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Kilian Jornet and Andrzej Bargiel in Everest Base Camp

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Kilian atop Matterhorn during his remarkable ascent-descent record. Photo courtesy Summits of My Life.

Attempting Everest, or any 8,000 meter peak, in the fall poses more difficulties, since the monsoon creates snowier conditions than in the spring, which is the most popular season to climb many of the world’s highest peaks. For alpinists desiring fewer climbers on the major routes, the post monsoon season is the preferred time of year due to much less traffic.

Because of these factors, several of the preeminent ski mountaineers of our time have already begun hiking in to Everest base camp.

Kilian Jornet, the well known Catalan ski mountaineer, is returning to Everest after visiting the area in 2016 and 2017. His first visit to the area was derailed due to the devastating earthquake in the Khumbu region of Nepal. In 2017, Kilian had success in reaching the summit, however his efforts to achieve a Fastest Known Time (FKT) from the last inhabited village of Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet was not achieved.

This year, Jornet is returning with a similar ethos of fast and light travel, basing his expedition in Gorakshep, the last town on the route to Everest base camp in Nepal. This avoids the expedition the need of a basecamp that is traditionally a two hour hike from Gorakshep. At this time, Kilian has not publicized his climbing plans on the mountain.

© Andrzej Bargiel Facebook

Another fascinating attempt on the mountain is that of a Polish team assisting Andrzej Bargiel in a ski descent from the summit without the use of supplemental oxygen, and ideally, according to Bargiel, without removing skis on the descent.

Last year, Bargiel made history by completing a continuous ski descent of K2 from the summit, with only one short rappel. This descent was widely considered one of the best in the history of 8,000 meter peak ski descents, and earned Bargiel an Adventurers of the Year award by National Geographic.

This year, Bargiel has returned to the Himalaya in late August to attempt a similar feat on Everest. He is also attempting the summit from the Nepalese side, and has met with Jornet along the approach.

Bargiel’s ambitious goal would, if successful, be the first continuous ski descent of the mountain without oxygen. Hans Kammerlander was able to climb to the summit and ski the first 300m in 1996 before conditions forced him to downclimb around 1,000m of the upper face. Eight other ski descents of the mountain have used oxygen in the ascent.

Source: Desnivel.com

Caroline Gleich Interview: On Climbing Everest, Skimo Racing, Future Projects and Social Media

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Growing up on the flats, Caroline Gleich had a lot to learn about mountaineering and skiing steep descents once she discovered her calling.

Facing this challenge with great passion and determination, she worked her way up not only mountains but also to become a sponsored adventurer, environmental and social rights activist, and a social media celebrity. While many people followed her path with support there were also some very negative voices who’s egos couldn’t handle someone else fulfilling their dreams.

To talk about it all, we contacted Caroline for an interview and she happily agreed to do it. For regular updates, you can follow Caroline on her Instagram.

(All images in this interview were published with permission from Caroline’s archives and social media.)

Q: You grew up in Minnesota, on the flats, and now you live in Utah at the foot of the Wasatch mountains. How and when did you start climbing and ski mountaineering? What inspired you?

I dabbled in climbing when I was growing up, but I didn’t have a lot of places to go climb or mountaineer in the Midwest. A few times a year, my family would take a trip out West to Utah and other places, to ski in the winter and spring and backpack in the summer. I fell in love with the alpine on those backpacking trips we took to iconic places such as the Sawtooths, San Juans and Wind River Ranges.

I was always inspired to push myself while immersing myself in nature. I grew up in a family of four children (three brothers), with three half-siblings as well, and there was always a good amount of family competition. I always wanted to be the best skier in the family. I also was also inspired to defy people’s expectations of me.

Q: What does keep you going to the mountains and on adventures now?

Mental health. Being in the mountains and going on an adventure is imperative to my mental and physical well-being. It is less expensive than therapy, and more fun.

It is a way for me to process my emotions and work through difficulties in my life. It is also a way for me to connect with other people, and I love the community that I share my adventures with. I’m also inspired by a deep love of nature and the natural environment.

Q: You have recently climbed Everest. When did this became your dream? What lessons did this experience leave you with?

I never really thought Everest would be a goal of mine until I saw it when I was on the way to climb and ski Cho Oyu, the sixth highest peak in the world.

Once I saw it, the mountain spoke to me in a big way, and I started dreaming about climbing the Northeast ridge from Tibet. It is a beautiful ridge climb, in an incredible position, like nothing else on earth. I loved the experience of being on an expedition for 30+ days on Cho Oyu, and I was hungry to go back to the Himalayas.

Like many people, I had my own preconceived notions about Everest. That it was overcrowded, that it was an easy walk-up, and that people paid their way to the top. After being there, I can say it is a huge challenge. It is not a walk-up. And you can’t pay your way to the top. Attempting an 8000m peak without outside assistance would be nearly impossible.

I loved working with the Sherpas staff, meeting the local Tibetans, and coming together with people from all over the world for a short period of time when the weather allows people safe passage. There is so much more I could say about Everest, but I will hold off for now.

The lessons I learned will stick with me forever. I learned how to deal with intense discomfort. I learned that I can have a splitting headache, a torn ACL, a pulled rib cage muscle, be in so much pain and still perform athletically.

I learned that I don’t need to shower that often, and I learned that I can live happily without too many things. Of course, I love my outdoor gear. But other stuff in life, I don’t need a nice car or super expensive dishes or clothes. It reaffirmed my love of shared experiences over materialistic items.

And I also learned that I can fundraise and that I am capable and worthy of raising that kind of capital. I learned how important partnership is, and how much I love my family!

Q: Few years ago, you managed to ski all 90 steep lines that are in the book “The Chuting Gallery” – a steep skiing guidebook to the Wasatch by Andrew McLean. Was this project a steep learning curve experience?

The Chuting Gallery took me 5 years to complete. When I first started skiing the lines in the book, I never thought I’d finish the entire book (or that I even wanted to). But as I kept progressing, I started to see that project completion was going to be an option for me. I loved how it pushed me to learn how to lead ice and rock and to become a better alpinist and ski mountaineer.

It was a very emotional project because it required me to ski one of the lines where my half-brother had died in an avalanche when I was 15. I took the progression slowly to be sure I felt very confident before I skied each line.

Q: You are a passionate advocate for social and environmental equality. Why are these issues so dear to you? How can others take even small action if they want to help?

I believe we all have a duty to speak up and be engaged, informed citizens to make our government and our country work.

Being out in nature is a huge gift and it gives me so much. For everything we receive from nature, we have a duty to give back and speak up for the wild places we love so much that don’t have a voice of their own.

I would urge everyone to get involved in a local level by becoming informed voters. Read the newspaper, pay attention, do research on candidates and issues. You don’t have to buy an electric car or put solar on your roof. Advocate for your energy provider to give you those options. And vote!

Q: You are sometimes in the centre of “negative” attention on social media. Why do you think this is? How do you deal with it publicly and personally?

I think there are two reasons.

One is I have strong opinions and I’m not afraid to voice them. That is going to draw up some controversy and dissent.

The second is that I am a woman, and I believe some of the negativity comes from internalized misogyny, from both men and women. We still have a long way to go in our culture towards gender equality.

I am continuing to learn how to deal with the negativity. I try not to let it silence me, but I have to admit, that sometimes I get a lot of anxiety about posting my opinions on Instagram. I feel like I’m more guarded now. I’m working to let down my guard and be myself. But it’s a constant battle and work in progress.

Q: Now, let’s talk a little about skimo racing. You have done some local Utah races as well as the famous classic Patrouille des Glaciers in Switzerland in 2018. How do you like the sport? What was your experience at PdD?

I LOVE SKIMO racing!

My first race was one of the local, citizen races at Brighton, UT. And then I competed at the Powderkeg in 2017, which also happened to be US nationals for skimo. I did all 3 events, sprint, individual and the teams race, and my friend and I won the female team national championship title.

Then I did the PDG with a team from Switzerland and France. The PDG was an incredible experience. The mountains there are insanely huge! The race organization is superb, and the fan engagement is unreal. To see all those people lining the mountain passes cheering for us brought me to tears!

What I love about skimo racing is it’s a chance to push myself and go as fast as I can. I don’t have to wait for a photographer or videographer, it’s just me, my breath, and the racing beat of my heart.

I hope skimo continues to grow in the US and that more resorts start allowing uphill access. That’s going to be a key to the success of the sport in the US.

Q: As a busy adventurer, do you plan to have family at some point? If yes, how would you like to raise your children?

Awwwh that is a loaded question!

First, I must preface this by saying, make sure you ask male athletes this too. Bearing and raising children is not only a woman’s job. I do think I see myself as a mother, although I go back and forth. Before Everest, I would have said for sure, I’m having kids. But I love the experience of being in the Himalayas on an expedition so much, I don’t want to lose myself and my identity as a mountaineer in my relationship with my children.

It is such an emotional question. I think if I become a mother, it will be on my own terms, and I will have to make sure I stay true to myself. I want to continue being a ski mountaineer and adventure athlete and I plan to do this stuff for as long as possible.

Q: What are your future adventure plans? Where would you like to go and why there?

I would love to go to Antarctica and ski there.

I really want to ski Ben Nevis in the U.K.!

I have dreams in the Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and in my own backyard, the Wasatch and the rest of the American West. It’s important to let the mountains speak to me, and let my projects happen organically.

Interview with Caroline and her partner Rob Lea after returning home from Everest:

CAMP Ski Raptor: Lightweight, Full-featured Ski Mountaineering Pack

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Are you looking for a new ski pack?

Then CAMP Ski Raptor is truly an attractive ski touring and ski mountaineering day pack to consider.

CAMP is famous for their super light skimo racing packs and their designing experience shows with the Ski Raptor too.

Weighing just under 1kg, or around 2 pounds, it has many features of heavier freeriding packs without the bulk. The weight savings mainly come from using a lightweight yet strong Nylon TriRipstop fabric.

The pack’s 30L volume is divided between a couple of dedicated and smartly designed compartments to hold your avalanche safety gear, crampons, and all your clothes and food. The zippered crampons pouch is at the bottom of the pack and accessed from the side, a feature borrowed from skimo racing packs.

Skis can be attached to the pack without removing it from your back… but if you choose to you can also attach them laterally using straps on the sides.

The Ski Raptor also features ice axe attachments and a helmet carry system. The two zippered pockets on the hip belt give you a quick access to small items such as lip balm, snack, or ski wax.

The pack even features fleece lined pocket for goggles and glasses, a clever addition many heavier packs don’t have.

Where to Buy

You can get this pack from experts at Skimo.co or directly from CAMP USA and some specialized European stores.

Movie: TWENTY – An Accidental History of Freeriding

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This is not another ski movie that tries to impress by only pretty shots of fast descents and over dramatization of the story.

This movie provokes to think as it dives deeper into minds of the best freeriders and raises the question of “is it worth it?”

Guido Perrini, a legendary movie maker, has been filming extreme skiing and freeriding for over 20 years now. While documenting the evolution of this sport many of the characters have witnessed first hand the power and destruction of the mountain, Guido as well as other central characters, struggle to come to terms with the reality and the dangers.

Featuring Xavier De Le Rue, Samuel Anthamatten, Jeremie Heitz, Andreas Fransson and others, there is a wealth of knowledge, experience and true emotions passed onto the viewer.

While serious, the movie also highlights the positives of big mountain riding and why the characters return to it, time after time, even after tragedy strikes.

No Need to Re-Glue? Visiting Contour Skins in Austria to Learn About Their Innovative Hybrid Glue Technology

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Climbing skins, rightfully, are one of the best inventions. While skis let us enjoy our flight down the mountains, skins enable us to explorer new areas and are an essential part of any winter adventure.

Climbing skins are our life line in the mountains. When they fail the ski day is easily ruined. They are made from soft materials yet we abuse them so much, similar to our feet. We expect them to just always work.

Today, there are many manufacturers of skis, ski boots, bindings and other ski touring gear but there are really only a few makers of climbing skins. While you have likely never heard of Contour skins they are right up there with the more known brands like Colltex, Black Diamond, Pomoca and G3.

Visiting Contour and Their History

Contour is a brand of Koch Alpin, an Austrian family-owned company with 40-years old tradition and experience in climbing skins manufacturing.

» Here are some important Contour links: Website, Facebook, Instagram

While the Contour brand has been established only a decade ago the company has been manufacturing skins for other brands before. Currently, Contour makes skins for more known names such as Atomic, SkiTrab, Black Crows or Hagan.

We visited Contour headquarters and manufacturing facilities a couple of weeks ago as part of our European ski touring gear manufacturers “tour”. They are based in a small town near Innsbruck in the western part of Austria.

Werner Koch currently leads Koch Alpin and gave us a nice tour through their manufacturing facilities.

Innsbruck area is well-known for skiing and easy access to high mountains in general so testing prototypes and consistent feedback is easy for Contour. Also, Innsbruck is only one of three cities in the world that have hosted the Winter Olympics twice – in 1964 and in 1976.

On the environmental side of things, Contour has partnered with a new company Doghammer that started to make slippers out of the waste material of brand new skins plush carpets, thus, keeping the material in the cycle and out of the landfill.

Contour’s Hybrid Glue Technology and Traditional Skin Glue

So what is special about Contour skins? Are they better or are they just different?

While these are simple questions to ask the answers are a little more complex as they require to explain a bigger context.

Rolls of mohair skin “carpets” waiting to be coated with glue and cut into various sizes.

None of the skin manufacturers (or the brands) the public knows really manufacture the plush (the hair) that holds us while we climb up a mountain. They all buy these “carpets” made by bigger manufacturers according to their specs such as the hair/fiber length, fiber density, and the mix ratio of synthetic and mohair.

Therefore, mainly, the difference between products of various skin manufacturers/brands comes from the glue mixes they use or invent, and from the skins-to-ski attachment systems.

With that, let’s focus on the glue and discussing why Contour’s glue hybrid technology could possibly become the best solution on the market.

To understand why creating a well performing glue (or skin adhesive system) is not that easy you need to consider the following requirements that the glue or adhesive system should deliver:

  1. The adhesive needs to attach the skin to the ski base surface temporarily.
  2. The adhesive needs to attach the glue to the skin carpet permanently.
  3. The adhesive should not leave a residue on the ski.
  4. It should be easy to separate the skins from each other as well as to take them off the skis even in cold temperatures.
  5. All of the above should be achieved reliably and consistently in various temperatures and snow conditions for long periods of time, ideally at least a couple of years.

All skins manufacturers have been trying to come up with the best adhesive or attachment system since the very first day. It has been an ever evolving process and a delicate balancing act.

Traditional “hot melt” glue

This type of glue is being used on the vast majority of climbing skins in the stores today.

The traditional glue as we know it is called “hot melt” in a more technical term. It means that during manufacturing the glue is being applied to the skin carpet (skin backing) at a warm temperature and it is partially absorbed into the skin backing.

Coating with the traditional “hot melt” glue.

Once in use, the temperatures are lower so the glue separates from the ski base but not from the skin carpet.

However, because the same glue needs to perform two different tasks – attach to the ski temporarily yet to the skin carpet permanently – the problem is that it’s tricky to design one type of glue mixture that performs these two tasks very well at very cold and very warm temperatures.

This means that glue mixtures need to be designed to some degree for either for warmer or colder temperatures.

Contour’s Hybrid twin layer adhesive technology

With their new technology, Contour believes they have invented the best solution so far.

One of the most remarkable things about hybrid skins is that after their stickiness have been compromised by dirt, dust or wax you can just clean them, instead of re-gluing, to restore their performance. You can clean with wipes Contour includes with each purchase or their hybrid cleaning spray:

Obviously, Contour is not the first one to claim such a thing, however, Contour Hybrid Mix skins were the top performer in the comprehensive climbing skins comparison test by OutdoorGearLab.com scoring 84 out of 100, and they summarized them as such:

  • Pros: Well balanced in all attributes, great glue.
  • Cons: Expensive, largest and heaviest messenger.
  • Bottom Line: Virtually every aspect of skin design and construction is balanced by another competing demand; the Contour Hybrid Mix walks that tightrope, creating a product that is fully balanced.

So what is Contour’s secret solution?

Instead of trying to design just one glue mixture, Contour came up with a twin-layer adhesive solution. Think of this as having a thin plastic layer (a sheet) that has two different types of glues on each side:

  • The upper layer sticks the skin firmly to the ski even at low temperatures and detaches easily without leaving residue on the ski base.
  • The lower layer binds the upper layer of adhesive to the skin backing permanently.

This might seem complex or unnecessary, however, it should reliable provide the following:

  • Less effort required to separate adhesive sides from each other
  • Easy removal from the ski
  • No need to re-glue, simply wash the adhesive layer and let it dry to restore stickiness
  • Improved ski base adhesion on multiple ascents
  • Great adhesion even at very low temperatures

Here you can find even more details explaining the hybrid technology.

Various Contour Hybrid Skins

If you are intrigued by the hybrid glue then Contour has four different products.

For best glide, check out their 100% mohair skins they call Hybrid Pure.

If you want a little more grip and added durability then their Hybrid Mix of 65% mohair and 35% synthetic would be a better choice.

Their Hybrid Free skins are an interesting product as each skin consists of 2 narrower strips that can be adjusted to whatever width you need. These skins are recommended for skis wider than 95mm. So if you have more pairs of skis then you will need only one pair of skins. They feature the 65/35 mix as the Hybrid Mix skins above.

The Hybrid Splitboard skins are of obviously for those ridding splitboards. These skins also feature the 65/35 mix as the Hybrid Mix skins.

Interview with Giorgio Daidola – Italian Adventurer and Author: On Skiing, Sailing and Not Planning Trips Too Much

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Once upon a time in Libanon.

Giorgio Daidola, “the last romantic skier”, is in constant pursuit of adventure and refuses to be defined into a narrow existence. Professor of business economics, book author, journalist, and the father of telemark skiing in Italy are only a few labels that describe him.

While telemark skiing and sailing are Giorgio’s dear passions his way of life expands the meaning of the word “adventure”. Little known in North America, he is an important figure in European mountain culture and one that all of us can learn from.

Giorgio Daidola has skied on all seven continents, including the first telemark descent of an 8,000 metre peak, the Shishapangma in 1988. He has also completed many ski adventures and traverses in Canada and in the US. Beyond skiing, he did a lot of vagabond sailing in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic to experience local cultures and to ski mountains right from his small boat.

Today, Giorgio lives on a small farm in the wild Lagorai Mountains, not far from his university in the historic city of Trento in northern Italy. From there, he is getting ready for his next adventure – to sail across the Atlantic Ocean with his trusted boat.

His books have been published only in Italian but might be translated into English and other languages in the next couple of years – Ski Spirit (Gambrinus prize 2016), Sciatori di Montagna, Viaggio in Mediterraneo, Dal Mediterraneo alle Azzorre.

Now, let’s dive into an inspiring discussion with Giorgio on everything from skiing, to work, to his life’s greatest lessons.

Q: Your adventures are diverse – skiing in the mountains and sailing a boat on the sea seem very contrasting. What is it that makes you love both?

Sailing and skiing for me are not contrasting. Sailing is sliding on water, skiing is sliding on snow, that is water too. I try to do both by fair means…

Sea and mountains are very similar in offering emotions and vertigos of freedom to people that love them deeply.

The best adventure for me is sailing with my ski equipment on the boat, searching for mountains to ski from the sea! There are a lot!

Entering the port in Ayvalik, Turkey.

Q: You are considered “the father” of telemark in Italy as you reintroduced it in 1982. When were you introduced to telemark?

I skied since I was 2.5 years old. My parents taught me to ski before walking, it was winter and spring 1945/46. Then I became alpine ski instructor in 1971. I did ski mountaineering almost all my life until 1982, with alpine equipment. After that, for the last 37 years, I have been skiing with telemark equipment.

I discovered telemark looking at the photos of my father and at the photos and books of Pat Morrow, John Falkiner, Paul Parker, Morten Aass. They all became very good friends of mine, we did a lot of ski trips together. All of us were consultants for Scarpa, helping the passage from leather to plastic… this was maybe a mistake.

Telemark allowed me to discover a new dimension of skiing, a new mental attitude, a way of skiing without rigid rules, ideal for travelling.

I think telemark is more elegant than alpine, less mechanical and repetitive. As my friend Luca Gasparini, telemark ski instructor in Livigno wrote, “telemark is not just free heel skiing, is free body skiing”. To appreciate this, not to have rules, just to believe in the magic of your knee, just to be aerial like a bird, just to discover the pleasure of slowness in turning.

Giorgio descending Vinson Massif in Antarctic.

True telemark is the contrary of agressive, fast modern skiing. Fast telemark, piste telemark made with heavy boots, bindings and skis, has no future, it will be the end of telemark, because it is more and more similar to alpine.

To continue in this direction, as first of all Americans are doing, will be a suicide for a way of skiing that must remain different – less efficient than alpine but strongly tied up with the history and the spirit of mountaineering skiing.

For me, telemark has been the right tool to discover the “ski spirit” – a way of living – skiing not just as a sport. And I said “for me”, nobody is obliged to ski telemark in order to discover the ski spirit!

Q: What inspires your next adventure? Seeing a photograph, reading an article, talking to friends…?

I mainly took inspiration from the greatest mountaineering skiers of the past. We have nothing to invent.

Writing the book “Sciatori di Montagna” allowed me to discover the best “ski spirit”, from Nansen to Parmentier, going through Paulcke, Kurz, Lunn, Zwingelstein and other great skiers.

I think the most mature way of skiing are long traverses. There are still a lot of marvelous ski traverses to do, just look at the maps, at the old books, and then dream to do them!

Traversing the Karakorum mountains in Pakistan.

Q: What kind of experiences are you looking for on your adventures – exploration, people, culture, thrill…?

The best ski trips allow to put together all these experiences or at least the majority of them.

To reach this goal it is important not to plan the ski trips too much but to organize them “on the road”, trying to be flexible as much as possible.

Giorgio carving long telemark turns on Shishapangma, the last climbed of the 8,000m peaks. It is also the mountain where a legendary American mountaineer, Alex Lowe, lost his life in 1999.

Q: Among all your travels around the world, which are your favourite places?

I have no favourite places, I have a great remembrance of all my ski trips…

A marvelous ski trip is like to fall in love for a marvelous girl.

To compare romantic adventures is not possible, it is not elegant. Each adventure is peculiar, is unique, it is a piece of true life.

Q: Which adventures would you recommend in Italy for foreigners? And which ones would you recommend for Italians that have already explored the usual places by skiing, hiking or sailing?

First of all, I would recommend to do the traverse of the Alps from end to end, better from east to west, following the tracks of Bruno Detassis, or the Odier brothers (just read their beautifull book!), or Leon Zwingelstein, or Paolo Rabbia… Consider doing this traverse without using any mechanical help, as Paolo did alone 9 years ago!

Wild adventures can be everywhere in the Alps and in the Apennines, it is not necessary to go to Antarctic or Himalaya. True adventures depend on the way and on the spirit.

At the beginning of the crossing of the Hielo Norte in Patagonia, the Northern Patagonian Ice Field.

Q: Your professional career as a professor of economics and a financial analyst seems to be in contrast to your adventurous spirit. Do they balance each other or do you struggle between the two sometimes?

All my activities are complementary side to consider life. I am not just a professor and a traveller, I am also a journalist.

For many years, I have been the editor of the leading italian magazine “Rivista della Montagna” and of 17 issues of the yearbook “Dimensione Sci”.

The challenge is to enjoy all activities. This will avoid to find them boring!

I do not like to consider myself a professional in some field, even as a professor, because passion and professionalization hardly match…

There is a movie made by my friend Alberto Sciamplicotti, video maker and telly skier, about my philosophy of life. The title is “Il diritto e il rovescio” (“The Wrong Side and the Right Side”), paraphrasing the famous book of Albert Camus. In this movie, made during a ski trip together in Armenia, five years ago, I try to explain that life has two opposing sides, to see just one is not enough…

Q: Currently, you are preparing for an expedition to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. What does preparation for such a big trip involve? When would you like to depart? Where do you want to start and finish?

A crossing of Atlantic is not at all a big expedition, many people can do it. For me, it is something important because I never did it before and because both my boat and myself we are quite old.

I think that the slow ocean traverse that I plan to do next winter will be above all an important adventure for the spirit. It will not be a race, it will be the discovery of slowness. It will be like to traverse Greenland with skis, in 30 days, on the tracks of Nansen.

This time I will follow the path of Christopher Columbus, starting like him from La Gomera, an island in Spain’s Canary Island chain, in January 2020.

I do not know when an where exactly this sailing trip will end, I will decide while doing it, according to the wind.

Q: Can Giorgio Daidola be summarized in one word or a simple sentence?

For an article for Powder Magazine, in February 1997, David Goodman, after our ski trip to Etna, he chose the title:

“The last romantic skier”

I think this sentence still summarizes myself perfectly!

Enjoying remoteness of the Antarctic.

Q: What would you like to tell the new generation of adventurers? What would be your message for them?

First of all, I think everybody should find their way, after having read a good number of books of the great explorers of the past.

Secondly, I do not like to make sermons like a priest, I just would like that young adventurers will take the time to read, among the others, my books “Ski Spirit” and “Sciatori di montagna” (unfortunately at the moment only in Italian), and then they will decide what they want to do…

Sciatori di Montagna: 12 stories of those who made the history of ski mountaineering

In-depth La Sportiva shoes review and comparison: Akasha vs Bushido vs Helios SR

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la-sportiva-akasha-bushido-helios-sr

Overview:

  • Suitability:
    • Akasha – long distance trail and mountain running (lots of cushioning)
    • Bushido – technical mountain running and scrambling
    • Helios SR – trail racing and fast & light missions
  • Usual full price:
    • Akasha – around $130 USD
    • Bushido  – around $120 USD
    • Helios SR – around $120 USD
  • Weight (single shoe):
    • Akasha – 330g
    • Bushido – 298g
    • Helios SR – 230g
  • Colours vary between men’s and women’s models

Bottom line:

Despite few irritations, I like all these La Sportiva shoes a lot, with Bushido being my favourite. While each model was designed with different purpose in mind they all excel in an area that matters to me the most – exceptional grip in dry and wet conditions.

Review and Comparison – La Sportiva Akasha vs Bushido vs Helios SR:

As I mentioned in my previous review, I have switched between a couple of trail/mountain running brands over the last decade. After some time, I figured out that grip matters to me the most – the shoe must stick to dry and wet rock very well – because I like to visit technical trails and terrain the most.

Akashas cruising on an alpine trail above Whistler.
Akashas cruising on an alpine trail above Whistler.

How I tested them?

La Sportiva Akasha:
With about 20 runs (mostly between 1-2.5h) in Akashas over the last couple of months I used them on a variety of trails – smooth, rocks, roots. I have not taken them into the alpine for scrambling yet because 1) I use Bushido for that, and 2) the bigger lugs on Akashas (or any similar shoe) aren’t really suitable for that.

La Sportiva Bushido:
Being on my second pair, since I picked them up first two-and-half years ago, they have been my favourite model of all and I don’t even remember how many runs and adventures I took them out for. I put them through everything, especially, I literally abused the first pair – lots of alpine rock and technical terrain in any weather and ran them for two over 50km runs through high mountains. Once they were done, I had to buy a second pair because I enjoyed them so much.

La Sportiva Helios SR:
I exclusively bought them for trail running races and shorter fast training runs. I ran them about 15 times for a maximum of 2h (including 5 races) on a variety of trails in wet and dry over the last year. Since they are built very light I don’t use them too often and have never taken them out for an alpine/scrambling mission. While I don’t want to destroy them, as they are my racing shoes, they have been abused quite well during the races.

la-sportiva-soles-akasha-bushido-helios-sr

Grip/Stickiness comparison

Out of the three, the Bushido has the best grip in wet and dry on any surface except in lots of mud or dusty/gravel trails where the Akasha shoes perform better due to their lugs. For me, Bushido’s grip on rock and in the alpine is so reliable that I wear them even for overnight hiking with a big backpack. As for Helios SR, they grip well anywhere except mud (as they don’t really have any lugs) and I have no problem racing them on wet rocks and roots even after weeks of not using them at all.

Bottom line here is that all three have amazing overall grip/stickiness but each is superior in their specific application.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that La Sportiva makes such grippy running shoes given their history in climbing shoes and boots manufacturing. In my experience with grip, and for my type of running, these three models excel over any other shoes. The only close challenger being the Adidas Skychaser.

Lots of scree, snow and scrambling with Bushidos that day.
Lots of scree, snow and scrambling with Bushidos that day.

Fit & Comfort comparison

Fit and comfort is somewhat difficult to compare since we all have different feet and the three models are intended for different uses.

For me, the snug fit (but not too tight) and the rock-plate feature of the Bushidos provide the most comfort even after many hours of exercise. The shoe is very low profile, and the heal and lacing holds the foot inside very securely. Also, I like the design of the Bushido’s toe box protection which saved my thumbs many times.

The Akasha fits sligthly bigger/looser than the Bushido but still quite securely. Such fit design is no surprise as they are intended for longer runs and ultra-marathons during which our feet might swell. Overall, I find them comfortable and the sole being nicely soft. The lacing can be improved though, perhaps La Sportiva just needs to use the same lace holes/loops like on the Bushido. Although, not as stiff as on Bushidos, the Akashas have a great toe box protection as well.

Now, onto the Helios SR. I have to say they have a bit of a “funny” built, thus, they don’t fit me perfectly yet they are very comfortable on majority of trails. I think the toe box (or the very tip of the shoe) sticks out too much for no good reason. The lacing system is well designed and keeps the foot secure. Overall, the thick foam in the sole makes them very soft (or buttery-feel like), thus, very comfortable unless the trail is full of small sharp rocks – then the wave sole lets in some painful pokes.

6h hiko-run-scrambling mission over glaciers and ridges using Bushidos.
6h hiko-run-scrambling mission over glaciers and ridges using Bushidos.

Induced differences in running technique

Switching between the 3 shoes often in the last couple of months let me feel subtle differences in how they “make” me run:

  • Akasha – with a 6mm drop but a thicker sole than I am used to (heel: 26mm, toe: 20mm) I could feel I am higher above ground and that the shoe is easier to heel-strike than the other two. For me, as more of a neutral foot striker, this is fine on downhills but somewhat “gets” in the way on flat. It usually takes me couple of minutes to adjust my technique to strike them neutral-to-forefoot. I would prefer if the heel was slightly smaller and the sole there a bit thinner.
  • Bushido – with the same 6mm drop as Akasha but a fairly low-profile sole (heel: 19mm, toe: 13mm), they feel easier to run neutrally or front-foot for me. Also, due to their stiffer sole, they feel more like “road-racing flats”.
  • Helios SR – according to La Sportiva, there is only a 2mm drop (heel: 21mm, toe: 19mm) and they do feel quite flat. However, due to the very soft sole they definitely feel like having less cushioning than the Bushido. With all that, plus the extreme flexibility of the sole (which comes at a cost discussed further down), it is easy to run them any way you like.

Built quality comparison

Since all three models are designed and built for different purposes it is understandable their durability will differ as well.

I have yet to see really any wear & tear on my Akashas. The uppers look still almost like new while there are only superficial signs of wear on the soles.

The Helios SR is built for pure speed, thus, very light materials and design solutions were used. Everything is lasting well for me except the sticky black sole which seems to be shedding away rather quickly. That’s why I am using them mostly for racing only.

The two pairs of Bushidos I own (one is no retired) have been lasting well for me given the amount of abuse, although, they showed some weakness.With the sole being constructed of couple of layers and pieces I observed there were small separations appearing after about ten runs.

Initially, this scared me but with each pair the shoes kept that state from there on. It seems like that there is tension and forces between the glued layers/sections and the first couple of runs stress the shoe enough to release it. While it takes a bit of charm from the shoes it won’t stop me from getting another pair now that I know this does not affect the long-term performance and durability of the shoes.

Which one to choose?

By now, it should be quite obvious which model(s) you should choose given your objectives but lets recap:

  • Choose Akasha for regular training and high mileage on variety of trails, and long races. They are a work horse.
  • Choose Bushido if you do lots of technical running and even scrambling in the alpine. They are also great for technical races that feature lots of rocks/boulders.
  • Choose Helios SR for racing and light & fast speed missions in the mountains.

What can be improved about these shoes:

From my experience, there are two things I would ask La Sportiva to improve:

  • Adopt the Bushido lacing system/solution for Akasha.
  • Either insert a rock plate under the front-foot or cover the whole front-foot area on Helios SR with rubber sole instead of just certain sections like now. This would improve protection from small sharp rocks yet should still keep the weight low.

Stores that sell these La Sportiva shoes:

Valmalenco Ultra Trail – 90 km and 6,000 m: Interview With the 2018 Winner and Why You Should Run It

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I learned about Valmalenco Ultra Trail race in northern Italy, also known as VUT, from friends and I had an opportunity to hike part of the route with them last year.

The Valmalenco valley is a spectacular hidden gem in a region called Valtellina. It is located on the south side of Piz Bernina, the most eastern 4,000m peak in the Alps, while the famous town of Saint Moritz in Switzerland sits below Bernina’s northern slopes.

The full VUT course is 90km with 6,000m of elevation gain and travelling through very stunning terrain with views of steep peaks, dramatic glaciers, mountain lakes and lush alpine meadows.

» For all details visit VUT website and VUT on Facebook

As I didn’t run VUT yet but I love the area, I went on to interview the winner of the 2018 edition Saverio Monti and my friend Alessandro Piani who finished in 20th place last year and started running only one year before.

Both athletes run for Team Valtellina which is a selection of the best runners in the region. Alessandro also runs for and manages a local club Polisportiva Albosaggia – former home club of Michele Boscacci, the 2019 Trofeo Mezzalama winner and the 2018 Pierra Menta champion. Albosaggia is a small village where Boscacci comes from.

Interview with Saverio Monti and Alessandro Piani

Due to severe weather, the 2018 course was shortened to 74km and 4,200m. Saverio won in 9h 35min while Alessandro ran the VUT in 12h 53min.

Saverio Monti – Instagram, Facebook
Alessandro Piani – Instagram, Facebook
Team Valtellina – Facebook
Polisportiva Albosaggia – Instagram, Facebook

Q: The VUT was born in 2017. As someone living in the area, are you excited to have such a big race in your backyard?

Saverio:

Yes, I’m very excited! Valtellina is very beautiful and now the VUT race is an amazing addition to the landscape. And there is fantastic energy and enthusiasm from locals!

Saverio Monti

Alessandro:

Having an ultra trail race in my home mountains pushes and helps me give everything!

When I first heard about VUT two years ago, before the first edition, the idea of becoming an ultra trail runner did not even touch me. I “guided” two friends on the VUT course because I know the area since I was a little boy. We ran 60km and that amazing day caused a big change. 🙂

Alessandro Piani

Q: What makes this race special?

Saverio:

The course is on spectacular alpine route! You can see a very unique alpine landscape and different types of forests, valleys, rocks, rivers and lakes.

In addition to the landscape, the locals are very welcoming and friendly!

Alessandro:

VUT is a new race but I think it will become an important one in the ultra trail community. And as Saverio said, the beauty of these mountains and the warmth of local people make it very special!

Q: The 2nd edition of VUT in 2018 was shortened due to severe weather. What were the conditions?

Saverio:

There was a big storm, lots of rain and lightning! The course was shorter but still 74.3 km with 4,175 m of elevation gain. The start was at mid-night.

Sometimes the water and mud was above ankles. Once the rain stopped it became windy and I was very cold… I ran as fast I could to keep warm! 🙂

The organizers did a fantastic job even during the race to change the course again as there was a landslide.

Alessandro:

Yes, due to the strong storm the organizers were forced to eliminate some parts of the route, mainly the fascinating passages at high altitude. Despite all the difficulties it was a great event!

Q: How did your 2018 race go? What is your future goal for this race?

Saverio:

My race went great and bad! 🙂

Great because I won and I felt a lot of big emotions during the race. Bad because I was freezing a lot and sometimes I no longer felt my hands, and I was not even able to drink or eat. It was hard to stay concentrated but my legs were great!

For 2019, I hope for good weather so we can do the original route as I am curious of what I can do.

Alessandro:

The warm cheering of friends and people of Valmalenco helped me to finish the race in the best way and with a nice party! I finished 20th and I was also freezing like Saverio 🙂

I am running VUT again in 2019 and hope for the full course.

Q: What shoes and other gear did you use for VUT?

Alessandro:

I used La Sportiva Mutant shoes and Scott Trail Pack 8 with all the required equipment.

Saverio:

Shoes: Salomon Sense pro Max
Backpack: SalomonS/LAB Sense Ultra5
Poles: Camp Xenon Trek
Shorts: Salomon Fast Wing
Tops: Samonn Fast Wing Hz
Socks: Maglianera
Jacket: Salomon Bonatti Wp
Gps: Suunto 9 Baro

Four Beautiful Days on Haute Route Imperiale Ski Traverse in Switzerland

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With a shorter route, the Haute Route Imperiale is no less impressive than its famous cousin Haute Route that travels from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland and has a few variations.

Offering plenty of options for side trips and much easier logistics, Martina, Daniela and I chose the Haute Route Imperiale after realizing we can do it during a 4-day blue weather window the forecasters were promising. We set out on April 26th.

Staying in the mountains for days at a time is always a special experience. It forces us to escape from busyness of civilization and to give into a simple routine of skiing, eating, laughing and sleeping.

Full route goes from Jungen over Durand Col and down to Zermatt. This map is oriented with North on the right side, and West on the top side.

The Imperiale route is entirely in Switzerland and can be done in 4-5 days comfortably if you are used to climbing 1000-1400m on consecutive days. Staying 2-3 extra days will offer you the luxury of many more beautiful side trips.

Good time for the Haute Route Imperiale is from early April to mid-May depending on snow conditions that season. After average winter snowfall the ideal time for this traverse is likely to be mid-to-late April.

» More information on transportation, huts, gear and other arrangements are detailed at the end of this article.

Route Variations

There are a couple of variations of the Imperiale ski traverse yet about two thirds of the route will be the same.

We set out for the variation #1 but we had to change plans and finish with variation #3 due to some health issues.

  1. Complete traverse: St. Nicolaus (Jungen) – Zermatt
  2. Complete traverse: St. Luc – Zermatt
  3. St. Nicolaus (Jungen) – Zinal
  4. St. Luc – Zinal

Day 1:
Jungen at 1900m » Turtmann Hutte at 2519m

Elevation gain: around 1500m (2 ascents, 2 descents)
Duration: 5-7h from Jungen
Possible side-trips: couple of excellent north facing ski runs

Our first day was hectic as we were driving to St. Niklaus from Italy in the early morning to catch a gondola to Jungen at 7am. The 10am gondola is too late considering crossing some south slopes later that day.

Solving the four day parking was a bit of a puzzle until the local iconic “gondolier” assured us we can leave our car on the small parking lot right at the gondola station, for free.

The small gondola that lifted us to Jungen from St. Niklaus.

After a scenic ride up to a magically hidden settlement of Jungen (1900m) it was time to walk for the next 45min to reach consistent snow. If we came a week earlier then most likely we would have been already on skis from Jungen.

Once skinning, we traveled up a flat valley in westerly direction and then slightly turning left (south) towards north slopes and the start of the longest ascent of the day.

When there are no tracks in this valley then you will definitely want to pay attention which col is your destination as there are some “misleading” options.

We decided to down-climb the top 100m of the south-west slope to avoid skiing over rocks and potentially triggering a small slab in a quickly warming snow. This whole first descent is only about 400m with a sharp contouring traverse left about mid-way down.

Ascent to the next col is straightforward and only around 140m. Pay attention to big south slopes coming from the left if you are in this small valley on a hot day.

The descent to the Turtmann hut starts with wide south slope and offers some good turns. Later, skiing turns into a game navigating many terrain micro features to find the best way to the hut.

Turtmann hut with Brunegghorn Glacier on the left and Turnmann Glacier on the right. Photo courtesy of Club Alpin Suisse.

Day 2:
Turtmann Hutte at 2519m » Cabane de Tracuit at 3256m

Elevation gain: around 1000m (2 ascents, 2 descents)
Duration: 4.5-6h
Possible side-trips: Brunegghorn 3833m, Tete de Milon 3693m

The second day started with a traversing descent, loosing about 80m, to reach a very obvious central gully that came down from rocks and a glacier above on our left side.

It took us about an hour to skin up the gully and reach a big plateau on the Brunegghorn Glacier. From here, you can continue up the glacier and climb the Brunegghorn for high summit and superb views.

Brunegghorn is the peak left of the centre.

We chose to skip Brunegghorn and ski down to connect with the Turtmann Glacier as we had other plans later that day.

The ascent up the Turtmann Glacier starts with steeper slopes before slowly mellowing into a gently rising plateau. We reached the Tracuit hut in a big wide col just before noon.

Bishorn on the left, Weisshorn in the centre and Tete de Milon on the right. The Tracuit hut is behind the bump on the very right.

After lunch and a nap we left for a 400m climb up an easy Tete de Milon peak which proved to hold excellent powder on its north facing glaciated side. While the snow was fabulous the visibility quickly deteriorated as we shared some good laughs on the summit.

The Tracuit hut is very modern and its most impressive features are the dinning room’s full-wall windows (bottom) and the bedroom windows (upper level) offering superb views of surrounding steep peaks.

Day 3:
Cabane de Tracuit at 3256m » Cabane Arpitettaz at 2786m

Elevation gain: only 300m without side-trips (1 ascent, 2 descents)
Duration: 2-3.5h without side trips
Possible side-trips: Bishorn 4159m, Tete de Milon 3693m

With a high peak insight, we set out for Bishorn early in the morning, an 800m climb and a 3-4.5h round trip. The views from this summit are truly spectacular with a sea of 4000m peaks and big dramatic glaciers all around!

The usual ski route up and down Bishorn comes from the left and follows the big glacier up to the summit. Possible steep skiing lines can be seen to the right of the summit.

We roped up for most of the climb and also put on crampons for the final summit push.

The descent is fine and long. Watch for opening crevasses on the way up so you can avoid them on the way down.

On the summit of Bishorn, with the incredible north ridge of Weisshorn behind us.

After Bishorn, we enjoyed lunch in the sun at the Tracuit hut before diving down a nice steeper descent that brought us into a warm and avalanche exposed valley. A 300m climb into a col on a ridge felt long and difficult as we often stopped to drink and cool down, but with help of some Italian music we conquered this massive climb 🙂

At the top, we down-climbed a short section to get off the ridge as the snow melted away couple of days earlier. Then a short, easy and traversing descent brought us to the lovely Arpitettaz hut.

Arpitettaz hut, with wonderful views all around, at the bottom in the center.

Thanks to its smaller size and a family atmosphere, this hut quickly became our favourite on this trip. The views were just a cherry on the cake!

Day 4:
Cabane Arpitettaz at 2786m » Cabane du Grand Mountet at 2886m » Zinal at 1680m

Elevation gain: 1200m without side-trips (1 ascent, 2 descents)
Duration: 5-7h
Possible side-trips: Blanc de Moming 3661m, Zinalrothorn 4221m (requires climbing)

Motivated for a big push to reach Zermatt that day, but open to an early exit if Daniela’s breathing problems persisted, we left the hut early in the morning.

Ascent route up Moming Glacier from the Arpitettaz hut.

A long yet really nice climb up the Moming Glacier brought us to a col with the most impressive views on the traverse.

Ober Gabelhorn dominating the horizon.

At the col, we agreed that pushing all the way to Zermatt that day would be a torture for Daniela and so we agreed that skiing out to Zinal is the best option while still completing majority of this beautiful ski traverse.

Having some extra time on our hands, we went up to a sub-summit of Blanc du Moming (turning right in the col) before heading back and roping up for an amazing traverse of the Moming arete – a steep ridge that divides the Moming and the Mountet glaciers.

Walking on the beautiful Arete du Blanc is a true highlight of this traverse!

Back on skis, after the arete, it was time to enjoy some spring skiing and a brief break at the Grand Mountent hut which is pitted in a truly spectacular place, deep below a series of steep 4000m peaks.

Impressive steep walls of Dent Blanche on the right with the traverse route through the Durand Col in the middle. We didn’t climb up this col as we turned sharp right down the valley to Zinal.

The descent to Zinal village was long and offered nice turns on a mellow Zinal glacier before we skied down an old road that ultimately brought us to wide flats before the village of Zinal.

Old houses in Zinal glow with history.

Since we ended up in a different valley than our car in St. Niklaus, we took a scenic bus ride down from Zinal to town of Sierre in the main valley. From there, we took a train up to Visp before switching onto a mountain train ride up to St. Niklaus.

Additional Information

Logistics/Transportation + Parking

Compared to the famous Haute Route, the Imperial version is much simpler for transportation as you can start and finish in the same valley, and getting back to your car (or main train routes) with just a simple bus or train ride down the valley.

We parked in St. Niklaus which is about 30km down the valley from Zermatt. The same can be done on the Zinal side where you park at St. Luc and then ski out to Zinal.

Our logistics got slightly complicated as we skied out in Zinal instead of Zermatt, yet we still got back to our car in less than 3h of connecting buses and trains.

Hut arrangements + Food

Booking huts is easy but I recommend calling if possible then instead of just filling out the online form.

You will most likely get a discount if you belong to an alpine club in your country. Since you are in Switzerland the prices are slightly higher than rest of Europe but paying around 65-75 Euros for sleeping, dinner and breakfast is reasonable.

Huts:

For food, all huts will provide you with fine dinner and breakfast but plan on bringing all your lunches and snacks for the whole traverse.

As there is no running water at the huts during winter-spring months you will have to buy it every day.

For staying at huts, it is required that you bring your own simple sleeping sheet (or sack) while the pillows and blankets are provided.

There is no need to bring slippers as they are provided at every hut.

If you need WIFI then you might get lucky at some huts.

For weather, just ask the hut custodians and they will happy to help you.

Recommended gear:

In addition to standard ski touring gear, I recommend to bring a rope and crevasse rescue gear. Then an ice axe and boot crampons.

Ski crampons can be useful as well but we chose to leave them behind. If you don’t plan doing any side trips then you can likely get by without boot crampons as well.

Other:

Having a topo map of the area is always good and you can buy 1:40,000 that covers the whole traverse and more.

For clothing, you will be travelling mostly around 2800-3500m so it can get cold when windy even when the sun is out.

Where Innovation Meets History: Visiting CAMP Headquarters and Factory in Premana, Italy

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As if from a mythical story book, there is a very specific charm to visiting traditional European outdoor gear manufacturers. They are often hidden high up in mountain valleys as if they were kept a secret.

C.A.M.P started in 1889 as a one-man metal shop. We maintain this heritage in the raw world of manufacturing where have passed the value of getting our hands dirty down through four generations of family owners. This is our heritage and it will always be our future.

Last year, we visited La Sportiva in a beautiful valley of Val di Fiemme in Italy and now it was time to pay tribute to another historically significant player in the climbing and ski mountaineering world.

With so many brands offering outdoor gear these days there are only a few with such strong roots and vision such as the family-owned CAMP. This 125 years old manufacturer has a lightweight gear manifesto that drives its decisions with every existing product and when designing anything new.

While lightweight is fundamental in CAMP’s product research and development they integrate it with other drivers such as product functionality, passion for work well done, the alpine heritage of the brand, and they see each product as an enabler for climbers and ski mountaineers that use it realize their goals.

If there is one thing we can do with any piece of equipment to improve its performance, it is to make it lighter. THIS IS A UNIVERSAL TRUTH and it is a driving force at CAMP where we start with purpose-built designs and then trim the fat for a result that has become the world’s lightest line of equipment for climbers, mountaineers, alpinists and ski mountaineers. In the mountains, we are obliged to be prepared for whatever may come our way. This means we cannot skimp on our selections when we choose the right tools for the adventure… – from CAMP’s Lightweight Manifesto

As with La Sportiva in Val di Fiemme, CAMP chooses to stay in a small charming mountain village of Premana not because it makes for a better story but because a handful of local families are part of its manufacturing process since the very beginning.

In fact, CAMP is short for “Concezione Articoli Montagna Premana”, and in English it means “Conceptions of Products for Mountains in Premana”.

Product Lines and Research & Development

For a small company, compared to La Sportiva or Scarpa, CAMP has an amazingly big selection of products, most of them in the hard goods segment (climbing gear) instead of relying only on clothing like most brands.

CAMP basically manufactures every imaginable gear of climbing, alpine climbing and ski mountaineering equipment, except ropes, while they clothing line is limited to a couple of highly functional pieces that are mostly available only in Italy for now.

True to its values, the company constantly pushes for improvements and innovation in a dynamic way.

At 246g in 50cm length, the Corsa Nanotech ice axe uses Nanoflex – special steel developed with nanotechnology – and is one of many examples how CAMP blends superb functionality with lightweight and minimalism.

With only about 10-15 designers and consultants, and a much smaller R&D budget than most outdoor brands, it is fascinating that CAMP is one of industry leaders.

CAMP Outdoor vs CAMP Safety

CAMP does not only develop and manufactures gear for outdoors but it also has tremendous amounts of know-how in the industrial safety gear design.

Druid Descender – a lightweight, compact auto-braking descender for rope access and rescue.

Determined by the differences in priorities, focus in outdoor products is a blend of light weight and function to enable absolute best athletic performance. With industrial products, the focus is primarily on safety, function, durability and compliance to various ever more stringent safety standards, often different by region or even country.

CAMP Headquarters and Factory Tour

After navigating narrow roads above a steep gorge we arrived to CAMP offices and factory in Premana to meet Isacco Codega – one of the fourth generation of the Codega family, that founded this highly specialized company back in 1889, and still leading it today.

Stylish handles on the front door to CAMP’s headquarters.

Designers and administration staff was busy at work while we went through a long hallway that displayed some of CAMPs gear and mountain photos.

Isacco brought us to their internal testing facility that allows them to collect lots of valuable data about their existing gear as well as to test new ideas. While light weight is very important for the company they also test durability by simulating the use of their gear thousands of times, for example opening and closing a carabiner gate many thousand times to learn how this might affect the its function over long periods of use.

One of the tests we witnessed was with the ski mountaineering Speed Comp helmet that has been significantly upgraded over the last two years to meet the double certification standard – for skiing and climbing – that is now required by ISMF, the International Ski Mountaineering Federation.

New CAMP Speed Comp helmet (in blue) has been considerably improved over the old model (white) to comply with EN 12492 and EN 1077/B certification standards in accordance with ISMF rules.

CAMP’s R&D engineer prepared for us a “Test of resistance to penetration EN 1077 class B of Speed Comp helmet” during which a 3 kg sharply pointed spike is dropped at the velocity of 2.71 m/s from the height of 375mm, and it should not contact with the head form.

After talking to one of the main designers and engineers, Isacco lead us to the bottom floor of the building to CAMP’s main manufacturing shop for crampons, ice axes and other various equipment.

Here you can watch one of many steps that are needed to manufacture a pair of mountaineering crampons:

These pipes will be reborn as ice axes soon.
CAMP’s manufacturing shop just after the workers left for the day.
Front parts of crampons waiting for polishing.

Relationship with Athletes and Other Companies

Robert Antonioli

CAMP deeply cares about its athletes and ambassadors, and many of them are very loyal in return.

Likewise, deeper relationships exist in Italy even among companies as CAMP occasionally cooperates with other brands such as La Sportiva.

CAMP will also play an integral part in the 2019 Arc’Teryx Alpine Academy in Chamonix in July by providing gear as well as running two climbing specific clinics. CAMP has also partnered with Arc’Teryx for their Jackson Hole Backcountry Academy.

Into The Future

There is no doubt that CAMP will keep pushing the limits of innovation for all of us to enjoy the benefits to let us move through the mountains safely and efficiently so we can focus on the beautiful experiences rather than equipment.

In the coming weeks, we will be testing some of CAMP’s finest ski mountaineering gear to weight its pros and cons so you can make more informed choices before your next adventure.