Neuschnee am StockhornIs there anything more beautiful, impressing and moving on a skiing day than running down a slope of fresh snow? The answer is: «No!». But you have to know how to do it, as deep snow might cover you till it melts in the early summertime. Be serious about avalanches and stick to the marked slopes. Sometimes you won't get any more snow than is sufficient to cover the bumps. That is the moment when you are pretty save and the feeling is genuine. And this very page is dedicated to a day like that.
Neuschnee am Stockhorn*
Once in a while my wife has to worry about my state of mind. Outside the wind howls, snow is falling like a white curtain and I get up at 7 o'clock in the morning, stating: «I'm not here for fun but for skiing». However, I think that my wife knows that it means great fun to me when I'm the first to leave behind trails on untrodden slopes. And those who want to ride through fresh snow have to leave when it snows. And sometimes you are rewarded by the fact that the cable car connection is opened for the first time since two or three days - and you are in it.
Stockhorn*
And that's exactly what happens. On a day like that (after days like that) I suddenly realize that the cable car to Stockhorn is no longer closed. It is clearly visible from Rothorn. So I cross over to Gant/Hohtälli. It is the third cabin that leaves for Stockhorn and we are three people except stuff. The visibility, however, is still very poor. Uphill it is all right but further down there is one too many clouds hanging around. Nevertheless I jump out of the cabin and into the deep white snow. The snowboard runs by itself. The entry to the slope is usually narrow and difficult to pass but I don't even realize it. There is not a single bump, nor Restaurant Grünsee are there hardly any trails. I lean just a bit to the board's tail; just enough to get the nose out of the snow. And like riding the waves I fly out of the snow, dive into the white foam again, get out, dive in - until I am pretty near to a heart attack.
*
It is incredibly hard to ride without a stop for a few hundred meters in altitude. All in all I make more than 1100m down to the lovely sited Grünsee restaurant. I don't see much on my way, but I feel that my skills are improving. I keep up straight and try not to loose the balance. I fly by instruments. I do this all twice before I give up, changing to less spectacular slopes.