I was psyched to get back on the bus this year. It is the one week a year I can turn my brain off and just ride. I do not have to evaluate snow, figure out where we are going or even put in the boot pack. I hop on the bus and get a guided tour through the alps by the top guides and riders in each area. This year we started in Austria. I have been in the area a little bit but this will be my first time to do some real snowboarding here.
- The bus
Our first day we had two contest runs. The wind has ripped threw the range leaving us on small, protected zones. I was quite surprised at the terrain picked today and was wondering if they need to change the name to the small mountain pro. Non the less it was nice to clear the jet lag away with some mountain air, catch up with old friends and check out a new area.
- Run one turned into the ice fall challenge.
Day 2
The organizers made up for yesterdays “warm up day” and brought us to a pretty sick 2500 foot face that sits above the city of Insbruck. The 3 hour traverse/hike was a great way to start the day. The reward was a high speed descent that started with a few small cliff bands and ended with endless waves to slash and jump on.
- 2500 foot face was the day 2 venue
- The summit ridge. The hike took about three hours.
- Insbruck sits below. What an insane city. We pretty much road a 4700 vertical foot descent into a major European city.
- Looking down on the first start option.
