Snow & Ice

Cross Country Ski Racing LIVE

March 29, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“You are one with your skis and nature. This is something that develops not only the body but the soul as well, and it has a deeper meaning for a people than most of us perceive.” — Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) Norwegian explorer, scientist, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, champion cross country skier

Cross country skiing has evolved over thousands of years, starting as a practical means of travel over snow covered terrain in Scandinavia and China and becoming a universal recreational winter activity and competitive sport.

Men’s cross country debuted at the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix, France in 1924. The women’s cross country event debuted at the 1952 Oslo Games. Today, competitive international cross country skiing includes six ski racing events (sprint, team sprint, individual start, pursuit, mass start and relay), and Nordic combined events consist of both cross country ski racing and ski jumping. All Nordic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS).

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The US CROSS COUNTRY SKI SUPERTOUR is a vital component of the US Ski & Snowboard development program, providing top-level racing competition for athletes with aspirations of qualifying for the US Ski Team and competing on the FIS World Cup tour and in the Olympics.

During the 2018-19 SuperTour winter season, top US cross country athletes will race in seven cities across North America in a series of FIS sanctioned cross country events. Livestreaming of the 2018-19 SuperTour starts Saturday, December 1, 2018 and continues during each season event. If you miss a live stream broadcast, you can watch video recordings of previous SuperTour events by selecting from video posts located on the media player below↓

Here’s the 2018-19 SuperTour schedule:

December 1-2, 2018
West Yellowstone, Montana
Men: sprint freestyle, 15k freestyle
Women: sprint freestyle, 10k freestyle

December 8-9, 2018
Silverstar, British Columbia
Men: sprint freestyle, 15k classic
Women: sprint freestyle, 10k classic

January 3-8, 2019
Craftsbury Common, Vermont
Men: 15k classic, sprint classic, 30k freestyle Mst, sprint freestyle
Women: 10k classic, sprint classic, 20k freestyle Mst, spring freestyle

January 25-27, 2019
Lake Placid, New York
Men: 10k freestyle, 15k classic Mst, sprint classic
Women: 5k freestyle, 10k classic Mst, sprint classic

February 15-17, 2019
Minneapolis Saint-Paul, Minnesota
Men: sprint freestyle, 20k classic Mst, 10k freestyle
Women: sprint freestyle, 15k classic Mst, 5k freestyle

February 23, 2019
American Birkebeiner
Hayward, Wisconsin
Men: 50k freestyle Marathon Mst
Women: 50k freestyle Marathon Mst

March 28 – April 2
SuperTour Finals
Presque Isle, Maine
Men: sprint freestyle, 15k classic Mst, relay, 20k freestyle, 50k classic Mst
Women: sprint freestyle, 10k classic Mst, relay, 15k freestyle, 30k freestyle Mst

Programming Notes:

If you miss a live stream broadcast, you can watch video recordings of earlier SuperTour races by selecting from the video posts on the media player below ↓

Sometimes it happens — scheduling changes, breaks in competition, or technical interruptions in the live broadcast. Please check back for live action updates, and take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for more On2In2™ streaming info.

Athletes competing in the 2018 FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup are fighting for a spot on their country’s World Cup team. If you missed the December 19-20 live stream broadcast of Nordic Combined cross country racing at Park City’s 2018 International Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Festival, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media players below ↓ You can watch Nordic Combined Ski Jumping competition → here.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2018 Continental Cup Nordic Combined cross country racing on December 14 at Steamboat Springs, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓ Watch Nordic Combined Ski Jumping competition → here

Information/Resources:
Nansen Ski Club – the oldest continuously-operating skiing club in North America
Cross Country US Ski Team
US SuperTour 2018-19 (official website)
Cross Country Skiing (information, tips & technique, including ‘Beginners Survival Guide’)

Eva Sars Nansen was an avid cross country skier and influential 19th century voice for women's right to participate in winter sports. — Eva Sars Nansen in 1889 by Ludvic Szacinski CC BY 2.0 – National Library of Norway

Celebrated Norwegian opera singer and ski pioneer, Eva Sars Nansen (1858 – 1907), was an influential 19^thcentury advocate for the right of women to participate in winter sports on equal terms with men. She is believed to be the first woman to cross the Hardangervidda mountain plateau on skis, when she did so with her husband Fridtjof Nansen in 1892 wearing an unconventional ski costume designed by her husband and made by her with a skirt reaching only slightly below the knees.

Telemark skiing combines Alpine and Nordic skiing techniques, including cross-country, slalom and ski jumping, and has become an international sport sanctioned by the FIS with competitions involving several race formats.

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Feature photo is courtesy of Flickr user Guillaume Baviere CC BY-SA 2.0

Alpine Ski Racing LIVE

March 22, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

It’s all down hill in alpine skiing, and oh — what a fun ride.
Fun to watch, too.

While humans have been sliding down snow covered mountains for thousands of years, skiing as a recreational and competitive sport did not catch on until the 19th century.

The first slalom competition was held in 1922 in Mürren, Switzerland, and both men’s and women’s alpine skiing debuted at the Olympics in 1936, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Today, there are many types of alpine ski competitions, but they can be categorized into two major disciplines: Racing, which includes Downhill, Super-G (aka super giant), Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Combined, and Freestyle which involves moguls, aerials, halfpipe and skicross.

Here’s a quick run down of alpine ski racing events (freestyle we’ll leave for another day and a separate post):

Downhill is all about ultra-speed. Skiers start at the top of a long, wide race course, and ski down as fast as possible to the finish line, reaching speeds of up to 93mph (150 klicks). I like this race – point ’em down hill and go – fast with just a few easy turns. It’s a great experience for a recreational skier like me. But, can’t image going anywhere close to 90mph on skies. Elite athletes make it look easy, but it’s dangerous and takes courage as well as skill.

The Super-G is similar to the Downhill as the race course is wide and fast, but it requires a skier to make sharper and more frequent turns than in Downhill, making for lots of speed and thrills.

In Slalom, technique is the major focus. Skiers must maneuver around a bunch of poles and make very sharp, quick turns while going as fast as possible. I tried to go down a slalom course once. Think I got through maybe 3 gates, and that ended my career. I watch Slalom in awe.

The Giant Slalom is best described as somewhere between the Super-G and Slalom because the race course requires turns around gates spaced closer together than a Super-G race, but not quite like the turns in Slalom.

Traditionally, an alpine Combined competition consists of one run of Downhill and two runs of Slalom, raced on separate days, and the skier with the fastest total ‘combined’ time is the winner. A modified version of combined competition is called the Super Combined with one speed race (either a Downhill or Super-G) and one Slalom.

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The Finale du Challenge des Moniteurs in Val Cenis is a unique alpine ski competition and perfect for end of season fun as French ski instructors race in a 2 run Slalom at the end of the season. Watch the live stream broadcast on Saturday, April 20, 3 – 9:30am EDT.

Programming Note: Sometimes it happens — scheduling changes, breaks in competition, or technical interruptions in the live broadcast. Please check back for live action updates, and take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for more On2In2™ streaming info.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2019 French National Alpine Ski Championships (March 23-25), there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the event posts located in the right top corner of the media player below ↓

The competition was fierce at the 2019 Winter Universiade alpine skiing competition. If you missed the live stream broadcasts, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the alpine skiing events. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media players below ↓

If you missed the 2019 Europa Cup Giant Slalom competition in Tignes, France, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media players below ↓

If you missed the live streaming broadcast of Night Racing in Parallel Slalom Europa Cup competition, you can watch a video recording of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the men’s 2019 Europa Cup Giant Slalom, there’s till time to watch a video recording of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the 2019 Europa Cup Men’s Slalom competition at Val Cenis, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓

Sun Valley, Idaho was the host to the 2018 US Alpine Championships March 21 – 26, and it was huge and fast with US Ski Team members, Olympians, collegiate and international skiers competing on Bald Mountain for men’s and women’s titles in the Alpine Combined, Super G, Slalom and Giant Slalom.

Kicking off the competition on March 21, Olympian Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) won the alpine combined national title, and the young, talented A.J. Hurt (Carnelian Bay, CA) got the women’s alpine combined victory, her first national title.

You can watch video recordings of the men’s and women’s Giant Slalom racing at the 2018 US Alpine Championships. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts on the media player below ↓

Telemark skiing is a hardcore test of stamina, power, speed and grace in the mountains. WATCH FIS World Cup Telemark competition LIVE, and if you miss a race, video recordings are available for viewing.

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Telemark Skiing

March 19, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Telemark skiing (aka ‘teleskiing’), combines Alpine and Nordic skiing techniques, including cross-country, slalom and ski jumping, with special lightweight ski equipment for travelling both up and downhill. Introduced in the late 19th century by Norwegian farmer, Sondre Norheim, telemark skiing was primarily used as a mode of transportation through backcountry regions until a resurgence in the early 1970’s as an alternative backcountry skiing style. It’s now an international sport, officially recognized in 1995 by the Federation International de Ski (FIS) with competitions involving several race formats that combine elements of speed and rhythm with giant slalom gates, distance ski jumping, and skating from Nordic skiing.

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It’s the 2019 FIS Telemark World Ski Championships! Live streaming from Rjukan, Norway (March 20-24). If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located top right corner of the media player below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcast of 2018-19 Telemark World Cup Tour competition, you can watch video recordings of tour stops — just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media players below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcasts of the 2018 FIS World Cup Telemark season, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition, just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

Information/Resources:

FIS Telemark (event list and results)
United States Telemark Ski Association
British Telemark Ski Team
The Ups and Downs of Telemark Skiing (And 5 Reasons Why You Should Give it a Try) by Tim Jones, Appalachian Mountain Club website (December 21, 2015)

It’s FREE To WATCH 2019 Alpine Ski Racing

Watch adventure skiers travel the world discovering great beauty and dangers in the backcountry— A Skier’s Journey, a video series by Vancouver filmmaker Jordan Manley

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

Feature photo ‘Mt Adams Descent’ by Flickr user, Bill Devlin, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Avalanche

March 13, 2019 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Edward Whymper, Scrambles Amongst the Alps

Avalanches are not rare or random events. Most common during winter and spring, avalanches can occur any time of the year, and they are among the most threatening natural hazards to life and property in mountainous terrain.

Spontaneous avalanches result from either a weakening of a snowpack and gravity or an increased load on it due to precipitation. Avalanches are also triggered by disturbances from skiers, snowmobilers, animals, and seismic activity. A loud noise or shouting, however, is not a trigger as commonly believed unless the sound comes from an explosive device (frequently used to prevent avalanches in at-risk areas by triggering a small avalanche to remove instabilities in a snowpack).

If you ski, board or ride in the backcountry, live in or travel through snow covered mountainous terrain, the threat of avalanches must not be ignored as the dangers are very real.

This too real video by TahoeChappy captures the frightening experience of a backcountry skier as he triggers an avalanche, is buried and miraculously dug out in 4 minutes/28 seconds. He got very lucky. Not everyone gets that kinda luck.

In North America, 42-45 people on average are killed by avalanches (more than 150 worldwide), and hundreds more are injured. Most are snowmobilers, skiers, and snowboarders. Sobering reminders that whether you’re a backcountry expert or newbie, don’t venture out without understanding and preparing for the dangers. The good news — there are many resources available to help you learn how to reduce the risks.

Information/Resources:

Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center – non-profit organization based in Bozeman, Montana USA supporting avalanche awareness and education – find forecast, information and events
Colorado Avalanche Information Center and Utah Avalanche Center – backcountry avalanche forecasts, observations, accident reports, and education
Avalanche Training recommended by American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) for both recreational and professional backcountry adventurers
What You Can Do? – Avalanche Awareness Tutorial
The Power of Training – Avalanche Canada
European Avalanche School
What To Do If You Get Caught in an Avalanche, by Kate Baggaley, Popular Science (May 16, 2017)

EPIC SKIMO – Free-to-watch ski mountaineers take on extreme challenges of the mountain with a world record & personal goals in mind

A Skier’s Journey A free-to-watch, on-demand video series that follows adventure skiers as they travel the world, discovering great beauty and dangers in the mountains.

Feature photo is courtesy of Flickr user, Prasan, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Figure Skating

March 6, 2019 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

Figure skaters compete at local, regional, national, and international competitions at different levels from beginner up to the Olympic (senior) level, and disciplines, including singles (men and women), pair skating and ice dancing. Skaters typically perform two programs in competition (short and long) that include elements such as spins, jumps, spirals and lifts.

The International Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions, including the Winter Olympic Games and World Championships. The current ISU judging system requires a competitive program to have a set number of elements, and awards points separately for each skating element performed. The sum of these points is called the total element score (TES).

The score received for an element is based on the element base value and the grade of execution (GOE). A technical specialist determines base value of an element by verifying the specific movements and positions of the element. A panel of judges determines GOE marks based on the quality of the element and how well the skater executed the element. Then, things start to get a bit more complicated as the GOE value from the twelve judges is processed using a computerized random selection of nine judges, discarding the high and low value, and averaging the remaining seven. The average GOE value is then added to (or subtracted from) the element base value to determine the TES. OK, still with me?

The program components score (PCS) awards points for holistic aspects of a program or other nuances that are not rewarded in the TES judging, including skating skills, transitions, performance execution, choreography, and interpretation (exception: compulsory dance has no choreography or transition marks). Finally, the sum of the TES + PCS is the total score for a competition segment (TSS). A skater’s final placement is determined by the total of their scores in all segments of a competition. No ordinal ranking (i.e. judge’s preference ranking) is used to determine the final results. Got that? Me neither, and we haven’t even gotten to the jumping which can really make a viewer’s head spin. In fact, it’s probably the most confounding scoring in sports. Now, let’s get to the jumps — always exciting to watch.

There are many types of jumps in figure skating, and they are distinguished by the way the skater takes off and lands as well as by the number of rotations that are completed while the skater is in the air. However, there are only six jumps that count as jump elements in figure skating competition. All six are landed on one foot on the back outside edge of the skate blade, but there are different take-offs. The two categories of jumps are toe jumps and edge jumps. Toe jumps are launched by tapping the toe pick (large, jagged teeth on the front of the blade) of one skate into the ice, and include: Toe Loops, Flips and Lutzes. Edge jumps use no toe assist, and include: Salchows, Loops and Axels. A jump combination is a set of jumps, each jump taking off from the landing edge of the previous jump, and there are no steps, turns, or change of edge between jumps. Jump sequences are sets of jumps that may be linked by non-listed jumps or hops.

As with most competitive sports, there’s often some drama as a result of judging and scoring controversies. Ashley Wagner, three-time US national champion, 2016 world silver medalist, and Olympic team bronze medalist, did not make the 2018 US Winter Olympic Team, finishing 4th at the 2018 US Figure Skating Championships as her PCS scores (the highly subjective score awarded for interpretation aspects and the like) were surprisingly low. In fact, her PCS scores were lower in these US Championships than they had been with international judges at recent 2018 Grand Prix events. It’s unclear what exactly went wrong for Wagner because she did not fall or make a major mistake during her programs, and she’s been criticized for expressing her anger at the judge’s scoring. Regardless, she’s now learning to deal with the heartbreak, and deciding what to do next. (Ashley tells her story in the short video documentary, Showpony, below)

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The competition was intense and the figure skating — fantastic at the 2019 Winter Universiade, an international student and youth winter sport competition. If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media players below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2017 Cup of Tyrol-Innsbruck international figure skating event, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the posts on the video player below ↓ Next live stream broadcasts of figure skating competition are scheduled November 12, 2018 and February 25, 2019.

Feature photo “Queen Yuna” is courtesy of Flickr user, Song Joo Chea, CC BY-ND 2.0

Ski Flying

February 26, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Ski jumping is a Nordic skiing sport that has been featured in the Olympics since 1924, but has origins that can be traced much farther back. (Nordic skiing requires equipment with toe of the ski boot fixed to a binding allowing heel to lift off the ski, and includes sport of cross-country and Telemark skiing) In 19th century Norway, the first ski jumping competitions were held, and on November 22, 1808 in Eidsberg, Norway, the first ski jump of 9.5 meters (31 ft) by Danish military war hero, Olaf Rye, was recorded. Much has changed since that day as evolving technique and equipment have allowed ski jumpers to achieve greater and greater distances. ‘Ski flying’, a popular competitive winter sport in Slovenia and Norway, is an offshoot of ski jumping with the added danger of larger hills and longer jump distances.

What’s it like to take-off from a steep hill and fly through the air with a pair of skis strapped to your feet? Jumping the K120, a short video filmed at the Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, will give you an up-close perspective on just how high, fast and really scary the large hill ski jump really is.

In competition, each ski jump is divided into four segments: inrun, take-off (jump), flight, and landing, and is judged on distance as well as style, inrun length, weather and wind conditions. Scores from each skier’s two competition jumps are combined to determine a winner. The sport of ski jumping is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS). [Info: “How Does Scoring Work? by Kenneth J. Anderson, Ski Jumping USA] The current world record ski jump is 253.5 metres (832 ft), set by Austrian, Stefan Kraft, on March 18, 2017 at Vikersundbakken in Vikersund, Norway.

Ski jumping, along with cross country ski racing, is also an element of Nordic Combined competition formats.

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Even if you’ve never put on a pair of skis, you’ll want to watch these high flyers!

If you missed the 2019 USA Nordic Junior Ski Jumping Championships, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media players below ↓

Athletes competing at 2018-19 FIS Nordic Continental Cup events are fighting for a spot on their country’s World Cup team.

If you missed live streaming of Nordic Continental Cup ski jumping events, there’s still time to watch video recordings of this high flying competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media players below ↓

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the ski jumping competition at Park City’s International Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Festival (December 19-20,) there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media players below ↓ You can watch Nordic Combined cross country ski racing → here

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the Nordic Combined Continental Cup ski jumping competition at Steamboat Springs on December 14, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media player below ↓ Watch Nordic Combined Continental Cup cross country ski racing → here

Temps are were in the high 80’s at the Utah Olympic Park ski jumps in Park City …so, of course, it was absolutely perfect for ski jumping!

Ski jump training and competitions take place in summer on hills equipped for non-winter jumping (as at Utah Olympic Park). The special in-run is made of grooved porcelain tracks with a trickle of water running through that mimics the icy, snow-packed tracks of winter. The landing hill is made of green plastic “grass” that’s sprayed with water to reduce friction with a jumper’s skis. Jumpers can slide down a summer in-run just as fast and get as long a distance as in winter jumping; however, summer heat is often a factor for the athletes.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of 2018 US National Ski Jumping Championships (July 28-29), there’s still time to watch video recordings of both the Normal and Large Hill competitions. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media players below ↓

FREE To WATCH live streaming of 2018-19 US Ski SuperTour and 2018 FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup cross country ski racing events

Watch: Downhill Runs – an On2In2™ collection of exhilarating and inspiring ski and snowboard videos. Sure to get you in the mood to hit the slopes! Free to watch, on-demand

Photo of ski jumper is courtesy of Flickr user, Vegar S. Hansen, CC BY 2.0

Epic Skimo

February 25, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) involves climbing a mountain on skis or by carrying them and descending on skis using varied ski touring, Telemark, backcountry skiing and mountaineering techniques. A recreational as well as competitive sport, skimo requires a high level of physical ability and stamina along with technical know-how and skills. Enthusiasts enjoy the adventure, variety of terrain, extreme challenges, and pushing limits.

In 2016, Aaron Rice set out to climb and ski 2.5 million vertical feet in the backcountry without using climbing assistance from motorized equipment (e.g., chair lifts, helicopters), challenging the world record of 2 million vertical feet set by Greg Hill in 2010. It’s an epic endurance test as Aaron must chase after snow around the world and ski more than 330 days in order to accomplish his record breaking goal. Watch this amazing journey in the short video 2.5 million, filmed, directed and edited by Tyler Wilkinson-Ray.

Video documentary Follow Through tells the story of skier Caroline Gleich’s motivation and determination to ski the 90 difficult and insanely dangerous ski mountaineering lines in the backcountry of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains first described by ski mountaineer Andrew McLean in his *1998 book “The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains”.

Information/Resources:

International Ski Mountaineering Federation – governing body for ski mountaineering competitions
United States Ski Mountaineering Association – sanctions and governs competitive ski mountaineering racing in US, and promotes recreational ski mountaineering. The USSMA website includes how-to information, resource links and videos.

Avalanches are a powerful and deadly threat to ski mountaineers as well as anyone living or playing in snow-covered mountainous areas; therefore, no one should venture out in the backcountry unless up to speed on avalanche safety and accident prevention measures.

You should also watch Adventure Skiing (Free to Watch, On-Demand video documentaries) Adventure skiers travel the world, discovering great beauty and dangers in the mountain landscapes of Europe, Asia, North and South America, and the Middle East.

*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link to Amazon within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Robson Hatsukami Morgan/Unsplash, CC0

Mer de Glace

December 16, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is categorized a “valley glacier”, a type of glacier that originates from mountain glaciers and flows down valleys, and located above the Chamonix valley within the Mont Blanc massif mountain range of the French Alps. Formed by the confluence of the Leschaux and Génant glaciers, the Mer de Glace is the longest and largest glacier in France, and one the biggest tourist attractions in the Chamonix valley as it’s accessible by the historic Montenvers Railway (Chemin de fer du Montenvers) and offers spectacular mountain views as well as tours, exhibits, and restaurant/hotel. However, the powerful beauty and recreational benefits of Mer de Glace were not always appreciated.

During the classical and medieval periods of European history, ice was deemed mysterious, evil and dangerous, and glaciers aroused intense fear as they were thought to be inhabited by demons that swallowed up unwary victims as well as whole villages. Consequently, glaciers were avoided, not explored, deepening myths and superstitions for many centuries. In 1690, fearful villagers of Chamonix took action against glacial evil by retaining the services of a bishop to exorcise the glaciers.

Two Englishmen on expedition to Chamonix in 1741, William Windham (1717-1761) an English landowner and Richard Pococke (1704-1765) a high ranking clergyman and anthropologist, disregarded the forewarning of evil lurking in glaciers, and climbed up the mountain for 3¾ hours with the aid of local guides and porters to carry wine (essential drink for 18th century adventure travelers) and provisions. It was a successful excursion as they returned safely and were able to provide the first written description of the glacier they called ‘Mer de Glace’. The achievement also marks the beginning of change in attitude as the phenomena of the Sea of Ice later attracted writers, adventurers, artists and photographers.

Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot (1902-1904) — Mer de Glace Crossing, Zurich Central Library collection, 1902 – 1904, Public Domain

Two hundred and seventy-five years later, the explorers of Mer de Glace are on skis. In the video Ice Call from PVS Company, pro skier, Sam Favret, takes you on a freestyle tour through the icy waves, trails, and tunnels of Mer de Glace.

Vallée Blanche

Mer de Glace is certainly skiable, and you don’t have to be a ski pro like Sam Favret or an expert to enjoy the unique backcountry experience via the iconic off-piste ski route, Vallée Blanche. But, there are risks. The surface of Mer de Glace is very rough with gradient drops, large hunks of ice, deep crevasses, and seracs, making it extremely dangerous without sufficient snowfall, good intermediate skills (in all types of terrains & snow conditions) and a local mountain guide.

The Vallée Blanche is accessible from Chamonix, France via a 20 minute ride on the Aiguille du Midi cable car to the mid-station Plan de l’Aiguille (2,317m), then a walk through a tunnel and down a precarious ridge to a small, level area— the starting point for the main Vallée Blanche runs. There are four: the classic “voie normale” (the normal way), and the more challenging, Le Vrai Vallee Blanche, the Petit Envers du Plan and Grand Envers du Plan.

For the most part, the voie normale follows the valley floor through dynamic terrain, beginning with a descent into a bowl toward a large rock outcrop known as Le Gros Rognon (The Big Rock) and continuing along the mountainside. The run can be nice and smooth in spots, but depending on weather conditions, there could be deep powder, crusty layers, and icy moguls to navigate. About 2/3 down, the Refuge du Requin is a popular place to take a break, and 250 meters from there is the start of Mer de Glace. If snow conditions are good, it’s possible to ski all the way down to Chamonix. If not, the run ends at Montenvers, thus requiring a steep climb up iron stairs (misery!) to a gondola that connects to the Montenvers Railway. At a leisurely pace, including lots of stops, sightseeing and long lift queues, the up/down round trip will take 4 – 6 hours, but don’t rush…..enjoy the ride and take in the views.

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Valley glaciers like Mer de Glace are relentlessly moving, flowing, growing, shrinking and deforming as a result of weather (temperature and snowfall) and stresses caused by the massive weight. As a result, they are appreciable indicators of climate change.

After a significant cold period in Europe during the late 19^th century, Mer de Glace was so large that it reached as far as Chamonix in 1850. Today, it’s hardly visible from Chamonix as the lower end of the glacier (the ‘snout’) has been shrinking during the last 30 years at a rate of about 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) a year. There is concern the retreat will not stop as Mer de Glace is an important fresh water source for the region as well as a tourist destination, and Christian Vincent, a French glaciologist with the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique (LGGE) and Institut de Recherche pour le Development (IRD), has warned it may shrink as much as 1.2 -1.4 kilometers (about ¾ of a mile) by the year 2040.

Resources/Information:
Wikipedia (Mer de Glace, Mont Blanc massif, Glacier, Richard Pococke, William Windham, Sr., French Alps, Chamonix, Chemin de fer du Montenvers, Aiguille du Midi, Little Ice Age)
The Annals of Mont Blanc – A Monograph by Charles Edward Mathews (1900)
Because It’s There-A Celebration of Mountaineering from 200 BC to Today (William Windham..from an Account of the Glaciers or Ice Alps in Savoy, in Two Letters) edited and translated by Alan S. Weber (2003)
Celebration of the Franco-English Friendship in Chamonix (1936), summitpost.org
Spiritual History of Ice: Romanticism, Science & Imagination by Eric G. Wilson
Chamonix visitor information: findtransfers.com (see also; chamonix.com, chamonix.net, ski-chamonix.net)
“Climate Change on Mont Blanc: The Vanishing Mer de Glace” by Helena Fouquet (2015), bloomberg.com

There are more bold backcountry runs, big jumps and tricks to see on the “Downhill Runs” video channel and explore at Skiing China

Feature photo is a still shot from the video “Ice Call” by PVS Company
Mer de Glace photo by Detroit Publishing Co. (1890-1900), US Library of Congress Prints & Photographs, Public Domain
Chamonix Valley Map sourced from chamonix.net
Crossing the Mer de Glace on foot, photo taken about 1902-1904, Zurich Central Library, Public Domain

Skiing China

December 6, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

In the Altai mountains of northwestern China, prehistoric pictures carved in rock (petroglyphs) that show humans traveling over snow on skis are believed to be 10,000 years old, and the oldest written reference to skiing is from the writings of a Chinese scholar (The Hai New Jing) during the Western Han period of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 9 AD) describing how the people of the Altai mountains “sped like goats in the valleys and on the flatlands wearing the ‘horns of goats’ – a kind of knee high fur boot under which is bound a wooden board with a hoof-shaped front tip.”

samische_skifahrer-pd — Skiing in Scandinavia by Knud Leem December 31, 1766 (PD)

Despite the early history in Asia, today’s modern skis actually evolved from Scandinavia, not China (in 2014, a 1,300 year old ski with leather bindings was found in Norway), and not until the mid-19^th century did people start to enjoy skiing as a recreational sport, rather than strictly utilitarian purposes.

1849: First public ‘ski tour’ organized in Trondheim, Norway
1868: Winter train travel made mountain resorts commercially viable
1901: First skiing in the Pyrenees at La Llagonne, France
1910: First rope tow demonstrated at Truckee, California USA
1936: First chair lift introduced at Sun Valley, Idaho USA
1952: First large commercial snow-making machinery installed, Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel, New York, USA

Ancient traditions of skiing are still evident today in the mountain region of northwest China, but seem likely to be lost to future generations, and the sport of skiing never gained popularity in China as in other parts of the world. That, however, is beginning to change as the country prepares for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

The short documentary, China: A Skier’s Journey, from Jordan Manley, is an exploration of the past, present and future of skiing within the diverse cultures and terrain of China. Stunning mountain vistas and some gutsy backcountry runs, too.

Info/References:
Wikipedia: History of Skiing
“The Ancient Art of Skiing: A Chinese or Norwegian Invention? (Ultimate History Project website)

Watch more adventure skiing – A Skier’s Journey is a free-to-watch, on-demand video documentary series that follows adventure skiers as they travel the world, discovering great beauty and dangers in the mountains.

Feature photo is a still shot from the film “China: A Skier’s Journey”

Retreat of Exit Glacier

June 4, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Located in Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, Exit Glacier is one of 38 interconnected valley glaciers in the Harding Icefield, the largest ice field contained completely within the United States. In the spring of 1968, the first documented mountaineering party succeeded in crossing the Harding Icefield, and Exit Glacier was given its name for serving as the exit off the ice field during the expedition.

Exit Glacier is one of Harding Icefield’s smaller glaciers, but is one of the most visited because of year-round, easy access by a roadway and hiking trails around and above the glacier. When snow arrives in the area (usually mid-November) until early May each year, the access road is closed to cars but open to a wide range of winter sports and recreation, including snowmobiles, dogsleds, fat-tire bicycles, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

According to park research studies and recent enhanced monitoring and mapping, Exit Glacier has retreated about a mile in the past 100 years, and shrinking has escalated during the last few years with 187 feet (57 meters) lost from 2013-14 and another 136 feet (41.5 meters) in 2015.

Filmakers, Raphael Rogers, Kristin Gerhart and Paul Rennick, traveled to Alaska to explore Exit Glacier, but along with stunningly beautiful mountain views and amazing blue ice, they saw melting. Local guide, Rick Brown, explained what they were seeing and what’s been happening at Exit Glacier in this short video documentary, Glacier Exit.

Understanding Valley Glaciers

In order to understand why glaciers are considered a visual indicator of climate change, it helps to understand some basics about glacier formation, movement and their sensitivity to fluctuations in temperature.

Exit Glacier is what is known as a valley glacier (aka alpine glacier) that forms when more snow falls on mountain peaks during a year than melts during the summer, creating a snow pack that builds up and thickens. Over time, the weight of the snow causes the snow pack to compress and turn into ice, and the glacier grows as more and more snow and ice accumulate. Then, the weight of the ice starts to slowly push down the mountain through the valley. This downward movement of the glacier is hardly noticeable to the observer, but it’s a powerful force of nature that erodes the ground beneath it, stripping the valley floor and knocking loose rocks and debris. Along the way down, the glacier becomes a mixture of rock, dirt and ice.

While snow falls in the cold, higher elevation temperatures at the top of the glacier (the ‘accumulation zone’) during valley glacier formation, the ice is continually melting in the warmer area at the bottom of the glacier (the ‘ablation zone’). If the accumulation at the top pushes ice down the valley faster than the ice melts at the bottom, the glacier advances. When ice at the bottom melts faster than ice accumulates and moves down from the top, the glacier recedes.

During a glacier recession, ice and rock continue to flow downhill to the toe of the glacier (the end of the glacier at any given point in time, aka ‘terminus’ or ‘snout’), and the rocks are then continuously deposited on the ground at the front edge of the glacier as the ice melts. During periods of ‘stagnation’, the ice at the front of the glacier melts at essentially the same rate as the ice flows down, resulting in the toe of the glacier staying in one place. Rock and debris, however, continue to be pushed downward to the front edge of the glacier where it is deposited as the ice melts away.

Information/Resources:

Exit Glacier – visitor information. How to get up close to the glacier and explore the area.

The Retreat of Exit Glacier by Susan Huse

Kenai Fjords National Park (Where Mountains, Ice and Ocean Meet) – learn more, plan your visit, get involved

Physical Science in Kenai Fjords, by Virginia Valentine, Keith Echelmeyer, Susan Campbell, Sandra Zirnheld (Alaska Park Science: Volume 3 / Issue 1, 2004)

⇒ Exit Glacier conditions (May 28, 2018 update), an ice fall hazard zone was identified by Kenai Fjords park officials at the toe and sides of Exit Glacier. The condition is dangerous due to tall blocks and slabs of ice, and entry into the ice fall hazard zone is prohibited; however, the road to Exit Glacier and hiking trails remain open.

Located above the Chamonix valley within the Mont Blanc massif mountain range of the French Alps, the valley glacier, Mer de Glace (‘Sea of Ice’), is the largest and longest glacier in France and a popular tourist attraction as it offers spectacular mountain views as well as tours, exhibits, off-piste ski runs, and restaurant/hotel. Unfortunately, it has also been retreating during the last 30 years.

Feature image “Toe of Exit Glacier” is courtesy of the US National Park Service/Paige Calamari, PD. The 2011 photo of the toe of Exit Glacier was taken from the Outwash Plain below. Since that time, warmer temperatures have reduced the glacier mass of Exit Glacier, and it will likely never look like this photo again.

Snow & Ice

Cross Country Ski Racing LIVE

Alpine Ski Racing LIVE

Telemark Skiing

Avalanche

Figure Skating

Ski Flying

Epic Skimo

Mer de Glace

Vallée Blanche

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Skiing China

Retreat of Exit Glacier

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS

Snow & Ice

Vallée Blanche

The Fateful Retreat of Mer de Glace

Footer

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS