The best freeride resorts. The snow cycle on the planet. Freerider calendar. Davos - Switzerland

Activities such as winter freeride are a clear example of this, because just a few decades ago few people knew about it, much less practiced it. Considering the fact that freeriding does not require any complex equipment or inventory, the main thing is careful preparation and a successful choice of slope.

What is freeride

Winter freeride is alpine skiing and snowboarding on a wild, unprepared downhill route (from point A to point B). In other words, freeride recognizes only those slopes that are outside the maintenance and preparation of the ski industry (industry). This discipline is fraught with many dangers and pitfalls due to natural reasons, since there are potential threats:

• avalanches;
• cliffs;
• uneven coverage;
• dangers associated with unexplored territory;
• and so on.

Nevertheless, the discipline is thriving and developing, because the undoubted advantages can be considered adrenaline and impressions that no other sport can provide. In addition, going down wild, untouched snow is believed to bring out the full potential of alpine skiing and snowboarding.

List of the best places for freeride in the Russian Federation (2017)

In the Russian Federation, freeride has become very popular among active and athletic youth. First of all, due to the very concept and advantages of this discipline, and secondly, due to the huge selection of high-quality trails that are fully suitable for freeride. After all, Russia boasts a vast vast territory with picturesque landscapes, as well as a variety of climatic zones and topography. The popularity of freeride indirectly emphasizes the high demand for snowboard rentals in St. Petersburg.

Today, the most popular places for freeriding are:

1. Mamai (a picturesque area located on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia).
2. Adzhigardak (Republic of Bashkiria)
3. Priiskovy (Republic of Khakassia).
4. Elbrus region (Kabardino-Balkaria).
5. Sheregesh (Kemerovo).
6. Krasnaya Polyana (located in Sochi).
7. Medvezhiy (Khabarovsk Territory).
8. Kamchatka.
9. And other equally successful suitable places.

Each area is unique in its own way, and in addition to its characteristics, it will delight everyone with the beauty of pristine nature. All of the above meet certain criteria. Namely: they are located in safe seismic zones, have a snow cover of at least two meters high, and also have a certain infrastructure for ascent, descent and first aid.

Description of the most popular routes

Mamai

One of the most successful places for freeriding, which has already become traditional during its development in our country. It is located in the south of Lake Baikal and boasts a favorable climate, rare occurrence of avalanches and other dangerous circumstances. The freeride season is about five months.

Its slopes are not surrounded by dense forest, which makes for a safe descent. The length of elephants is on average three meters, and the elevation changes are about 600 meters. There are many attractions and developed infrastructure. It should be noted that it works ski rental, thanks to which everyone will be able to rent or find a replacement for broken equipment (and this is not uncommon) Since ski rental in St. Petersburg is far away, the possibility of it in Mamaia is a real help!

Priiskovy

The best place for active and courageous youth who are equally active in freeride. The village of Priiskovy is located in Siberia, in the depths of the Kuznetsky Altau mountains. There are numerous trails here that boast excellent snow coverage, as well as relatively flat elephant terrain and no dense forests. There are no ski lifts in Priiskovoye, so you will have to make your own efforts to get to the desired route.

Adzhigardak

It is the oldest and most famous ski resort. In addition to excellent infrastructure and picturesque nature, it can offer an excellent selection of destinations that are perfect for freeride. There are more than ten slopes, the average length ranges from 500 to 1800 meters, and the elevation difference is 350 m. Adzhigardak has an excellent snow park, a youth school for education and training, as well as many lifts, which significantly save energy for the most important thing - exercise sports.

The listed slopes are only a small part of the potential, which carries a significant incentive for the development of freeriding in Russia, as well as in the world. The places mentioned in the table have approximately the same characteristics as the ski resorts described above.

A first-person account of how several freeriders were caught in an avalanche in the Irkutsk region. One small mistake: all participants in the descent were carried off the rocks by a huge mass of snow and ice. Everyone survived, but they were literally on the ropes.

Now in the small hall of the Artplay center there is an exhibition Helipro Chronicles dedicated to freeride skating. Anyone who looks at colorful photographs of mountains and snow flying from under a board directly into the camera lens is taken by the grandeur of nature and human capabilities, but few people think about how dangerous this can be.

Freeride can only be understood by trying to ride in the mountains on deep untouched snow on a board or skis. At such moments, freeriders experience a euphoria that dulls all self-preservation instincts, overcome by greed and impatience to be the first to ride where there is not a single trace yet. In this material we will tell you what freeriding is and how to start doing it.

Physical training

First of all, you need to take care of the physical condition of your body. One descent does not last long - depending on the length of the slope and your preparedness, but even one ride can be so tiring that you will ride and scream in pain. In this case, it is difficult to talk about pleasure.

First of all, the legs suffer, of course. Your knees are your natural shock absorber, so it’s best to pump them up well in the off-season. Do squats and the Viennese chair exercise (press your back against the wall with your knees bent, as if sitting on a chair and try to stay in this position for as long as possible). During the descent, the knees should be bent at all times to maintain balance and absorb shock.

The second important place during descent is your back. It’s also worth preparing your back for a trip to the mountains: any fitness club has back exercise machines, and if you don’t like a sweaty gym, then use your bed as a workout machine. Position yourself on the bed so that the lower part of your body remains on it, and the body above the waist is outside. With dumbbells in your hands, do inclines, increasing the load over time. If you have a weak back, you will be bent like a puppet with every push and jump, and this can cause you to lose control of the board.

Lectures on avalanche safety

Year after year, avalanche experts and mountain guides do more and more research into avalanches, take thousands of measurements and cut out cubic meters of snow, assessing their density. However, no one will ever give you a 100% guarantee that a layer of snow cannot melt away in this particular place. An avalanche can never be ruled out, but every effort can be made to ensure that your descent is enjoyable and as safe as possible.

This part of preparing for off-piste skiing is very important. It is better to never neglect knowledge, and if you and your friends sometimes go off the slopes, knowledge about avalanche safety, snow conditions and skills in searching for victims and providing first aid can save someone’s life. Lectures on avalanche safety are often given by an avalanche expert from Krasnaya Polyana, an engineer-meteorologist at the Gorki Gorod resort. Maxim Pankov.

Equipment

It is a small sensor that can receive or send signals. You absolutely cannot climb off-piste without it. When seconds count, this thing will help your friends or rescuers find you in the snow, and it could save your life. You can even be in shorts and a T-shirt, but you should be wearing a beeper, at least out of respect for those who are skating with you.

The right clothes

You can talk about how to dress for the mountains for hours, but the most important thing here is clothing with a good membrane (fabric that does not allow water to pass through from the outside and removes moisture from the inside) and complete sealing of the set (pants that are fastened with the jacket, cuffs with holes for thumbs and special valves on the pants to prevent snow from getting under the legs). As soon as you find yourself up to your neck in snow, you will immediately understand which joints of your clothes are leaking, and for the rest of the day they will remind you of themselves in the most unpleasant way.

Backpack with ABS system

An advanced and expensive accessory that managed to save the lives of hundreds of people. As soon as you fall into an avalanche, you pull a special handle on your backpack, and two strong air wings instantly open behind your back, which will help you stay on the surface of the avalanche.

Of course, snowboarders mostly ride without a helmet. This is an inexplicable phenomenon - after all, everyone understands that a helmet will help avoid serious injuries, but at the same time they come up with all sorts of excuses (it’s ugly, it won’t save you anyway). Don’t think that the backcountry is exclusively soft and fluffy snow into which you fall like cotton candy. Trees, rocks, rocks - all this can unexpectedly burst into your life and leave you disabled. What can we say about the fact that the avalanche largely consists of ice blocks.

Types of skiing

GO OFF THE ROUTE

The riskiest and easiest way. As a rule, there are wide open spaces for skiing near the slopes that you need to be aware of. To do this, it is best to grab someone from the locals, and even better, consult with the avalanche service workers. Never follow someone else's trail, this is the most common mistake. You may find yourself in an avalanche or riding on a rock.

BACKCOUNTRY WITH GUIDE

Correct and relatively inexpensive. First, you walk for several hours, and then for several minutes you descend where only a few descended before you. It's expensive, but inexpensive and quite safe. Each resort has backcountry guides who know the local mountains and are in constant contact with the avalanche service.

SNOWMOBILE RIDING

Not cheap, but convenient - snowmobiles here act as a lift and allow you to make several descents in a day.

HELIBOARDING

In a matter of minutes, a helicopter takes you where only a bear’s paw has gone before, and you, together with experienced guides and riders, rush down the slope, where a helicopter is already waiting for you to take you back to another peak. This is a real paradise for those who love to ride off-piste, but it will, of course, cost you a lot.

THE ART OF FLIGHT MOVIE TRAILER

Where to ride in Russia

There are many resorts around the world famous for safe off-piste skiing, but in Russia there are not many of them.

The safest in terms of skiing next to the slopes is the Sochi resort Rosa Khutor. The most experienced avalanche workers work here; during avalanche danger, the snow is removed with special gas cannons, and even off the slopes there are restrictive signs (it is better not to drive past the signs with skulls, and at your own peril and risk, past the Danger signs). If you are riding off-piste, a lifeguard can stop you and check for a beeper.

Sheregesh is a Siberian resort famous for its light and dry snow. The infrastructure and avalanche service here may not be as developed, but the gentle slope configuration reduces the possibility of avalanches. The winter season here begins in November.

Text: Tanya Chekhova

Freeride only!

While there is no snow in our area, I invite you to take a ride on a bathyscaphe to unusual ski resorts. Easy educational excursion. Who knows, maybe something will catch your eye and you’ll rush to one of these cute little places.

But not during the excursion, you understand: depth, depressurization, oxygen. Bathyscaphe is not a toy!

Before the dive: I was only at two resorts from the article - La Grave and Cheget; I wrote about Gulmarg from the words of a friend who doesn’t go anywhere else, having once visited this resort (a man lost for us); The description of the Silverton resort was taken from the Internet.

Well, let's go? We will visit the ski valleys of the Himalayas, Colorado, France and Russia.

Gulmarg, India

4 freeride resorts - Gulmarg ()

You can write a lot about Gulmarg, because it is not only skating, but a whole million accompanying ingredients. On the way to the resort, Mother India herself will appear in front of you in all her unique glory: people with weapons, crowds of poor people, cheap and spicy (and for some the most delicious) food, breathtaking traffic and much more. I almost forgot, Gulmarg is the Himalayas!

If you decide to come here, then there will be no shortage of information - so many people, having visited the resort, have written detailed reports about Gulmarg that you will read it. Some even decided to make a business out of it and now receive guests there.

Below you will find two useful sites (one in Russian), but we cling to our windows and return to the topic of travel - resorts where there are no prepared routes.

There are no slopes at the Gulmarg ski resort, or rather, there is one, blue, in the middle forested area, but carvers should not come here for this alone. It's better in the Moscow region.

Skiing at the resort is divided into three zones:

• Upper - above the forest line, served by ski lifts
• Middle - forest zone, served by ski lifts
• Lower - forest zone, ascent to the start by jeeps

During prolonged snowfalls, the lifts often do not work and riders are left with two options to choose from: skiing in the lower zone with a lift by car or climbing on foot.

One zone is lovingly highlighted on the map (in green), something like the boundaries of a resort, which is just as wild as all the others with one exception - it is looked after by the avalanche service. Anything beyond this is freeride at your own risk.

Ski area served by ski lifts ()

The resort has two lines of lifts - cabins for 6 people, they follow each other to the very top. There is also a short four-seater chairlift (visible on the map to the right of the gondola lift).

You get to the peak of the resort (3950 m) in the same cabins, and there you have a lot of options for how to manage the luxurious 1200 m vertical drop of 1200 meters.

If this is not enough and you have the strength, then from the peak you can get another 200 vertical meters, thoroughly pumping up your leg muscles and respiratory system in rarefied air conditions.

Any freerider, taking a quick glance at the resort map, will understand that he has struck a gold mine - limitless opportunities for off-piste creativity stretch in both directions.

I’ll add one more piquant detail to all that has been said - about 14 meters of fluffy powder falls on Gulmarg during the season. And it is clear that this powder does not sit still, folding its arms like snowflakes, but regularly slides down the slopes, turning into life-threatening avalanches. To increase their chances of returning from the resort alive, all diligent riders must carry and know how to use it.

Features of Gulmarg Resort

• The highest point of the lift is about 4000 m
• The lowest point of the lift is about 2800 m
• Elevation difference - 1200 (at the ski lift level)
• The drop with jeep transfer is approximately 2000 m
• Lift - gondola, 4-seater chair

Video

Websites

• gulmarg.ru
• skigulmarg.com

La Grave, France

4 freeride resorts - La Grave

Without exaggeration, this resort can be called the wildest, most dangerous and deserted not only from our list, but also from all the resorts in the world. Although there is one prepared route (in the upper zone) on the Meije glacier, it is absolutely of no interest to the contingent coming here.

The La Grave resort is famous all over the world for something completely different: a childish explosive cocktail of open fields, rocky faults, ice walls and deep cracks. Add to this the elevation difference of more than 2000 meters (1450 - 3600) and unstable weather.

There is almost no sunny weather at the resort; instead, strong winds often blow here. Therefore, you won’t be able to lure sunbathing and relaxation lovers here.

And the village of La Grave itself, located at the foot of the mountain, is so small and gloomy that it attracts only inveterate prospectors of virgin skiing, of which there are not so many nowadays.

La Grave does not have the usual Alpine chalets made of wood. To keep houses warm in conditions of frequent bad weather and high altitudes, all houses are built of stone.

The picture would be incomplete without saying that competitions are held hereDerby de la Meije. These are off-piste fights without rules and carnival outfits in one batch. Participants in the frantic “race” start from the very top and fight their way through, just to be the first to reach the very bottom. It doesn’t matter which way, just to outrun your rivals, of whom a considerable army is gathering. And so that there is enough strength for a 2 km difference.

Video from Derby de la Meije. If you want to go straight to the start, watch from 3 minutes:

More videos about the resort:

Website

• la-grave.com

Silverton, Colorado, USA

Silverton, Colorado ski resort launched its only ski lift in 2002 and has not bothered to build a single groomed slope since then. Since then, the resort has boasted the largest off-piste area in North America: 90 square kilometers of wild terrain within walking distance from the top station.

The resort map is terrible:

From what has been said and seen above, it follows that these mountains are not for those who have just started skiing.

Silverton is completely different from ordinary resorts. Here you can ski without a guide only a few days a season. This season they were March 31, April 1, 2, 7, 8, 9. That's all. On other days, a guide is required.

So that people do not jostle on the slopes and lifts, there is more nature in the frame, and not our colorful bodies, no more than 475 ski passes are sold daily.

Every day at 8.15 the formation of groups according to interests and level of skiing begins. In a day, those who are prepared usually have 4-6 descents. For skiing at the resort, an avalanche sensor, probe, and shovel are required.

Experienced guides diligently monitor the physical condition of guests and can strongly recommend that those who are tired skip one descent. For the sake of the client's health and the satisfaction of the group in which he/she rides .

If funds allow, you can take advantage of helicopter rides - heliskiing.

Silverton Resort Features

• Lift drop - 600 meters
• The resort drop is 900 meters
• Lift – 2-seater, chairlift
• Skiing between altitudes - 3200 and 2300

Video

• silvertonmountain.com

Cheget, Russia

4 resorts for freeride - Cheget (photo)

Cheget is the most extreme resort in Russia. Everything is extreme here: the extremely avalanche-prone terrain, and the chairlifts, one of which is so old that no one remembers exactly how old it is: 50 or 55.

From below to the intermediate station (popularly called the Ai cafe) there are two chairlifts (single and double), then you change to a single chair, and at the very top, if you want to go up another 50 meters, a drag lift awaits you. Everything is a rarity.

Skiing takes place between 2100 m and 3000 m. Among off-piste lovers, the resort is valued not only for its antique condition, but also for its endless freeride opportunities - two legendary zones on both sides of the ski lifts - South and North.

If the South is more gentle (but no less interesting and dangerous for that reason), then the North is cut by dangerous couloirs, in which avalanches have taken the lives of more than one rider. And yet, despite the danger and the lack of service usual for developed resorts, despite the wild queues, a large number of fans of this famous mountain come here every season.

In good weather, Cheget offers stunning views of the peaks of Elbrus, against which the skiing becomes majestic and filled with sacred meaning (my own observations). Every turn is like meditation.

Elbrus is located 5 kilometers from the Cheget resort.

After any snowfall, the space under the ski lifts very quickly turns into the famous Cheget mounds, which require special skill and endurance not only from beginners, but also from trained riders. The amateur video (below) shows what we're talking about.

Characteristics of the Cheget resort

• Height - 3000 m
• Lower station – 2100 m
• Height difference - 900 m
• Lifts
  • single chair – 2 pcs.
  • double chair – 1 piece
  • yoke - 1 piece

Website

• The resort does not have an official website, but there are other information resources where you can find out more information about the Cheget resort. Here is one of them - prielbrusie-ski.ru

Let's surface!

Well, that's it - the trip was short, so no food was offered during the swim. But if you have a thirst to add something to what was written, please quench it in the comments. By doing this, you will do well for yourself (relieve a burden from your soul) and help other readers if your comments are useful.

Let's emerge...

If you feel that the speed on a hard, polished track no longer pleases you as before. Or after a good descent you doubt what exactly will happen to you first - hitting the lift pylon or crossing the sound barrier. Maybe you should try freeriding. New off-piste skills and new equipment will be required, but it will be a fresh delight and a new sensation, without betraying your favorite hobby.

TIGNES, FRANCE – Correct terrain and may have the best instructors in the world.

This place in the Alpine wilderness offers 33,000 beds and you can imagine that the fresh snow that falls will be trampled in the blink of an eye. But that never happens. Anyone who hires a guide or instructor for off-piste skiing is sure to find untouched snow, even days after the snowfall. Especially on the western side of the resort, the side opposite the adjacent resort of Val d'Isere.

The resort has a wide variety of terrain. There is a lot of hard black tin. But you will also find a lot of short nicks between tracks, chutes and medium-sized half-bowls. The resort maintains its off-piste "NatuRide" atmosphere. There are many specially groomed and marked trails and, most importantly, protected from avalanches. These slopes roll out faster than other off-piste routes, but if you have time, you can ride them without a guide and avalanche equipment.

VAIL, COLORADO - The ultimate off-piste playground.

For beginners to freeride, North American resorts have one significant advantage over European resorts: they provide avalanche safety throughout their entire territory, on or off piste. And you don't need to take a guide or special equipment to enjoy freeride.

Vail has excellent opportunities for this ski de-stress thanks to its famous Back Bowls. They face south and west, which means conditions are better in the middle of the season; in spring they become limp from the sun. But on a cold, quiet day in the middle of the week, after a snowfall, there is no better playground to nurture your off-piste skills: not too steep a slope, not too long and almost free of trees and rocks. Each slope ends with a lift, no forced backcountry required. Ride as long as your legs can hold you.

HOCHFUGEN, AUSTRIA – One of the friendliest off-piste resorts in the Alps.

The Austrians call Hochfügen Schneeloch - “snow hole”. Located in a small mountain valley in the west of Zillertal, it does not miss a single snowfall and shakes every last crumb out of the snow clouds. Skiing above and below the tree line is varied and interesting. But the best thing is that there is a friendly freerider atmosphere. At the very top of the key off-pist descents there are boards telling you what the conditions of the descent are and what awaits you ahead.

Alas and ah! These slopes are not avalanche-proof like the slopes in Tignes or North American resorts. And this is good again, if you are just learning freeride, you will find yourself in the tender arms of local guides. Under their careful guidance, in a few days you will see how your technique has grown. You will feel impenetrably confident on the slopes of the alpine bowl located above and on the roller coaster below, through the forest. .

VAL THORENS, FRANCE – powder, sun, rock and roll.

Val Thorens is located in a high and large mountain bowl in the western part of the Three Valleys. The very top of the bowl, where there is usually a golden rim, is complex, but just below are gentle and treeless snow fields. When the clouds descend, visibility here in diffuse light is poor, but in sunny weather this is a real Valhalla for freeriders.

ÅRE, SWEDEN—Smooth turns and inexpensive lessons.

Ore stands at the foot of the convex round mountains called Orescutan. Their upper slopes are a blissful place to practice off-piste turns. No trees or rocks, the fields are ideal for confident progress in technology. Heavy snowfalls do not occur here; there is no need to wait for fresh fluff up to your knees. Usually up to 10 cm of fresh snow falls, which is generally satisfactory. There's enough snow on these slopes to be soft and airy, but not enough to make you run out of steam after 20 turns.

Good news for those who want to learn off-piste skiing, the cost of an instructor is almost two times lower than in the Alps.

LECH, AUSTRIA – very snowy, very chic.

If you want to practice in deep snow, take note of Lech and Zurs. Two old upscale resorts sit on the northern side of the Arlberg Pass. The level of snowfall here is the highest in the Alps. In Lech the average precipitation per season is 7.3 meters, and in Zurs more than 10 meters. The slopes here are not as steep as in neighboring St. Anton, which is important for a learning freerider. A big plus is the lack of competition in virgin lands. Regular visitors to these resorts prefer to spend time on the well-groomed slopes or while away their time in five-star hotels and expensive restaurants.

GRAND TARGHEE, WYOMING – Deep fluff for selfish freeriders.

This is a small place at the end of the world. Almost no one goes there. But on the right day, Grand Targhee is truly heaven on earth for freeriders of all genders and all generations.

There are three answers to the question “why?” First, the resort has a western exposure and harvests a rich harvest of snow from the Idaho plains. Targhee claims that an average of 12.7 meters of snow falls here each year, which immediately puts the small resort in the global snow super league.

Secondly, there are no big cities nearby, and those who could come are distracted by a larger resort - Jackson Hole. And the resort is deserted, you may even think that this is your personal ski resort.

Thirdly, the height of the slopes is ideal for off-piste skiing for skiers and snowboarders without much experience. Not too flat as to be boring. Not too steep to be scary. Rare trees will add flavor if you like slalom. Your experience and confidence are guaranteed to grow.