Norway 2013: Sailboat Assisted Ski Mountaineering

Over the last 10 days of May, Mammut ambassador Todd Offenbacher joined Doug Stoup of Ice Axe Expeditions on an exploratory ski trip to Spitsbergen--on the northern coast of Norway--and to the northern island of Svalbard. The group sailed the coast in search of couloirs and they found many first descents and ski to sea ocean runs.

Todd on a classic ski to sea first descent. 

The Ski Belay: A Necessary Evil

It sucks to ski on belay. It just does. But, it is sometimes "impossible" to ski a big peak in the Tetons that does not require a bit of "jiggery-pokery." A full arsenal of ropes, carabiners, ice screws, and pitons are required to descend many of Wyoming's big one's--even for the best ski-mountaineers out there. While continuous descents do exist--like the East Face of the Middle Teton or the Amora Vida on the South Teton--no one has ever been able to get the Grand Teton clean.