep up with me. Nevertheless, I also enjoy spending time with friends in the mountains.

PG: Have you ever had any dangerous moments?

CR: I've experienced two situations involving avalanches so far, but both ended well. I was able to drive out of one avalanche thanks to my high speed. Apart from that, I haven't had any borderline experiences or serious injuries so far. I think my good and safe skiing technique helps me to stay in control in many situations. Even if it often seems dangerous from the outside: I try not to take any risks.

PG: You had 128 days of skiing last year. What job can you combine that with?

CR: I'm currently working on my dissertation at the SLF in Davos. I want to finish it next summer and I already have a new goal: I have registered as a mountain guide and will start next year. Showing other people the mountains is a great job - I'm really looking forward to it.

PG: Do you have a "bucket list" of future projects?

CR: I'm often asked that. The funny thing is: the more I "tick" off, the longer the list gets. In Chamonix alone, there would be endless possibilities. Unfortunately, the season for steep faces is usually only in May and June and the conditions have to be right. My focus is on the Alps. But to reveal two upcoming projects: The north-east face of the Weisshorn in Valais and the west face of the Eiger. Maybe even with Vivian.

PG: Thank you very much for the interview!

The film for the WhiteSession trip, featuring Phillip Crivelli, Sam Anthamatten and Vivian Bruchez: