Alaska

In spring of 2026 PowderGuide partnered up with endurance athlete Tobias Renggli, who, together with our friend and mountain goat Heli Hoffmann and polar guide Laetitia Lam, intended to scale, as the first of many mountains in America, Denali (6190 m.a.s.l.) in Alaska, the tallest of the USA, by bike, ski and foot. This is the story about how I became their expedition's meteorologist and how they summited despite non-ideal weather conditions.

April is known for the small battles between Ullr and Ostara - winter versus spring, cold versus mild, snow versus sun. At the beginning of the week, Ullr tried once again to make up ground. But it wasn't too successful: the PowderAlert station reported a decent 33cm, but the advance was limited to the higher elevations. Ostara is increasingly asserting itself in the valleys - but spring is holding out.

The risk in your head is one thing - but how do you actually survive at -40 °C when even walking outside your tent becomes a mini-expedition? In the second part, find out why Alexandre Marchesseau sacrificed his beloved monoskis for this trip, how to immerse yourself in an almost animalistic state of instinct after weeks in the ice and why hardened alpinists put on karaoke glitter on summit days.

50 days, 500 kilometers and the highest peaks in Alaska: Alexandre Marchesseau and his team searched for more than just descents in the wilderness. In the first part of the interview, the mountain guide reports on how you learn to pray under huge ice towers, why a moral "hostage situation" on Mount Foraker almost blew up the group and how, after weeks in the ice, you enter an almost animalistic state of instinct. An in-depth look into the psychology of an extreme crossing of the Alaska Range.

Our colleague Orakel has the details, but we also notice: Nordstau! For what feels like the first time this winter! At least east of the Arlberg, the base was and is poor to miserable for the end of March (!), but we are still happy about the late powder gifts. Also: Global weirding on the other side of the Atlantic.

The dream of many young athletes was to come true. To be able to leave their tracks in the (still) untouched nature of Alaska and join the small group of Freeride World Tour riders who have already had this privilege. Never-ending white slopes, bright sunshine in freezing temperatures and the best freeriders in the world. This calls for fun, action and thrills as well as crunchtime in the first part of the final events of a special kind.

"All good things come in threes" is often said, but it is not always true. This time, "exceptions prove the rule" would probably be more accurate. Due to the snow conditions, no Freeride World Tour contest can take place in Fieberbrunn either.

Two contests this week: the Nendaz Backcountry Invitational and Kings & Queens in Corbet's. You can call them spectacles. Speedriding pilots in the French Alps, my favorite filmmaker and rider Jacob Callaghan in Japan and a short film from the perspective of parents who raised their son in the mountains. Plus fresh snow in the Alps. Get some inspiration - but watch out for your safety. There is also a nice video of a guide in Chamonix.

This week will be full of adventure: a crossing of the Southern Alps in New Zealand by boat, ski and climbing. A female duo on a 10-day winter expedition with couloirs in Alaska. Alongside the adventure, there's park skiing at its finest - crème de la crème from the Depart crew and hotlaps. Plus snowboard clip after clip: A crew that left no pillow untouched. What a movie.

The Videos of the Week are back. Happy, if somewhat belated, 2026! The last few weeks have been busy: Sammy's new masterpiece has been released, K2 has presented a backcountry team film and Jacob Callaghan, my favorite filmmaker and rider, is back with a new video for Season EQPT. Enjoy the week and, like Drew Peterson, let skiing or snowboarding be a means to mental health!

Survived Christmas, said hello to the whole family in love and stress - or hid somewhere in the snow or on the beach? I'm using this space this week to draw attention to a website: the Freeski Museum. Eric Iberg has been working for years on creating a platform that brings together all ski films, all ski pro models, all podcasts, etc. It's finally online and still a long way from being finished - but wow, so cool. Thanks for that.

One of my favorite weeks so far. We finally get a new Beyond Medals movie with a full Lord of the Rings intro. We follow Jean on his bikepacking trip from Chamonix to Norway - what an adventure. In addition, the duo Sampo and LDM present their new film, which won the award for best picture at iF3. Even if the snow isn't always the best, we all have fun - and Boom Clubs Cali Rambo delivers that and more.