Freeride

Patrick Fux, who has provided us with great powder pictures from Japan over the past few weeks, had left Japan for British Columbia, Canada, shortly before the dramatic earthquake and subsequent tsunami and the nuclear disaster that was omnipresent in the media. None of Patrick's friends or the Hakuba Powder crew were injured. Nevertheless, the reports from the news naturally make all the powder experiences and problems that you can have as a freerider much less important. Nevertheless, we have decided to bring you the last three episodes of the Japan-Canada winter trip.

"Monte Rosa" is the name of the largest mountain massif in the Alps. And Monte Rosa also gave its name to the so-called "Freeride Paradise – Monterosa Ski". In order to taste the fruits of paradise, we stayed at the highest possible spot in the Refugio Guglielmina at 2,880 m above sea level. But instead of being banished, we were rewarded with several big dump powder days.

Most outdoor enthusiasts know the Dolomites as a climbing El Dorado. For a long time, only a few were aware that the same applies to the freeride potential. Nowadays, the majority of freeriders know the powder hotspots of the Dolomites. However, due to the vastness of the areas, untouched slopes can still be found several days after the last snowfall. When it became apparent that a southerly storm would dump an acceptable amount of fresh snow in the Dolomites, the decision was quickly made - we set off for northern Italy – in search of deep snow and steep gullies.

We were really looking forward to our trip to Utah, the home of the legendary Champagne powder. We had to wait for months, but finally the time had come. A good year after leaving Silverton in southwest Colorado, we are back on a plane heading for the USA. Situated 1350 meters above sea level, the 2002 Olympic city is the ideal starting point for a road trip through the ski resorts around the Great Salt Lake.

A look at old ski atlases proves that Kitzbühel was considered a deep-snow resort long before the freeride boom began. This has not changed even in the age of fat skis. Many powder fans are drawn to the Kitzbüheler Horn or the slopes of the Steinbergkogel. If you venture deeper into the extensive ski area between the Gamsstadt and Mittersill in Salzburg, you will inevitably reach the Pengelstein, another sub-area with great freeride potential.

Do you know that? It's snowing and snowing and snowing. The white splendor everywhere – unfortunately also in your ski pants – and most likely from all the falling? You have the impression that you see the snow cover from below rather than being able to master the situation and glide elegantly down the slopes. Don't despair, ask Dr. Holle! She will answer your questions about the most common skiing technique mistakes in deep snow?

MSP's countless award-winning films have been delivering one "must-see? flick after flick. This year's masterpiece The way I see it is no exception. In addition to breathtaking freeride and freestyle shots, the innovative POV shots and the freestyle elements of the athletes on the dream slopes of Alaska are particularly impressive.

Low budget? No, no budget! There are plenty of film crews with big projects and manageable content in the age of YouTube. Few, however, know how to inspire right from their debut like Dendrite Studios. The Best Big Mountain Movie award presented at the beginning of the season should be enough reason to pay attention to their first work.

Whether Hansi Hinterseer or Candide Thovex, gliding elegantly down the slopes in deep powder snow is always highly regarded. Cutting a good figure on skis is not rocket science. But all beginnings are difficult, and no master has ever managed without head-first snowpack tests. So that you know what to do on your powder slats, this article provides some technical skiing tips on the subject of freeride technique.

At the beginning of my trip to South America, the situation is bleak. The north is drying out and the south is sinking into the mud. At least the base in Bariloche is usable and it's not the first time I've had to sit out bad weather here. I'm good at waiting and drinking tea and otherwise all I need is a little faith in God that it will eventually get the necessary few degrees colder and one day you wake up and there's a meter of snow on your doorstep.

In mid-May, a group of hungry freeriders made their way to Lapland in the far north to enjoy the last powder days of the 2010 season 200 km above the Arctic Circle. That was the plan, but instead they experienced the heaviest snowmelt for many years in Riksgränsen. But even this couldn't stop them from climbing Nordalsfjäll, heliskiing in the midnight sun and, of course, exploring the off-piste area of Riksgränsenfjället!

The former trend sport of snowboarding has fallen into a deep crisis. Anyone who is hip now goes skiing and more and more former snowboarders are switching back to skiing. Ski convert and occasional snowboarder Tobi Kurzeder discusses the snowboard crisis, its causes and the supposed lack of innovation in the snowboard industry with snowboard manager, PG co-founder and ex-snowboard pro Holger Feist.