Doglotion.com, a kickass website out of BC, brings us this post on ways to stay sharp and get your ski fix during the summer months.
Rock Skiing – The Ultimate Big Mountain Training?
When winter finally ends (which it already has for some), many skiers don't know what to do with themselves. Some fly across the globe to South America or New Zealand, some take up inferior sporting pursuits like climbing, biking, and skiing, some climb volcanoes and other big-ass mountains, and few probably just lock themselves in their rooms and watch Blizzard of AAAAAAH's over and over again, waiting for snow to fall again.
Turns out there's something way more productive you can be doing with your time – ski entire peaks without snow! Why didn't we think of that? I mean, we did, but we never thought the ruckus of rock skiing days like Gaper Day would actually be good for something.
But Sylvain Saudan, the big mountain extreme-skiing legend himself, was caught on video explaining that if you can ski rocks, you can ski in any snow condition! The old fella's got a point, and hey, if you fly all the way to the Himalayas, you don't want to turn around because of some crusty snow now do ya?
So this summer, instead of wasting those airmiles flying to NZ, just hike up your nearest non-glaciated peak, and send it, Sylvain Saudan style. Here's a few videos so you can dial your technique and get pumped before your next boulder skiing mission. Oh, and don't bring a helmet, that obviously takes away from the experience. [Doglotion.com]