This year has been amazing on so many levels.  I am regularly crossing paths with my ski heroes, one of these heroes is the 73 year old Swiss ski mountaineering legend, Sylvain Saudan.

I met Sylvain in Srinagar Kashmir at K Salama Tailors.  We share the same tailor and love for Kashmir so I thought it was just a matter of time before we cross paths in this Himalayan city.  I walked into the tailor one day to get a fitting for a overcoat and there he was, the man, drinking a Carlsberg at 10am.  We started chatting about the complications of flying helicopters near the disputed boarder of India and Pakistan and soon after I had a beer in my hand as well.  He was returning to Kashmir after a 2 year absence following a helicopter crash in 2007.  Now things were lining up for him and his employees (French mountain guide and Swiss Pilot) to take clients heli-skiing in the Indian Himalaya.  He bases his operation out of the Grand Palace in Srinagar, the former residence of the Maharaja.  Now a 5-star hotel with incredible grounds, the Palace lets him land his helicopters on their lawn and the guests ride powder all day long and return to the lush, warm city in the afternoon.  Over the next few days we were able to hang out, chat, drink and eat.  During dinner one night I thought I'd ask a more personal question, so as everybody got up to go check out the dessert table I asked "Were there ever any lines or mountains you wanted to ski but never had the chance?"  He says with total satisfaction and peace in his voice "No, I got them all"  It made me feel really happy for him, as this peace and satisfaction is something I hope to find.  The perceived accomplishment of skiing radical lines does little to satisfy the soul.  With heavy doses of adrenaline and danger, extreme skiing is more about the thrill than the accomplishment.  The thrill is super addictive and only makes you want to push it even more; steeper, icier, higher until there is only the absurdly dangerous left.  For me, I feel no satisfaction in climbing or skiing ridiculous lines.  I only feel thrill and focus, and relief when it is over. Because I know that luck is just as important as skill.  When things get really rad it is just a roll of the dice on whether or not you make it back. Peace and satisfaction come from something else, I don't know what or where it comes from.  But I hope to find it, just like Sylvain.                Sylvain Saudan Wiki

Here in Gulmarg Kashmir, hanging out waiting for it to stop snowing.  The warm temps down low have made skiing in the forest a not so enjoyable experience.  The alpine terrain is still getting hammered by a series of small storms and with the extreme avalanche danger and very limited visibility it is just too risky to head up onto the hill.  I've been able to use this time to catch up with the local guides and continue mentoring them as they work on their guiding skills.  My friends here (B4apres) are using the time to edit footage and blog about their recent tour to a very cool zone that is about a 4 hour skin from the ski area.  Here is a link to their story, B4apres.com

B4apres has just released a teaser for their movie on ski cultutr in Kashmir.

Jade from Phillip Schaal on Vimeo.

I have been climbing with Phil for 14 years.  We used to crush it in the boulders of Connecticut.  Now we connect every once in a while to have some fun.  While I was on K2 this summer Phil was killing it in the boulder fields of Rocky Mountain National Park.  He sent Jade, V15, after only 3 days of work.  He is the 3rd American to climb the incredible grade of V15.  To see more of Phil's action videos, check his blog at phillipschaal.blogspot.com

Davie Whyte Edit from Anthony Bonello on Vimeo.

This year I'm getting a late start to my ski season.  I've had a few days out, face shots, white room and all but I can't consider my season officially started until I get a heavy dose of alpine.  After spending so much time in the Himalaya over the past 5 years, even the Rockies seem flat.  In early Feb I'll be going back to the Pir Panjal mountains of Kashmir.  This is the land of 6$ gondi rides for 4,600 vertical of untracked.  The vertical my not be huge comparatively but it is nearly all above treeline.  And the touring puts you straight into a Himalayan wilderness survival situation.  A buddy Anthony Bonello is over there now making a film.  He shot this footie earlier in the season.  Although it isn't in the Himalaya (it's BC), the terrain looks amazingly similar to the forests of fir trees common in Kashmir.  During the storm cycles it is just too dangerous to ski in the alpine zone so we ski in the forest.  Though this is not true big mountain skiing, it is the next best thing, Pow Pow.