CONFESSIONS OF A POWDER JUNKIEImagine this scene
from a movie. There is a killer on the loose, and he is stalking
you. He could strike at any time. If you are an off-piste
skier, you have been in this situation numerous times before,
and you will certainly be there again. The killer is the avalanche.
I, too, have been there all too often, and this article tells
of my experiences through five major avalanches in my skiing
life. The story details the process of my addiction to the
“powder drug”, how I have dealt with and tried to
learn from each frightening experience, and how I have also
succumbed repeatedly to the temptation which has lured me
back into dangerous territory. The tale concludes with a moral
victory for my common sense, as I am able to make a difficult
decision and overcome the powder temptress in a touchy situation
while heliskiing in Kazakhstan.
FAMILY HISTORY-When Uncle Edi passed away at the
age of 96, I had the task of emptying the home where he
had lived since the 1940s. Edi had his possessions extremely
well organized, and he never threw anything away. Since
he began his skiing life in 1913 and still skied in the
last year of his life in 2001, his home was a virtual ski
museum, and this story makes a very personal as well as
interesting and nostalgic feature.
FINANCING A SKI SEASON ON A SHOESTRING-A humorous,
yet serious article giving advice on how to be a ski bum.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SKI VACATION-In this
day and age of ski resorts which prepare pistes nightly,
so that skiers get smoothed and flattened corduroy on all
the slopes each morning, many skiers of this generation
have never studied and learned snow science. They do not
know that there might be plenty of powder left on a north-facing
slope long after the southern exposures are going through
a daily ice to slush cycle. They have even less knowledge
of the rather difficult science of finding a mature slope
of corn snow softened to perfection by the spring sun. Instead,
even many good skiers, flounder around on slopes that are
either too hard or too soft, while perfect conditions may
well be lying untouched elsewhere in the resort. This is
a rather technical article, which tries to teach skiers
how to find the best skiing during their winter holiday.
SKI OFF-PISTE AND PAY A FINE-This is a report on
the problems of liability laws relating to skiing, and how
the many lawsuits in the U.S. rendered off-piste skiing
there more or less illegal for quite a long time. This article
also compares the U.S. situation with European skiing, where
a “ski at your own risk” philosophy prevails.
In recent times, however, the industry focus on free ride
has begun to make an impact on U.S. policy, while some European
areas are getting more restrictive.
SKIING--THEN AND NOW-My uncle, Edi Schaar, who at
age 95, began his skiing life in 1913, and still skis today,
compares today’s multi-billion dollar industry with
the adventure sport it once was. He gives insight into what
he considers to be the most significant changes in the equipment,
including skis, bindings, and ski poles, and in skiing technique
as well. After all the changes, however, perhaps the most
important difference between the sport of today and that
of yesteryear, according to Edi, is the direction and philosophy
of the sport as a whole.
SPRING SNOW: LATE SEASON DELICACY- Corn snow is
one of the great delicacies of skiing, revered even more
than powder by some off-piste aficionados. Nevertheless,
there are many good skiers who know nothing about this late
season delight. This is a rather technical article explaining
corn snow--what it is, how to find it, and the avalanche
risks involved.
STROLZ--THE ROLLS ROYCE OF SKI BOOTS-Ambros Strolz
began as a local shoemaker in Lech in 1928, who specialized
in shoes for skiers. While all other ski boot companies
have expanded or died Strolz has been the lone small company
to survive to the present day. With their no advertising,
low profile approach, they are by far the smallest ski boot-company
in the world. This article describes the uniqueness of the
Strolz product, the history and development of the company,
and, of course, the procedure by which a Strolz foam boot
is personally fitted to each individual.
THE FAMILY SKI HOLIDAY-In this article, I begin
with a humorous reminiscence of my early days of skiing,
when my sister and I tortured my poor father both on the
slopes and on the torturous traffic filled freeways of Los
Angeles as we sojourned up and back to the local mountains
almost every weekend. The article moves from the nostalgia
to the present day, as I try to pass on my love of skiing
to my own son. The article includes various bits of advise
for how to best cope with the family ski holiday, as well
as tips on teaching and enjoying your kids on the slopes.
THE LIFE OF A HELISKI GUIDE-Is it a dream job or
a self-imposed purgatory? This article explores both the
positive and negative side of the life of a professional
heliski guide. It draws on personal interviews with a number
of guides and elaborates on the risks, responsibilities,
isolation, and impossible family life on the negative side.
On the other hand, the fun and exhilaration of getting paid
to ski some of the finest powder snow in the world can be
matched in very few jobs.
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