About Gary King

I’m a writer, speaker and lover of all things that raise the heartbeat and tickle the senses. If there is one thing that I’ve learnt from my years of extreme sport and adventure travel is that life is for living - not spectating.

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Ten of the Best - Snowboarding Routes

By Gary King on 19 February 2010 07:43:34

Ones to tick off before you? Or perhaps die trying.

Anybody done any of these?

1 Mount Everest. Successfully descended by Frenchman Marco Siffredi in 2001. He attempted it again in 2002 and was never seen again.

2 The Spearhead Traverse, Canadian Rockies. Backcountry expedition that takes in 14 glaciers over three days.

3 The Couloir Bellevarde, Val D'Isere. Fantastic off piste fun favoured by Olympian Lesley Mckenna.

4 Mount Cook, New Zealand. In 2008 British snowboarder Johno Verity nearly perished in a huge avalanche whilst boarding this region. Not only did he live to tell the tale but he captured it on film as well.

5 The Wall, Avoriaz, France. A technically challenging course that features an array of humps, bumps and dips recommended by Jenny Jones.

6 Peak 7601, Alaska. Unspeakably steep pinnacle of snow and rock first negotiated by snowboard legend Terje Haakonsen in 2005.

7 The Valle Blanche, France. Europe's longest uninterrupted off-piste run littered with crevasses and hidden snow bridges.

8 Sache Valley to Les Brevieres in Tigne, France. Precipitous cliffs and avalanche risk make this a truly testing run.

9 The Haute Route. Classic seven day tour between Chamonix and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.

10 North Face of the Aiguille Midi in France. Treacherously steep run in the shadow of Mont Blanc.

Filed under: Snow / Ice Snowboarding

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admin
Posts: 1

Marco Siffredi on Everest
Reply #3 on : Fri February 19, 2010, 14:05:55

He was a really accomplished boarder and this was his Holy Grail. What possesses anybody to do anything that ultimately puts their life in mortal danger is burrowed deep in their psyche. He died doing what he loved.

Mystery
Posts: 2

Re: Ten of the Best - Snowboarding Routes
Reply #2 on : Fri February 19, 2010, 13:40:00

So the guy who did Everest was never heard from again? That is it? Wow. That is a bit deep. Going for a dream and dying while trying. Is it worth it to do what you love to the end if what you do is the thing that caused your end? I dunno about that one.

Sarah
Posts: 2

Re: Ten of the Best - Snowboarding Routes
Reply #1 on : Fri February 19, 2010, 09:57:08

Holy moly there are some crazy routes there. I've done the Vallee Blanche from where you can see the North Face of the Aguille Midi.You'd have to be seriously mad to go down there.