The 7 Most Exotic Ski Destinations Featured in POWDER

There is no higher technique to journey journey than with skis in tow. There, I mentioned it—and I firmly stand by that assertion. It is the easiest way to get to know a brand new mountain vary, a brand new tradition, and make new buddies alongside the best way. POWDER has at all times featured epic journey tales, however in a time the place actually unique journey locations have gotten few and much between, I took a glance again by means of the archives to dig up the place our staffers and contributors adventured again within the day. Issues appeared a bit completely different again within the Nineteen Eighties in loads of these locations, from Jap Europe to Central Asia to Africa and the excessive peaks of South America. This piece is a part of POWDER’s Summer time of Ski Nostalgia content material collection. Keep tuned in every day for extra nostalgic articles, and maintain a watch out for the upcoming Summer time of Ski Nostalgia badge to determine future content material.It’s also possible to view all of POWDER’s summer season nostalgia content material right here.Need to sustain with the very best tales and images in snowboarding? Subscribe to the brand new Powder To The Folks publication for weekly updates.

1. Transylvania (1982)

Seems the land of Dracula (the superbly rugged heart of Romania) additionally harbors some high-quality snowboarding. Manner again in 1982, POWDER contributor Neil Stebbins introduced some additional turtlenecks and garlic to find what lay within the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania. Critically, give this one a learn; it is crammed with scrumptious quotes from Bram Stoker’s basic novel, plus some critically good quips from Stebbins himself. How’s this? “No, no, neffer cross your skis. No crosses!”

2. Chinese language Sand Dunes (1982)

Now this one was actually revolutionary. On a mission to set a world altitude file for a telemark activate an obscure peak excessive within the Pamir Vary (all whereas on a coaching expedition for an upcoming journey up Everest), a bunch of younger skiers recounts mountain climbing up huge sand dunes they encounter in an try to ski down them. The story continues with goat polo, Kirghiz horsemen and an extremely detailed account of a single flip.

3. The Excessive Sierra’s Redline Traverse (1983)

You may need seen Jenna Kane and Greg Cunningham’s superior 2024 movie about finishing an enormous ski traverse of California’s Sierra Crest, however do you know that was first carried out means again within the early ’80s? Following two traditionally deep winters, Sierra skiers Tom Carter and Allan Bard launched into an epic multi-day ski journey, linking Mt. Whitney with Mammoth on a mission to “redline” their fun-o-meters. The story is recounted firsthand within the November 1983 problem of POWDER Journal by none aside from Carter and Bard themselves. 

Associated: These 10 Traditional ’80s POWDER Ski Advertisements Have Loads of Aptitude

4. Kilimanjaro (1984)

The roof of Africa is not precisely the place you’d anticipate to have the ability to ski, however at 19,341 toes, there’s certain to be some snow. Whereas not precisely plentiful immediately, POWDER author Jeremy Schmidt recounts the snow he finds on a ski journey to the best level of the African continent within the February 1984 problem. 

5. Chacaltaya, Bolivia (1985)

The Bolivian Andes have lengthy been a preferred vacation spot for adventurous alpine climbers, that includes a few of the highest peaks on the planet outdoors of the Karakoram or Himalaya. So naturally, these peaks attracted a few of the most adventurous skiers, as evidenced within the December 1985 problem. Nestled in these huge volcanic mountains lay what was as soon as the world’s highest ski space, Chacaltaya. The resort has since been deserted attributable to excessive glacial retreat, however author Shaw McCutcheon, Jr., certain had fun.

6. Kashmir, India (1988)

“There are 10,000 slopes in Kashmir which have by no means been skied,” reads one of many opening strains of Chris Noble’s November 1988 characteristic about snowboarding within the northernmost reaches of India. 

Seems the speaker of that line is none aside from pioneering French excessive skier Sylvain Saudan, whom Noble adopted round Kashmir to {photograph} snowboarding not less than just a few of these 10,000 slopes. Seems like a lot of the snowboarding was accessed by way of helicopter, with extraordinarily deep snow and large peaks on every day’s menu.

7. Antarctica (1988)

The ultimate frontier for humanity, the southernmost reaches of the planet, and the house to a few of the greatest snowboarding on the planet? Antarctica, actually? In response to the December 1988 problem, it certain was. Nat Geo (and POWDER Magazine) photographer Gordon Wiltsie launched into a ski expedition to be taught extra about what on earth the hype was all about, and got here again with a heck of a narrative exploring the frozen wasteland of Antarctica. It included “manly” ski descents, encounters with a few of Earth’s wildest climate, and solitude on a scale only a few have skilled.

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