Author: Jason Albert

Bruchez, Socié, and Aurélien Make 2nd Descent of the Whillans Ramp on Aguja Poincenot

One aspect of the route, the Whillans Ramp, is a long, exposed, and steep thread of snow bisecting the mountain’s eastern wall. Aside from the ramp and hanging snowfield below, this is a big wall theater visited more by alpinists than ski-mountaineers. 

The line was first skied in 2012 by legendary skier Andreas Fransson. (You can read about Fransson’s thoughts on the line here. It is an excellent read.) He considered the one of his most, if not the most, technical descent he had skied. This is of note considering his legacy of steep skiing, including Denali’s South Face. 

Bruchez, Jules Socié, and Aurélien Lardy completed the second descent of the ramp on the 21st, while the following day, they opened new adjacent ski terrain, calling it the “Mini-Whillans. 

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A Nepalese Ski Descent of Manaslu

As the autumn waxes and wanes in the Himalayan high country, we hear some interesting news of the positive persuasion. As reported in the Himalayan Times and Nepal News, 45-year-old Tshering Pande Bhote skied from the summit of Manaslu on September 21. At 8,163m/26,781ft, Manaslu is the world’s eighth-highest peak. 

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BD’s Cirque 22 Ski Vest Reviewed

Your typical running vest lacks a waist belt, has some built-in storage resting on your back for some bulkier extra layers, built-in pockets on the shoulder straps (or vest front) to hold 500ml soft flasks and easy-to-grab calories, and a relatively lighter, airy feel compared to an equally sized backpack. The Cirque 22 Ski Vest sports all these features. The ski vest, available since 2020 from BD, isn’t new; it’s just one of those pieces of gear that still shines.

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Arc’teryx Proton Hybrid Hoody

The Arc’teryx Proton Hybrid Jacket (M) is a step forward in active insulation. Strategically placed insulation helps protect the core, while panels of breathable and permeable nylon allow solid ventilation and an airy feel. On cold and windy-cooler days, the jacket shines on the skintrack (the active part), and provides ample protection on descents (the insulation).

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