Freeride

The Pyrenees – For years, we have dreamed of making our tracks in the snow on the slopes of the border mountain range, which is up to 3,400 meters high and separates Western Europe from the Iberian Peninsula. This year it finally came true: seven days in four ski resorts in three different countries.

It was already announced last week, and so the start of spring actually drove us north to Furano and Kurodake. It was an arduous journey, but we didn't regret it.

What St. Moritz is to the jet set, Corvatsch is to us freeriders. And so we too can count ourselves among high society, although "high" is of course a different experience for us. You definitely feel high after descending directly from the summit of Piz Corvatsch and you're sure to get envious looks.

Westendorf is definitely one of the best freeride spots in the Tyrolean lowlands. Shady slopes, cliffs, long runs into the valleys, in short: here you will find everything a real freeride area needs. With 40 centimetres of fresh snow, we had the perfect timing in mid-February. A real blue-bird day in the Kitzbühel Alps.

As already mentioned, the cat and mouse game with the Ski-Patrol has become more difficult – and the cat has actually won again. The spoilsports from the Ski Patrol are now hiding and waiting for hours for mice if they have to. Very annoying as I can no longer ski in an entire ski area and I particularly like the forest runs there. According to unofficial sources, a previously liberal area even wants to ban and strictly control everything off-piste from next season. In many places in Japan, the people in charge simply don't understand what we freeriders want?

On February 18, the FWQ community in Switzerland came together for the first time in 2012 to hold the Morgins Free Sessions 2012 after the event in Engadin was canceled. In the hunt for important ranking points and the highly coveted prize money, mainly freeriders from France and Switzerland took to the start line. Many of them came from the surrounding area. Alexandra Panhofer and participant Julian Zenzmaier were on site for PowderGuide.

Week after week, we are always on the lookout for a new powder mecca. Easy access, extensive terrain and few off-pistoholics - these are our criteria. Last week, all three points were exceeded. Where? In the Wildschönau, the quiet high valley in the middle of the Kitzbühel Alps.

All freeriders who are riding in Puy saint Vincent (with great possibilities for powder riding, between trees or in open terrain) will be looking at the huge backside of the station at some point. The col de Bal encompasses immense terrain with lots of powder, but above this ?secret spot? are plenty of nice couloirs and faces to be done. The most classic line is the Col de Queyrettes, where good snow conditions are quite normal. And whilst you are walking up you will see enough nice faces for weeks of freeriding.

I thought I had perfected the cat-and-mouse game with the Skipatrol by now: but this year the cat is doing better. The same Skipatrol caught me twice in the same place within a week. Luckily I was wearing different clothes each time and so he didn't recognize me. Uffz, otherwise that would have meant the withdrawal of my season ticket. I can probably put this downhill route out of my mind for this winter and watch my colleagues from afar while they continue to make their turns there. Everything else seems to be a little more difficult this year with the boys in red.

A storm was forecast for Monday night, which should have ended our boredom. Unfortunately, once again nothing came of it. Far too warm and only 1 cm of fresh snow - and windy to boot. This would be the fifth day without skiing and somehow it feels more like spring than winter outside. The forecasts from Wednesday onwards are still excellent, so we'll just have to be patient for a few more days. The weather service is talking about a storm of the decade. But it's going to feel like a long time: if you're not much of a piste skier, you won't have much to do here in Hakuba when it gets warm.

Persistent snowfall in the northern Alps and often poor visibility. In these current conditions, a freeride descent in the forest close to the lift is often a good idea. This week's freeride tour fulfills the best conditions for this and does not require an ascent. The Angeralm is THE freeride descent on the Krippenstein. 1500 vertical meters of descent in varied and extensive terrain.

Hakuba has many beautiful sides and unfortunately also a few dark sides: A glance at the globe shows that southern Spain is at the same latitude as Hakuba, so it is not surprising that the sun is already quite strong in January. Many a European has wondered how impressive a Japanese sunburn can be in January. As soon as we see the blue sky here, the southern slopes are usually already unrideable, as the snow is literally baked by the sun.