Agilo's Weblog (text-based version for ancient browsers) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are seeing this page in the technology best suited for your browser. Enjoy your stay here and if at any time you feel the urge to see this page in its full glory I kindly and friendly suggest you to get a better browser. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Entry title: Wintersport 2009: Backcountry Snowboarding! Date added: Monday, July 20 2009, 10:39AM Written by: Agilo (agilo3@gmail.com) Entry ID: 258 --- February, I went snowboarding on a backcountry snowboarding trip organized by McNab Snowsports! I've always talked about doing such a dedicated trip as I've always prefered the backcountry (off the slopes through tree lines etc.) over regular snowboarding in resorts. I asked Ed and Mick to go along with me but they felt the price tag was too steep, so I went alone. :o At first I felt that was kind of dissapointing but then it dawned on me that this would be an excellent oppertunity for me to find out if I'm independent enough to manage in a foreign country all by myself, not knowing anyone (having to get familiar with new people etc). The reason for that is that I'm thinking of moving away after having done a full education here in The Netherlands. The trip was a week long and was spent in Chamonix Mont-Blanc. I trained (by way of running) to get in shape for the long hiking trips I would have to endure to get to the tops of the mountains and it was still very tough to cope for me.. but I managed (if just barely). :P [IMG: A picture of my group hiking our way to the top of the mountain] My group, hiking our way to the top of the mountain. Highlight of the week would have to have been the heli drop I joined (together with Neal McNab himself -- the founder of McNab Snowsports): the ride down was absolutely amazing! So much powder everywhere, the awesome sights of the mountains, it was really great! [IMG: A picture of me snowboarding down the mountain] Me, snowboarding down the mountain. Other notable things that happened were: I fell 5 meters (16.5 feet) down a cliff wall! I got off without a scratch albeit shocked to shits. While traversing a mountain side, I suddenly found myself in an avalanche! It was a smaller avalanche (thankfully) but it did break one of the (metal!) hiking poles I had retracted which I used to fence off the boulders of snow coming at me! One of those boulders went over the edge off my board and nearly dragged me down with it! Quite an experience! In all, though, the trip was really awesome and the people I met were really cool. I would love to do a heli trip next time! :D -------------------------------------------------------------------------------