Night Skiing

We went out for a night ski tour yesterday night, I finished the day of with some Cross Fit back home in my house. If you don't have artificial light that show you where to ski you just might as well bring your own. Our attempt were to Alta chute 2 but we had to turned around because of lack of light. Hard to judge the snow when you see nothing. We did get to see a amazing sunset though.

Sunset, to the left you can see Alta Chute 1 & 2.

We got some soft snow as a reward when we turned around!

More ice!

Yesturday Daniel and I went out for some more ice climbing after he was done working. The ice was varied, we could find everything from nice hooks to wet sticky ice to hard cold and weak ice. Felt really good to be back out, with a stronger body and better technique. I was most happy about my way of thinking. I trusted myself at all times and I never doubted myself. I also got a matching christmas present from Daniel, a book about how to manages fear specificly when climbing. But that could also be used at any other time. We might not have the best snow right now but the ice is for sure world class at this moment. UPS arrived with some new running shoes when I got back home today, New Balance minimus. They are so light, no extra heavy material with a low sole so you don't sprain your ankles.Yes, I look forward taking them out for a run. Today, however, I content myself with an intense cross fit workout on my room.

Daniel coming up solo climbing, or self belaying.

Hungry?

When making a knot on the rope you have to use the whole body.

Putting on his glove. And yes, I have a great headlamp from the Swedish company Silva. 

US Santa

Yesterday we had American Christmas. As you might know  Europe celebrate on the Dec 24 and America on Dec 25. This is so Santa have time to visit all people around the world =) It was a big morning for all kids with a bunch of presents. I did it my own way, after dinner I collect my ski gear and went out for a night tour up on Bald Mountain here in Tellurie. 20 minutes to midnight I reached the summit after a 2 hours and 15 min skin through the ski area. The starts was amazing, we had cero moon light so the stars was poking my eyes. It was a cristal clear night and really cold with a soft side wind. On my way down I used my monster to headlamp that lit up my whole field of sight. Great and amazing beautiful veiws. Today I was Cross Country- or actully Skate skiing after I was done skiing downhill. So much fun, me and a friend just went out for 30-40 minutes in the sunset down in Telluride town park. I took this last picture driving out of town, don't be foold if looking careful at the picture and you don't see any snow. That's main street and they do a great job maintain it clear through almost the whole winter. 

Santa was here!

Topp of Baldi, getting ready to ski down.

Telluride buy late afternoon/night, in the background you can see Ajax.

Santa

I hope all of you got what you wished for from Santa. He brought me a brand new pair of ski from Wagner Custom. I skied them today and for the fist time I felt solid and like a pretty good skier =) You know that if you sharpend your edges time to time the ski actually grip on the snow and ice. And you know what, if you give your skis some food (wax) now and then you can ski away from everybody! Try it, it's a nice feeling! It's Christmas evening and I found some old pictures on my computer and dreaming back and once again realise what's worth living for, all you good friends, the one I already have and all of you that I will get the honor to meet in the future! And all the amazing and wonderful things we get to experience together. You are the best gift I have ever been given!

Thanx Pete Wagner! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Today we went snowmobiling up to Alta Lakes close to Telluride. We had a great blue bird day and even had time to get some skiing in the afternoon. I also picked up an early Christmas gift from santa, a pair of new Wagners Skis from Wagner Custom Skis! Sweet, can't wait to ski them tomorrow!

Beautiful X-mas tree!

Fresh clean water stream through small piles of cold snow creating a layer of hoar-frost on topp of the it.

Old ghost town left from the miner, 400 people used to live here. 

Who forgott his/her truck. I know where it is, you can pick it up at Alta Lakes :)

Ice Climbing Intro

Today Henry and I went out ice climbing. This was an introduction for the kid to what can be done on skis if you know more both about your self and how to use proper gear. Ice climbing training, believe it or not, will get skiing to feel easy when we are doing something that is more exposed on the mountain. Today was a day to conquer his mental fears so he could be more prepared on the next journey. Period. It was a good day! =) After we where done I had to drive pick up some meat for our big New Year Party. Snow was coming down hard onto the windshield, and it was hard to see. Hopefully we will get to ski powder tomorrow!

Sex on ice! (guess what movie?) Or sorry. I ment, axe on ice =)

Half way, shitting bricks =)

Nice Spikes!

Last stretch!

First Repell for the young guy.
Well done Henry!

Forgott Swamp

Two days ago me and Mike where out in Swamp again and got some more powder and vertical meter to our winter.

US Grants in the background, named after the former pressident.

Milking turns.

Great colorful from Peak Performance and POCsports =)

San Jaquin Chute from Vally X

We where a crew of 10 people and one dog skining up from Vally X early yesterday morning. It become to be a long day out in the feld and, 10 people through San Jaquin chute this early in the season means not a load snow, especaly not that stick to the rock. So as the 6 person down it was more mountenering than skiing. But I succssed to pull out my camera and take some pictures and the run got to be a well needed mind reminder.

He is my dealer!!! =)

On top of the chute!

In the chute, it dosen't look steep but were I'm standing it's good 50 degree.

Once your down you got to enjoy the warm sun.

Coming out from the chute it opens up and you can do GS turn. 

Willi, Wiii!

Willi getting some soft turns.

The snow looks like fire.

First day in Telluride!

Here is some pictures from my first day in Telluride. We skied Centerline and Swampcanyon in Vally X. This are two separate runs, both with one hour or slightly longer skin. It starts at 3000 meter and reach up to around 4000 meters. Fisrt run I did with Mike in Centerline and then he had to leave for some errands so I joined up with Daniel and took a second run in Swampvally, that was deep! =) Later same evening me and Daniel went ice climbing for 2,5 hours.

Mike get some nice turns. Love the shadow!

Okey, it was deep the first run two.

You have to ski close to me went I use this lens was my word to Mike, and he did!

Daniel milk some powder on top of Swampvally. Clodes came in and the light for taking more picture was pointless. So you just have to trust me, it was good! =)

Teaser!

New post

Leaving for Telluride in less than 24 hours. 06.00 am tomorrow morning I depart from Stockholm. I been gone for a while now but now I'm back. Last weeks I been touring around Sweden searching for snow. Sälen, Funäsdalen, Åre and finally Vemdalen where we found it. Got some snow, 10-20 inches last week. I was working with a Level 2 ski instructor course and we had an awesome week. I was offerd work when we where done, that uaselly mean you done something good. I will hopefully come back to Sweden in january and have a lecture about leadership and communication. Fun! I also been cheating with my camera, promise I will do better when I get to Telluride so I can give you al some nice winter picture for Christmas and New Year. You can also follow me on Facebook, both on Staffan Björklund and Scandinavian Freeskiers!

The shadow of me. I'm getting ready to tuck. Love this shot, it have a lot of potensial. The wind make the snow whirl around me, it turned out to be a cool effect!

I was running yesterday, a trail called "reflex track". It work this way, they put up reflectors along the trail and when you run with a headlamp in the darkness the reflectors reflect so you can see exactley where to run. It's specaly beautiful when it's snow everywhere on the ground, on the trees and the air is all crispy. What I didn't thought about was that this new fresh thin layer of snow that we got last night cover all reflectors and you lose track of where you are easy... So I was free running in the forest for little more than one hour. This is pure freedom for me, it's completley silent, so calm and you just fight against your own thoughts. Running on the line of giving up, but the curiosity of what's around the next corner motivate me run through most pain. This is a constant fight between your mind and your body. You are tyerd, it's slippery and you don't know how much futher you have to go, you jus know that you have to keep on going. Not because you have to, because you what to. To see how and what you can achieve, maybe for someone else but hopefully for your self. This process can be refered to most things in life is my beleive.
More yesterday I planed next week, when me and two other instructors will lead a level 2 ski instructor course in Vemdalen. Hopefully we get some more cold weather and loads of snow in near future. Right now, here in Östersund they hold the season premier for Biathlon World Cup. Check it out!

Here you can see a poor picture of the hill/slope where we are running up and down. The lake infront is Storsjön.

Moon light!

I waked up this morning to thunder, lightning and snow. Felt weird and now all snow is gone exept on some cars. You can just tell it's been snowing hard somewhere around looking at them. Now I hope you all can help me figure out what race to do next? An adventure race or something close to that? Any suggestion are welcome. Leave a comment and I will have a look at it! =)

Skiing

On saturday I had premier, 15 laps of skiing in a short slope full with hand made snow and ice. But that dosen't mean we had a thought time having fun, no, the other way around, we had a great time with great friend! Same evening we got our first snow so far, one inche of powder =) That put us all in a great mode untill we woke up the next morning and it's poring down rain, porning down. Driving further north later that evening it tured to snow, first slushy and icy but than snowy and wished-for winter. All white snow made it much brighter and a lot more cozy. Now I'm in Östersund, middle of Sweden just 70 km away from where I grow up. Yesterday I joined the multisport club here in Östersund for some traning, we run up the ski hill here 5 times in snow. It's pretty hard work but a lot of fun, specialy with good frieds. More than half of the pleasure is doing this with good people and sharing the experience. Last years I have been traning by my self mostley and have almost forgott how fun and importened it is to share even this. How that gives that extra spark when doing what you are doing. After it turns to a nice memory that you smile at when thinking about it!

I added this picture to show you how the Alps bends, it can be hard to see on this small picture but look carefully! =) Tha alps stretches 1200 km from west to est. Crosses through seven contrys. It has around 1000 glaciers. This picture is taking from one of them and also the second highest summit, Dufourspitze.

Ski

After almost a week being really sick I'm back on my feet. I gues I brought something back from Costa Rica but I'm not sure. Talked to some other compeditors from CR and the also got really sick last week, thinking the water cause our illness. Well well, good news are I'm leaving for some skiing tomorrow in the Swedish mountain range, the Scandies. It's not much open for the moment but just to put the gear on and slide around on the hill is worth a lot. To be true, it's just one hill open, 120 vertical meter drop (360 feet) with just a white strip surrounded by green gras. More, I got my new Peak Performance set yesterday, blue pants and pink/purple jacket from their Heli serie. It's probably the most technical and well made gear there is today. All with Gore Tex shell membrane. It is even that way, that if you ask Gore Tex them self, that provide all kind of brands with their material they ski with Peak Performance and the Heli line them self. I will post pictures with the colored clothes later. Hope to get my new helmet and goggles from POC today to! When I sit here writhing, looking out the window it feels like spring today, 4,4 celcius. But I know it's winter and that it's snow somewhere in the world!

Always bring a pair of sneakers, you never now when you run out of snow in spring time. 

Yesterday I got some more training in. Run for 1 hour. I don't feel great though, I felt nausea two last days and that's jocking me. But this pictures keep me hopeful and want something more. As you might see I also like taking photos, not just be infront of the camera.

Daniel laying out some GS turns in the bottom of Tyndal couloir.

Where are we going? Cliffs out 20 meters (60 feet) just in front of Daniel. Way down there you can see the vally floor. Now in Switzerland, soon in Italy.

Topp of Brighthorn, behind me you see Matterhorn soon to be covered by clouds!

My best day last season, particular when we talk about amount of snow, this day was crazy!  Thank you Erik, Steamboat Catskiing operations (Steamboat Powdercats) for one unforgettable experiance!

Every turn was like this, all day long! As you can see it's like pushing a big wave infront of you! This feeling is  very difficult to explain. You just have to trust me, there is nothing that is better than this feeling! =)

Daniel coming of Allalinhorn in Saas Fee late afternoon! Magic light and soft turns in april.

Sams Trees inRed Mountain Pass, Colorado gave us  a great day of skiing. It was just us there all day. This day started with me falling into a river with skis and skins on. Thought my day was over but I was wrong, we took like 10 laps with a 600 meter (1800 feet) skin. Lots of exercise and lot's of powder! 

Winter Inspiration!

I would like to show you what I really do and what you have to look forward to see and read more about this winter. Today I got some well needed traning in with my good Johan, 1 hour & 10 min of fun and we both got fatigue. We wasted our energy on slope traning, running/climbing uphill, plus some flat running in the trees and blueberry gym, lifting logs and doing pull ups. 

On our way down from Nord End, in the background you see Dufourspitze, second talles summit in the alps. Wicth we climbed to. On Daniels left side it drops of 2500-3000 meters into Italy. You can see the start of Marrineli Couloiren, longest couloir in Europe. That was our attempt this day but it was not the time. To explain how serious of a ski this is we can compere it to climb the north face of Eiger.

Last day in Telluride season 2010-2011, people said winter was over and there was no powder. I don't know, but sure it looks soft and nice. That way I don't mind that people think season is over =) 

This is how big the mountains are and how small you are! Tyndal couloir in Mote Rosa Massif, Italian side.

Also last day of the season, me skiing deeeep snow. Keep an eye out, more pictures will be posted within this theme!

Me hanging, waiting for the lift to open early morning in Zermatt.