Produced by Rob Thompson of Hokkaido Wilds, the Niseko Backcountry Map is a mini guide to the amazing backcountry skiing and snowboarding around Niseko.
Along with the rest of Hokkaido, Niseko is famous for receiving huge amounts of snow. The resort does get busy however, so often the way to guarantee fresh tracks is to head into the backcountry.
The Niseko Bakcountry Map is beautifully produced in Japan on water resistant, recyclable synthetic paper. One side of the map covers the mountains around Niseko and shows a wealth of backcountry lines to explore. The reverse of the map shows the legendary Mt Yotei. There's also some really useful text descriptions of areas and routes, along with some general info on backcountry skiing in the area.
Check out the Niseko Backcountry Map here >
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Mont Blanc Lines is a very special book. Photographer Alex Buisse spent years putting together topos of the all the major climbing and skiing lines in the massif. We're talking about some of the most famous and important lines in the history of both disciplines, together with the lesser known routes that make up the rich playground that the Mont Blanc Range offers.
The majesty of the Chamonix valley and surroundings is known to most skiers and climbers, something that this book really highlights. It makes a great gift for any mountain lover and as such is featured in our gift guide.
We stock the English text version of Mont Blanc Lines.
]]>Fjordalp is a new brand to emerge from the same company that owns Backcountry Books. Winter 22 / 23 marks the first season for the brand. The initial range is a line of bags and luggage for backcountry skiers, ski mountaineers and powder enthusiasts.
Using predominantly recycled materials, including ECOPAK EXPX200 fabric, the bags are designed to offer outstanding long term durability and performance. Created in response to the kind of flimsy bags that are typically supplied with things like ski crampons and skins, Fjordalp products are built to last the rigours of daily use in the mountains. Almost all of their products are made in the UK.
Fjordalp products come with a comprehensive warranty and a free repairs for life. Even if an item is out of warranty, it will be repaired free of charge in a effort to prolong it's useable life for as long as possible.
Check out the Fjordalp website for more info.
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Run the Alps Switzerland combines gorgeous images, inspiring text and useful info on some the best trail running that Switzerland has to offer.
30 routes, from fast day runs to multi day epics are described with beautiful images alongside.
Authors Kim Strom, mountain sport photographers Dan and Janine Patitucci, and Run the Alps’ Doug Mayer have created a really inspiring book for all trail and mountain runners looking to head to the Alps.
Buy Run the Alps here.
More trail running guidebooks here.
]]>The Tour de Mont Blanc is one of the most celebrated hikes in the World. The TMB starts and finishes in Chamonix and circumnavigates the Mont Blanc Massif, taking in some incredible scenery along the way.
We've got a nice selection of guidebooks and maps for the Tour de Mont Blanc, including the classic Trekking the Tour de Mont Blanc by Kev Reynolds and the guidebook and guidemap from Kingsley Jones.
We've also got a range of maps for the French Alps from IGN. These are beautiful maps that cover the French part of the Tour de Mont Blanc.
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Val d'Isere Hors Piste: Le Guide Complet is the most comprehensive and up to date guidebook on the incredible terrain surrounding Val d'Isere. It's the sister guide to the hugely popular Tignes Hors Piste: Le Guide Complet and is written primarily by the same author; Simon Perry.
The guide is full of amazing images and topos which provide clear overview of the terrain and route. There's also extensive info on things like route access, aspect, length, altitude and safety concerns. Each route is even downloadable by QR code to digital mapping software.
Both the Val d'Isere and Tignes guidebooks are available to buy as a package with a 10% discount on the normal combined price.
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Use code MTB15 at checkout.
It's time to start planning those summer adventures to the Alps.
We'll be expanding our range of mountain biking guidebooks this year. Our range includes Lake Garda mountain biking guidebooks, Alps mountain bike guidebooks and Finale Ligure guidebooks.
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Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America describes the best ski mountaineering lines in the U.S.A and Canada. Big, inspiring images combine with stories from some of the world's foremost steep skiers to create a one of a kind book.
The descents range from New Hampshire on the East coast to Mt Baker and the Coast Range in the west. Unsurprisingly, the biggest lines are in the Alaska section, including some truly remote and epic descents in the St Elias and Alaska Ranges.
Check out the book here.
Check out Cody Townsend's YouTube series on skiing the Fifty here.
]]>Save 15% when you buy 2 or more IGN maps. Use code IGN15.
The 1:25,000 IGN maps that we stock here at Backcountry Books are just gorgeous. Maybe it's the fact that they cover some of our favourite alpine areas but they just seem so detailed and expertly produced.
We carry IGN maps for most the popular mountain destination in the French Alps, including the IGN maps for the Chamonix Valley, Ecrins IGN maps and IGN maps for the Trois Vallees and Tignes / Val d'Isere.
Check out the full range of IGN maps here.
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We're stoked to announce that Beacon Guidebooks are now available to buy at Backcountry Books.
Beacon's atlas style guidebooks are a great resource for the backcountry skier and snowboarder. They are light enough to carry on the mountain but full of clear info on terrain, access and avalanche safety.
There are several guidebooks in the range to some of the best backcountry skiing areas in the States, including Mt. Baker and Crystal Mountain in the PNW and several spots in Colorado including Loveland Pass and Silverton.
All Beacon orders are dispatched directly from our friends at Beacon Guidebooks in the U.S.A.
Check out the full range here.
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Bluebell & Moss design and produce beautiful ski resort wall art. Find your favourite resort and get these minimal and contemporary prints on your wall.
Check out the full range of piste map wall prints.
There are more mountain prints over on our sister site Mountain Walls.
]]>Tignes and Val d'Isere are one of the most popular areas in the Alps for adventurous skiers and snowboarders, and for good reason. Massive and varied terrain, lots of snow and excellent infrastructure make this a great place for anyone looking to seek out powder and steeps.
We've bundled together 3 items for this awesome area:
As with all our packages, you save money buying the package versus all the items individually.
Check out all our packages here.
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Lofoten Package No.1 contains the definitive guide book Lofoten - Ski Touring in the Magic Islands along with 3 Nordeca maps.
Lofoten - Ski Touring in the Magic Islands is an inspiring book full of awesome photos from Lofoten. It contains 40 routes from across the Islands from short, beginner friendly tours to more serious couloirs and big mountain terrain.
The 3 Nordeca maps cover the entire Lofoten Islands and contain popular hiking and touring routes marked along with mountain huts.
As with all our packages, there's a discount versus buying the 4 items individually.
]]>Marmota Maps are based in Germany and produce beautifully designed and made wall maps and prints. The wall maps especially are a work of art; wonderfully detailed and stylish.
Included in the range are both the large and small Ski Resorts of the Alps Wall Maps, Mountains of the Earth Wall Map, Ski Resorts of Scandinavia Wall Map and Ski Resorts of Austria Wall Map.
Ski Resorts of the Alps ~
Mountains of the Earth ~
Ski Resorts of Scandinavia ~
They also produce stylish prints based on mountains around the world. Including a Matterhorn print, a Mont Blanc print, Everest print, and many more. Check them out:
Check out the full range of Marmota Maps wall art at Backcountry Books here.
There are more mountain prints over on our sister site Mountain Walls.
]]>TGR films bring Unliftered - a short edit featuring Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Ian Mctintosh and Christina Lustenberger riding spring lines and ski touring in the Lofoten Islands.
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It’s difficult to make a call when it comes to the question of where the snowiest place in the Alps is. Several spots are probably in the running for the accolade; Damuls in Austria claims to be the snowiest village in the Alps, although I’ve heard Braunwald in Switzerland claim this title also.
If you’re looking for the place where it snows most frequently I suspect Andermatt would be difficult to beat. The Swiss town is a great place to head to for anyone banking on pow, especially when booking a trip well in advance – Andermatt and its immediate surroundings are in an unmatched position for catching storms from most directions.
There’s a tiny resort tucked away on the western side of the Arlberg Pass that I would also add into the mix. Stuben am Arlberg is a timeless village that’s linked to the mighty Arlberg ski area. It has access to some incredible terrain and an ambience that just oozes Austrian mountain culture.
A deep snowpack sits heavy on the buildings in Stuben ~
Stuben is situated in the Vorarlberg region of Austria – an area that is well-known for receiving heavy snowfalls. The nearby villages of Zurs, lech and St Anton are all renowned for their abundant snow. The valley that Stuben sits in though is a veritable snow maker. It opens out towards the west and gradually steepens and narrows until the village is reached, right at the end of the valley. Energy coming in from the west is squeezed allowing snowfall intensity to build and build until the mountain barrier is reached at the end of the valley. Clouds are often trapped around the lower slopes above the village and are forced to ‘snow out’.
Orographic uplift, combined with the perfect topographical shape of the valley and the fact that storms from the west are usually heavily laden with moisture means it can snow prodigious amounts in Stuben and on the surrounding mountains. In fact winds from south-west all the way round to north-east can produce snow in this area and even during a southern storm these mountain can get a surprise dump due to a northern ‘kickback’.
The snowpack in the village itself is often ridiculously deep. Black and white photos from the winters gone by adorn the bars in Stuben – huge cornices overhanging the buildings and piles of snow line the tiny streets.
Stuben am Arlberg ~
The skin / hike up Maroikopf ~
About to drop into the rolling terrain off the back of Maroikopf ~
Albonaska ~
Snow depths at mid mountain on Stuben’s local ski hill, the Albona, are regularly amongst the deepest in Europe, with over 4 metres being common. Bear in mind that’s at an altitude of just 2000 metres above sea level too. After the big storms that Hurricane Andrea brought back in 2012, the depth of snow on the Albona was 5.5 metres at the end of January. That equates to somewhere in the region of 15-18 metres of snowfall. That’s a lot of snow, even when compared to Japan or the west coast of North America, with most of the winter still to come.
However, the reason Stuben gets its own Untracked entry isn’t just because of the snow. Stuben, along with the greater Arlberg area, has some of the best terrain in the world. And although it’s a popular area you can still find quiet corners where tracks are rare – especially in and around Stuben and on the Albona.
Looking towards the Albona north face and Stuben backcountry ~
Lost in the scale of the Arlberg mountains ~
A short hike from the lifts in Zürs gives many options ~
Zürs powder ~
For all but guaranteed fresh tracks take the top Albona lift and skin or hike to the top of Maroikopf where there are multiple options for descent. The classic route follows rolling terrain down past a waterfall and into the forests above Langen where you can catch the bus back up the road to Stuben.
In the opposite direction are the endless wide slopes that eventually lead down to Restaurant Verwall and a taxi back to St Anton. Directly ahead are the spines and steeps of Albonaska – a mini Alaskan-like playground for expert riders.
Stuben is a brilliant place to be when the clouds are down and it’s snowing hard. Lapping the rickety old 2 man chair lift out of the village is super fun. Cutting off the piste to find fresh, weaving between the avalanche barriers, popping off natural features – it’s the quintessential storm day lift. Plus the soup at the Berghaus Stuben restaurant at the bottom of the lift is a steal at less than five Euros – the perfect shred lunch stop.
For more info on the backcountry around Stuben check out Andy Thurner’s essential guidebook to the area. It features all the classic routes in the wider Arlberg area including those in St Anton, Lech and Zürs – home of some incredible powder right off the lifts, as well as the secret spot that is Sonnenkopf. Freeride Maps are also available to the Arlberg area.
Getting to Stuben:
Fly into Innsbruck, Zurich or Friedrichshafen airports. From Innsbruck take the train to St Anton followed by bus from there. From Zurich and Friedrichshafen the Arlberg Express coach is quick, cheap and easy.
Accommodation in Stuben:
There are a few options but it’s hard to beat Haus Flexen. The rooms are clean and a reasonable size plus the bar downstairs run by local legend Willi is awesome.
Stuben Mountain Guide:
Check out Piste to Powder. They have packages to suit a variety of needs. Snowboarders should check out Bas Elhorst.
More Info on Stuben and The Arlberg:
I took a prototype PFD Big Mountain Powder Plank Splitboard to Lyngen last spring. I had a lot of fun. The board I rode was a little stiffer and heavier than the current production model. It also had more camber. However, the shape and dimensions are the same so I got a pretty good idea what this board is about.
It's a beautifully made board that has a real quality feel about it. The combination of the short-ish tail and long nose enabled the BMPP to float nicely in pow and was especially enjoyable in big, open terrain. The stiffness and length (162cm) made it less suitable for tight tree runs, although I suspect the proper production model may be a little more forgiving in this kind of terrain.
On hard snow and crud the board excelled; don't go thinking this board is only at home in the pow.
The BMPP comes complete with market leading Karakoram hardware. Ultra Clips provide a solid connection and the tip and tail clips are well made and durable.
Best of all, alongside the great ride and the great looks, it was really nice to ride a board that had been made by an expert single pair of hands from start to finish.
More info on PFD Skis and boards over at pfdskis.com.
]]>Home was an old house at the base of Sorbmegaisa - one of the best areas for ski touring in Lyngen.
The house was situated in the Kafjord region along side Lyngen Fjord, it catches snow from the north really well. Locals call it PowFjord.
We could step off the back deck into 50cm of pow and some amazing tree runs:
Later in the week the sun came out on Kjelvagtinden:
On the final day we headed to a really special but lesser known gem of a mountain around the headland to the north:
It's not in the guide book. I could tell you the name, but I'd have to .........etc. Shoot me an email if you want the details.
Whenever you're in Lyngen, there's always the chance of this too:
Image - Tom Berridge.
Check out our complete range of guide books and maps for both Lyngen and the rest of Norway.
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Supertrail Maps are the sister maps to the super popular Freeride Maps. They highlight mountain bike trails using a colour coded system that denotes difficulty. Supertrail Maps use either 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 scale so contain loads of detail. They also use area's national mapping system as a base (eg. Swisstopo for areas in Switzerland) so are excellent maps in their own right.
Supertrail Maps cover already popular mountain biking spots like Zermatt, Lake Garda and Finale Ligure as well as less well known areas like Valle Maira in Italy. At Backcountry Books we have a permanent deal on Supertrail Maps of buy 2 maps get a 3rd map at half price.
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Famous for its mega snowfalls and super varied terrain, the Arlberg region is one of Europe’s big hitters. Made up of 3 areas, it provides a lifetime’s worth of freeriding for the powder hungry skier or snowboarder. The main area that links St Anton to the tiny village of Stuben is where most will spend their time. The area that links the high-end resorts of Lech and Zurs can be quieter and has just as impressive terrain whilst down the valley Sonnenkopf guarantees empty slopes and the deepest tree runs on a powder day. The Arlberg has some pretty full on après too, particularly in St Anton where every one needs to experience the Krazy Kangaru at least once....
Image - Heli Putz
Never heard of Krippenstein? You’re not alone. This little beauty is basically a one lift wonder, but what terrain that one lift accesses. Wide open pow fields on the upper mountain give way to tree runs and cliff drops of the highest order. Although there are several marked freeride routes at Krippenstein, it’s defiantly not an area to take lightly and when visiting for the first time it might be worth forking out for a guide for a day or two. Krippenstein is located on the northern side of the Dachstein Massif close to Salzburg. The Dachstein Massif is a real snow magnet and if you’re lucky enough to be there when weather fronts are come down from the north, it can snow like crazy.
Check out Krippenstein Accommodation >
La Grave takes big mountain snowboarding to the extreme and provides the most serious lift accessed riding in the Alps. An old, 2 stage gondola transports you up to over 3000m into a world of glaciers, untracked powder fields and huge couloirs that drop all the way to the valley floor. La Grave is not a place for the inexperienced though and a guide here is mandatory for even the most accomplished skier or snowboarder.
The most well-known freeride resort in the Alps, Chamonix is the kind of place that really rewards those who are willing to explore. Some skins and a mountain guide are invaluable in Chamonix and a little effort will be greatly rewarded. The Mont Blanc range contains some of the most celebrated backcountry routes in the world in and amongst some mind-blowing scenery.
On low light days head to the Dream Forest on Grands Montets or the runs off the mid station of the Aiguille du Midi. When the sun is out and the snow fresh there are a myriad of options all around the valley. Off the top of the Midi is the Couloir des Cosmiques – often quoted as being the best lift served run in the world, although it’s accessed by a mandatory abseil so you need to know what you’re doing.
The top lift at Grands Montets accesses some top-notch terrain too whilst La Tour and Flegere both have some fun natural terrain with gullies, mini half pipes and small drops everywhere.
Click for Chamonix accommodation >
Nestled just off the road that leads up to the mega resorts of the Val d’Isere and Tignes, Sainte Foy isn’t quite the secret that it used to be, but it’s still a place you can find plenty of fresh tracks and some great terrain after fresh snow. Try hiking off the top of the Aiguille chair to the summit of Le Fogliettaz. The run down north face holds good snow long after the resort is tracked.
The old town of Courmayeur sits on the opposite (south) side of Mont Blanc to Chamonix. It consequently experiences different weather patterns and is often good when Chamonix is lacking. The main area offers a huge variety of terrain, from big open bowls to the world-class trees on the Val Veni side. The Helbronner lift out of the tiny village of La Palud, a few minutes out of Courmayeur, provides access to the some amazing big mountain terrain. There are no pistes here and off the back a long descent down to Chamonix via the Vallee Blanche awaits.
The Monterosa ski area is Italy’s answer to the 3 valleys. Don’t expect to find billionaire Russian Oligarchs and rugger bugger stag dos here though. Only long, empty pistes together with miles of untouched backcountry. The Monterosa area is made up of three villages with Gressoney and Alagna in particular being known for their off piste terrain. Gressoney is located in the central valley and provides the best all round access to the goods whilst Alagna is a beautiful, ancient village with some of the biggest lift served vertical in the world.
If there is one thing that sets Andermatt apart from elsewhere in the Alps it’s the quality and quantity of snow. The place manages to catch storms that roll in from all directions and is often where you’ll find the deepest snowpack in Europe. Fortunately the surrounding mountains have the terrain to match, along with very few crowds which all goes into making Andermatt a real gem of a spot for the discerning freerider.
Most of the action takes place off the resort’s main lift on the Gemsstock. The front side of the mountain has a couple of pistes but really you can just ride anywhere. Chutes, cliffs and mini spines are all here. Off the back you can shred empty valleys like Felsental and Guspis; both routes plunge through big mountain terrain all the way back round to the valley.
Engelberg is a traditional Swiss town with 2 separate mountains. The Brunni area has some nice tree runs and is great on a low light day. It’s the Titlis side that most freeriders head for though and with good reason. The Titlis mountain towers over the village and provides over 2000m of vertical drop with some of the best easily accessible off piste in the Alps.
Well known routes include the Laub; a wide open powder field at a perfect pitch that just begs to be ripped up and Galtiberg; a huge a varied descent all the way to the valley floor that passes through couloirs, past huge cliff bands and often contains amazing snow. The Jochstock chair is also super fun to lap on a pow day with it’s easy to access natural features.
Search Engelberg accommodation >
Switzerland provides perhaps the greatest collection of freeride resorts in the Alps. Verbier, St Moritz, Zermatt; all could have featured in this list. Disentis though provides something a little different. The relatively limited lift and piste network guarantees that you won’t be fighting too much for fresh tracks and the lower mountain provides great tree riding on low light days.
Try dropping into Val Acletta from the mid station where you can pop off pillows and shred the natural half-pipe all the way back to the bottom of the main lift. When the front side is tracked head over the back to Val Strem, a route that eventually ends up back in the valley after passing though some pretty remote and serious north facing terrain. Here you’ll find powder for days, or even weeks, after the last snowfall.
Search Disentis accommodation >
Go on then, 1 more:
The Val d'Anniviers is a great place to go skiing if you like your mountains big and full of powder, but not people. Situated a stone's throw from both Verbier and Zermatt, two of the best known (and busiest) resorts in Switzerland, the Val d'Anniviers snakes its way up from the valley floor into the very heart of some of the highest peaks in the Alps.
The village of St Luc provides a south-facing aspect for mid winter, Vercorin has great trees and Grimentz and Zinal both access some world-class freeride terrain amongst incredible mountain scenery. Get there soon....
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Written by Espen Nordahl (of Ski Touring in Troms fame) and Erlend Sande this book describes over 100 ski tours throughout Norway that prioritise avalanche safety. All the routes tend to stick to terrain lower than 30 degrees and are described with avalanche safety in mind. Don't think this is just a guide book with easy routes though - there are many super classics covered and some big days out too.
When flicking through this guide book it's really apparent just how many incredible mountain areas Norway has. Here are some of the areas that Safer Ski Touring in Norway covers:
Buy Safer Ski Touring in Norway in the Backcountry Books shop.
]]>Guide Book // Freeride Verbier (includes Arolla heliskiing and surrounding areas)
Tignes is one of the best resorts in the Alps for the adventurous skier or snowboarder. A huge area, some wonderful and varied terrain and an extensive lift system means it's easy to find a whole variety of descents for all ability levels.
Tignes Hors Piste: Le Guide Complet is a new guide book that brings all these routes together in a modern and easy to use format. It has route description in both French and English, along with really awesome images and detailed diagrams and info.
Each route also has a QR code that can be scanned and viewed on a smartphone using various apps, including Google Earth. It's a feature that really elevates the guide to a new level. And yes, a Val d'Isere version is in the pipeline.
All publisher profits from sales of the book go to local Tignes based cancer charity SOLEA.
Authors - Simon Perry, Jordan Tiernan, PG Conrardy & Yannick Ponson.
Check out Tignes Hors Piste: Le Guide Complet at Backcountry Books
]]>Spearhead: Pushing the Boundaries of BC's Backcountry is a short film by Arc'teryx that documents the increase in backcountry traffic to the Spearhead Range in British Columbia.
The Spearhead Range sits adjacent to Whistler Blackcomb resort. It's home to some wild and spectacular terrain that more often than not holds great snow. In recent years the number of backcountry ski and snowboard visitors to the range has increased exponentially. With the opening of the new Kees and Claire hut this is set to continue.
The film explores the mountains of the Spearhead Range and includes some really nice footage of some of the awesome lines found there.
Check out John Baldwin's excellent guide book to the Coast Mountains along with the Whistler Backcountry Map.
]]>CHAMONIX CLIMBING PACKAGE includes the beautiful Rockfax Chamonix guide book, IGN 3630 OTR Chamonix Mont Blanc map and IGN 3531 St Gervais map. Both maps are made with water and tear resistant paper and are incredibly detailed. The area covered stretches from Megeve in the west all the way to the Swiss border at the eastern end of the Chamonix valley.
This is a great package for anyone looking to go alpine, sport or trad climbing in the Chamonix Valley.
CHAMONIX TRAIL RUNNING PACKAGE has two guide books to trail running in the Massif, along with the Chamonix and St Gervais IGN maps. Trail running has really taken off in Chamonix in recent years and this package provides a good overview of the trail running possibilities in the valley.
Altitrail: Mont Blanc has 27 trail running routes in the area whilst Trail Running - Chamonix & the Mont Blanc Region contains 40 routes. Both cover the classics along with very adventurous runs and shorter, more relaxed ones too.
Check out all our packages for Chamonix, including our existing ski touring and off piste skiing & snowboarding packages here.
]]>Freeride Verbier is written by local legend Gilbert Crettaz who has a huge amount of experience when it comes to riding some of the big lines that Verbier is known for. Route descriptions are clear and concise and all the relevant info regarding access, avalanche danger and safety is included.
The best thing of all about Freeride Verbier though are the images. I guarantee if you've never been skiing or snowboarding in Verbier before, after reading Freeride Verbier, you'll certainly want to!
The images have routes drawn on them and give a wonderful overview of the mountains and terrain. Many are taken from the air and all represent Verbier and the surrounding mountains in a beautiful light.
Along with describing Verbier's best off piste routes, Freeride Verbier also includes a section on the local heliskiing runs in Arolla and around the Grand Combin too.
Check out Freeride Verbier and the rest of our products for the Verbier region here.
]]>The Faction Collective Presents: La Grave is all about the most revered ski area in the Alps. La Grave is a very special place which represents nature and freedom to those who ride there.
This film follows a superstar crew of Samuel Anthamatten and Johnny Collinson as they hit some of the biggest lines in La Grave with local guides Joe Vallone and Benjamin Ribeyre. In the process they discover what makes La Grave such a mecca for freeride skiers and snowboarders.
Check out our full range of La Grave guidebooks and maps.
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Born in Chamonix follows Chamonix local Tof Henry on some of the biggest ski lines in the Mont Blanc Massif. The film delves into Tof's style and what he looks for in a line.
With input and action from some of the great steep skiing and snowboarding legends including Anselme Baud, Nathan Wallace and Jonathan Charlet and Marco Siffredi. Produced and directed by Daniel Ronnback.
Check out our range of Chamonix guide books and maps.
]]>Thibaud Duchosal and Johannes Hoffman head to South America for the ultimate road trip. Together with local skier Lucas Swieykowski and a film crew, the plan was to drive and ski their way across the vastness of Patagonia. This is adventure skiing of the highest order.
The world premiere of The Empire of the Winds will take place at the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy in Chamonix on July 7.
Front image - Javier Procaccini.
]]>The guide book is too big and heavy to take touring though so it's best to use it in conjunction with the ski touring map to Val Maira - Esquiar En Auta Val Maira. This excellent map has routes marked on with the corresponding route number in the guide book marked also.
As an addition we also stock the English language version of the guide book. It's a much smaller and more basic book with no images. However it does work well in conjunction with the ski touring map and is light enough to take on the mountain.
So, for English speakers we'd recommend going for the the map, guide book in Italian or German and the English version too. This combination will give the best overall view of the area.
For Italian or German speakers simply choose whichever version of the guide book that suits, along with the map.
Just get in touch for any more advice regarding the Val Maira ski touring guide book and map.
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