Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information & opinion website. Lou's passion for the past 50 years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about
ski touring and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the
Fourteeners! Books and free ski touring news and information here.
All material on this website is copyrighted, the name WildSnow is trademarked, permission required for reproduction (electronic or otherwise) and display on other websites. PLEASE SEE OUR COPYRIGHT and TRADEMARK INFORMATION.
We include "affiliate sales" links with most of our blog posts. This means we receive a percentage of a sale if you click over from our site (at no cost to you). None of our affiliate commission links are direct relationships with specific gear companies or shopping carts, instead we remain removed by using a third party who manages all our affiliate sales and relationships. We also sell display "banner" advertising, in this case our relationships are closer to the companies who advertise, but our display advertising income is carefully separated financially and editorially from our blog content, over which we always maintain 100% editorial control -- we make this clear during every advertising deal we work out. Please also notice we do the occasional "sponsored" post, these are under similar financial arrangements as our banner advertising, only the banner or other type of reference to a company are included in the blog post, simply to show they provided financial support to WildSnow.com and provide them with advertising in return. Unlike most other "sponsored content" you find on the internet, our sponsored posts are entirely under our editorial control and created by WildSnow specific writers.See our full disclosures here.
Backcountry skiing is dangerous. You may be killed or severely injured if you do any form of ski mountaineering, skimo randonnee and randonnée skiing. The information and news on this website is intended only as general information. Due to human error and passing time, the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date. By using, reading or viewing the information provided on this website, you agree to absolve the owners of Wild Snow as well as content contributors of any liability for injuries or losses incurred while using such information. Furthermore, you agree to use any of this website's information, maps, photos, or binding mounting instructions templates at your own risk, and waive Wild Snow owners and contributors of liability for use of said items for ski touring or any other use.
Hi Lou,
the peak sticking out in the distance is the Grosser Rettenstein, not Schwarzkogel. And the ridge you’re cruising along is the Gerstinger Joch, methinks :).
Keep having fun!
Lenka K.
Great adventure Lou! It looks as though you are living large in Europe. CHEERS!!
Lenka, you’re right, don’t know how I messed that up, not enough sleep I guess… and yes, the skier is on Gerstinger Joch. Was on the Schwarzkogle the other day as well.
Pretty cool. There’s some spirit in there and those speck noodles are the bomb on an empty stomach (almost literally). Glad you went back again, always more/different fun the second time round. Its good reading about it.
Matus, yes, I’m finding things more similar than I thought, though I feel the Europeans embrace the whole experience more with less uptightness about who does what (tele vs AT, human vs cable car, etc.). I’m pretty tired of the anal attitudes in the States, people need to loosen up and enjoy the breeze. That’s not saying people in EU don’t have opinions, just that they seem to sometimes have more gusto. I also like the way we stay up in the mountains and don’t rush back home, but that could depend on who you are with… I also feel there is more accommodation here for different paces and ages. Probably because it’s simply a more mature sport that’s got so many more participants.
Interesting to read how you see and feel Euro ski-touring. I hope you like it. It seems to me that there are only some minor differences (food, huts, etc ).
Love the Pinz. I’m thinking of trading my Unimog for one. 😀
Yeah, I’d say the Pinz is nicer than a Mog, it appears to be lighter, smaller, and more agile. Canback is cool as well.
Lou, thanks for that 10:06 am comment. It makes me feel almost like I’m there with you. Great description of the location and culture surrounding it. I especially like how you talk about opinion vs gusto. Do I sense correctly that it would be accurate to say, the Austrians would rather do it than talk about it, and would devote their time accordingly?
Dang Roy, I’m headed back tomorrow and will pound my knee cartilage to pulp walking the halls in the temple of gear otherwise known as the Outdoor Retailer show. I will look in vain for an Austrian pastry and probably end up with a free Cliff Bar. Ho hum, another day with WildSnow.com.
As for Dynafit, I’ve got a first-look coming for the new women’s Zzero and it’s really terrific. Other new boots coming soon, just waiting to make sure I get it right.
Lou
Couldn’t resist another post. A Pinzgauer!! Those are pretty wild. Back in my army days I was stationed for a while just north of the Rofan area in Bad Toelz Germany. We used to go down to Saalfelden, Austria from mountain training with the Austrian Gebirgsjaeger troops. We got intimate with their Pinzgauers tooling around the area for winter ski mountaineering and summer alpinism. We toured those areas around Kitzbuehl, the Hohen Tauren, Zillertal, Rofan, Kaisergebirge. I felt pretty bad sometimes doing that on the taxpayer’s nickel.
Your pics and narrative bring back some great memories of my own.
Glad you enjoyed your time there.