Chamonix

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.

For almost 15 years now, we have been taking an annual ski trip as old friends. The destination is always drawn by lot - and at the end of the last trip, the lot decided: in February 2025, we were going to the Pyrenees. Unfortunately, Mrs. Holle had barely laid a hand there, so we quickly changed our plans to the French Alps. With the two campers from our partner Sunlight, we had the flexibility we needed. We, that's Benni, Dan, Roman, Jörg, Steffen, Totti and Jan.

First we go to France, where it gets steep and crazy - mountaineering and steep skiing. Next up is a trip to Japan and the world of carving tricks on a snowboard. There are also two behind-the-scenes videos of the X Games. Finally, we show a mogul video and take a new look at 2027: Gator Lock as a competitor to BOA.

In the first week, it was not even clear whether the team would reach the southern tip at all. While storms raged outside, the battle against their own motivation began inside the tent. But the apparent routine that followed was a fallacy. In the second part of his article series, Moritz takes us further into the psychological depths of a 40-day expedition. He gives an unembellished account of the enormous pressure to meet the sponsors' expectations and deliver a documentary film without a script, when all you really want to do is lie in a warm sleeping bag. How do you turn doubt into routine? Why are sunsets a torture? And how do you prepare your mind for such extremes? Moritz shares his personal learnings and gives tangible tips for mental training - so that fear eventually turns into strength.

What makes a good winter's day? For some it's the perfect turn, for others it's the long ascent or the moment when you sit together at the end of the day. The Patagonia Snow Movie Nights 2026 are dedicated to precisely these facets of winter sports.

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.

This trip wasn’t just a point-to-point traverse; it was a way of living in the mountains for two months. Here's a glimpse behind the scenes—into our outdoor philosophy, the values we aimed to follow and share through our story, the logistics behind it all, our true highlight, and how it felt to slot back into our “normal” lives afterward.

Level Up is a freeride event for women, created by Marion Hearty, four-time winner of the Freeride World Tour and winner of Natural Selection 2024. At the end of January, I had the honor of taking part in the Freeride Girls event. This is my report on the first edition of Level Up.

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.

When Hugo and I had to take a break from our ski traverse of Switzerland due to illness only ten days into the trip (see part 1) we were not quite sure how our epic 7-week adventure of ski touring through the Swiss Alps could keep going on. Camping in a tent, suffering through all sorts of weather and knocking on people’s doors in posh ski resort towns in hope of finding a place to crash had all taken a toll. But after a one-week break during which I managed to recover decently, we were ready to give it another shot and met again in the Sagliains train station in the Inn valley.

The name PLUM, derived from the French "plume" (feather), is a symbol of innovative quality. This is because Plum focuses on simplicity, durability and lightness in its bindings.

Anton shares insights about his latest ski movie "SNOW" and the impact of technological advancements like FPV drones and AI on his filmmaking. The film draws a connection between the world of freeriding and the deep relationship indigenous cultures have with snow.