Iceland – A Skier’s Journey shoot

Heydalur hot springs, Iceland – In the 11th century Iceland’s bishop blessed the geothermal water I’m sitting in. The hot pool is no more than a pock mark set into the hillside, in between a ribbon of snow reaching down from the ridge top, and the river that courses through the valley bottom to the fjord below. Tussocks of grass hide the rocks that form the pool’s edge. If it weren’t for the old tin shed standing adjacent, the pool would easily escape view.

It’s a fitting end to our trip in Iceland’s Westfjords, one that has been constantly mediated by the remarkable human history resiliently bore in the landscape every corner we’ve rounded. And welcome material for the ‘A Skier’s Journey’ episode I’m here working on with Chad Sayers, Forrest Coots, and my brother Chad. By sailboat, kayak, and skis, we’ve ventured for 10 days through both fjord and icecap, soaking up the landscape and it’s storied past.

With a kind of gentle and stoic pride, our guides Runar and Siggi have shared not only the landscape they call home, but stories of their ancestors who survived almost a millennia along these shores. Their business, Borea Adventures, isn’t a typical one here. Towards the mid 1900’s, after nearly 1000 years of scraping a life from the fjords’ shores, the people left. Amongst some of those who moved to villages and never returned, the fjords were perhaps places to be survived more than enjoyed. Perhaps, because of that life, they can’t, or couldn’t, see the beauty the way Siggi and Runar do.

With their 60ft yacht “Aurora” and a fleet of kayaks, the two Icelander’s are carving out a new kind of economy in the furrowed fjords. They have a unique opportunity to not only visit but be a part of the landscape, respecting it’s past and it’s future. Few places in the world can you ski from the shore with such ease. The sailboat and kayaks form a mobile base camp. You point, and go. Seaweed under your ski boots and a myriad arrangement of steep couloirs and more gentle slopes quickly become the norm. Seals, whales, sea birds and foxes become your ski partners. And as we trace the shores and ascend their slopes, the spirits of lives lived here long ago keep our imaginations alive.

Iceland – A Skier’s Journey episode coming fall 2012.

Kosovo

Prizren, Kosovo – The 400 year old ornate ceiling of Sinan Pasha mosque soars above our heads. We ask the imam, a man in his late 40’s, if we can climb it’s stone minaret. It’s a long shot. He agrees. It’s the imam’s first time going up, too, he admits. This kind of gracious hospitality has been the norm in Kosovo. He unlocks the small wooden door and we step into the dark. It’s black as night, and barely shoulder width wide. We probe and spiral our way up the steep steps. It takes concentration. A thick coating of dust and pigeon crap makes the footing unsure. Every few minutes spiraling tunnel comes to life as we pass a small window. Five, maybe 10 minutes go by. We emerge into the daylight at the top of the tower. Prizren bustles below us, and fades to the west. I briefly look up to the Shar mountains behind us. They haven’t been as kind as we hoped. In this moment, it doesn’t matter.

Japan: A Skier’s Journey

Tokyo: I’ll miss the feeling of ambiguity & simultaneous intimacy, crammed in your tiny bars getting to know their 8 occupants, surrounded by 30 million people; your weird and wacky Capsule hotels.

Niseko & Black Diamond lodge: I’ll miss your calm and cold nights on the chairlift, and deep days in the forests, winds blowing up high.

Tokachidake: I’ll miss your Onsens, gifts from the boiling mountain! And you too, Mr. Hokkaido Fox.

As seen in forthcoming Japan: A Skier’s Journey Ep1 [Season 3] and Powder magazine feature article on Tokachidake, coming 2012/13 ski season.

Argentina: A Skier’s Journey EP3 [Season 2]

4Skiers magazine cover

Here is a recent cover from the Italian magazine 4Skiers. Dave [Treadway] had broke his collar bone 2 weeks before we shot this, and decided he was healed enough to do a few runs at Monashee Powder Snowcats for the camera (and for fun). I’m not sure what the lesson is there exactly.

Friends of Shames: A Skier’s Journey

Here it is, episode one from season 2 of A Skier’s Journey that I produced. Chad Sayers does all the fine skiing. Stay tuned for Baffin Island, coming December 12!

A Skier’s Journey trailer

Full episodes online as of November 28th. Stay tuned!

Aka Skidor cover

Here is a new cover (though actually kind of an old photo) from my friends at Aka Skidor in Sweden. 5th cover with them, they have been quite good to me – thanks Tobias and Örjan!

Powder magazine cover

It is with great excitement that I post this. Chad Sayers at Stellar Heli, Kaslo, British Columbia (click to enlarge).

and this. Daryl Treadway at Great Canadian Heli, Rogers Pass, BC.

A Skier’s Journey: Argentina

Argentina, beginning Aug 25th. Santiago-Penitentes-Mendoza-Caviahue-San Martin de los Andes-Bariloche-Refugio Frey-Volcan Lanin. We cover almost 4000kms through desert and pampas, cohiue and lenga, pumice and ash, cardboard and blower, sunshine and wind, granite spire and the occasional agua termale. Wingmen are Chad Sayers and Maxi Artoni. Episode of Argentina: A Skier’s Journey is launching at the beginning of December.

Thanks to Powder Quest for logistical support, and SouthAmericaSki.com for moral support.

Roadside. Ruta 40, middle of the middle of nowhere, Argentina.

Casualties in the desert.

Pampas, and Chad Sayers.

Volcan Lanin. The highest in a region of many beautiful volcanos.

Maximilliano Artoni on Volcan Lanin.

Maxi and Chad. This was Max’s 25th time up Lanin. We finally got to ski his prized line – no wind, full sun. A rare window. It was perfect.

After summiting Volcan Copahue, water steaming from it’s lake/caldera , we skied several thousand feet of smooth wind buffed snow arriving at some hot springs, still high in the alpine. Afterwards I toured the inside of some abandoned buildings next to the hot springs. Just a normal ski day in Caviahue, Argentina.

JORDAN MANLEY

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