With the southern winter just around the corner, it’s time to get motivated for some big Andean adventures.
Sometimes the Andes offer great ski conditions, but most of the time skiing the Andes consists of wild weather, rugged mountains, and desolate landscapes. This can make the whole experience a really tough struggle against the elements, but it also makes the turns you get that much more rewarding.
Andreas Fransson and Bjarne Sahlen know this better than most. They spent three months last year trying to climb and ski some of the biggest and baddest peaks in the Andes. They did this on a shoestring budget, with almost no assistance from guides, sherpas, donkeys, etc. Fransson and Sahlen battled high winds, brutal cold, sand storms, and 25 mile approaches. However, their achievements speak for themselves: summit descents from numerous Andean classics, including Huascaran, Aconcagua, and Mercedario.
Below are the five videos that Bjarne Sahlen put together from their trip. They describe what Andes adventures are about far better than I can, so watch them!
Check out Bjarne’s blog and Andreas’ blog for more trip details, and keep an eye out for the compilation film that Bjarne will be releasing soon.
