Yesterday we had our eyes on a good couloir in the Aiguilles Rouges. We started in Flegere and walked up to Lac Blanc but the wind was really strong and it was  very cold and the slopes wind loaded. There was spontaneous avalanche activity on south eastern slopes and we understood early that our approach couloir could be a no go. But we kept at it to have a look and get some exercise. When we finally arrived to the base it actually looked better than we had thought but nevertheless we decided that it would be pretty offensive going up this one as there was a bit of loading, it was just above terrain trap and the slopes we would ski after the objective would be very loaded as well. This time we where not worried at all about the couloir we wanted to ski, but it was getting to it and back that was the sketchy bit. So we walked back to Lac Blanc and climbed up to Col de Bellverdere, a classic ski tour in Aiguille Rouge. The small couloir leading to the bowl on the backside had a sideslip track as always but it was powder just to the side of it and the big bowl it self was totally filled in with no tracks.

Even though we didn’t get to ski our objective we still got some great powder turns and a fine day out…

Today had been a rest day with paper work for me and a trip to Grenoble to sort out some boots for JP and tomorrow we have some new ski plans… Life is good…  

JP Auclair and Bjarne Sahlén with the Chamonix Aiguilles and Mt Blanc in the backdrop 

Myself entering the couloir

Bjarne following our tracks

Bjarne Sahlén

JP!

Joining up with Amanda at Le Buet train station 

Yesterday JP Auclair arrived and we will work on some Chamonix episodes. We are not trying to make something extreme, its more about getting good days out and trying to show the Chamonix feel to anyone interested. So today we went out and did a few runs at Brevent in the morning and then we went over to Midi for a run down Glacier Ronde. It was a beautiful day and the skiing and the company was simply awesome. JP said it was his best day in Cham – ever… And for me it was definitely the best one so far this season! 

JP rappin

Bjarne cruising couloirs with a camera on his chest

JP comfortable on the steeps

JP charging

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Myself with an icy beard…

Photographer Patrik Lindqvist was shooting the stills… Check him out on www.patriklindqvist.com

JP on the Glacier Ronde

And again in a big snow cloud

Bjarne in the exit

Bjarne and JP doing some glacier route finding

Aiguille du Midi

Today I had a great ski day with Bjarne, Carl and Martin. The two later was coming by Chamonix for the day and I wanted them to get a good impression of the area… After runs down the Bellin, a secret variation beyond Ensa as well as a finish down the Cosmique I think they understood how good Cham can be. We did not meet any other people for the whole day… Its so great to be up among the mountains with friends after the heavy times we have had… 

Carl Hård af Segerstad skiing down the Bellin

The Cham aiguilles from Brevent

Car, Bjarne and Martin

Myself skiing

And again

Bjarne

Martin

Me Rappin

And skiing

And again

and again

and again

Carl in the Cosmique

A ski boot with wings and flowers was standing on top of Felix’s coffin. The church in Chamonix was full to the brim with family and friends from all over the world. It was a beautiful service worthy a great friend and center point in Chamonix. He will be remembered and missed by many! 

This night we had Felix’s memorial party. It was a warm evening with lots of tears, smiles and laughter among friends and family. It was a full house with plenty to eat and drink; lots of great people on a limited amount of space. I think Felix would have liked it… 

I have to start with this one made by dear friend Felix Hentz who left us only a few days ago. It hadn’t been snowing for a while in Chamonix and Felix came up with this funny idea. Check it out: 

This Land is Your Land from Felix Hentz on Vimeo.

This is my first steep ski after my accident the year before. A very rare repetition of Col de Aiguille Verte Direct. 

Andreas Fransson skiing Col de L´Aiguille Verte from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

This is a cruise of one of Chamonix’s classics with friends…

Les Courtes from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Skiing the Jager couloir in January is my coldest ski – ever!

Andreas Fransson and Morgan Sahlén skiing the Jager Couloir from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

This is actually material from 2010, but the edit was made 2011. Its from one of my best skis in my life and a rare first descent in Chamonix. 

First Ski Descent in Chamonix by Andreas Fransson, from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Here is an edit from the summer of 2010 that came out the following year. Its from a photo shoot in the Swedish mountains in the north for my sponsor Haglöfs. 

Haglöfs – Trekking Our Way from David Kvart on Vimeo.

We are not only skiing in Cham… This is from one of our bouldering sessions

Bouldering in Médonnet from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Xavier de le Rue and myself are taking on the mythical north face of Aiguille du Plan… But the snow was sketchy… 

Andreas Fransson and Xavier de le Rue on Aiguille du Plan from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

The north face of Aiguille du Midi, the Mallory. Skied on my first day in Cham after a long stay in Sweden… 

Mallory by Andreas Fransson from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

An interview for Swedish television… (in Swedish)

Here is the film from our Denali trip last spring… A great adventure! 

First ski descent on Denali south face by Andreas Fransson from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

And the following are the films from our South America adventure… A three month trip trough Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. 

Adventure through the Andes. Ecuador – episode 1. from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Adventure through the Andes. Peru – episode # 2. from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Adventure through the Andes. Bolivia – episode # 3. from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Adventure through the Andes. Episode # 4, Argentina – Mercedario from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Adventure through the Andes. Episode # 5, Argentina – Aconcagua from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

And last, but not least, the full movie from the Timeline sessions – This is my winter! 

This is my winter film entier avec Xavier de Le Rue, Mathieu Crepel…

Today I finally got back on my skis. After a well needed sleep in I phoned Nicklas Hansen to see if he was up for some skiing. We went to Grand Montets and was lucky to time everything perfectly.  The sun came with great visibility and  there where few tracks.  It was a wonderful day and it felt great to be out there again after Felix’s accident. He used to say that he wanted to keep on doing what we love even if something would happen to him. This one, and many more to come, where for you…

As always I didn’t bother taking any photos when it was really good skiing, but I still post some from the day…

Nicklas Hansen skiing some great snow

Hanna Fisher in the Phillipe couloir

We met good friend and guide Jimmy Halvardsson up on the mountain. If you want one of the best guides in Cham, go out in to the mountains with this guy… www.ascentdescent.com