Poster: A snowHead
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By far the best week on snow I have ever had.....I will let the pics do the talking!
We started with a warm up day in Murren
Nice views of the Oberland
Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau
Eiger Northface - some serious History right there
It was very warm but we managed a few pitches of spring snow of the schilthorn
We moved on to Andermatt staying at the Aurora Hotel (made famous in Goldfinger!) Highly recommended, immaculate,
great staff and great food and you even have a petrol station on site!
We had booked Dan Loutrel to guide us http://birdosfreeride.com and owner of http://birdos.com/ skis
Here we are at Dans Factory, Jack ended up buying a pair of Puder Luders, who could resist that top sheet!
First day it started to snow again luckily, so we just took it fairly easy looking for soft snow and anywhere with
some contrast (Andermatt does not have many trees!)
On the Tuesday it was still snowing but forecast to go blue in the afternoon.
By now it had snowed about 40cms so most of the crust had been covered up, just needed some visibilty!
Jack dropping into the fence couloir
Matt deep in the same
Dan guides the Summit couloir (nasty 45 degree ice at the top)
Looking back up at the summit couloir
After lunch it cleared and the fun really started
We did a run down Felsental for a "bluebird" warm up!
Then we headed over to the Gurschen (Giraffe). Dan noticed that no one had been in yet so we had the Privilege of opening this
classic Andermatt line. 1200m of untracked pow!
Dan checks it out
Jack drops in
Then Matt
I got in some great big fast turns on the apron
Looking back just the 4 tracks from us! We started from the middle left notch on the ridgeline...
It just kept going and going to the valley
Dan commented at the bottom that he had never skied it top to bottom in that great a condition...the Weiss beer was good that night!
Wednesday was still blue and there was still much untracked to be ridden
Jack on the warm up run, not a bad way to start the day!
Who needs coffee when this is the second run of the day!! Pretty darn steep - Dan checks if its soft!
Then he was off (the boy can ski)
short video of the drop here (porno commentary included!)
http://vimeo.com/38108575
I got in on the steep fun next
I took this from below - Matt fighting gravity
and then coming out hot onto the apron
what a great line
There was still acres of pow so we went and had fun lower down on the traverse back round to the Gemstock.
Me
Matt
Jack high above Andermatt (you can see the new development being built) just hope it doesn't ruin this great little town.
So back round for the third Gurschen variation (all opened by us)
Dan hikes
Just another untracked coulie
Again great snow even on the exit
In the afternoon we stepped it down a notch and went for a mellow tour off the back of Gemstock down the Guspis to Hospental
Skinning up
Mellow turns
Thursday it snowed all day but vis was rubbish so easy day cruising.
Friday it went bluebird again...
Matt on the warm up run
Then we did the sketchy high traverse from the top of the Gemstock, not particulary nice on board (50m above cliffs!) to access
the Hinter Gurschenalpetli
It was worth it though!
Looking back up and just beating a load of scandos to it!
Dan then let me go first on the next section (best 500m of my life on a board I suspect!)
OH MY GOD - ALASKAN MOVIE or ANDERMATT
Dan had another trick up his leave
The 50 degree Leidtal couloir! Steepest line I have ridden...exposed "got to make the turn" above the rock band!
It did slacken off to a mear 45ish, but with soft snow you could relax and really let it run
Nice turns on the apron
Traversing out - you wouldn't want to be here last week in the heat, big south slopes above you.
Andermatt in the afternoon sun
Saturday was supposed to be a mellowish tour from Disentis to the Oberalpstock mountain (3200m) and down to Bristen at 700m.
Matt climbing some ladders
Bonus turns before the main climb of the day
Long climb up the Brunnifirn
A wild spot
We weren't expecting to much on the descent as thought it might have been wind hammered
we got lucky, an 1800 run in incredible snow. winter pow up top to cream lower down.
All the ski tourers had followed the map, Dan had other ideas!
you can see all the other tracks above Matt (they cut out right)
Unbelievable!
I had so much fun in this section
By now it was just gluttony!
We did ski on the sunday and did a cool run from Natschen to Goschenen - on any normal trip it might have been run of the week, but the light wasn't great so no pics.
I think its probably time to hang up my board for a while as not sure really where I can go from here......anything else would just be a dissapointment.
On a side not Dan Loutrel is an incredible guide and the Aurora is a great Hotel. Just hope the swiss exchange rate gets better as its certainly not cheap at the moment!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nice!!!!
Keep meaning to go to Andermatt...
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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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Quality that mate, liked the "Gluttony" comment.
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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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Cue about a zillion entries for the sHead calendar. Utterly amazing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Awesome. Thanks for posting.
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Beautiful, only ever been around there on the motorbike in the summer... the skiing looks fantastic.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Great trip report, wish I could ski like that!
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Absolutely brilliant.......... I need to get into ski touring !!!!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Fabulous.
Gourmand riding
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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.
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this is all touring? as in no chopper assistance? .. respect!
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You know it makes sense.
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Andermatt is an amazing place - these shots show it off at its best. I just hope the new development does'nt spoil it. You can feel the vibe and the energy as you get on the Gemstock cable car first thing in the morning, everybody is charged up with the adventures which lie ahead.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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norris, fantastic pics and a lovely report - stuff that dreams are made of!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ispirationtastic
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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norris,
Great report and fab pics but I think you're just trying to make the rest of us jealous You've succeeded.
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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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Great report, that debris field is something else
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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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Me want
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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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Looks really dull.
Not at all jealous, me.
Seriously, I've not had a day like that in far, far too long. Good effort keeping the camera out so frequently.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So that's what Andermatt looks like (we had a long weekend of poor vis there in Jan)!
Massively jealous, and thanks for posting so many awesome pics.
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norris, You struck gold with those conditions. Some great lines there and nice pics!
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Have to be honest I was hoping for a few more pics
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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WOW. You lot are better skiers than I could ever dream of being. That looks absolutely freaking FANTASTIC.
Brilliant that you grabbed some photos as well, usually I don't find the time, and that's just ambling around on piste!
Stunning.
Jealous.
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Hats off! Great photos.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for all the comments - Just coming off the adrenalin trip now!
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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.
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Just seen this thread awesome TR
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You know it makes sense.
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^^^ me too
i feel a bit dirty after reading it
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Amazing pictures and great TR.
Great skiing!
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Poster: A snowHead
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norris, Can't believe Jack shunned my skis for those... traitor (they do look quite nice mind you...)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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offpisteskiing, think he has had to hide them in the hay loft on the farm!!!!!!
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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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Glad you enjoyed Murren. Still skiing deep fluffy untracked powder patches and pockets Thursday and yesterday, as well as enjoying some great spring snow.
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