 Poster: A snowHead
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After an extended trip to the UK, I got back to Austria just before one of the best storms since November.
I went straight up to Ischgl to join some of the Ellis Brigham team who were testing the skis they'll be selling next year. Thursday was fun; Friday was better.
High up was DEEP, but absolutely no visibility whatsoever. Lower down in the trees vis was much better, and there was just enough to not hit bottom too much.
One run on the new Blizzard Spurs (really not a lot of base hence tentative skiing) - sorry you'll have to click to FB and quality isn't great as I cut and posted it on my phone:
https://www.facebook.com/FallLineSkiingMagazine/videos/1394577030581717/
It kept snowing as the day went on, getting pretty deep in the afternoon. I took a couple of runs on my Down TD125s as a benchmark:
On Saturday the storm cleared and the sky was blue. I kinda hate blue sky powder days - everyone is a frenzy, the resorts are so busy, people recklessly drop in everywhere... All this while avalanche danger is at its peak. So I stayed at home. Good call as it turned out - Stubai car park was completely full by 10am, with deadlocked queues 10km down the road.
Sunday was a different matter. I met my Munich-based Canadian friend Hayden (he was actually the guide on my Black Diamond Lodge trip to Japan in 2014), his wife, and another friend Elliot to go ski one of my favourite couloirs in Tirol - the Serles Nordrinne.
Every year I fall more in love with spring - I just LOVE the bright blue of the sky, the shining white on the peaks, and the vibrant green in the valleys. Photo is form 2014, but you get the drift:
Unfortunately I'd over-estimated how much snow had fallen low down, and under-estimated how long the bush whack in would take... I was sick and it was only Koeun's second time split boarding, so we weren't racing!
Finally I get out of the jungle and start approaching the base:
Elliot powers ahead through the deep transforming snow (he will soon be opening a new boutique freeride ski shop in Innsbruck - keep an eye on www.powderinstitute.com if you're ever in need of freeride/touring kit to rent or buy in the IBK area):
Hayden and Kouen work their way higher between the awesome walls:
1pm was fast approaching by the time we'd only got half way up, and with warming temperatures releasing snow and rock from one side and the couloir only getting steeper from there on up we decided it was time to turn around. Hayden dropped first to take some photos.
I follow, wishing I had waxed my skis at least once this year:
Elliot gets involved:
It's not powder anymore, but there's still plenty of give in the soft spring snow, and little sign of the breakable crust we hiked in on/through. Hoping to avoid the tedious bush whack in (visible on the right) we decide to ski right down to the forest road at the bottom (left in the photo); I reckon we should be able to ski pretty much right to it. Great snow, but no such luck unfortunately.
The last 100m of bush whack down to the path does at least help me further evaluate the walk mode of the new 17/18 Scarpa Maestrale RS boots I'm testing - big thumbs up from me!
Once we hit the forest road we have a further ~30 minute skin up and slide down to the car at Maria Waldrast. We're all pretty happy to reach the shrine and the 'holy water' spring after some pretty sweaty work.
There's another 20-30cm snow forecast at altitude this week too... I guess glacier season is about to begin!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 4-05-17 13:43; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| clarky999 wrote: |
I follow, wishing I had waxed my skis at least once this year:
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Top gibbon steeze!! Really captures that "grab... urr... slide... stick" action.
Strong work. Really envious of the great extended EoS you Euros are getting. Spose it makes up for an underpar peak season.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Scarlet, thanks! @Dave of the Marmottes, I prefer to think of it as the full wing span eaaaggglllleeeeeeeeeee look 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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BOOOOOOOOOOM
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Stunning photos - Thanks for sharing - Well Jel.
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So cool and I'm so jealous!
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