Reminds me of the time when I summited the ice wall at Castleford
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Good lines at 34:00mins in video 1.
A couple boarders looked out of their depth and shouldn't really have been on the trip.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thanks, good video.
Interested to get other people's take on some of the risk management. Personally I thought they took some chances, but obviously they are the experts so maybe more calculated than the edit puts across.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@boarder2020, they definitely took some chances , and for us normal humans , high risk terrain and high risk snow pack is 100%no go turn back , which tom did , the others weighed up their choices and accepted the risks and the possible consequences , which they must have discussed beforehand , but I do think that the very experienced guide gave them a lot of confidence , even so some very scary edging going on
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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and for us normal humans , high risk terrain and high risk snow pack is 100% no go turn back
Not sure them being excellent skiers/boarders really makes it any safer. I'm sure they knew the risks but some of it seemed too risky in my opinion. Of course everyones acceptable risks are different and we just see a small edited view of what was going on. Some things like not sending the guy with altitude sickness symptoms down and breaking camp to cross a glacier in a storm with poor visibility seemed strange.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@boarder2020, agreed definatley doesn't make them any safer , in fact in some ways the better you are the more at risk you may be .
having spent a bit of time with folk that ski/board at this level of steepness and exposure , I find what is possible (not safe ) is off the chart these days
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Superb film and brilliantly shot, given how remote they were. The skier definitely took a Jeremy Heitz attitude to the line...
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Great film, captures everything a trip like that must be like, different culture, atmosphere, personalities, soul searching plus skiing.
Not sure usual rules of safety apply if you've all planned and saved for years and invested probably most of your savings and free time on trip with a goal in mind. Those lads tend to live balls out dirtbag lives and if you're going for it you're going for it once.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
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Not sure usual rules of safety apply if you've all planned and saved for years and invested probably most of your savings and free time on trip with a goal in mind
I doubt the trip was *that* expensive. The standard western organised commercial expeditions (i.e. profit driven) to snow lake are around £3500 per person for 20ish days. The guys in the film appeared to have all their own kit, and were generally self sufficient other than a few porters which probably cost around $25 per day each. Combine that with the fact their guide probably has some good contacts out there I wouldn't be surprised if it was pretty cheap. Really you are just looking at flights, visa, transport (private jeeps are about £50 per day), permits for the area, porters. Definitely could be done all in for less than $2000 per person.
I imagine that sponsors covered at least some of whatever cost they have?
The would agree that it being so remote, probably a place you never will return, and the investment of time and money (however much and either from the skiers or sponsors), and the fact there are cameras there making a documentary probably puts a huge amount of pressure on them to take risks. However, any mountain guide will tell you the above should have zero influence on decision making. Of course in reality we see it often does (summit fever leads to lots of bad decisions).
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Dabber, Thanks for posting the link, what a fantastic movie. I felt I was there making the route choices and decisions alongside the mountaineers.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
[quote="boarder2020"]
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The standard western organised commercial expeditions (i.e. profit driven) to snow lake are around £3500 per person for 20ish days.
I'd be seriously tempted by this - linkie? Is it just a trek through the area or can you ski?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'd be seriously tempted by this - linkie? Is it just a trek through the area or can you ski?
It's just trekking over glaciers (I believe this is the longest continuous glacier outside the poles), and 1 high pass (5100m) - note this isn't the skam la pass they cross in the film. No skiing on the standard trip, but they might be flexible. Here's an example of a western run expedition https://www.themountaincompany.co.uk/pakistan/walking-and-trekking/snow-lake-and-hispar-la/ - £3500 for 22 days, you need to add international flights and visa on to that. I'm sure you can find others through Google. Vertical explorers are a local agency that can also organise it - less expensive but probably not as luxurious or professional as western companies.
The other famous trek in that area is Gondogoro pass trek: which takes you through Baltoro Glacier, Concordia (supposedly one of the most impressive views in the world), K2 base camp, and then Gondogoro pass (5585m).
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?
Yeah that view of k2 from glacier is on the list for sure, just worry a bit about safety / stability of that neck of woods
Pakistan as a whole is not the safest place, there are some areas where visiting would certainly be risky. But kkh and the northern part are generally considered to be safe.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
My palms were sweating watching that!! Amazing skills (and balls), but eeeeeeeeeeek!
My palms were sweating watching that!! Amazing skills (and balls), but eeeeeeeeeeek!
+1
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yep, really good watch. One of my mates did some of the music as well!
I felt the movie was more honest in airing their doubts and revealing the decision making process etc. and because of that transparency, it probably appears like they took more risk than normal. However, we usually don’t get to see so much of the behind the scenes thinking (usually mostly the descent) so it’s actually quite hard to compare it to decision making in other mountain movies. For example, I was reminded of that epic Jeremy Jones descent in the Himalayas - somewhere in the Khumbu valley (I think) - where I don’t remember seeing nearly as much of the background planning and thought process.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Awesome movie, Some great filming ,felt I was up there with them !!
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Poster: A snowHead
