What does your ideal freeride day look like?
An ideal freeride day starts on the first run and ends healthy and satisfied at après-ski. There you can look back on the day with good friends and a big grin on your face and talk about face shots and empty slopes.
What does your perfect freeride setup look like and why?
Of course, I prefer to ride the really wide slats - something with 125 mm under the binding. Otherwise, the material and brand aren't that important to me - the main thing is that it's stable and works reliably.
Which gadget from your freeride equipment would you recommend to the PowderGuide community?
Nutritious and protein-rich power bars are essential. You have so much dead time on the lift that I don't want to spend time in the mountain hut - at least at lunchtime. You can also eat well on the train. And instead of lugging a whole packed lunch with me and annoying the other passengers on the lift with smelly sausage sandwiches, I always enjoy a power bar like this when I get hungry.
What does your risk management look like when freeriding?
My motto is: It's better to do without a day and ride for many years to come. I get information from the Avalanche Institute in Davos, which provides detailed information on the avalanche situation, snow and weather on its website and Whiterisk app. In addition to the avalanche courses I've taken, I regularly train at the Avalanche Training Center on the Titlis, where you can practice using avalanche transceivers and probes under relatively realistic conditions. However, me and my freeride buddy have also hidden the beeper under the leaves in the forest and the other one had to look for it.
What has been your best freeride trip so far and what is your dream destination?
Why go far away when you have the perfect spot on your doorstep - the Titlis with world-famous freeride routes such as Laub, Steinberg, Galtiberg etc.? Half of Sweden and whole hordes of freeride junkies from x other countries come to Engelberg to experience these runs. Well, I also dream of Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Canada. But it can't be much better there than on the Titlis. It's just that I sometimes get fed up with the powder stress up there.
What is special about freeriding for you and what makes it different from other sports?
I spent ten years traveling the world as a windsurfer. I had freedom, enjoyed nature and released adrenaline en masse. Freeriding is now the substitute drug, so to speak. There, too, you float through the water, close to flying. The only difference is that the water is frozen in the mountains.
How long have you been a Conditions reporter at PowderGuide and why?
I think this is my third or fourth year as a conditions reporter. Why am I doing this at all? Actually, I'm stupid for attracting even more freeriders to the Titlis with my reports. But what could be better than sharing your experiences and bringing others closer to your great passion? I'm also happy when I know what kind of conditions I'll encounter on the mountain. That can help when choosing skis.
