Print issue 2015
The days are getting shorter; above 2,000 meters, the mountainsides and summits are covered with the first snow today; winter is carefully knocking on our door. “The door is open,” I ponder, “come in! It’s nice to see you again; you are welcome to stay and enjoy yourself. Tell me about your adventures around the globe. How will winter be this year?”
No response, just silence. The wind is blowing the fog away from Urbeleskarspitze’s east face. The thought of standing up there right now and dropping in sends goose bumps over my skin. Thank you for the soundless answer, Mr. Frost!
I’d also like to thank all the photographers, writers, and riders for their motivating stories from the world’s wintry mountains! A big thank you to all our friends and partners who made this fifth anniversary issue of BACKLINE possible; and to all the readers enjoying our images and stories. I hope browsing our new issue will also cause some goose bumps, but first and foremost, I wish you a safe and exciting winter.
Martin Fiala, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
A spiderweb in a hoop of willow; a few feathers and pearls: This is what it takes to create a Native American dream catcher, a popular decorative item found in many bedrooms around the world. Well, we could certainly argue about taste. But in this case, it’s not necessary. BACKLINE is a dream catcher that does not only look better, it also has a proven effect!
Let’s admit it: Most of the trips and adventures presented in BACKLINE require a lot of knowledge and experience, and many of them might not be recommendable for leisure skiers and adventurers like me. But why would you? BACKLINE is not an “instruction manual”. It’s rather a magazine that means to fascinate, inspire, and encourage you to head out and live your dreams in the snow – large or small.
With this issue, we celebrate our fifth anniversary! We’d like to thank our readers and all our industry and tourism partners. You are the reason BACKLINE became a genuine dream catcher!
Sandra Wilderer, Publisher, Project Management
Georgien · Caucasus Mountain Range (Swanetien / Ushguli)
It's barely 7:00 pm and like every evening for almost a week now, dinner is served on the main table of our guesthouse's common room. Nano has prepared a real feast with the help of his mother in …
2015 · Nicolas Falquet · 5 min
Österreich · Montafon (Silvretta Nova)
I really despise German "Schlager" songs, folk music, and après tunes. The reason might be those road trips I took with my parents as a kid in the 1980s. They would torture me with this kind of music …
2015 · Dirk Wagener · 5 min
Albanien · Albanian Alps (Valbona-Tal / Kukaj)
It's 8.30 am. A glass of Raki in our hand, we toast with our host Tahir next to a smoldering wood stove surrounded by our drying clothes. Nothing surprising so far, except maybe the fact that it's a …
2015 · Timothée Théaux · 5 min
Deutschland · Allgäuer Alpen (Bockkarscharte)
Allgaeu – this is where I grew up. I was raised in the town of Pfronten, to be precise. This is home; this is the place I know by heart. At least that's what I thought! I was only two years old when …
2015 · Florian Eigler · 5 min
Russland · Caucasus Mountain Range (Terskol / Elbrus)
It's 2 am when we finally pass passport control. After a short stopover in Istanbul, we arrived in Mineralnyje Vody, a small city in Russia's most southwestern corner. Giving in to my wanderlust, I …
2015 · Andreas Vigl · 5 min
Schweiz · Pennine Alps (Dent Blanche / Wallis)
Gilles Sierro stood on the summit of the Dent Blanche and peered down into the void he had just climbed up alone, the wildly steep and terrifyingly exposed East wall. It would be his third time …
2015 · Drew Tabke · 5 min
Norwegen · Lyngen Alps
Ski touring in the Alps usually implies getting up early, especially in the spring when it's important to consider avalanche danger, and when you want to ensure to get the better snow. But it's your …
2015 · Teresa Brenner · 5 min
Kanada · Purcell Mountains
For me, a good journey is defined by a lasting feeling of peace, belonging, and the connection to place, one another, and one's self. I believe that discovering your own core is a process requiring …
2015 · Steve House · 5 min
Deutschland · Allgäuer Alpen (Nebelhorn / Schochen)
The Allgaeu Alps and their breathtaking flowery and grassy mountains are a widely known and very popular hiking destination for summer. But the winters are also well visited due to the many …
2015 · Ronja Morell · 5 min
Argentinien · Southern Andes (Bariloche / Baguales)
Patagonia is wild and amazing. It's perfect for mountain adventures and finding isolated places to explore and connect with nature. After numerous ski trips around the world, Lucas Swieykowski and …
2015 · Lucas Swieykowski · 5 min
Norwegen · Beerenberg Volcano (Jan Mayen)
"I don't like skiing enough for this," I mumbled after three hours at sea. I would soon be too seasick to talk, eat, drink, or move, and we were still days from our destination: the volcanic …
2015 · Brody Leven · 5 min
Norwegen · Sognefjords (Sogndal)
Sogndal, situated at the offshoots of mighty Sognefjord, is known as a true secret spot amongst Scandinavian freeriders. The two ski resorts of the region – Sogndal Skisenter Hodlekve and Sogn …
2015 · Hanna Finkel · 5 min
Schweden · Sylarna (Jämtland)
In the middle of Sweden; in the middle of wilderness. On the border to Norway and amidst high alpine terrain, the Sylarna massif features large steep runs, couloirs, and flat cruising slopes. Through …
2015 · Anders Wingqvist · 5 min
USA · Cascades (Glacier Peak Wilderness)
With 894 square miles of wilderness, it's not hard to discover corners of Washington's Glacier Peak Wilderness I've ignored. That being said, I've seen a lot of it. Months of my life have been spent …
2015 · Jason Hummel · 5 min
Türkei · Kaçkar Range (Olgunlar)
The mountains don't always allow us to trespass with frivolity. The Kaçkar Range in Eastern Turkey reminds us of this eternal truth. Rising above the Black Sea, the mountains host small villages and …
2015 · Molly Baker · 4 min
Schottland · Nevis Mountain Range (Glen Nevis / Highlands)
"Skiing in Scotland?" "Are you able to ski there?" – People kept asking these questions when I told my friends that I'll be leaving on a ski trip with Teresa Brenner and photographer Paul Masukowitz …
2015 · Melissa Presslaber · 5 min
