The French have always helped to define the edge of ski alpinism (think Anselme Baud and Patrick Vallencant) and this clip shows modern French skiers still pushing right to the edge. These guys are crazy, but I really like how the choice of music and their smiley, nonchalant attitudes give the footage a light-hearted tone. What they are doing on skis, however, is far from trivial. I’m not so sure I could manage a smile if standing in their ski boots. And “dry skiing” is a new one to me, I guess its where you jump from rock to rock – akin to dry tooling for ice climbers . . . I’ll have to remember a couple of these quotes while on my next tour like, “It’s a shame to have to get the rope out.” Not sure that I share that sentiment, however.
The full movie delivers point-of-view perspective on one unbelievable ski line after another showcasing some of the most remarkable feats of ski alpinism that I’ve ever seen, all with a very laid back, fun tone. I recommend getting the full movie.
Downside Up (T’es pas bien là ?) English Subtitles – Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.
Pierre Tardivel, Vivian Bruchez, Killian Jornet, Douds Charlet
