September 2009 Newsletter

Welcome to our October 2009 Newsletter.

Avalanche Training Courses / Lodge to Lodge Safari in Northern BC / Midnight Sun in Arctic Sweden
TLH Heliskiing - New Ownership / Icebergs and Frozen Fiords in Greenland / Tragedy in New Zealand
The World's Best at Last Frontier / The Ultimate Sports Watch / Tragic End to K2 Ski Expedition
The Rocker Rocks / Autumn Events

What a relief to be back in Chamonix and blissfully distant from tales of swine flu and financial ruin. At this time of year most newsletters and first issues of ski magazines start off with the phrase, 'with winter just round the corner' or... 'the first chills of winter are here' or perhaps...'summer's gone and winter's on the way'

In the interests of being different but equally boring, I thought I'd start out with something totally unrelated to skiing and astute observations about how summer turns to autumn and autumn to winter.

Much to my amusement I recently read that France is now employing people to smile at tourists. I chuckled to myself and reasoned that this might actually be an improvement on America's tipping culture where, it's the customers who pay employees to smile (and do everything else for that matter).

On a recent trip to America, I found myself a little short of cash on the cab ride home... not so short I couldn't pay the fare, but short enough that I couldn't leave much of a tip. We arrived and politely I explained the situation and apologised to the driver, at which point he turned around and told me to, "get the f..k out of the car and say hi to the queen". I suppose he was probably well within his rights to shoot me...so maybe I got off lightly... but it did make me think that we live in this strange world where half the people smiling at you are actually being paid to do so... While it may be a rare thing, there's something quite refreshing in the knowledge that a French smile is usually free and quite genuine.

James Morland - Managing Director

Anyway... back to skiing and snow and all that stuff.

Avalanche Training Courses

This winter we will be running a number of avalanche education courses in Chamonix and anyone who has booked a heliski trip with us in the last ten years is invited to join us free of charge. Space is limited and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

Courses will be three days long and split roughly 1/3 classroom time and 2/3 in the mountains. They are aimed at recreational skiers and snowboarders who want to further their knowledge in this field. Particular emphasis will be placed on: recognition of avalanche terrain, safe travel techniques, companion rescue, use of available resources and understanding the basics of avalanche formation.

Teaching the courses with me will be Johann Slam from Stewart, British Columbia. Johann has worked in the avalanche industry since 1991 and has been a full time avalanche professional since 1998. He has taught avalanche courses for over fifteen years and for seven he was employed by the government of British Columbia on the Bear Pass avalanche programme in northern BC, where he deployed tens of thousands of kilograms of explosives and was responsible for one of the most avalanche affected roads in Canada. He is also a professional member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and an instructor for CARDA - The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association)

If you would like to join Johann and I for a fun few days of learning in the mountains around Chamonix, or would just like to hear more about it, please contact me on +44 7900 241 591 or james@eaheli.com

The cost for the three day course is £180 - or free if you are an existing Elemental Adventure client. Once again, spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. We will be offering two dates during the last week of January. Hope to see you there!

Lodge to Lodge Safari in Northern BC

Two world-class heliskiing locations are joined for the first time by air and skis. Starting at Last Frontier's Bell 2 Lodge and finishing at the frontier town of Stewart on the border with Alaska, this new and exciting tour promises to be a unique adventure in British Columbia.

A total of seven days are split between Bell 2 Lodge's legendary terrain in the Skeena Mountains and the epic tree runs and glaciers of Ripley Creek in the Coast Mountains. For more details, click here.

Midnight Sun in Arctic Sweden

Yes, Sweden does have mountains. They may not be particularly high but with cold temperatures at low elevations, they don't need to be.

Since visiting Sweden in May 2007 I have always been convinced that this is an area of massive and largely untapped potential. With world class heli skiing and a totally unrestricted area, all just a short hop from most European cities, it is a mystery to me why heli skiing remains relatively undeveloped here.

It has been a long time in the planning but we have now teamed up with Rikgransen local and U.I.A.G.M guide 'Jossi' Lindblom and esteemed restauranter and sommelier, Patrik Stromsten, to bring you what we are convinced is one of the best heli ski experiences anywhere... and for those of us living in Europe, it's right on our doorstep.

Our base of operation will be the resort of Rikgransen which is located some 300 km within Sweden's Arctic Circle. Although daily heliskiing on the peaks close to the resort has been going on for a number of years now, this experience is aimed largely at skiers who are already at the resort and who just want to do a couple of runs close by and get a taste for heli skiing. The experience we are offering is aimed at people who want the focus of their trip to be the heli skiing - who expect the very highest quality experience on all levels. Here are a number of reasons to heli ski with us in Sweden:

An easy, short trip from most European cities with no jet lag
World class heli skiing
Flexible length of trip from three to seven days
Small groups and high degree of flexibility
Lead guide with over 15 years experience in the area
Lots to do when not heli skiing (local ski resort, ski touring, dogsledding, snowmobiling, fishing)
Outstanding food and wine

Prices range from €2,900 for our three day Arctic Odyssey package to €7,000 for our Arctic Exclusive package. For full details please click here.

TLH Heliskiing - New Ownership

One of our long-standing partners, TLH Heliskiing was recently sold and will be undergoing some dramatic changes this season. For the first time the ownership of the heliski company and the Lodge is under one roof. The company will continue to operate with helicopters provided by Wildcat and many of the on the ground staff including General Manager, Cliff Umpleby and guide Keith Reid have many years experience working at TLH.

Based at the recently renovated Spirit Bear Chalet, the Platinum Packages at TLH continue to be THE benchmark for extraordinary, high-end heliski adventures. Sensational skiing, immaculate attention to detail and all the luxuries of a five-star hotel are what you can expect from the world's ultimate, luxury heliski experience. Click here for further details.

Olympic Special at TLH - Too Good to be True?

To celebrate the Olympics coming to Vancouver and TLH's new ownership, we will be offering an 'Olympic Special' of truly exceptional value. For the 2010 season, all standard packages at TLH will operate with only one group per helicopter and will include unlimited vertical. Come with a group of ten skiers and you end up with a totally private package plus unlimited skiing for an UNHEARD of price. This is unlikely to be repeated anywhere, ever. For more details, please contact James or Anthony on +44 20 7836 35 47 or +44 7900 241 591.

Icebergs and Frozen Fiords in Greenland

If hopping on a short flight to Greenland for a couple of powder runs to the beach and a glass of champagne on a local iceberg sounds like your cup of tea, then a trip to the frozen fiords on the east Coast of Greenland could be the trip for you this spring.

We have limited space available from mid-April to mid-May. Full details can be found by clicking here

Tragedy in New Zealand

It is with great sadness that I report the loss of our friend and dedicated heliski guide, Jonny Morgan who was killed by an avalanche this August in New Zealand's Ragged Range. Many of you reading this will have skied with Jonny in Canada and will no doubt remember his infectious enthusiasm and love for the sport. He will be sorely missed by many. Click here to read more.

Seth Morrison at Last Frontier. Photo by Chris O'Connell.

The World's Best at Last Frontier

Two of the most prestigious ski movie makers visited Last Frontier Heliskiing in 2009. Both Teton Gravity Research from Wyoming and Matchsticks productions together with the legends Seth Morrison and Tanner Hall visited Last Frontier's Bell 2 Lodge at the end of February. The footage is slated to appear in TGR's latest movie 'Re: Session' which will be released later this year.
To preview the movie click here and to read Seth Morrison's impressions of Last Frontier Heliskiing click here.

Helicopter-Accessed Ski Touring

For the first time this season we will be offering helicopter assisted ski touring from Last Frontier's base at Bell 2 Lodge. Your week starts with the rewarding part - four days helicopter-accessed ski touring - earning your turns before returning to the luxury of Bell 2 Lodge for a soak in the hot tub and a massage. Mid-way through the week, you will swap skins for a helicopter and be spoilt senseless with three full days of heli skiing in the legendary Skeena Mountains. Prices start at CA $5,995 per person per week. For more information, click here.

The Ultimate Sports Watch

Launched in 2006, Linde Werdelin watches and clip-on instruments have redefined the world of luxury sports watches by bringing together the very best of Swiss watch making and craftsmanship with innovative design and technology.

By combining both analogue and digital technologies, Linde Werdelin produces and manufactures the ultimate sports watches and precision instruments that securely clip on top of the watch to enhance the sporting experience whether in the mountains or at sea.

Linde Werdelin will be joining us at the Vue cinema in Leicester Square for this year's preview of the latest Warren Miller movie and will have a number of watches and instruments on demonstration.

If you are interested in a free 5-day trial, please contact us.

Click here to visit the Linde Werdelin website.

Tragic End to K2 Ski Expedition

A couple of months ago our good friend Fredrik 'Frippe' Ericsson set off with Italian partner Michele Fait in an attempt to become the first to ski from the summit of Pakistan's K2. In a project spanning two years, Frippe's plan was to climb and ski the three highest mountains in the world: K2 (8612m) this summer, Kangchenjunga (8586m) in autumn 2009, and Mount Everest (8850m) in the autumn of 2010.

Early into their expedition, K2 once again lived up to its notorious reputation when Michele was tragically killed in a fall on the mountain's lower slopes. Michele Fait was an experienced ski mountaineer and has climbed/skied on Shishapangma (8012m) in 2004, Gasherbrum 2 (8035m) in 2005, and K2 where he reached 8300m in 2007.

Heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family and friends. To read more click here.

The Rocker Rocks

Die hard laggards and traditionalists resisted fat skis for years claiming that they made things too easy or because the concept was all just a bit too weird. Mmmmm, well yea...what a load of horse manure! Making things easier is GOOD. Ski faster with less effort and more control and still have the energy for a few more laps at the end of the day.

Don't be surprised as you are flying down the hill on your nice, new fat powder boards feeling pretty pleased with yourself, when you are overtaken by a ninety year old grandmother sipping a glass of sherry while she sprays you in the face from the back of her K2 Pontoons.

The introduction of the rockered ski has taken skiing into a new dimension - a dimension similar to that enjoyed by snowboarders for many years. The first time I strapped a pair of these boards on, the experience was BETTER than my best ever powder day and I could not wipe the foolish grin from my face�..run after effortless run.

The original concept was introduced by the late, great Shane McConkey with the 'Spatula' ski he developed in conjunction with Volant. Realising that the ski would not be taken seriously by the industry, McConkey proved his point by mounting up a pair of 1970's water skis and shredding an imposing peak in British Columbia's Coast Mountains. Click on the video to check out the footage.

The idea is simple. Instead of the traditional ski curving to touch the snow, the reverse camber bends away from the snow, the theory being that your tips won't sink. The Spatula never really caught on and it wasn't until McConkey switched to K2 and they released the Pontoon, that the idea started to spread like wild fire.

Today, nearly every reputable ski manufacturer produces a reverse sidecut, reverse cambered ski.

So I guess the message from me is that if you like having fun and don't own a rockered pair of skis, you're missing out in a big way.

Autumn Events

We hope to see you at one of our events this autumn. In addition to those listed below, we will be organising a number of 'open evenings' for groups who are interested in hearing about specific destinations. Please let James or Anthony know if this is of interest to you.