Nike ACG Team Blog : News from the snowbard team

As this would be our last action in the hills, it was essential that we got as much done as possible and alarms were set well before sunrise to make sure we got the most out of our final day’s riding. The previous night, snow had continued to fall until the early hours and we were now confronted with at least two feet of fresh powder outside our doorstep. At higher altitudes we hoped for much more and found it in the trees about 20 minutes away from the refuge.

Eva and Richard were picking their lines through the fresh powder and although they were not really steep we were at least able to get some filming done which was the most important thing. With plenty of lines up for the day however we had to keep moving and we went in search of new ones before long. The first zone was in cloud after an hour or so which meant switching to the other side of the valley to get the best possible light. Eva showed her free riding credentials as she produced some neat turns and launched off a 5m cliff edge, landing in nearly a metre and a half of glistening fresh powder at its base. Rich meanwhile confirmed his reputation as one of Europe’s most talented up and coming freestyle riders as he nonchalantly threw a 360 off the same ridge.

Late afternoon we looked to get the sleds across to the Chilean boarder and the zone around Chanchoco which provides the most technical lines in the area. However, due to the low lying cloud and the indignant wind that soon whipped up we were unable to start any new filming and had to settle for what had already been shot. In any case, after a really early start it had become a long day.

Tomorrow we will start our long journey home to Europe whilst stopping over for one night in Buenos Aires to sample the life of Argentina’s bustling capital city. As the trip comes to an end, everyone involved is in agreement that the journey has been very much worth it and hopefully the resulting Sweetspot will reflect on the great time we’ve all had out here.

David Naylor, Caviahue, September '08

Although the conditions have not been perfect this week, it’s given everyone who isn’t quite so used to life on a shoot the opportunity to see exactly what it takes to pull a Sweetspot together. Being at the mercy of the weather is a real factor that some of us hadn’t appreciated fully before and we’re getting more of an appreciation of the efforts that need to go into creating one of these. It certainly gives us the chance to chill out and scratch below the surface of this amazing place though.

It seemed only appropriate then that we got to grips with the local cuisine thanks to the extra time on our hands. Given the amount of appreciation for the Argentinean steak we’d heard from all kinds of people I almost felt that I was obliged to go in search of it with some of the gang. We didn’t take long finding a restaurant- mainly because for several of the group this would be the third trip to sample this delicacy in as many days. I will certainly be voting for much of the same when we hit Buenos Aires in a couple of day’s time.

As we ate almost at once the rain slowly turned to a soft trickle of snowflakes and then into a full-on whiteout. The sun slowly set beyond the red horizon and as we sat sampling the great steak, not being able to ski didn’t seem all that bad… we’re just looking forward to tomorrow.

Day five of our trip could not have been further removed from to the previous day’s adrenaline rushes. Although a forecast of blue skies and sunshine had been predicted the previous night, rain fell heavily from the morning until the sun escaped beyond the horizon and darkness engulfed us. With the weather forecasters seemingly incapable of calculating the conditions during our week in Argentina, it is unlikely that we will continue to trust it so readily!

On a day like today with no filming taking place and little excitement to be had, all that was left to do was to relax and unwind from what has already been a very busy, action- filled trip.

Whilst some found entertainment in playing games or working hard for various different assignments, others went about town in search of other sorts of amusement. Finding the internet was a priority and indeed we needed to upload the video version of our blog which highlights our experiences for an audience with less imagination! However, it seems that the wonders of fast-speed internet have bypassed this unique town in the Andes. It certainly makes you appreciate some of the things that we take for granted back in Europe when a video of 2 minutes takes 30 hours to upload. At the time writing, only 14 hours have elapsed.

Tomorrow, we are supposed to be expecting yet more rain and cloud, however going by today’s prediction I think I should anticipate the opposite and perhaps I will even unveil my beach body for the lucky residents of Caviahue.

At noon, we set off into the backcountry in a group of fourteen whilst being transported rapidly by snowmobiles to a spot nicknamed the ‘Amphitheatre’ by locals. The area certainly produced drama and anxiety in equal measure as the cameras started to roll. Everybody was stoked as Richard pulled off a 180 off a ridge and sped towards us down the steep face leaving a stream of mist shrouded in his wake.
Things did not go so smoothly for Eva though as she tried to get into position for her next line. As she ambled along the peak, she found herself in the grasp of a 30 metre wide crevasse that was lurking menacingly. Although she managed to escape its clutches, she was shaken up enough to stay back for awhile until her next attempt 20 minutes later.

However, just as Eva was about to drop into her next line, an area of snow 60 metres wide collapsed around her and sped down the face in an eruption of snow. Due to the warm weather of the previous few days, the top layer of powder had become too heavy and could hold no more. Luckily no one was harmed but it certainly brought an abrupt end to filming in this position.

As we cruised into yet more picturesque mountains and passed through the border into Chile, the sun hid behind the clouds and the wind picked up once more, leading to bitterly cold temperatures. Almost anticipating our wishes for a little more warmth, our seasoned guides set about making an igloo that sheltered us all from the forces of nature as filming commenced for the last time until it was time to head home.

Waking up to the rhythm of rainfall clashing against the tiled roof of our chalet was hardly the best introduction to our third day. We had been expecting fresh powder that had been forecast the previous night however the rain was now dissolving a lot of the snow that was left stranded on the ground.

Nevertheless, our altitude at our residence is over 1,300 metres lower than the highest peaks of the resort and we were confident for some fresh powder at more elevated destinations.

We set off in search of some fresh lines. However, the drizzle still persisted and the powder of the previous day had transformed into heavy snow that was almost impossible to negotiate, even for the professionals.

There was only one thing for it and we all agreed that the hot springs would be our next destination to relax from the exhausting task of 30 minutes filming. Heated by the active volcano that is one of the peaks of the mountain range, the thermal springs were incomparable to anything that we had seen before in our European cities. The natural pools looked tempting as the clear blue water swelled and bubbled up in front of us. It even seemed to urge us to jump in. However we resisted our cravings, safe in the knowledge that there would be other opportunities for entertainment during this trip once the snowfall has increased.

However, after being told that the Copahue Volcano has erupted three times over the last 16 years in 1992, 1995 and 2000, it suggests that we are perhaps more overdue for an eruption of ash…although an increase in powder would certainly be more than welcome.

Back to square one and after an hour and a half of waiting, the wind died down enough for a group to travel up and film the exploits of our two professionals. Everything did not run as smoothly as first expected though as Richard managed to ride a mini avalanche that was thirty metres wide over a cliff. Fortunately, he was able to power out of the snow and hunt more lines across the resort. Indeed, we decided that Eva’s drop off the cliff would no longer be ‘on’ and we were forced to find another section of mountain to work with. Undisturbed by his dramas on the last ridge, Richard was unrelenting and threw in a clean 360 off a five metre drop half way through the afternoon whilst Eva continued to free-ride through the increasingly heavy powder that was at times, extremely difficult to traverse.

Perhaps our highlight was the waterfall that we found at the end of the day that sheltered caves standing undisturbed beneath. This piece of nature set up some spectacular shots for our resident photographer to got to work with. Lesson for the day – when the weather closes in, you work with what you’ve got. Having seem some of the footage back though I think we’ve got some killer lifestyle shots already.

Here are some images from the filmshoot so far.

After awakening from some much needed sleep after an exhausting thirty hour journey from London to Argentina (via Sao Paulo and the rest) I made my way over to the shower to get ready for our first day. Having battled for a few minutes and woken myself up thanks to extremes of hot and cold I was ready to face skiing Argentina style.

With a reputation for being extremely windy due to its exposed location, Patagonia and indeed the resort of Caviahue itself certainly lived up to its name as we hit the slopes. It was bitterly cold, and as the wind picked up it spat fresh powder into our faces- although it was impossible to feel any negativity as we looked down the piste of fresh snow and admired the lake at its base which hugged the mountain all the way around.

For most of us, months had passed since skiing had been a priority whilst in our European climate and the gentle warm up that we began with was unquestionably welcome. However that tame gradient soon became tedious as we searched for fresh challenges whilst the sun was still glowing down and reflecting pleasingly off the Argentinean snow.

After lunch, and a pizza that was more akin to cheese on toast, we headed off in the direction of the snowmobiles that were waiting further down the mountain ready for our experimentation. Indeed, due to the very few lifts around in our resort, this method of transportation is a necessity and everybody needed to learn how to use them quickly. Having never used one before, I found my introduction fairly difficult. Led off by one of our professional skiers Richard Permin, I set off up the mountain being towed along up a trail that was less intimidating than first appeared. However, connecting myself to my belt whilst being towed was a mistake that I paid for half way up the hill as it snapped in half and I saw the snowmobile speed away. Unfortunately, I was no longer connected and had to ski down through the wall of snow that was eclipsing me from every angle.

Once home, all I hoped for was another shower that wouldn’t result in third degree burns and for tomorrow to be as full of blue skies when the proper filming gets underway.