ITALY – Scoping snow conditions is a pretty major part of determining how and if you ski specific lines. You might have different skis for different conditions, or you might just decide not ski something if the conditions are bad. The difficulty comes in actually scoping out these hard to reach lines. You could use a helicopter, or a drone. But why do that when you can paraglide there?
Professional paraglider Aaron Durogati took advantage of the sport he knows most to scope out a pretty serious line on Gran Vernel in Italy. Combining paragliding with skiing isn’t an uncommon thing (speed riding), but doing it to check out an area’s conditions is certainly something we haven’t seen much before. Pretty genius if you ask me.
“Gran Vernel is a pyramid without weaknesses, a somewhat hidden master of the Marmolada Group. The view from the road of the more than 1000m of steep snow-covered face is enough to inspire awe. Tone Valeruz, the first to push himself up there in 1973, described it as one of the most challenging descents, among the most difficult north faces in the entire Alpine range, more challenging than Matterhorn and Lyskam.“
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Image Credit: Blizzard Tecnica via YouTube