The film from the Jager couloir - a very cold adventure

To see more of Bjarne Sahléns cool films, check his video blog on endlessflow.posterous.com

Andreas Fransson and Morgan Sahlén skiing the Jager Couloir from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Haglöfs Arctic Weekend

Tomorrow I’m flying up to the north of Sweden to participate in a cool event with friends and one of my main sponsors, Haglöfs. It’s always a fun happening and I’m looking forward to get back to my home mountains if just for a couple of days!

To get more info about the event; click here (Swedish only).

Courmayeur – Exploring a wolf in sheep’s clothes

Today I went over to Courmayeur with friends Flo Gex and Romain Aubrun. The snow was everything from crap to excellent and the ski area pretty tracked out. But it was much better weather than in Chamonix and we took the chance to explore the area from different angles giving us some good skiing, tired legs, new ideas for the next dump and coffee in town – all in great company!

The Courmayeur ski area does not look like too much at first sight, but behold it has some f**king great skiing under the surface..

Thanks Romain and Flo and of course Calle and Bjarne for the après ski hang! 

Romain and Flo on yellow, an unknown friend in the middle

Looks tasty, doesn't it? 

 Walking back trough town

Flo getting some good turns in

Aiguille du Midi – The classic powder days are back!

After the wonderful morning at Helbronner I went over to Aiguille du Midi for another run. I came in perfect time for the second lap for the Chamonix locals and joined in with my French friends Flo Gex and Fanny Gras for a good run in-between Grand- and Petite Envers. The snow was as good at it had been on the other side of the mountain and it was a perfect way to round up another good skiday!

Thanks Flo and Fanny!

Fanny is going for a really cool steep ski (and board), only women expedition to Baffin Island this spring! Check the project out on http://panikabaffin.unblog.fr/ (French only). 

 In the bin

Flo Gex 

 Flo skiing

And jumping 

 And enjoying the pow

 Routefinding

Friends meeting up at the bottom... 

Helbronner – Magic skiing in the greatest ski area that I know of…

Yesterday morning I went over to Italy to ski at Helbronner with my friends Morgan Sahlén och Jimmy Halvardsson. The evening before it had started snowing like seldom seen this season and we liked to get the best out of the day – so we went over to one of my favourite ski areas in the world.

But maybe using the word ski are is a bit to much when it only is one lift line up a huge south facing mountain side on the Italian side of the Mt Blanc massif. There are no pistes, no avalanche control, no rules, no nothing really – only a great ski mountain with huge glaciers, couloirs, three very old lifts and a vertical drop higher than most other ski areas in the world.

Or, I take that statement, about no rules back, because of course there are rules even though they might not be written down or official. This is Italy and not Chamonix and the ambience of tranquillity is on another planet comparing the two cultures. Over here people are still following the old safety ideals of not dropping in above someone on a powder day, over here its almost obligatory with an Italian coffee after every run and over here people in general are still skiing with an afterthought.

And thinking is needed because it can be really dangerous here. Add sun on these south-facing slopes after a snowfall and you will see how quickly heaven can turn in to hell.

We where fortunate to meet up with our Italian friend Davide Capozzi and he showed us around in his beautiful home mountains. The snow was magically light and we where just by ourselves ending the day early at the local café.

Thanks Davide, Morgan and Jimmy!

To know more about Davide Capozzi, check out his website at www.snowhow.it

To know more about Jimmy Halvardsson, UIAGM Guide, check www.ascentdescent.com

I hadn’t had enough of good skiing; so coming back from the tunnel I jumped of at Aiguille du Midi just in time for the second round. 

 Jimmy Halvardsson and Morgan Sahlén

Walking down the stairs 

 Traversing in the fog

 Morgan skiing

 Morgan again

 Davide Capozzi, Italian snowboarding master... 

 Dent du Géant

 

Hiking...

Mt Blanc with its hat

Morgan contemplating 

 And then ripping

Me working the snow...

 Davide leading us down

Where is Jimmy?

 Davide riding

Still have a long way to go...

 Morgan showing us how to enjoy a walk back in the sun

And then of course a wonderful calm lunch in great company

Chamonix...

Have to love their optimism… But hey, a friend of a friend hitched from Germany to Thailand in 9 days…

Le Fil à Plomb - Freeride style

Today I went up for another training session in the mountains. I have always wanted to do the ice route Le Fil à Plomb on the north facing snow, rock and ice face between Aiguille du Midi and Aiguille du Plan. It’s not a very hard route, but the last few seasons it has not been in when I have been here – until this season.

So I though I have to give it a try. I got my good friend Bjarne Salhén with me (his first alpine climb ever) and I thought we might as well spice the day up a little bit and bring our skis with us and try to find some good skiing on the way down.

The crux of the route is the ice fall in the centre of the photo...

It all went well and the day even got social as we met some really nice, soon to be, Swiss guides on the route. The route was in good conditions although I guess a bit physically harder than the last few weeks due to the snowfall the other day. After topping out we kept on going towards Aiguille du Plan to ski the glacier on the south side towards Valle Blanche. And after a really good climb we got some great powder turns!

Thanks Bjarne for a great day, and man, damn you are though!

Folks, check out his video blog on endlessflow.posterous.com 

 Its always nice to meet cool people in the mountains! 

Us and the Swiss guys on the crux pitch (Photo: Thor Husted, from a parapente) 

The Swiss friends again...  

Bjarne climbing 

 Bjarne Topping out

Snow swimming 

 A few minutes later

Aiguille du Midi 

Ok Bjarne, topping out for the last time 

The reward (yes, this is the way skiers think) 

 The first turns for the day

Me doing a sketchy traverse... 

Bjarne skiing

 Bjarne, English fashion with climbing helmet