Skiing is a passion and a way of life.
If it's got snow on it, it's skiable - not necessarily sensible, but skiable.
In professional life, I'm a scientist, academic and
entrepreneur. My passions are skiing, science and how health
and life are linked through exercise and nutrition. Each
winter season brings its own special adventures, and
understanding how exercise, the mountains and living life to
the full come together to make us more than who we are takes
us beyond existence and into living.
I'd rather be on the mountain thinking about science than in the lab thinking about skiing
To see what I'm up to, keep track, or to engage with others, follow me on Twitter @couloirjunkie
Research groups
The latest breakthroughs in cancer, physiology and cardiovascular disease, link to here.To explore how RNA splicing can enhance our food and wine, link here.
The best places to ski
St Anton
In my view the best ski resort on the planet. Great
atmosphere, incredible skiing, huge amounts of snow
(usually), fantastic infrastructure, and enormous area.
The off piste, back country and touring terrain is so
varied, that under almost any conditions there's great
skiing to be had. Good restaurants, great bars add
perfect destination resort. See underneath for favourite
couloirs!
Monte Rosa
The Gressoney-Champoluc-Alagna linked ski area provides
some of the most wild terrain, awesome views, and steep
terrain of anywhere in the Alps, and has a much better
infrastructure, food and atmosphere than Chamonix. Also
fantastic restaurants and wine bars. It also gives
access to Monte Rosa huts - I've never summited it but
would love to do some of the ascents.
Zermatt/Cervinia
Skiing in the shadow of the Matterhorn is always a
special experience, but with the length of descents, and
frequent powder traps, particularly on the Zermatt side,
this is a fabulous area to ski. Much cheaper on the
italian side but Zermatt has some of the best mountain
food in Europe - try Chez Vrony for the best end of day
eating anywhere. A nice groomed run home required given
the amount of Prosecco required.
Alta/Snowbird
The greatest snow on earth, and probably the greatest
runs I've ever had with six feet plus of champagne
powder allowing cliff jumps to be attempted with ease
(and sometimes without knowledge). Also the home of some
insane couloirs and some great friends.
Verbier
Incredible runs, swish (Swiss) organisation and fantastic touring terrain, but ridiculously expensive to stay there, or eat there. Backside is a truly hair raising lift served run off the cable car, and the size of the ski area, and accessible backcountry is fabulous.
The
Alpine Arc
From 2012 onwards, I have been part of a group
attempting to ski tour across the Alps. We started in
Ischgl in Austria and have so far reached Bardonecchia
in Italy, skiing one week a year from hut to hut (where
possible). This incredible adventure is chronicled in
the below pages
Part One. Ischgl - Klosters -
The Silvretta Tour
Part Two. Klosters-Andermatt - the
Thwarted tour
Part Three.
Andermatt-Lotschental - The Bernese Oberland Tour
Part Four. Lotschental-Verbier -
The Injury Prone Tour
Part Five. Verbier - La Thuile - The Reverse Haute Route
Part Six. La Thuile-Bardonecchia -
The Sunny Tour
Pictures
Favourite Couloirs
Links to my favourite couloirs, and ones I want to ski
but haven't yet
Europe
Schindlergrat Chutes (St Anton)
A series of 7 chutes on the west side, 4 on the west
side and two on the south side, these are consistently
some of the best lift served couloirs in Europe IMHO.
Chute 3 is a wide, relatively easy pitch that is still
steep (35° in places) with a rocky entrance. 4, 5 and 6
get steeper and tighter with better snow - at least
1200ft vertical drop. The East chutes give a huge
vertical descent - 900m (3000ft) of vertical fall line
skiing down into the Steissbachtal (Happy Valley) but
with only the first 300ft very steep. On a powder day
there is nowhere better to be.
Torli Couloir (Kapall, St Anton)
This avalanche prone couloir off the Schõngrabern lift
is often too dangerous to ski, but in the right
conditions is stunning 1000ft+ 37°+drainpipe of a
couloir. Ski from Kapall lift into the Schafgilger
powderfield on the skiers left of the t bar. Instead of
taking the traverse right to Schõngraben ski down the
powder field, but bear right 100m before the slope
funnels into the usual Torli route. There are three
entrances - the best is high above the small tree, which
gives a lovely powder entrance - beware slides - a
second round the tree to the right hand side, and a
third which requires a launch - only to be attempted
under exceptionally stable conditions. You come
out to avalanche debris in Schõngraben with chamois
often seen up the hill.
Le Giraffe (Andermatt)
A 800m narrow steep (>45° in places) chute dropping off the back of Andermatt into the Oberalptal reached by a traverse from the Gem stock lift and then a hunt for the entrance to the left after skiing the top of the Giraffe area.Clearly visible if you ski the Oberalptal past the Vermigelhutte. See video below for what it's like to ski.
Arlenmähder Chutes (St Anton)
Nice and steep chute straight off the Zammermoos lift
(left of diamond number 75) down to Arlenmahder lift.
Unfortunately quite heavily sun exposed so can break up
or slump easily. Not for the afternoon in spring!
'king Marley's Chute (Stuben)
This isn't it's official name, but what we call;
it - a beautiful north facing powder trap in
Stuben directly accessible from AlbonaII lift (traverse
round above the Marois See lake to the entramnce, then
straight down towards the Arlberg tunnel ventilation
shaft.
Grand Couloir (Courchevel)
Lanserlia Couloir, Parc Vanoise
North America
Blowhole (Whistler)
Hangman's Hollow (Mammoth Mountain)
Sudain (now Couloir Extreme, Blackcomb)
Pallisades (Alpine Meadows)
KT22 (Squaw)
Scott's Chute (Snowbird)
ENSA couloir (Chamonix)
Malfatta (Alagna)
Marinelli (Monte Rosa)
Baldy Chutes (Alta)
Corbett's Couloir (Jackson)
Mountain guide links
Here are some of the guides I've skied with and would
highly recommend
Oscar Cametti (Mountain
Experts)
Kathy Murphy
Stefano
della Gasparini
Bruce Goodlad (Mountain
Adventure)
Skiing videos
Alta Sucks - a couple of
days when Alta was at it's worst (i.e. still pretty
good!)
Armada TSTs - taking
out my Armada's for the first time.
Losing it Big - What
happens when Westward Ho is really big at Alta
Family St Anton
- a reminder of what the kids were like when they
really were kids.
Le Giraffe - skiing with Jay
in March 2022
The chutes - Expanding
compilation of Schindlergrat videos featuring skiing
buddies Mark Bowes and others
My Kit
Skis - Nordica Enforcer 100s 183cm Downhill, White Dot
108s Touring
Bindings Dynafit
Radicat ST, and Marker Duke Pro 120s
Boots - Touring - La
Sportiva Spectre, Downhill, Nordica Diablo 110s
Poles - ColdPoles.
With Rum or whisky