Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Afrique – Rock climbing in the sun
Yesterday I went up to Gietroz on the border to Switzerland to climb some rock in the sun. It was warm and we where all alone at the crag. Summer is back.
Tomas Mueller showing us how it’s supposed to be done
Jacky Delerce climbing in the upper left of the photo. The big flake at the top has given the crag its name…
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Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Happy days in north Sweden
I just got back from a week in the north of Sweden where we have one of the best winters in years. I spent the time in great company, training, walking, running, ski touring and ice climbing in the part of my country that feels most like home – the area in between Abisko and Riksgränsen.
Together with friends Patrik Strömsten and Andreas Bengtsson I went out on a ski touring day on the Norvegian side of the border for some easy skitouring. We had big plans skiing a mythic couloir, but the stormy weather made us change our plans to the classic Rombakkstötta. However, when we got over the tree line we just kept getting thrown of balance by the wind to the point where we all where just looking at each other nodding at the option of turning back down. It turned out beening a calm day in good company among friends.
Patrik Strömsten is a soulskiier, one of Swedens best wine experts as well as the man in charge of the n1 skilodge in Sweden – Meteorologen skilodge in Riksgränsen. If you want to live, eat and hang out firstclass as well as enjoying mythic skiing with or without helicopter in the most northern skiresort in the world – check out www.playground.se/meteorologen/main.asp
Andreas Bengtsson is a mountainguide and in charge of the heliski operation in Riksgränsen as well as founder of mountainguide.se, check it out if you are interested in good skiing and mountain adventures!
And for info about the ski resorts in this area, check:
A walk on the lake, Lapporten in the background
The calm village of Björkliden with the skiresort in the background
Ice climbing in the gorge
Rombakkstötta, one of the most classic peaks in the area
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
Alan Watts on Insecure society and hermits…
Is Alan speaking about us? – Skiiers, climbers, surfers, bikers and all of us choosing not to play the big game…
Saturday, March 19th, 2011
Friends in the Dolomites – continuation…
While we are at it, I have to post a link from another party of friends in their search for couloirs at the same time at the same place… Xavier de le Rue and Giulia Monego are riding the steeps and Tero Repo and Guido Perrini behind the cameras.
Keep yourself posted on these guys:
Xavier de le Rue – www.timelinemissions.com
Giulia Monego – www.giuliamonego.com
Tero Repo – www.terorepo.com
Guido Perrini – www.guidoperrini.com
Friday, March 18th, 2011
Friends riding Dolomiti couloirs…
Friends Felix Hentz, Luca Pandolfi and John Minouge went over to the Dolomites the other week and enjoyed som good food and cool couloirs. Here is a edit by Felix Hentz from the Trip!
Check out Felix on www.felixhentz.com and Luca on www.lucapandolfi.com
Monday, March 14th, 2011
Courmayeur – Magic powder skiing
Today I went over to Courmayeur with Felix Hentz with the objective to enjoy some good skiing. With the foehn blowing hard in Chamonix it usually means good skiing in Italy so we had expectations for some good turns. But coming up into the ski area most of the skiing was dust on crust and most that had been good had been skied out the day before.
However, the top lift had not been open the day before and it opened early giving us access to the best skiing Courmayeur has to offer with almost no one hunting the first tracks. We aimed to ski northern aspects and got a few long runs that would fit in to the category; “skiing does not get much better than this”.
Yet, like most powder days this season, it got really warm and the best skiing got dangerous so we ended the day early and enjoyed Italian coffee, cream croissants, tiramisus and sweet Canelones.
Thanks Felix for another kick ass ski day!
Felix Hentz with the Aosta Valley in the background
Felix pow skiing
In the morning we where alone in the top lift getting up to the goodies…
Felix again
Me dropping in on a sunny ridge… (Photo: Felix Hentz)
Not perfect snow (Photo: Felix Hentz)
But then it was magic in on the north facing slopes (Photo: Felix Hentz)
(Photo: Felix Hentz)
(Photo: Felix Hentz)
Italian coffee and croissants filled with creme
Me dropping in on the last run of the day… (Photo: Felix Hentz)
Sunday, March 13th, 2011
Le Fayet – A perfect day for some drytooling
Today I went down to Le Fayet and le Parc Thermal for some fun drytooling. It’s a good workout and it might prepare you for some of that mixed climbing in the mountains… The foehn wind has been blowing hard the past two days, and the mountains on this side of Mt Blanc haven’t been welcoming to skiers and climbers. In times like these drytooling can be the perfect outdoor alternative.
The Team was built up by Jonathan Griffith, Heather Swift, Sandra Ewert, Matt Perrier and my self… Thanks guys for a cool day at the crag…
My friend Bjarne Sahlén made a nice edit from a day at Le Fayet earlier in the season together with Carl Granlund and Morgan Sahlén. Check it out to get a picture of what drytooling is about. For more of Bjarnes cool movies check endlessflow.posterous.com.
Getting there
Jonathan Griffith climbing
And then Matt Perrier is doing the same…
