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Kilian Jornet Interview: About His New Foundation, His Own Environmental Impact, and How He Wants To Help Athletes and The Outdoor Industry To Protect Nature

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This is not a reality of today because we can produce high performance gear with much cleaner technologies. This demands the use of other sources and treatments… but it is totally possible today.

We all love to play in the mountains and many of us see them as extensions of our souls. They are bigger and more powerful than us, yet we don’t always realize how fragile they are.

After interviewing Pascal Egli about fast melting mountain glaciers, we reached out to Kilian Jornet to ask him about some projects that he has initiated recently with the goal of protecting mountains and our natural environment.

On one hand, these initiatives can be seen as hypocritical on Kilian’s part as he has traveled around the world extensively for competitions and for adventures. On the other hand, it is important to have someone with great influence in the mountain community to be leading such efforts.

» Kilian’s projects: Kilian Jornet Foundation and Outdoor Friendly Pledge

» Instagram for Kilian’s Foundation: @kilianjornetfoundation

Q: Kilian, we all know you as a competitor and a mountain athlete first, but we also know that you have a deeper relationship with mountains and nature. What draws you outside every day?

For me it is quite simple, outside is where I belong. When I am in the mountains I feel at home, I feel happy and that I am where I should be. This feeling never happens when I am in a city, inside walls or on flat land.

Q: As someone that has traveled around the world to compete and for adventures extensively, when did you realize that you were perhaps greatly adding to the problem of climate change?

Since I was a child I had an environmental knowledge. My parents showed me and my sister the connection we have with all of nature’s elements. They made me realize that we as people are part of an ecosystem and that it is important to preserve it, so the ecosystem continues to work.

I think I had tried to keep my lifestyle in general as sustainable as possible – being vegetarian, living in low energy ways, trying not to have many material things – but I had lied to myself by saying that the traveling was part of my job. It is something I had taken for granted as a pro athlete.

I had the opportunity to travel a lot and I did not think too much about it. I did it because it was possible and “normal”. But you realize quickly that the biggest part of my footprint comes from the travels.

Over the last 3 years, I have been consciously reducing my travels. First, by changing travels to be an exception and not the norm. I cut travels that were not that meaningful – to training camps, to do a talk, to do a race that was not my big goal, etc.

I love traveling and there are places I want to go, but I think for me now, it is important to only travel when it is a special occasion, maybe once a year. For anything else, it is probably possible to do close to my home.

Q: In September, you announced the creation of Kilian Jornet Foundation. Tell us more about its goals and what it means for you?

Over the last years, I have been increasingly concerned about the environmental footprint I have been making personally and we as a society.

Perhaps, when my daughter was born it was an acceleration of this concern. With her, it became easier to imagine how mountains and nature might look like when the next generation will be our age. It also became clearer what we should do so they can enjoy nature as we are able to.

I used my channels (social media and press) to talk about it, but I thought I should do more. I was collaborating with some associations and environmental projects, and I came to a realization that the best way I could use my voice and to develop projects was by creating a foundation.

The foundation’s mission is to preserve mountain environments. Right now, that means “fighting” climate change, preserving biodiversity, reducing pollution, but also thinking of new models for mountain areas – more sustainability, the role of tourism, etc.

Q: What are the main actions the foundation is taking?

We work in 3 different pillars:

We support research, because I believe that scientific studies will tell us what the best tools are to achieve the goals and to monitor the progress.

Secondly, we are raising awareness and education, and to bring the conversation about environmentalism to a larger audience and give them tools to be more sustainable.

The third pillar is direct actions. These are actions directly in a specific environment or area to solve a local or a temporary issue. This can be planting trees, cleaning a mountain area, or building a more sustainable infrastructure, etc.

Q: One of the projects you launched through the foundation is Outdoor Friendly Pledge. What is the project about? Why is it important?

The Outdoor Friendly Pledge are 10 environmental commitments for each of the outdoor sports players:

  • Athletes
  • Event organizers
  • Brands and manufacturers
  • Federations

Those commitments are related to the Paris agreement and the UN SDGs, but the pledge is much more than to sign and forget.

The Pledge is a platform with practical resources, tools, and ideas on how to achieve different goals. Also, it is a place to monitor and check that the ones taking the pledge are doing the transition necessary to achieve the goals.

I think it is important to see all the players in the same place, because sustainability is not only a brands’ or athletes’ problem. Each of us have a different role and most of them are linked, so we need to collaborate to make outdoor sports more friendly for the environment.

For me, it is also important that the Pledge is not a place for shaming – to show what you are doing better than others – but rather a place to provide ideas and tools for others, so we can all help and inspire each other.

Q: Can you give us examples of less obvious actions that athletes, or mountain lovers in general, can take to help protect the mountains?

Of course, the important actions are related to traveling, but then also it is about our gear and how we act when we go to natural areas.

As an example, the goal 8 in the Pledge, we all have in mind the 5R – refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle – but when it comes to the practical it is not that obvious. We have this waterproof jacket and we don’t know how or where we can repair it, or how we can repurpose it. So, in the toolkit, there is a directory with information to find those ideas and repair places.

Another topic is our impact on biodiversity, the goal 7. We likely know the things we can or cannot do in our home mountains, but because every ecosystem is different our impact will change as we visit a different area.

For example, to take a bath in many lakes where amphibians are living – frogs, lizards, etc. – it puts them in danger, because of our bacteria and the creams we use (sun cream, deodorant).

Also, some regions have erosion or other problems, but it is difficult to find the information regarding each area. You need to spend a full day navigating on the internet to find this infos, so we wanted to make a directory to share all this easily.

Q: What role do you think outdoor gear manufacturers can play? Also, should they try to sell less gear instead of more?

They play a big role, because they produce the gear we use. So, if they reduce their footprint then each user will reduce theirs.

They have an important role in the waste management – from the leftovers of the cutting patterns (from fabric, rubber…) to the packaging and the circulation of the products.

Today, most of the products are a craft-to-grave model but the products should have a circularity in its lifecycle. This comes from the production model (using recycling materials and being recyclable let’s say), but also in the circular economy model by promoting durability, 2nd hand, renting, unseasonal collections, etc.

Also, the use of chemicals and microplastics is substantial in the outdoor industry, because our gear are often high performance products that use materials that deliver the great performance, but they are not very sustainable – such as PVC, PFC, or using hazardous chemical treatments.

But this is not a reality of today, because we can produce high performance gear with much cleaner technologies. This demands the use of other sources and treatments which require some changes in the production, but it is totally possible today.

Another example is, when it comes to pollution and carbon footprint, the 90% of a company’s carbon footprint does not come from its own operations, but from its supply chain – suppliers’ own emissions, logistics emissions, material sourcing, etc. – so it is important to focus there as well.

Another important issue is what marketing and communication of the brands is promoting because they certainly have a key role in raising awareness and helping to shape consumer behaviour.

When it comes to the question of “selling more or less”, there is the link between the user and the brand, and the brands listen to what consumers asks for. So, if consumers buy more durable materials or ask constantly about reducing the environmental footprint of their equipment then brands will accelerate that transition – this is also our role as sponsored athletes, to push them every day!

Also, brands have the role of providing repair facilities or not making seasonal collections but rather making unique collections with updates only when there are significant improvements.

Q: As a final question, what other projects are you dreaming about – personal, athletic, or with the foundation?

As an athlete, I want to keep seeking performance but probably by doing more different activities.

What makes me dream right now is climbing and alpinism than doing trail or skimo races. For sure, I will do a few races every year but more as a complement of the alpine activities instead of racing being the main goal.

For the foundation, I have a lot of ideas and projects I would like to do. We are a very small foundation, but I love to put my energy and time into it – to develop projects and to cooperate with other people and institutions that have the same interests. I think that through such collaborations that these projects can be done.

How Fast Are Glaciers Really Melting? How Will This Affect Your Mountain Adventures? Interview with Pascal Egli

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I really had to pause when I read that there is a glacier in the Swiss Alps that has been receding by about 40m a year and also melting in thickness by around 6m a year. Such rapid glacier retreat is difficult to even imagine!

To understand effects of this fast melting on mountain adventures, and people living in the mountains, we reached out to our friend in Switzerland who studies glaciers and is a ski mountaineer himself.

Pascal Egli is a Swiss mountain runner, ski mountaineer and climber. He is the winner of the 2018 Sky Classic World Series and the Winner of The Rut Skyrun in Montana, USA in 2018.

Pascal is also an environmental engineer and an aspiring scientist, currently working on his PhD degree in glaciology and geomorphology at University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Our interview is divided into two sections – the first one is about Pascal, and the second one and much longer talks about melting mountain glaciers.

About Pascal Egli

Q: Pascal, you have been in the mountains since young age. What do you like about being outside?

I like the fresh air, the sounds of nature and the feeling of freedom. Also, if you train your body, it can take you to amazing places in just a couple of minutes or hours.

Q: Where is your home and which mountains do you regularly visit?

I live in Leysin in the western Swiss Alps, between Lake Geneva and the Valais region.

Here, I can run up to 2400 m from my doorsteps, and of course, I also love to visit the 4000 m peaks of the Valais, about 2.5-3h away by train.

Pascal on his way to winning The Rut Skyrun 2018 in Montana, USA as part of the Skyrunner World Series. Photo by Ian Corless.

Q: You have been competing in mountain running for a long time. What kind of races do you enjoy?

I love two types of races. Those that are very wild, technical and in remote places that feel like an adventure, such as Tromsö Skyrace, Zermatt Ultraks Extreme Skyrace or Mount Elbrus race.

Then I love races with a wonderful atmosphere and with a high elite level, such as Zegama Aizkorri Marathon, Sierre-Zinal or Dolomyths Run.

» Pascal on Instagram

Some of Pascal best race results are:

  • 3rd at Zermatt Ultraks Extreme, Switzerland (2020)
  • Winner of Madrisa Trail 23k, Klosters/Switzerland (2020)
  • Winner of the Sky Classic World Series 2018
  • Winner of the Transvulcania VK, Spain (2018)
  • Winner of The Rut Skyrun, Skyrunner World Series, Montana/USA (2018)
  • 2nd at Giir di Mont 2017 (World Longdistance Mountainrunning Championships, Premana/Italy)
  • 3rd at Mount Elbrus Skyrace, Russia (2016)
  • 3rd at Dolomites Skyrace 2015
  • Junior Swiss Champion in Mountainrunning (2007)

Interview about Melting Glaciers

Q: As a mountain athlete and an environmental engineer, you observe the impact of climate change in high mountains almost daily. Give us an idea of what you see and research.

Yes, I observe the impact of climate change on glaciers in three ways:

  • Visually, observing conditions when I practice my sport.
  • Through my work and measurements on glacier we have been studying here in Switzerland.
  • When I read scientific publications about glacier recession in the Alps and worldwide.

For example, our measurements and observations of the Otemma Glacier, located in the southwestern Swiss Alps, show that it has been receding in length by approximately 40 m / year, and it has been melting in thickness by around 6 m / year.

This glacier has retreated by 2.5 km in length since the 1960’s! We know this from historical aerial imagery. It was 9.5 km long in 1963 and now it is just about 7 km long. The projections say that the Otemma Glacier will be completely gone by 2070!

Athabasca Glacier, located in Canadian Rocky Mountains, is one of the most famous North American glaciers.

Q: What exactly do you focus on for your PhD research?

For my PhD, I am studying the geometry and dynamics of subglacial channels to better understand where and how the water flows underneath alpine glaciers, and how it can transport sediments.

This is important for understanding the hydrology (water cycle), ice dynamics of the glacier and sediment dynamics of alpine streams. Sediment content impacts hydropower lakes and dams, alpine streams ecology as well as natural hazards such as debris flows.

Q: Which other glaciers in the Alps are melting rapidly?

Here in Switzerland, the Morteratsch Glacier, the Aletsch Glacier, or the Gorner Glacier have all been receding at about 30-40 m in length per year.

Aletsch Glacier in September 2010.
Aletsch Glacier in August 2018, compare with the above photo and yellow lines.

But volume is the best indicator, so for example, the volume of the Morteratsch Glacier in 2000 was 1.1 cubic km and now in 2020 it is only about 0.75 cubic km3 – this is a loss of more than 30% in only 20 years! (Source: https://doc.rero.ch/record/324674 )

Morteratsch Glacier photo from June 2003.

Q: What is the situation around the world? Or are there glaciers that are growing?

There are areas where glaciers are disappearing even faster than in the Alps, for example, the Peruvian Andes.

Glacier retreat in the Himalayas is similar to the Alps in general, but there are certain factors slowing down the retreat in some areas.

Here are two examples from the Himalayas:

Rapid melting – I went to do fieldwork at Yala Glacier a couple of years ago. It is a small glacier at ‘lower’ altitude, reaching down to nearly 5000 m, in the Langtang Valley in Nepal. Between October 2016 and October 2020 it has retreated by dozens of meters, as it can be seen below from two satellite images in a tweet by Prof. W. Immmerzeel from Utrecht University.

Yaya Glacier in 2016 on the left and in 2020 on the right.

Slow melting – Many glacier tongues in the Himalayas are covered by debris, which is rocks and sediment of up to 2 m in thickness. This debris cover acts as an insulation, therefore, slows down the melting process.

More information on debris covered glaciers worldwide can be found in this recent article by my friend Sam Herreid: https://samherreid.org/publication/global_featured/ ).

“Growing” glaciers:

Then some glaciers in southern Patagonia or in the Karakoram have been receiving larger amounts of precipitations in the last few decades. This has led to important snow accumulation in the upper part of the glaciers.

Despite rapid melt of the glacier tongues (in warm temperatures), the snow transformed into ‘new’ ice and it has been flowing down and partly compensated for the melt.

But even these glaciers are prone to recede because their glacier tongues are melting faster than the accumulation in the upper part is able to compensate for the melt.

Ice shields:

Another story are the great ice shields such as in Antarctica and Greenland where the melting has been very rapid. The speed of sea level rise is happening mainly depending on how fast these ice shields are melting.

Q: Due to melting glaciers, what are some of the new challenges for skiers and mountaineers?

Indeed, there are some really big challenges for skiers and mountaineers. Already now, some previously ‘classical’ alpine climbing routes are not doable anymore. There is an interesting paper about that – read here.

Another example of big impact of melting in the Alps is the famous gondola that goes from Chamonix to the spire Aguile du Midi. The permafrost and glaciers around its top station at 3,7777m are melting and it is highly likely that there will be negative consequences unless the rock the station stands will be somehow supported.

Gondola climbing towards Aguile du Midi station at 3,777m.

Then in the winter, the conditions for avalanches may change. For example, there is likely to be heavier snowfall due to a higher relative humidity in the atmosphere (a warmer atmosphere can take up more humidity), followed by sudden warming and consequently large wet snow avalanches.

But the main things we observe are:

  • More difficult access onto glaciers due to steep & unstable moraines,
  • larger crevasses with bad snow bridges (especially in late summer),
  • larger bergschrunds that are sometimes impassable,
  • collapse of entire rock pillars and of entire climbing routes,
  • rockfall due to melting permafrost such as on Matterhorn, where in 2019 a guide and a client were killed because they were anchored on a block that detached and fell off with them.

Personally, I was shocked during our crossing of the famous ‘Haute Route’ from Chamonix to Zermatt in August 2017 to see how previously ‘easy’ glacier passages have become quite dangerous and difficult to pass, even for a rope team of three with considerable experience.

Q: How do fast melting mountain glaciers impact the lives of local people?

There are two or three factors to this story…

First, glaciers such as in the Alps since the 1950s have been melting rapidly and they have been contributing large amounts of water flowing into the hydropower lakes. This water is available mainly in spring and summer for electricity production, for public water needs downstream, for irrigation (farming!), for industry, and most importantly, for the alpine ecosystems.

The period (several years) of strongest melt when glaciers still have a considerable volume and melt rapidly is called ‘peak water’, and this period is already over for certain smaller glaciers in the Alps!

Even for the larger glaciers the ‘peak water’ period is soon ending.

After ‘peak water’ follows a period with declining water input during the summer months, because there is less ice left to melt – despite the higher summer temperatures we are now experiencing.

Now, with vanishing glaciers, the seasonality in water flow starts to increase. Most water is available just in the spring when snow melts. During summer, there is rainwater and a little ice melt. If there are longer drought periods this may be a serious threat to farming, industry and even public water supply (and partially also to hydropower).

Then, there are natural hazards as rapidly melting glaciers can cause glacier lake outburst floods, debris flows or serac/ice avalanches.

This regularly happens in the Himalayas where the glaciers are still bigger and people are less protected from floods and debris flows because there are no proper risk maps, insufficient emergency planning and very few civil engineering works (such as avalanche diversion dams) designed to protect people.

In the Alps, we can experience similar events, but it’s much easier as most valleys have hazard maps, safety concepts, continuous monitoring of the glaciers as well as protective measures such as avalanche retention/diversion dams.

Q: As a last question, in your opinion, how can we help the most to slow down the melting of glaciers in the mountains?

Most importantly, stay positive and tell people what they can improve (also to improve their own life quality!) instead of blaming them for something they are doing.

We cannot help the glaciers much right in the place where we live. Of course, some ski resorts put white blankets over the glaciers to reduce the reflectivity, therefore, make slowing down the melt in the summer. This works to some extent, but it is only temporary.

However, we can definitely do our part in many other ways. Here is a list of things we can change to affect climate change, therefore, also glacier retreat:

The big one, change your lifestyle to a less carbon and methane intensive one! For example, methane is a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO2, and it is produced by activities such as cow and pig farming. Strive to eat much less meat and animal products in general. Eat organic and seasonal and local.

Buy less products in general and use public transport or a bike more often.

If your travel a lot as an athlete, mountaineer, or adventurer then for sure check out Outdoor Friendly Pledge by the Kilian Jornet Foundation. Its main goal is to target the pollution and greenhouse gases generated through outdoor sports.

One of the biggest impacts you can have as a person is to fly less. The Outdoor Friendly Pledge I already mentioned will help you how to do it more responsibly.

Besides that, I am also compensating my air travel by offsetting CO2-emissions. There are different options for this, ranging from cheap (and not always quite perfect, e.g. https://www.myclimate.org/ ) to expensive (and perfect, e.g. https://climeworks.com/ )

When you need to buy a new car (if your old one still works, then keep using it.), buy an electric instead of a gasoline car. The additional energy needed to produce an electric car and its battery is off set after a short time of driving this car.

If you own a home or even a house, a very effective measure to reduce your emissions is to insulate your home better and to invest in a heat pump for heating/cooling, to replace a pre-existing gas/petrol heating system.

Support modern and sustainable companies that are ready to change and to develop towards a low-carbon economy.

And last, but not least: advocate. Talk to your friends and family about it, without blaming anyone. Take political action, VOTE and/or try to influence politicians with letters and e-mails. Because to reduce our individual impact to a minimum, there will always remain considerable CO2-emissions due to the way our current economy works.

Sources

Modelling the retreat of Aletsch Glacier :

Jouvet, G., Huss, M., Funk, M., & Blatter, H. (2011). Modelling the retreat of Grosser Aletschgletscher, Switzerland, in a changing climate. Journal of Glaciology, 57(206), 1033-1045. https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311798843359

Modelling the retreat of Rhonegletscher :

Jouvet, G., Huss, M., Blatter, H., Picasso, M., & Rappaz, J. (2009). Numerical simulation of Rhonegletscher from 1874 to 2100. Journal of Computational Physics, 228(17), 6426-6439. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002199910900285X

High Mountain Asia glacier mass balances :

Brun, F., Berthier, E., Wagnon, P. et al. A spatially resolved estimate of High Mountain Asia glacier mass balances from 2000 to 2016. Nature Geosci 10, 668–673 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2999

State of the world’s debris covered glaciers :

Herreid, S., Pellicciotti, F. The state of rock debris covering Earth’s glaciers. Nat. Geosci. 13, 621–627 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-0615-0

Asian water towers:

Immerzeel, W. W., Van Beek, L. P., & Bierkens, M. F. (2010). Climate change will affect the Asian water towers. Science, 328(5984), 1382-1385. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/328/5984/1382

Effect of climate change on water resources globally

Immerzeel, W. W., Lutz, A. F., Andrade, M., Bahl, A., Biemans, H., Bolch, T., … & Emmer, A. (2020). Importance and vulnerability of the world’s water towers. Nature, 577(7790), 364-369. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1822-y

Sediment export and landscape change due to climate warming:

Lane, S. N., Bakker, M., Gabbud, C., Micheletti, N., & Saugy, J. N. (2017). Sediment export, transient landscape response and catchment-scale connectivity following rapid climate warming and Alpine glacier recession. Geomorphology, 277, 210-227. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169555X16300514

Effects on the alpine trail network:

Ritter, F., Fiebig, M., & Muhar, A. (2012). Impacts of global warming on mountaineering: A classification of phenomena affecting the alpine trail network. Mountain Research and Development, 32(1), 4-15. https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-11-00036.1

Effects on mountaineering routes :

Mourey, J., Marcuzzi, M., Ravanel, L., & Pallandre, F. (2019). Effects of climate change on high Alpine mountain environments: Evolution of mountaineering routes in the Mont Blanc massif (Western Alps) over half a century. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 51(1), 176-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1612216

Book Review – Art of Freedom: The Life and Climbs of Voytek Kurtyka

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In the age of social media and instant news, it is fascinating to read a life story of one of the best alpinists in history yet who rejected many invitations to famous events throughout his life.

Thanks for your invitation au jury du Piolets d’Or [the Oscar of the mountaineering world]. I am sorry I can’t take part in it…

I understand the world is suspended on a monstrous structure of wild competition and, consequently, of awards and distinction. But this structure is an enemy of true art…

I sincerely believe that climbing can elevate the climber to physical and mental well-being and to wisdom, but awards and distinction elevate the climber to vanity and egocentricity…”

The 70s and 80s were the golden era of conquests in the Himalayas. A pioneering Reinhold Messner was arguably the main protagonist and the famous figure.

Risking his life often yet never loosing a climbing partner, Voytek Kurtyka, a Polish alpinist, consistently chose style over fame or altitude of a mountain in a period that was marked by summit hunting.

Smuggling goods from India back to his home communist country was highly dangerous but it was a way that Kurtyka embraced to pay for his addiction to Himalayan expeditions.

So how do you write a biography of someone that is so private?

How do you connect deeply enough to portrait them accurately?

The book Art Of Freedom is a brilliant read that was penned by a Canadian author, Bernadette McDonald. McDonald has written previous books about the Eastern European climbers from communist era and so have built a trusting relationship with the elusive Polish climber.

This biography can be repetitive, with detailed descriptions of climbs, and perhaps too technical for those that don’t climb at all. However, I feel like this was the only way to reveal Kurtyka’s personality, philosophy and life.

Kurtyka and his compatriots came from a poor country with very small mountains yet they were able to innovate on the Himalayan scene by applying their hardness to crazy winter and first ascents. In fact, some of Kurtyka’s first ascents are still to be repeated.

The book also talks a lot about Jerzy Kukuczka, who was racing Messner to become the first person to climb all fourteen 8000m peaks, as he joined forces with Kurtyka for numerous amazing climbs. The two Polish climbers had contrasting philosophies and this allows the reader to go inside Kurtyka’s mind in depth.

Now, I won’t say anything more because I don’t want to rob you of an enriching experience this book can bring you.

Forest Skis: Innovative, Custom Build, For Backcountry Skiing and Freeride

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There are skis that will almost do the turn for you and then there are skis that you have to ride. Neither of them is better than the other, it just all depends on the kind of experience you want.

Forest Skis is a small innovative ski brand from Slovakia that you have probably never heard of, yet they are slowly becoming known for custom building skis for those that want really to shred.

One of Forest Skis’ highly prized features is asymmetric ski design, or a “variable effective edge”, that provides the skier with two different riding experience in the same pair of skis.

Just swap the skis from one foot to the other and you switch their performance from aggressive freeride and steep descents to more playful and easier to cruise mode.

To understand better what Forest Skis are about, we talked to the founder, engineer and the main designer, Viktor Devečka.

Q: How did Forest Skis get noticed by the world?

We are not a mass production brand, our growth is slow but sustainable.

The world knows about us thanks to the design awards we won, one of them is the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design in Germany. We were at ISPO in Munich a few times and our skis were always one of the highlights.

We are also known thanks to our riders and ambassadors like Ryan Oakden from Canada, a former Freeride World Champion.

Q: What makes your skis special and unique? Everyone says that.

While we have the know-how and we custom build skis, and tailor them to your riding style, I think that the main thing that makes our skis different is that we are both skiers and engineers in one person. There is no loss of information between the skier and the ski designer and builder.

I know the result and experience which I want from my skis, so I design them that way and create the construction.

Also, we make no compromise in designing our skis so they will turn easily for any level of skier. Simply, you either love them or you hate them.

We are not trying to please everyone.

Q: For whom are your skis made?

Our skis perform downhill, so they won’t be as light as Dynafit but they will drive. However, thanks to our customizations, we also make skis very close in weight to the ski touring brands in the 100 to 120mm range without compromising the riding experience.

Now, we have three lines of skis: Full Carbon, Asymmetrical and Indigo Dyed skis.

FullCarbon skis:

The signature mark is a carbon tree on the tail of the ski. Those are for experienced riders, who know what they expect from skis – no compromise and full power which no other skis can offer.

Asymmetrical skis:

Simply by switching left and right ski, you can adjust your skis to the snow conditions or to your ski style and needs. The skis in this line are softer and more forgiving than the FullCarbon.

This is our crazy idea of skis based on different shapes of an effective edge (on the sides of the ski), and the other ski in the pair is made as a mirror. You have the same radius but the shape of one side of the ski is more playful, and on the other side of the same ski is designed to be more stable.

Indigo Dyed skis:

This is our newest line. The skis feature flax linen top sheet, dyed by an old unique technique known as Blaudruck (Indigo dyed) that is a part of UNESCO Heritage.

This line is for more suitable for intermediate skiers. Thanks to the flax linen top sheet that creates amazing dampening, these skis are really forgiving and stable. Combined with the extraordinary graphic design you cannot find a similar ski on the market.

Q: How do you customize skis for someone when many likely don’t know how to ask for specific features?

Over the years, we have come up with a set of unique questions that help us to define what is best for each and every customer.

For example, for our wooden skis, you can choose the shape of the tail. This customization exists because we found that different characteristics of riding can be reached on the same skis with simply different tail shapes.

Q: Can you explain some of the most important features a rider can customize on their skis?

Basically, we can customize almost every aspect of the ski to create the look and riding experience you desire.

In our FullCarbon line, one of the most visible customizations is the colour of the wood for the top sheet. You have to like what you ride!

As I mentioned before, we offer different tail shapes and also different kinds of construction. The most advanced in the FullCarbon line is the ultralight construction. With that, we can achieve 300g less weight per ski.

In the Asymmetrical line, you can have standard fiberglass construction with carbon stripes, or lighter FullCarbon construction.

We can also fully customize your skis using our shapes as a base, but you can customize the stiffness, design, weight, etc.

We also love to experiment and play with innovations.

Q: Can clients customize the graphic design? Your skis are beautiful, who designs them?

Yes, we can fully customize the graphic designs on classic ICP foil.

The graphic designer of the whole brand is my colleague and my beloved girlfriend in one person, her name is Bronya.

Q: What makes your skis so durable? Also, what materials and technologies are your specialties?

Durability is a sensitive topic but our skis are built to last. We use hard bases, snowboard edges, strong wood cores.

Also, we use the Dyneema fiber which is four times stronger to break or tear than Kevlar (we use Kevlar as well), and it protects the carbon construction from the impact from sharp rocks.

It is difficult and expensive to work with the Dyneema fiber but the benefits it provides are amazing.

Q: Where can people test or see your skis?

Most of our skis are here in Slovakia. But we have a test centrum also in Fiss in Austria and in Lanzerheide-Arrosa in Switzerland where there is a telemark test center.

We also make a lot of public ski test in the Alps, Slovakia and Czech Republic during the winter season. Then we do occasional pop-ups like for example in Lululemon store in Whistler this last season, or as part of film festivals.

Q: What does the (higher) price for your skis provide your customer with?

With our skis, you are getting not only a product but also an extensive customer service.

In comparison to other brands – on the surface similar to our brand with design or technology, and the amount of production – we are still about 30% cheaper.

Q: How long does it take to make and deliver the skis after someone places an order?

The best time for ordering our skis is summer. We offer a better price during this period, plus you can split the payments and you can choose what you want (custom).

We have an order form on our website that you have to fill and you will get your skis in the autumn.

In the winter time, you can choose from the skis in our stock. Custom skis can take up to 1.5 months to make during the winter as we are busy with many things.

Q: Which notable athletes ride on your skis? What do they love about them?

All our athletes ride our skis because they are built with no compromise – simply for pure and powerful riding.

I already mentioned Ryan Oakden from Whistler in Canada. Then we have some of the best skiers from Slovakia, Martin Labuda and Marian Treger, that also live in Canada.

Knut Skinnes is a great telemark skier and en environmentalist from Norway. Then Monika Tatarkova who is a head judge in FWQ races.

We also have a small team of riders and photographers in France, for example also a pro skydiver Roman Dusky or paralyzed sit-ski freerider Marian Ligda, a former excellent Freeride competitor (we met with Marian after his injury and we developed special ski for him).

Q: Do you hand-make the skis personally? How do you oversee the quality of each pair?

Yes we do, and we collaborate with LTB-snowboards in production. The factory is already 34 years on the market and lots of experience with building skis and snowboards.

Thanks to this smooth work arrangement, I can focus on the development and get the perfect quality for our products.

All of the skis are going through my hands, I check them and finish them. Also, I make all the special custom skis. I am adjusting the machines and coordinating every step of this hand-made production. We are always improving.

Lighter and Completely Redesigned: New CAMP Ultralight Ski Mountaineering Ice Axes

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CAMP picked up Gold Award at 2020 ISPO for their new Race Corse ice axe.

After few years of loosing ground to its competitors, CAMP has came back to reclaim the prize for the lightest ice axe in the world!

The new blue Corsa Race weigh feathery 185 grams at 50cm! It will be in stores later this year.

The Italian company, known for its ultralight ski mountaineering and climbing gear, has actually redesigned its whole Corsa line of super light ice axes. Further shaving weight while managing to add some new exciting features along the way.

From left: Corsa Alpine, Corsa, Corsa Nanotech, Corsa Race.

New CAMP Corsa Ice Axes

It’s apparent that CAMP did a lot of thinking and testing as the new Corsa ice axes look very different from their predecessors. Below, the previous generation of the Corsa (202g at 50cm) and the legendary red Corsa Nanotech (246g at 50cm) ice axes.

The most obvious design changes can be found on the heads and picks, both delivering improved hand holding in various positions while walking.

The picks of the Corsa Nanotech and the black Corsa Alpine are specifically designed for more technical use. BTW, the black Corsa Alpine sports an all steel head and pick!

The second important update improves handling and grip for climbing by introducing groves, or holes on the blue Corsa Race, on the lower part of the shafts.

Just like its father, the red Corsa Nanotech will feature a sharp pick at the bottom of the shaft.

The weight savings come from shaving off material at strategic places without reducing the strength of the already light materials.

Notice regional material thinning on the shaft that not only saves weight but also improves handling.

The all time popular red Corsa Nanotech will stay red and will weigh in at 225g at 50cm, and will also come in 60 and 70cm lengths.

The black Corsa Alpine features a full steel head and will be a tool of choice for more technical adventures yet weighing only 240g in 45cm. You can also have it in 55 and 65cm lengths.

The new green Corsa will be essentially a less fancy Corsa Race while still only 202g at 50cm. Also available at 60 and 70cm.

New and Updated Hagan Skis For Ski Mountaineering, Freeride and Ski Touring

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Just like SkiTrab’s new ski offerings for 2020/21 season, Hagan has a couple of exciting new models coming out for this winter as well, especially for those of us that love ski mountaineering and ski touring above all.

Hagan goes back almost 100 years and it had been one of the first to manufacture specialized touring skis but then “took a break” from leading the way. However, over the last 10 years the company has been making a strong comeback with skis that deliver an excellent ski mountaineering and touring experience.

Boost Series – For Fun Powder Skiing and Freeride

Hagan calls its freeride line “Boost” and the ski we want to point you to here is Boost 99, with a 410mm rocker in the front and 200mm at the back.

As the name suggests, the ski is 99mm under foot yet floats and keeps stable at higher speeds equally as well as a slightly wider ski. We have skied it twice so far and liked how it predictably flexed and behaved overall.

While the Boost 99 is mostly build for fun on the down, Hagan kept to its ski mountaineering roots and managed to hold the weight at 1500g for 178cm (131-99-116). Not the very lightest on the market but with a wood core and even a titanal plate insert. The ski comes in 168, 178 and 188 lengths.

Ultra Series – For True Ski Mountaineering

Introduced only a few years ago, the “Ultra” line is where Hagan shines. We have skied the Ultra 82 model the last two winters and really like them – read our review here.

The Ultra line is aimed at advanced skiers that often get after technical descents. Weight is kept on the lighter side yet the skis still feature a wood core which helps a lot to smooth out the ride for otherwise fairly stiff skis.

Ultra 87 is a brand new ski that evolved from the 82 model, but by prolonging the tip rocker (300mm) and adding a tail rocker (120mm) the ski will perform better in deeper soft snow. The ski weighs 1120g at 162cm and measures 121-87-107.

Based on feedback after 2 years, the Ultra 82 has been updated for this season with some small changes in its structure and new more durable top sheet, similar to other skis in this line. The ski weighs 1070g at 164cm and measures 117-82-102 with a 250mm tip rocker. No tail rocker which makes it nicely stiff and fun for challenging snow or more extreme terrain.

Ultra 77 is build for fast & light oriented ski mountaineering but still offers a great tool for technical downhills. It comes at 950g for 163cm length (112-77-99) and has a slightly different structure than the two models above. It features a 250mm tip rocker like the Ultra 82.

Then there is Ultra 65 which obviously is a ski build for skimo racing. Again, not trying to be the lightest on the market, Hagan updated this ski with many features based on the experience from the 82 and 77 models. Super solid downhill performance coming out of a 700g for a 161cm ski (97-65-80).

Core – For All Mountain Ski Touring

In the Core series, we want to point you at the Core 89 model but also check out the Core 84 and Core 84 Lite models.

If you don’t need a specifically powder oriented ski, and want something more forgiving for the downhills than the stiffer Ultra series, then you might like the Core 89. But don’t worry, this ski might be something you will prefer in a resort as well.

The weight is slightly higher, 1280g at 170cm, than the Ultra line but its 89mm waist makes it more suitable all year round – from deeper soft snow to spring skiing. The ski also features a generous tip (320mm) and tail rockers (120mm) that will make it easier to turn for intermediate skiers.

There is more from Hagan so check out their website but the above models are what we are most excited about.

New SkiTrab Skis Based on Magico and Maestro: Softer Ride and Lower Price

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With the new winter approaching, we have talked to SkiTrab about their upcoming new pairs of skis in the 75 to 85 mm range that are based on the famed Magico 2 and Maestro 2 models, but at a substantially lower price points.

SkiTrab has been around for close to 8 decades and in the recent years has prided itself with a 14-layer technology that allows them to tweak the performance while keeping weight down and durability high.

Magico 2 at the top and the Maestro 2 below.

SkiTrab’s flagship ski mountaineering skis are the Maestro (925g at 164cm and 108-76-94) and the Magico (1032g at 164cm and 118-85-104), both suitable for more extreme ski mountaineering objectives as they can deal with demanding snow conditions. However, both will be better appreciated in steep terrain and by those that prefer stiffer skis.

New Softer Skis for 2020/21: Ortles, Stelvio and Gavia

To make their skis light yet stiff, SkiTrab uses Aramid-honeycomb core which is used in aerospace and military applications as it provides a superb strength/lightweight ratio. However, this structure also increases the price of the final product.

For the new winter season, SkiTrab has created 3 models based on the Magico and Maestro platforms as it replaced the Aramid core with light wood. While this change has sightly increased the skis’ weight it has also made for a softer and a more forgiving ride. And the prices are much lower.

Ortles Skis (118-85-104 and 1055g at 164cm)

With the same dimensions as the Magico 2 skis the Ortles shaves around $250 off the price and adds only about 30g.

SkiTrab Ortles skis

This ski is still build for demanding skiers yet offers a smoother ride as it absorbs shocks better, and also performs slightly better in softer snow than the stiffer Magico, but that depends on riders style and weight.

Stelvio85 and Stelvio76 Skis

The 85 version has the same dimensions as the above Ortles skis while the 76 model adopts its shaped from the Maestro 2 (108-76-94).

SkiTrab Stelvio 76 and 85 skis

The weight has increased by about 120g for both the Stelvio76 and Stelvio85 compared to the Maestro and Magico models. But again, the price is much lower, about $350 less.

Gavia85 and Gavia76 Skis

SkiTrab refers to these models as the softer version of the Stelvio models, featuring more flex, and recommends them for lighter skiers (or beginner to intermediate). Also, women might prefer these skis over the Stelvio line.

SkiTrab Gavia skis 76 and 85

The weights are slightly lower than for the Stelvio models and price stays about the same.

Death and Resurrection of Climbing Skins: 3 Start-ups Recycle Them

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From companies like Patagonia to individuals with ideas. From recycling to upcycling, to repairing, to reusing, to inventing new materials… The outdoor community is trying to reduce its waste and environmental impact in creative ways.

In ski touring, we all know that the most abused and replaced piece of gear are climbing skins, yet besides replacing old glue no one really thinks of skins second life once we retire them.

One of many SkinsBelts colourful dog collars.

Then there is the waste material when skins are manufactured. Just before a climbing skin is born it is part of a 2m wide carpet-like roll that already contains 2 layers of different materials – the hair (or the carpet) that are attached to the water-proof membrane that would eventually get a glue coating on its other side.

Such a roll is then cut into the individual skins, however, there is still plenty of waste despite the laser cutting machine doing its best.

What to do with an old pair of climbing skins?

You can ship them to Marta Lotti, the founder of SkinsBelts in Sestriere in Italy, who will recycle your old skins into artistic belts to keep your pants high. Smaller pieces are made into fancy dog collars.

Marta got creative with old climbing skins after finding a full box of them in her father’s house. Currently, the company consists of a small team, including her brother. While they usually recycle old skins they also use waste from production of new skins which is provided by Contour Skins (see below for more info).

How about some fluffy hut slippers?

Doghammer is a German company that works closely with Contour Skins in Austria. Contour supplies Doghammer with new skins carpet waste material from their manufacturing and they turn it into a variety of comfy slippers that you can use on hut trips or around your house.

The Doghammer slippers have cork soles which is a staple material for this company due its environmental sustainability and its great overall functional properties. Their cork is harvested from the cork oak tree in Portugal.

Back to belts… Do you prefer a more polished look?

Then there is SkinAlp based in France, another start-up that specializes in belts production but also tapping into messenger bags and valets.

Their supplier of new skins waste material is Pomoca, who’s climbing skins we all know very well. For the belt base material they use “black ECO” made from 100% recycled plastic bottles from Northern Italy.

SkinAlp’s belts have a more polished look than those from SkinsBelts which are more rustic looking. Both are stylish so it’s up to you for which occasion you fit your pants with which belt.

Arva ST30 Ski Mountaineering Pack: Versatility, Durability and Minimalist Design

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As backpacks are becoming more and more specialized for every outdoor activity, there is also a movement by some brands to design a pack that does it all at a high level.

Arva, a French company, known mostly for its avalanche beacons and its history of innovation in that field, is preparing to launch a ski pack that promises to stand up to all abuse during your ski and mountaineering days as well as to look stylish in town or when you travel through airports.

The pack’s name is ST30. The “ST” stands for “Ski Trip” and the number refers to the pack’s 30L volume. The pack is inspired by minimalist design and by decades of experience in the mountains and other adventures.

Despite the streamlined design, the pack still features dedicated avalanche gear pockets.

By reducing the number of seams and making this pack with a very tough N400D PU2 waterproof ripstop fabric, Arva is striving for a very durable product.

At 1150g, the ST30 is reasonably light yet it won’t be the lightest ski pack on the market, but that is not its goal.

The pack has a couple of clever features and pockets, and its multi-purpose strap system on the outside allows for a variety of carrying options for skis, snowboard, ice axes and other gear.

If you are looking for a purely ski mountaineering day pack then check out our article about CAMP Ski Raptor that also offers 30L of volume.

Webbing on the front side of the ST30 provides hooking points for straps or slings to design your own variety of gear carrying scenarios.

The Story of a 100-Year-Old Forgotten Hut Atop an Imposing North Face in The Alps

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Approaching the summit of Gran Zebrù with friends few weeks ago.

As time flies, history is forgotten yet some of the old stories spring to life again in the most unusual places…

One such fascinating story came to light a couple of years ago on Gran Zebrù (Königspitze) – 3851m mountain in northern Italy – where the Austrian and Italian armies clashed during the World War I.

After decades of hiding, an old military hut emerged from under ice and snow right below the summit of this grand peak in the Ortler Alps.

Find the red dot… that’s where the hut is pinned to the imposing 1100-metre north face of Gran Zebrù. Photo by Svíčková.

Lots of the World War I was fought in high mountains and is historically known as the White War.

To gain an edge on the enemy, one of best ways was to occupy high ground so they could see what the enemy was doing on the other side and to attack them from above. Towering peaks on the borders of the two countries were exactly the places both sides wanted to control.

While the hut has been increasingly peeking out for the last 25 years, the “discovery” was broadcasted to wider masses only in 2015, after the structure was studied by an Italian archaeological group.

The team studying the hut, including 3D mapping. Photo by Luca Bezzi on September 8, 2015.

And here is a loosely translated account from the war on Gran Zebrù:

When in the spring of 1917 Austrian patrols found out from their lookouts that the Italians were preparing to occupy the Gran Zebrù, raising men and materials high, it caused an alarming panic among the Tyroleans. Such a strategic position would easily provide the enemy with an overview of the maneuvers of their forces.

In May 1917, with a frantic race, the Austrians managed to settle on that very important peak. General Baron von Leuprecht made the climb with two officers and their soldiers who bivouacked in small tents and holes in the snow for several days.

At the top of the couloir, a deep trench protected by barbed wire was excavated. Just 150 meters from the Austrians, the Italians had clung firmly with two machine guns on a high ridge of the same mountain.

There were many actions to drive the Austrians from the top, and vice versa with several deaths on both sides, but until the end of the war it remained in Austrian hands. They fortified it more and more, also endowing it with a hand cable-car, until it became a formidable fortress in their hands.