Freeride

The Kitzbüheler Horn usually only attracts a lot of attention due to its striking shape with the antenna visible from afar, which makes the 2000-metre-high mountain appear a few meters higher. Skiers in the Gamsstadt concentrate entirely on the Hahnenkamm, which is a real stroke of luck for freeriders. Because as long as the piste fanatics are shredding down the slopes on the Hahnenkamm, the Horn is virtually peaceful.

SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental is the largest ski resort in Austria, but has rarely been seen as a freeride spot to date. It will certainly never become the number one freeride attraction in the Kitzbühel Alps, but if you look closely, you will find some really good runs here too.

After a good early winter and lots of treeskiing, it's time to tackle the big lines. Where better to do this than in Chamonix? After a long wait, we have finally arrived in Chamonix and will be reporting on our experiences over the next three weeks.

The Couloir Cosmiques is on the program today: as the weather gods were really kind to us, we set off for the Aiguille Du Midi the next morning.

Numerous steep runs with sufficient snow and safe conditions attracted ambitious freeriders with corresponding preferences at the beginning of January. Two weeks without any new snowfall to speak of in the entire Alpine region. Plus the New Year's Eve week with its crowds of people. Not exactly the ingredients of which freeride dreams are made. But one man's sorrow is another man's joy. What could be more fitting than taking a day off from teaching skiing in the Skiwelt Amade and tackling two Eastern Alpine classics on the Dachstein: the leisurely Edelgrießkar variant and the Schwadrinn steep descent.

What does everyone immediately think of when they think of Iceland? That's right: hot springs and warm geysers! As the weather on our last day in North Iceland changed back to "comfortable", we took a day trip to Myvatn. Myvatn, with the lake of the same name, is the action tourism center of the north. In winter, you can drive across the ice of Iceland's largest lake in huge super jeeps or on snowmobiles.
After a short hike through bubbling swamps, we finally dived into the wonderfully warm water of the Myvatn thermal baths. What we see as a welcome wellness program is an important part of Icelanders' culture. People go to the thermal baths not only to relax, but also to meet friends and hear the latest news from their neighbors, who often live 20 kilometers away from them.

The advertising slogan proclaimed by the Lötschberg Tourism Association about the Lauchernalp/Lötschental ski resort "An insider tip with guaranteed snow for all those who only want one thing from winter: glitter-soft, sunlit, virgin slopes!" is no longer entirely true. Unfortunately, it is no longer an insider tip...

A jet of fire hisses from the exhaust above the hatch and the turbine of the old MI-8 transport helicopter slowly starts to move. Driven by the flight officer's hop-hop-hop calls, we climb aboard at a run, past the dented external tanks, and squeeze into a row on the two benches inside.

The clocks tick slower in Iceland. The patience of Icelanders knows no bounds. And even as a guest, it only takes a few hours to adapt to their leisurely pace. This is probably the only way to understand why I feel like I've been here for weeks, even though it's only been two days.

What better way to start 2008 than with fluffy powder and sunshine? As we bought the Kitzbühel Alps season pass this year and 40 centimetres of fresh snow fell on New Year's Eve, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to making our first tracks on New Year's Day in the ski areas of Kitzbühel, St. Johann, Fieberbrunn, Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser Brixental, Wildschönau or Alpbachtal. Our choice is the Alpbachtal.