Tag Archives: Ski Touring
Italian Dolomites Backcountry Ski Shoot
Ongoing winter weather in California forced us to cancel a commercial ski shoot in the Sierra Nevada and move it to the Italian Dolomites. Here, the weather was with us and we had quite possibly one of our best overall two day shoots. For Janine and I, it was our favorite style of producing photos. The client knows us and provides the Creative, “Go make photos of a real ski tour with friends”. Deal.
The Dolomites are without a doubt one of the finest photo shoot locations in the world, our backcountry ski trip was truly perfection. For more photos, and the fun story of putting this trip together, visit the post at our site DolomiteSport.
Posted in Dolomites, Photography, Skiing
Also tagged Backcountry Skiing, Dolomites, Photography
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Susie Sutphin Interview
Skiing corn beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo
A good friend of our’s from the US, Susie Sutphin, just stayed two weeks with us here in the Italian Dolomites. Together we pushed the limits of our legs and motivation, managing to ski every single day of her visit, 2 weeks solid. Included was Austria’s Silvretta Tour, a few days in the Zillertal Group, numerous days in the Dolomites, including three doubles where we skied during the day, finished at a hut, and then maximized our ski time by skiing out under fullmoon with a slight grappa buzz. The weather was at its absolute best behavior, favoring long days and lots of mileage.
Susie making tracks upward
Susie is the former Patagonia Athlete/Ambassador Coordinator from where we came to know her years ago, but now lives and works in Truckee, California for the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival. She is, simply put, one of the best telemark skiers around. Where people just should not be dropping their knee, she does, with grace and power at the same time. More than a few Austrians are likely singing songs about her right now. Susie’s primary goal in skiing is one thing, skiing steep, narrow, and mightily long couloirs.
This was Susie’s first visit to the Dolomites, I asked her some questions about the skiing.
I know what is coming, but what are your thoughts on the Dolomites?You have expectations from places, from the media, videos, etc… then what a place really is becomes focused when you arrive. The Dolomites are like the Eastern Sierra times 10. Turn everything up 10 notches and it is the skiing here. There are so many visible lines, so many things I look at and know I can go ski, the Dolomites are raining couloirs.
Here it is GO TIME. My skiing really improved in two weeks because the terrain required me to improve. Back home we have training grounds, then the Dolomites are the olympics. The Dolomites make you show what you’ve got.
And it is just so beautiful, the scale is massive, to be up high in the mountains at night and see the tiny villages shimmering below – fantastic.
Why the love of couloirs?
You always hear climbers describing being a part of nature when they climb. For me, being in a couloir, I feel connected to something so big, to actually be inside a mountain where not everyone can go is a great experience. And to stand on the top, looking in, seeing your ski tips sticking out above the drop, feels so good.
Explain the quote of the trip, “I love Europe”.
And not just for skiing, for everything. This trip was special, spending all my time with people who live here and not being just a tourist made it feel even better. Seeing how people live here, seeing my friends living here and how to make it happen, I love this.
What is your perception of Europe’s Mountain Culture?
The sports are just part of the culture, it is what you do. I heard a girl on the Silvretta Tour who was learning to ski in the mountains say, “I am from the Tirol, I must ski.”
And all the older people out?
Great, to be in the mountains, on a tour, arrive at a hut and there are 150 people inside of all ages, amazing. It is so inspiring and motivating. There is so much depth to the culture.
Would you return?
The question is “How do I come back forever?”
Finally, in your group of friends back in the US, is there an awareness of the Dolomites?
They think, “They’re somewhere in Italy, right?” That is it. They seem to be known for just climbing. For skiing, Chamonix and the Alps overshadow everything. But the Dolomites are the most varied, the location and proximity to other incredible areas, the Ortler, the Silvretta, Stubai, etc… And then the Dolomites themselves, if you love skiing couloirs and love just real skiing, go to the Dolomites.
Susie Sutphin dropping into the Holzer Couloir, note the ski line, straight down
Susie Super Psyched post Holzer Couloir
Skinning beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo
In the Silvretta
Posted in Dolomites, DolomiteSport, Profiles, Skiing
Also tagged Backcountry Skiing, Dolomites, Europe, Mountain Sports, Telemark Skiing, Women
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Dolomite Couloirs: The Holzer Couloir
Susie Sutphin dropping into the Holzer Couloir, note the ski line, straight down
When I first started coming to the Dolomites I kept hearing about all the couloirs. Today I really found out what they are about.
Together with Janine, Andreas Irsara, Susie Sutphin and Arnt (last name unknown…) we headed out for what Susie would later describe as, “The best day of my life!!!”.
First up was the more serious business, the Holzer Couloir (Canale Holzer). Immediately beneath the Piz Boe tramline on the Sella Group, this is a backcountry endeavor without the need for skinning. As you arrive at the entry the first thought is, “No way, nothing can go through this”.
Impossibly steep, narrow and at first blind, one only enters because there are ski tracks already in place. Then the fun begins; sustained 45-50 degrees, 5-8 meters wide maximum, and 500 meters straight to the bottom. It is a stunning line and once seen, obvious as to why it has appeared in countless extreme ski films.
Once we squirted out the bottom we headed straight to the tram and back to the top for the much easier Canale Joel, this one a much more modest 35-40 degrees and south facing – thus, a corn fest.
Finally, after a sizeable lunch, we descended the Dolomite’s most famous off piste ski descent, the Val Mesdi. This was my first time to ski this line and I quickly discovered why I hear about it so much. It is perfection. Being incredibly long with a fantastically narrow and steep entry, it starts off with some business but turns into a massive open canyon with thousands of feet of vertical Dolomite rock on each side. It was difficult to ski because I was continually looking around. We agreed that the style of skiing in the Mesdi must be something like what a big wave surfer feels, just riding this massive feature of what nature dishes out.
Once back enjoying beers on the deck of a hut, I realized Susie was right, this was one of the best days of my life as well, but somehow, here in the Dolomites, I just keep saying that same line.
Exiting the Holzer Couloir
Susie dropping into the Joel Couloir
Susie Sutphin in the Joel Couloir
Looking down the length of the Val Mesdi
Posted in Dolomites, DolomiteSport, Photography, Skiing
Also tagged Backcountry Skiing, Dolomites, Mountain Sports, Sella
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Lou Dawson Interview
Lou and Ted will have to explain this ritual of post ski breathing technique
Lou Dawson is a legend in the American ski culture. Primarily known as the first person to ski all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks, he is also a pioneer of backcountry skiing, a leader who brought about awareness of ski touring ideas to the US and the daily manager and writer for the tremendously popular WildSnow.com.
We were lucky enough to run into Lou and his great, longtime friend Ted Karasote while we were all on Austria’s Silvretta Tour. Together we enjoyed dinner in the huts and had some time to chat about Euro ski touring vs. the American scene. I asked Lou some questions regarding his thoughts after years of visits to Europe.
Lou (in green hat) enjoys a meal in the Wiesbadener Hut, Silvretta Tour
Lou, what is the first word that comes to mind when you think of Euro ski touring?
FOOD
Would huts like those found throughout Europe make it in the US?
YES, absolutely, they would have to be in just the right places. Eastern Colorado and the Pacific Northwest seem the logical spots. In the US they would have to be far enough in and with only moderate motorized access to keep out the trouble makers. But yes, they would work once people discovered the concept.
What is your ideal day skiing in Europe?
I have had these days where I have skied lower level stuff, not the big mountains or big tours, but smaller stuff which we have run laps on situated above small villages. At the end of the day we dropped back to the valley and stayed in small, local guesthouses where we have all these great experiences with people who belong to the mountain culture here. It is a wonderful way to experience the mountains of Europe.
Lou, you are 58, in the hut there are numerous others of the same age or even much older. In the US, it is not too common to see “older” skiers putting in 2000+ meter days day in and day out. Here it is completely normal. What do you think fosters this? Will America get to this point in it’s mountain sport culture?
We must have our eyes open to the possibilities in the US. Younger people are much more active and the older ones slow way down. In Europe there is a huge range of people involved with alpinism, in Europe it is no big deal, it’s just what you do. For Europeans, mountain sports are just part of the lifestyle, in America it is a “sport”. Americans are more concerned with “speed” and how much “vert”, this comes from our media. In Europe you would have to be like Messner to get noticed. It is the experience vs. the accomplishment idea. Europeans are more about the mountain experience. There are older role models in the European mountain culture, this has not yet come to the American scene with such a great base.
What is the next ski tour you want to do in Europe?
It’s time I do the Haute Route. I am especially interested in the historical component.
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For me it was a great pleasure to meet up with Lou and Ted and spend time laughing about the decadence of the European ski touring scene. His site WildSnow.com is a fantastic source of information for backcountry skiers and now has a full report of the Silvretta Tour for those interested in visiting Austria. Become a regular visitor and encourage Lou to visit the Haute Route for yet another trip report.
The Silvretta Tour, part 1
Probably not your typical ski touring photo
Home. As good as Euro huts are, we still love to be home, and especially home eating a huge, fresh salad. Tomorrow morning’s breakfast will not include dry bread and jam. Those that have been on Euro ski tours will fully understand dry bread and jam. Janine and I fell sick on the last day, spent a feverish night in the Jamtal Hut and promptly descended to the valley first thing in the morning. Time for a quick recovery at home, and tomorrow, Janine’s Birthday will be spent closer to home than in a mountain hut.
6 days on the Silvretta – no bad weather, this is a first. The GPS stayed in the pack the whole time, lovely.
It was all about corn skiing, although thanks to our powder sniffing friend Susie Sutphin, we did manage to find some pockets of north facing fluff up high. Our great Italian friend Andreas Irsara’s quote sums up being on a trip with Susie, “Susie, you make me crazy for skiing.” This while he set out behind her as she kicked steps up yet another steep couloir.
This is part 1 of the Tour Blog, a full account will follow including a trip report for Austria’s Silvretta Tour (my second time on it and likely my favorite in Europe) as well as an interview with Lou Dawson of the famous backcountry ski website Wild Snow. We discovered Lou in the first night’s hut typing (blogging) on the smallest laptop I have ever seen. With Lou was the best selling author Ted Kerasote and together we were all lucky enough to get to spend time drinking beers and laughing about all the decadance of Euro backcountry life.
For now we leave you with some fun pics and the reminder that the Silvretta Tour is paradise for the backcountry skier. Lou Dawson also posted info at Wild Snow. Check back in here for a complete report on the tour.
Andreas Irsara and Susie Sutphin
Touring through a serac zone
Headed for the Piz Buin
Skier's Test: Find the line of choice
Susie Sutphin has clearly earned her turns
Topping out for another couloir
Ridge traversing, Silvretta Tour
What is in my pack?
After countless emails asking me about what sort of gear we use, it is time to just go ahead and show it off.
Yes, we are in the mountains 300+ days a year, year in and year out. I field questions daily requesting camera info, clothing, packs, GPS, food, etc… Seems we do know about gear.
So here it is, gear for a 7 day ski tour in the Austrian Alps. No camera gear shown, no pants, wearing them… And we are staying in huts, thus no food.
Why do we love European ski touring? 7 days skiing in alpine terrain, 24lbs/11kg total with camera gear. Note credit card.
7 day ski tour: the gear
Posted in DolomiteSport, Photography, Skiing
Also tagged Backcountry Skiing, Gear Review, Mountain Sports
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April Spring Ski Tour Schedule
The Ortler Group
For the 9th straight year, we are about to begin a month long, non-stop ski tour.
Even with a proposal from Janine to head south to Sicily in late April for a few days to tan the body and not just the face, we are still looking forward to at least 30 more days of skiing in the backcountry. This with 70 already on the books, the usual… With the massive amount of snow in the Dolomites and Alps, we have tours planned for May as well, a ski ascent/descent of Mont Blanc and a Berner Oberland Tour to end the season. I guess a few days eating seafood instead of hut food will be appreciated come late April.
And YES it is work… Fun work, but work nevertheless, we (especially “I”) love it. Euro hut living is an odd thing. We travel/ski as a small group of friends but live in these mountain huts dorm style. Often we have massive sleeping rooms where 40 or more skiers are packed in like sardines, many of whom may not have showered in days and ALL of whom have been eating volatile food for dinner. You get my point. Thankfully there are ear plugs, unfortunately there are no nose plugs.
If we are lucky, there is cell and data service at the huts and the iPhone allows our “office” to remain open. But more often than not, I have to go out at night to check in for the American work day, ski up onto
some windswept ridge and wander around looking for data packets. It is absurd, but part of the job. Emails must be kept brief to prevent frostbite.
Dinner is at 6:30 sharp each night, breakfast is served depending on your itinerary, anywhere from 5-7 a.m. We are always at the mercy of the weather.
Our schedule changes daily, we are photographers, we need blue sky and powder. For work, white skies are deadly and make our moods foul. The grass is always greener concept haunts us. Sunny days are treasured and full of action. But for every bluebird day there seems to be a day spent with the GPS in hand, blindly following and praying that the waypoints are accurate and wishing we didn’t have to travel in such horrid and dangerous weather.
All of this fill our memories and our stock library. It’s not just about turns, it is the whole package and it is an odd way to live yet it is my favorite time of the year. I never tire of traveling on skis in massive, glaciated alpine terrain. It is a perfect experience.
And so it begins this week, hut reservations have been made, we check into the Alps fulltime come Friday morning. We’ll do our best to update the blog with fun tales and photos.
Ski touring in the Berner Oberland
Skier beneath the north wall of the Aletschorn, Berner Oberland
Touring
Dan & Janine inside their snowcave for the night
Poor eating conditions make life difficult
Morning departure from the Chanrion Hut, The Haute Route
Janine impressing the Italians with Swiss building skills
Quaint European mountain shelter, the Jamtal Hut
The Ortler Tour
The Pizzini Hut, Ortler Tour
Glacier touring
The impressively situated Vignette Hut, Haute Route
The drying/dining/sleeping room
Posted in DolomiteSport, Photo Business, Skiing
Also tagged Backcountry Skiing, Mountain Sports, Photography
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Ski Rando Training Photos
Perfection : |pərˈfek sh ən|noun : the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects :
• a person or thing perceived as the embodiment of such a condition, state, or quality
Sometimes it envelopes us and we know we are doing what we were meant to do. Sport, in the mountains, free of flaws because we are fit, healthy and can move through the environment with skills derived from training. This is what we live for.
Together with my friend Paolo Pitscheider, we spent an afternoon training for ski randonee racing (sci alpinismo) in the Dolomites. Without clouds, cold, wind, and weight on our backs, we practiced what we love to do on the first warm day of the coming spring but in a big, big winter landscape.
Ski Rando Racing is not about going down, it is about up, and it is about effort. Down is not pretty, the boots are soft, the skis narrow, down is something you hang on and ride out, up is pain you train to endure.
Janine came and made photos of us, her timing also perfection. Just in time to catch two very happy skiers and a beautiful sunset.
Posted in Dolomites, DolomiteSport, Photography, Random Thoughts, Skiing
Also tagged Backcountry Skiing, Dolomites, Mountain Sports, Ski Rando Race
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