De Genuine Guide Gear

Fontenelle-Dessus, Verbier, Switzerland.

Being a kid in Switzerland, I started skiing at the age of three. At 17, I happened to borrow a long skinny pair of telemark skis and lace up boots. Since then, I have been a diehard telemarker and ski mountaineer. Having left tracks on many mountains in the Alps, including some first Tele descents on the big faces of the Lenzspitze and the Grand Combin W/face. Lead me to demo Tele descents for the Verbier Extreme, now the most renowned contest on the Freeride World Tour.

At 16 I became a rock climber, I spent my weekends hitchhiking away from high school to climb. Later, Steamboat Springs provided great skiing but it did not fulfill my rock climbing dreams so I moved to Boulder, CO. As a wall builder/manufacturer, truck driver, route-setter and judge, and sometimes competitor, placing in the top 25 US open contests. All my free time was spent on road trips to climb Yosemite: Half Dome and El Cap, Indian Creek, Devils Tower, Hueco Tanks, Joshua Tree, City of Rocks and many of the other areas in between.

By the early ‘90’s there was this European calling so I headed back to find out what the Alps had to offer. Winter '92, I moved to Chamonix which gave me the opportunity to ski big mountains and climb big rocks, and led me to the IFMGA/UIAGM guides course in Switzerland, which I successfully finished in 2000. I am now in my 10th year as a fully qualified guide. With 35+ ascents of the Mont Blanc and many Haute Route’s under my belt. I have traveled to ski and climb or walk in places like Iran, Russia, Kenya, Turkey, Nepal, Sweden, France, Italy, Croatia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and Morocco.

As Verbier Switzerland is my back yard, I spend most of the winter skiing the surrounding region with an avid client base. Giving avalanche courses to BASI ski instructors and groups of Freeriders that want to enjoy the backcountry safely. Whether it’s Heli-skiing with CEO’s or introducing adolescents to the pleasures of ski touring, I enjoy passing on my skills.

In the summers I spend my time climbing, mountain biking and walking or I am in the garden tending to my next meal of organic veggies, while making the finishing touches to my 200-year-old house renovation. I have also spent a reasonable amount of time circling the thermals under my paraglider. And have been known to lock the front door and walk 30 days to the Mediterranean for a swim in the Mediteranean.

I have been on the Targa Ascents enjoying the solid no nonsense simplicity and versatility, and I’m looking forward to working with the 3G-design team.