TR: Saas Fee Storm Sessions (mega pics!)

[Ripzalot]

02/07-09/2009 Saas Fee

With avy levels off the chart we decided to play it conservatively and check out the red zone instead of the <gasp!> purple zone. No sense in driving 4-5 hours and finding out the lifts are closed because the conditions are too dangerous. So off to Saas Fee, with about 60cms of fresh over the last three days or so. Plus add to that about another 25cms while we were there, 15cm on Saturday and another 10cm on Sunday.

EDIT: Video!









Photo credit goes to Geo039 for the SLR shots...


We arrive to find the visibility marginal - in and out of clouds that seemed to randomly drift up and down the mountain all day.




So we head to the midstation and scope out some nice tree runs to the village.




The first couple hundred meters of vert were a pick down in almost pea soup.






Then you reach the treeline.




And all of a sudden you can see clearly.




And let it open up.




And it starts to rock - hard.




Shazam!




Shazam-again!




Shazam-a-trois!




Geo loves da pow trees.




KarenKrizzknuckles too.




part 2 coming in 1 minute....

[Ripzalot]

Well, this just about a lift line at Saas Fee on a powder day. Seriously.




And this is how you feel at Saas Fee on a powder day. Seriously.




Later in the day, the light got better.




And Geo lit it up.




Ripz gave it a rip.




McLovin gets the cold smoke on him.




Ripz gets distracted in mid-turn by the sheer beauty of the bluebird moment.




And then just jumps down in it.




Back into the trees to slut around some more.




It was a little deep at times.




Even deeper if you're KarenKrizz.




Geo sequence








Ripz sluttin' around.







part 3 coming in 1 minute...

[Ripzalot]

Then it got really really nice again for the final laps.










And then the apres ski began.






And on into the night.






Sunday evening. McLovin and KarenKrizzknuckels had to return to reality.




Geo and I rage the party scene in Saas Fee. <yawn>



part 4 coming in 1 minute...

[Ripzalot]

Monday, it was just me and Geo. Plus a couple hundred pisten carvers.
We had been eyeing the pillows and trees but the lift there had been closed.

Then it opened.






So we ran some pillow lines










Swiss energy food.




Sharing is caring.




Free taxi rides back to the parking lot rock!

[skiingsamurai]

that didnt suck

[thin cover]

Awesome, should have stayed another week.

[jeffmoore]

shazam. mega rad.

[grizzle6]

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

[comish]

Vary cool. Well played. What a year in Yurp.

[hop]

!!!!!!!!!!!!

[panchosdad]

Gorgeous shots. Definitely on our radar for April.

[stantonbum1]

I need to stop lurking here, I cant keep seeing pics like these!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ChicagoMike]

Wow!! We need some of that in Colorado

[Binky]

I dunno...it looked kind of crowded...

[teosickrider]

DAMN!!!That must have been totally awesome!Hopefully i'll enjoy some of that goodness at the WE..

[LightRanger]

That's pretty ridiculous.

[KansasBoarder]

I remember what snow looks like!

[jumpturn]

Now there are a couple true powder mags!!

Plot and plan only to hit the killer terrain with the deepest conditions every time!!

The only thing missing is the ripz-eye cam view.

[geo039]

Nice work on the write up Ripz....hopefully a few more to come this season!

[Marius]

nicenice.

but saasfee is not my favourite skiarea

[Ripzalot]

but saasfee is not my favourite skiarea

hahaha! i finally got it!

[406]

glory hole?


nice photos.

[sassa]

Damn - still cant believe I missed out on that! Well played.

[IridePow]

Conditions looking great!

[2nd mate]

Great TR. Did you guys spot the FKNA sticker on one of the heating lamps of outside the bull bar. we tagged it about 2 weeks ago. Did u feel as old as me when you were in the popcorn bar?