Jeremie Heitz - La Liste

**bodywhomper** · 11-20-2016, 05:06 PM

i look forward to the next project and i appreciate that red bull made this available for free online. it was really fun to watch.

another skill the kid has that i haven't seen mentioned yet is his ability to see the line and track where he is on the slope at his speed.

i thought that how they no-go'ed several attempts to be indicative of maturity.... however, since this is a film, we really don't know who made the actual no-go decisions: sponsors, athlete, film crew, guides, etc.?

for klar and anybody else, the "early pioneers" of this that I know of (because i saw the films) were johan (start at about 3:03): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REIbSgufwSU; and nobis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFxjCtzPmb8

these descents were both 20+ years ago and in AK.

i'm still looking for an answer about how conditions generally are not great for what the heros on this film seek, but were exceptionally good for "normal" steep ski mountaineers. I think they discussed it in the film a little bit... what's different? (i could have missed that explanation in the film).

when i mentioned BIG lines, like university peak, AK; it has a 7k ft face, supposedly, 48-52*

**neck beard** · 11-20-2016, 05:10 PM

The Gervasutti is the only line I have come close to skiing, turned away because, well mainly I was shit scared, by myself and intended on doing it for the kudos which is not a good motivation. Anyway, he had good snow! Just not good charging snow, which forced him to ski it a little more like anyone else would ski it, but on skis which he claimed were for charging, not turning.

Originally Posted by telefreewasatch

Lastly, Neckbeard, you mentioned that you can't be calculated in big mountains or something to that effect. I call B.S. on that...its all we have going for us...its how we stack the deck in our favor pursuing dangerous activities. We as a species have the ability to reason (though that was not apparent on election night) and use this ability daily to enjoy and prolong our life. Oh yeah, and we have opposable thumbs for holding ski poles and ice axes!

Please don't misinterpret me from my post. I am WAY more an analyst than a fatalist in the mountains. I agree that there is a lot we can do to understand the odds, and then work on days when they are more in our favor. I just think that there is a realm where the calculations become very very fuzzy and unforgiving of error or accident.

Just for the record, this is all just internet talk. I dislike fear and uncertainty and usually choose to avoid it. Everything in this movie is in the scared and uncertain category. As an analogy, I prefer pleasure and sex. Feelin' good and havin' fun. And there is a lot of that available in the mountains.

**PNWbrit** · 11-20-2016, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by rob stokes

You are on crack if you are comparing this skiing to palisades straight lines.

Someone mentioned similar conditions at Vail a while back in the thread too.

**Rob Stokes** · 11-20-2016, 06:49 PM

Lol, yeah vail.

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**concretejungle** · 11-20-2016, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by rob stokes

Lol, yeah vail.

Much closer to the Hogan Bowl.

**Mofro261** · 11-20-2016, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by neck beard

I dislike fear and uncertainty and usually choose to avoid it. Everything in this movie is in the scared and uncertain category. As an analogy, I prefer pleasure and sex. Feelin' good and havin' fun. And there is a lot of that available in the mountains.

I'd say some of it falls in the old or bold camp, and I am now part of the former group. I personally love every aspect of the high speed GS turn and have been making a similar turn for a long time, just in terrain and circumstances with (usually) much less consequence. Maybe that's why I find the footage so compelling, I can sort of close my eyes and see a younger version of myself skiing some of these lines. They really are making beautifully fluid turns on (mostly) good looking snow, and for the most part, being very well connected to the snow even at speed. Likewise, I can look at the crap crusty snow on the Oberg and think I'm with Sam- not what I'm looking for on a smooth high speed descent. The line of what one can and what one should was pushed a little there imo, but that's why i'm not anywhere near the level Jeremie is right now.

**DeathVan** · 11-20-2016, 07:48 PM

This is the best skiing I've seen in a long time!
Truly awesome and inspiring

The Nobis analogy is spot on imo

**neck beard** · 11-20-2016, 08:06 PM

Bullshit!

This genre never even existed until 2008 when "an American" went to Europe and skied the west face of the Eiger, Matterhorn east aspect, Monte Rosa, and wait for it.... boom... Mont Blanc!

It was a big deal on a popular blog. Like no one had ever done it before. With helicopters where possible.

**Island Bay** · 11-20-2016, 08:40 PM

Who was that Messiah who saved us from ignorance, NB?

**bodywhomper** · 11-20-2016, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Someone mentioned similar conditions at Vail a while back in the thread too.

You kids seemed to miss my point (and that i was responding to tahoej)....?

**Bronic** · 11-21-2016, 12:37 AM

Some good discussion in the last few pages. I agree with much of what was being said, this dude is certainly calculated, but...if he keeps up with this style unfortunately it's only a matter of time.

The fall where he looses the ski had me sweating. Overall very good film and the shots are often jaw dropping. I wish they would have included some more conversation about the fall and backing down with Jeremie.

Also, Sam Anthamaten is a badass.

**neck beard** · 11-21-2016, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by Island Bay

Who was that Messiah who saved us from ignorance, NB?

An accomplished dude. I don't mean to be disrespectful. Just remembering the light-hearted collective eye rolling that went on at the time.

**Bronic** · 11-22-2016, 06:05 PM

I believe the film was only supposed to stream for 24 hrs but it's still up, FYI

**Island Bay** · 11-23-2016, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by neck beard

An accomplished dude. I don't mean to be disrespectful. Just remembering the light-hearted collective eye rolling that went on at the time.

Ok. And my apologies if I was (disrespectful of a good dude). Still curious...

**telefreewasatch** · 11-23-2016, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by Island Bay

Ok. And my apologies if I was (disrespectful of a good dude). Still curious...

You weren't...respect and trust...any other words in the English language that have as much to do with integrity?

**Bronic** · 11-23-2016, 02:28 AM

Originally Posted by Island Bay

Ok. And my apologies if I was (disrespectful of a good dude). Still curious...

Dav

**globalcatastrophic** · 11-24-2016, 02:28 PM

A few thoughts on the film and the comments here...

Heitz is a very special talent. There are few (or no) skiers in the world capable of skiing what he skis how he skied it in La Liste. If De Le Rue says he's impressed, that's pretty much the gold standard.

It's a super refined, super niche thing he's doing. The history, logistical support, access and specificity of local knowledge in the region this took place in doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. So I'm not sure if this type of skiing can be applied anywhere besides this region of the Alps. But I know Anthamatten and Heitz have been mountain biking in Nepal a couple of times, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Himalayas are the theoretical next step.

Oh, it's dangerous? No shit? The questions of safety and consequence posed here are relevant, certainly. But they're the same uncertainties, doubts and unknowns that have prevented anyone from ever doing what Heitz did before. What he did was boundary-shattering precisely because it was in the face of all of the reasons NOT to do it brought up in the last few pages. Should he keep doing it? Should other people do it? Legitimate questions. But none of which change what he proved possible.

The closest thing I can compare this to is a classical music recital by an absolute prodigy. The skiing was fairly two-dimensional, the faces skied (aside from the Amone) are all virtually planar walls, Heitz made the same type and same radius of turn throughout the film, his skis didn't leave the ground more than twice. This isn't a critique, just an observation, and I think a compliment to where skiing has evolved to. So, so different than the Sammy C edit or the B&E video, or Shiffrin slaying her competition, or Sage skiing big, creative face-melting stuff in AK. The range of styles and expressions possible in skiing today is insane.

The film wouldn't have been possible w/o Sam Anthamatten's collaboration. Such a unique individual - there's maybe one or two IFMGA guides out there with a vision for big mountain skiing like Sam has, combined with his intimate knowledge of the faces in the film, it is nearly as much his accomplishment as Heitz's.

**neck beard** · 11-25-2016, 04:37 PM

Good post.

I don't think anyone here minds people like him shattering boundaries like this. Just that these days, well, I think some people come to terms with the event of death before it happens, rather than act all shocked afterwards.

To be honest I ran out of my limited opinions a while ago. I'm just replying because your good post deserved it

**TahoeJ** · 11-26-2016, 12:00 AM

No one is hating we are just concerned. As a Squaw skier some of us have seen way too many people - some of the very best in the world - die way too young over the past several years. It's all fun and games until you're drinking in some ski bar with an older lady (relatively speaking) whose kid was one of them. That kind of shit will give you real perspective in a hurry.

**telefreewasatch** · 11-26-2016, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by TahoeJ

No one is hating we are just concerned. As a Squaw skier some of us have seen way too many people - some of the very best in the world - die way too young over the past several years. It's all fun and games until you're drinking in some ski bar with an older lady (relatively speaking) whose kid was one of them. That kind of shit will give you real perspective in a hurry.

Speaking for myself, I didn't consider anyone's opinion in this thread to be hating. Seems like a lot of good discussion went on, and one could feel the collective respect that folks have for Heitz.

The Squaw community has lost a lot of cool people with equally mad skills and creativity. We, as a tribe, have felt their family's and your community's pain way too often over the last decade. And all the vibes in the world don't make that mother feel much better.
Tahoe J., thanks for clarifying concern over negativity...