UKC

Blurring the line between skiing and climbing is Swedish steep skiing specialist Andreas Fransson.

Earlier this year, accompanied by Swedish film-maker Bjarne Sahlen, Andreas travelled to Patagonia in South America to climb and ski some futuristic lines. Perhaps the most stunning line of that trip was The Whillans Ramp on Aguja Poincenot.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=67701

In reply to UKC News:Hats off to Bjarne thats definately off piste, I was scared watching!

In reply to philhilo:

Controversial - but is that really skiing? A series of hops from one edge to the other - then rappelling down a particularly tricky section. Not exactly continuous, flowing and graceful. Don't get me wrong, it is bloody impressive, but personally I was a little underwhelmed....

In reply to wibb20:

Gotta agree with wibb20. Bit of an anti-climax but an impressive feat nonetheless.

In reply to wibb20:

If you read his blog, Andreas writes about just that issue:

"It’s arguable if skiing on this level is skiing anymore and as I sidestepped about half the run I wouldn’t call it very stylish. On the other hand, in my reality, in these conditions I would be extremely impressed if someone would ski the whole thing with “style”, and although surely possible it would be a game with very low odds of success trying to do turns where I could barely get my skis to stick while sidestepping."

http://andreasfransson.blogspot.se/search?updated-max=2012-09-26T17:09:00%2...

In reply to UKC News:

Amazing line - maybe one day it'll go 'free' but skiing needs people like Andreas to open new possibilities. Just like climbers opening new lines on big mountains that may later be 'freed' - this guy is pushing boundaries.

As has been said Andreas address's the issue on his blog.

To put the angle of the slope in some perspective imagine standing on a step ladder sideways - that gives some perspective of the slope angle. Illustrated here by the great and sadly late Remy Lecluse - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151219739996203&set=pb.1138393...

Andreas would also be skiing the slope from memory as the line would be difficult to ascertain from above. In soem ways he'd be skiing 'blind'.

In reply to Henry Iddon:

Agreed. And if you look at his tracks on the upper section they are actually quite regular, rounded-out jump turns...

Reminds me of a year or two ago when a couple of guys (Davide De Masi & co?) made a rare repeat of the North Face of the Blanche de Peuterey and were criticised on a (US I think) forum for their skiing being slow & them making jump turns!

In reply to UKC News:

Beautiful film I really enjoyed both episodes and found it scary to watch too!
Great effort

In reply to UKC News:
Anyone know if he was wearing a chute in case he lost it and ended up plummetting to terra firma ..??