The young summit looked like a volcanic rock fortress, a specter surveilling the crater below, covered in rime but otherwise untouched by time. According to the map, it was only 600 ft. or so above where we stood, but it appeared a thousand times taller before us. Just before midnight, Nathan and I began the drive up the long, curving …
They say that only the unluckiest of people come to Fairy Meadows Hut and don’t ski powder. We dreamed of a week of snow that would turn into sun. We were lucky and our dreams came true. The Heli Ride In The helicopter soars over the final ridge and drops down into a glacial valley. Trees race by outside the …
Project Ski Africa: Chicken Jousting in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco Location: ZAWIYA AHANSAL Village, Morocco Big Mountain Objective 1: JBEL AZOURKI, 12,070 feet Equipment: Voile V8s (Telemark) and SuperChargers (AT) Project Ski Africa Cafe, sparkling water, and heat are the essential staples as we drive to our first ski destination of Jbel AZOURKI. Jbel means Mount and AZOURKI is the …
Ski trips shouldn’t just focus on the adventures that take place on the mountain. There is much more to skiing than sliding, gliding, and making turns on snow. During my escapes to adventure ski around the world, I astutely learned that some of the best adventures are experienced during the exploration of surrounding villages and their communities of soulful mountain …
After nine years and several hundred combined expedition days, V-Team Ambassadors Aaron Diamond and Ty Guarino wanted to put together a body of information that was tailored to anyone looking to go on their first ski expedition; specifically, Alaska-style basecamp expeditions that maximize fun and minimize discomfort. Most of this information is universal for a ski expedition, but a few …
WINTER IS COMING Shorter days, lingering morning frost, and snow blankets the mountains- winter is near. Skiers and snowboarders itch to get back in their bindings. For lovers of mountain exploration, this season of anticipation is nostalgic and exciting. It is time for reflection on past trips and planning of future trips. Time for pulling out old gear and reminiscing …
Skiers and snowboarders are part of a nomadic tribe that can be found dreaming about the next turn, sometimes traveling to great lengths in search of pow. This summer, as the days were getting longer and temperatures higher, I found myself longing to get away from the scorching heat in Whistler, BC. Perhaps an adventure in Argentina? Traveling to the …
We flew in under a grey-blue ceiling to the most spectacular playground I have ever seen. On the Pika Glacier, rock buttresses rise like sharks’ teeth from the valley, their ridges separated by perfect ribbons of snow that plunge into the glacier below.
Over a three-week period in 2016, Aaron and I attempted a particular summit five different times. All five attempts were thwarted. This year, with a limited amount of free time, Aaron Diamond and I figured that we could reasonably make the peak’s first ski descent… if we were lucky.
The Grand Teton has captivated me since I saw it ten years ago on a family ski vacation. It’s an iconic mountain for all sorts of alpinists, but it’s the skiing that really draws the winter climbers. Little did I know, one day I would be ski guiding the Grand Teton.
