Mr. Klammer's Sense of Snow

[Franz Klammer]

(some homegrown Austrian background music)

(more info: DZihan & Kamien)

The Inuit have more than 100 expressions for the word snow. Naturally, such an abundance of words often comes as a surprise to people of other ethnicities who are less frequently exposed to the white element -- with one important exception. A similarly enormous liniguistic variety is known among skiers who describe the many ever so slightly different manifestations of their favourite element with colourful expressions such as corn, windbuff, powder and many others.

A skier's quest for virginally untouched powder is the modern-day equivalent of an ever-repeating search for the Holy Grail. Along the way the searching skier often encounters deceptively similiar powder imposters who to the naked eye of the untrained appear essentially identical. The following few photos with accompanying text evoke some of the search experiences and document the many ways that different types of snow can yield so much pleasure -- even when they are not always of the bottomless deep featherlight flurry type.

To set the tone, let me begin with a day that started with powder and subsequently featured chopped up crud, windblown, groomed corduroy and many other varieties -- but you won't see any photos of the latter. After many unsuccessful attempts, I was finally treated to the knowledgeable company of the European Snow Princess (also known as klar). Plans were initially made for ski touring in the direct Innsbruck vicinity only for them to be changed at the last minute. "I found something in Stubai which we could try," were her ominous words and so we were to meet at 8.30am in the Stubaitaler Gletscherbahnen parking lot. An early 3.30am wake-up call and a few hours of excessive speeding (who doesn't love German motorways?) later we are parked right next to each other in Stubai.

klar: "Is this your first day on skis this season?"
Franz Klammer: "No, but I am not sure whether those early EC days count."
klar: "No worries, this is going to be good."

Skins are out of the backpacks and we're set to go. As klar pulls away I realize that sitting in an office at sea-level altitude may not have been the best preparation for the ascent. I take consolation in the fact that she also regularly leaves her Innsbruck crew behind her and that it leads to thorough photo documentation of my pains.


Franz Klammer notices that air is a bit thin compared to Boston as he trots through smoke cold white ...


... and that he's really out of shape compared to his companion.




On the summit we take in the view and admire the many potential spring routes glistening in the sun before heading off towards our target. It's a beautiful steep untouched couloir that klar selected and the snow conditions are almost perfect.

klar: "Do you want to go first?"
Klammer: "It's been a while since I last had to think about such a question rather than immediately say 'yes'."
klar: "I take that as a yes."

Thankfully, klar is such an expert photographer that only those photos survive that do not display my awful lack of skiing ability.


Franz Klammer turns into the couloir and finds some settled light ...



... and realizes that it is as steep as it looked from the summit ...



... but decides that in female company it really wouldn't be a good idea to slide down like a sissy.




As we turn out of the couloir we take a look back at our exploit.



Klammer: "That was a damn good choice. I guess my brother made the wrong choice in staying home today."


The rest of the day is spent acquiring a sun burn, shredding leftovers of the last storm and pondering new routes. At the top of Stubaitaler Gletscher, Sölden, Vent and the rest of the Ötztal appear (and actually are) so close. A relatively short ski descent would spit me out only minutes from the holiday destination of the next few days, yet by car it's a 2 hour drive of almost 100 miles as one has to trek all the way back to Innsbruck, westwards on the Inntal motorway and up the Ötztal. Alas, klar can't be convinced to drive my car to Sölden -- what a terrible host she is.

Later that day in the hotel in Sölden I fall into bed as I wait for the rest of the family to arrive. The jet lag, the ridiculously early start and the general lack of sleep finally get to me.


The following day to the great joy of my brother I resume my celebrated role as binding basher.

Franz Klammer: "Can I take your new Big Troubles for a spin?"
Hansi Hinterseer: "Sure, but please be careful."
Franz Klammer: "No worries."

30 seconds later I realize that even new Fritschi Freerides have their bad moments. The binding "releases", I beater down the piste in the most gaperific way and after collecting my belongings I notice that with a ripped front part clicking back in will no longer be possible.

Franz Klammer: "I have some bad news for you."
Hansi Hinterseer: "Deja-vu!" (because here's what happened on almost exactly the same day 2 years ago)


(for more about this, see http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43204)

However, thanks to ski technicians in Sölden Hansi Hinterseer is in possession of a new Fritschi binding and up and running just one hour later. Alas, he's just a tad too late to sample these goods with me -- plenty of untouched, sun- and wind-protected powder near Rotkogl.


He is however back in the action for the next set of pictures as we put the next few days to good use skinning up, bootpacking and scrambling over rock and ice.

Hansi Hinterseer on the top of Roßkirpl (2942m) with Puitkogl (3342m) in the background ...


... and again with a view towards Längenfeld and Ötz:


Franz Klammer: "Front-side or back-side?"
Hansi Hinterseer: "Front-side."
(photos taken on our second of two descents on the south-east face)

Hansi Hinterseer with some backseat action (and Gaislachkogl in the background) ...


... but even old powder is good powder ...


... certainly compared to some refrozen wind-blown.


Franz Klammer: "Front-side or back-side?"
Hansi Hinterseer: "Back-side."

Hansi Hinterseer takes a break on our descent towards Pleßalm (1800m) with Wassertalkogl (3247m) in the background ...


... and takes it all in as week-old cold smoke sprays up behind him







Hansi Hinterseer shows that he can powder-farm like the most heavily subsidized EU farmers. Almost all of those tracks are ours.




The only drawback: it takes about 45 minutes to get back to the road (Ötztal Bundesstraße) and in order to do it quickly one gets to ski down a marginally snow-covered road -- p-tex sensitive skiers need not apply.


In ever perfect sunshine and excellent coverage all routes suddenly become available. When Hansi Hinterseer decides to bail on me I spend some time finding out where this skin track leads to -- suffice it to say it was worth it (photo by Mother Klammer):



All good things have to come to an end and we spend the next few days in Graz waiting for snow.

[Franz Klammer]

When it finally arrives we're ready to go and our favourite not-so-secret spot near Wald am Schoberpaß does not disappoint although that's pretty easy with 30-40cm of fresh and temperatures of -12°C.

Fresh as fresh can be



Father and Mother Klammer pose for a "Austria is beautiful" tourism photoshoot



Another tourism-style photo with Lattenberg in the background



Mother Klammer storms ahead towards Griesmoarkogl



So many options on Himmeleck



Why has no one taken the obvious descent on Griesmoarkogl (yet)?



We decide to take a little detour for a bit of powder-farming as Franz Klammer decides that there are too many turny tracks.




Random touring-skier: "He's a good skier."
Father Klammer: "Yes, but he should be more careful."
Random touring-skier: "But why does he not make more turns to enjoy the snow?"
Mother Klammer: "Try explaining that to him."






Even Father and Mother Klammer get in on the action





The obligatory summit shot



And that obvious line from before is finally claimed by yours truly (I should have skied further to the right ...)





Even more tracks as if they came straight out of a tourism brochure (they should pay us for our services)



But as we all know, snow -- even if it is untouched -- need not always be so pleasant. Although heavy snowfalls contributed to an even higher base, the mighty Föhn warmed up Austria by almost 15°C for an entire week while I was gone. As we venture back to our hidden spots we find the snow untouched by humans and animals, but ravaged by nature.

Turning is not so easy in refrozen wind-blown with ice crust ...


... but there are always targets for Spring:



Goodbye, snow, until we meet again!

[Hugh Conway]

Nice work! I think she leaves everyone in the dust

[leroy jenkins]

Very nice.

I love the pic of your mom making GS turns past all the tracks of tiny little europhile turns.

[Hugh Conway]

Why is this at the bottom?

[viking kaj]

Mal gar net schlecht junge! Good report. The Oetztal is some of the best skiing in the world, if the Euro exchange rate didn't suck this looks like a good year to go.

Servus,

Kaj

[str8line]

Very cool TR! Beautiful photos and great delivery. Thanks!

[Bullet]

Nice shots. Looks like a wonderful trip.

[Ripzalot]

sehr schön!

[verbier61]

sweeeet memories for a sweeet winter's start!!!

[SonnyBoy]

Very well written. Good pics.

[klar]

Thankfully, klar is such an expert photographer that only those photos survive that do not display my awful lack of skiing ability.

Franz Klammer is a most charming young gentleman and shamlessly fishing for compliments in this case.

Hansi Hinterseer with some backseat action (and Gaislachkogl in the background) ...

trying to figure out where this is. sölden top station in the bg? pitztal skiarea towards the right? hm..




nice choice on the music but no pics from the last part of your euro trip?

[SheSkisTrees]

I thoroughly enjoyed that! Thanks!

Off topic: You look just like a younger version of your dad...

[subtle plague]

Franz Klammer is a most charming young gentleman and shamlessly fishing for compliments in this case.
trying to figure out where this is. sölden top station in the bg? pitztal skiarea towards the right? hm..
?

well done senor.

and klar: i guess it is after a short bootpack.
you start at the gaislachkogel ski down the red groomer (of which the start is visible in the pic) and then speed up the next little hill and walk/skin the rest 50m.

yes this rarely gets tracked and leads down to the glacier road valley

[schuss]

Spitze!

Way to have some fun with the fam F. Give me a shout next time you want to go skiing 'round these parts.


PS: Your pants are steezy as hell.

[adimmen]

Those couloirs look tasty.

[Franz Klammer]

well done senor.

and klar: i guess it is after a short bootpack.
you start at the gaislachkogel ski down the red groomer (of which the start is visible in the pic) and then speed up the next little hill and walk/skin the rest 50m.

yes this rarely gets tracked and leads down to the glacier road valley

Good call, but not quite right. For orientation, here's the ski map:
http://ext.soelden.com/skimap_popup/images/skimap.jpg

Subtle is right about the Gaislachkogl top station. However, to ski that particular part one needs to bootpack all the way up to the top of Roßkirpl. This means one has to take the Hainbachjoch lift (very right of ski map) and then trek all the way to the summit of Roßkirpl.

There are endless varieties on the backside (Pollestürme, Schwarzkogl, Rotkogl, Roßkirpl) with so many steep couloirs. The photo with the steep skin track is just to the right of Pollestürme.

[Franz Klammer]

nice choice on the music but no pics from the last part of your euro trip?

The last two pictures are from Lattenberg on Sunday January 20.

I also had the camera with me yesterday on my birthday (January 21) as my father took the day off and we went to Zirbitzkogel. Beautiful weather, spring-like conditions due to the Föhn, ...

... BUT, I forgot to take the memory card out of the card reader the night before.

I was too busy with work while in Toulouse and never got to see the Pyrenees. Next time.

[Franz Klammer]

PS: Your pants are steezy as hell.

YEAH, 60 Euros on sale! First time I bought new ski pants in 7 years.

[DonDenver]

…now that was a thread journey much entertaining.