Its time once again to head east, far east to a place that is considered the birthplace of ski mountaineering. Deep in the French Alps lies a little place known as Chamonix where a lift can take you up 9000 feet to a dense mountain landscape covered in glaciers and near vertical walls. This place is a cultural mecca for mountaineering and the perfect place to meet up with Paul Holding. Wether its a multi-day traverse or a 50 degree face, (or sailing across the Atlantic solo) Paul is an exceptional character and I was fortunate to ask him a few questions about what it’s like splitboarding in a place so highly regarded within the mountaineering community.
Name: Paul Holding
Nationality: British
Age: 35
Primary Location: Oslo Norway
Home Mountain: Chamonix, France (where I’ve spent most of my formative years and revisit every year)
Home Range: Jotunheimen, Norway
Where else have you snowboarded: Antarctic Peninsula, Las Lenas, Argentina, Golden, BC Canada, Europe
Primary Solid Board: I don’t have a solid board at the moment but my last solid board was an Option Supercharger 168.
Primary Split Board: Prior Backcountry 168 (with traditional camber)
Preferred Binding System: Bomber bindings for hardboots
Boot: Dynafit Zzero 3 Carbon hardboot
How Long Have You Been Snowboarding Semi-Professionally? I first strapped a board to my feet at the age of 18 and remained a week-a-year warrior until I was 27 when I finally did my first season in Chamonix, France. Since then I’ve being doing seasons nearly every year. Semi-professional is a bit of a vague term but if getting free gear and pro deals counts, then that started happening in 2007. I’m not adverse to free gear. Don’t be shy!
How Long Have You Been Splitboarding? I first tried splitboarding in 2004 with soft boots and didn’t like it. That was all my fault. I bought a board that was way too long and heavy (178) and didn’t have ski crampons for icy skinning conditions and probably lacked the patience and technique for skinning. And I never stuck with it, sold the board and went back to snow shoeing. Luckily (for my back if nothing else!), I came across some guys from Revelstoke, BC, Canada who were using hardboots. Initially skeptical, I took a leap of faith and went back to the splitboard with hardboots……and have never looked back. The best set-up ever for what I do. Fast, light…almost on a par with skiers for the first time. That feels great. I feel I can go anywhere now with my set-up, multi-day traverses, well-cramponed boots for steep ice pitches and room in my bag for things other than snowshoes and a board.
Do you find riding with hardboots comprimises your ride? Not at all. It is true that it does take a bit of time to get your setup completely dialed. The good thing about using ski touring boots is that if you are trying to replicate the feeling of snowboard soft boots you can go for the softest and therefore lightest ski touring boot. I softened my up more by changing the tongue and I generally ride in mine without putting the boots in ski mode. I’ve only been on them for one season now, so I am still playing around with them a bit but for all intents and purposes there has not been a single change in my riding style.
What Compelled You to Begin Splitboarding? Snowshoeing in the backcountry or splitboarding…. The differences are like night and day. I cannot think of any advantages snowshoes have over splitboarding. Splitboarding is quite simply the best mode of transport for mountain travel for snowboarders. It’s faster, you carry less gear, you have a bigger footprint for glacial travel, more room in your bag for other things (tent, sleeping bag) and generally just a much bigger smile on your face because you’re nowhere near as knackered when you reached the summit!
Most Memorable Glacier Travel: Having spent a lot of time in Chamonix, you are constantly on glaciers so you do end up getting quite used to it but you can definitely never get bored of the Vallee Blanche while you make your way to or from a great line. Although the ski out on a board can get very boring as it’s so flat. But now I use the splitboard, I just put it in ski mode if I’m not getting any forward motion and ski out like the skiers. Another memorable glacial traverse would have to be the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. I never managed to complete it due to avalanche but the first three days were fantastic. On the list of things to complete
Where has Split Boarding taken you? Quite simply everywhere I’ve ever wanted to go. I always used to feel so limited by snowshoeing, both physically and in time. You can get so much more done on a splitboard. I spent last season (2009/10) in Revelstoke and the touring is very different to Chamonix. Not so much gnarly terrain but big approaches and loads of vertical gain. 7000ft/2500m climbs which I wouldn’t have even thought about on a snowshoes before. Certainly not in deep powder. Splitboarding changes the game completely.
Gnarliest or most Extensive Approach for a Single Line: I cannot really think of any particularly gnarly or extensive approach but then both terms are very relative. I certainly haven’t put behind me any extensive approaches a la Greg Hill but approaching lines which require crossing bergschrunds and a few pitches of ice climbing are more common. Again these are nothing out of the ordinary for your average mountaineer but might make a week-end warrior start quaking in his boots. On all accounts, I never feel any approach is too gnarly. If it was, I wouldn’t do it.
Ideal Backcountry Day: Out with great friends, blue bird, great snow, nice and firm (although not too firm ;)) for steeps and fluffy and soft for charging.
Lifetime Goal or Objective, a Line You’ve Been Eyeing for a While, or What Would Be your Dream Trip? Hmm…. That is a hard one to answer! I’ve no real life-time goals. Whenever I’ve had a goal or dream, I’ve just gone and done it. I don’t like dreams as they have a habit of staying that way although I cannot always resist it. It does help me get through every-day mundanity. Haha. I’m getting a little bit older now and seasons are now looking like something of a luxury, so my approach to getting my fix is going to have to change. I think 3 day ski weeks local to Oslo and one one-month long expedition is going to be the order of the day these days. I’m in the process of organizing an expedition with two friends to ski a peak in Pakistan next July. I’m really looking forward to that although the success of the trip will depend on financial support from sponsors. Otherwise, the obvious meccas like Alaska, Baffin Island e.t.c are on the cards. I love couloirs and it looks like Baffin Island has them in abundance.
Favorite Backcountry Meal: If we’re talking about taste…dried apricots! I used to love comte cheese and pate on brownbread when I was in Chamonix. Very French! And if we’re talking wait and performance, it would have to be gels although I am new to this world of sports nutrition. A lot more to learn…..
Favorite Piece of Gear (and Why): Splitboard! For all the reasons above.
Favorite Place You’ve Travelled (and Why): Chamonix and the surrounding area hands-down. Unfortunately, I started out in Chamonix and nowhere has ever quite compared to it. I have never been anywhere that has so many steep lines with such easy access and ski out possibilities. Unfortunately, the crowds and the attitude can make it an unpleasant experience. I have never been quite cool enough for the place and I’m definitely starting to see what else is out there, especially down the road in Switzerland. Great terrain and all the Chamonix attitude leaves it alone.
Sponsors : No sponsors as such although I’m on good terms with Prior. I hope something will come of that for the trip to Pakistan. Otherwise, I’ve received some great solar charger products from Powertraveller.
Other Stuff You Do (music, volunteerism, art, school, etc.): I like to dabble in web design/development. I say dabble as that is all it is at the moment but I hope more will come of it soon. I love riding my 29er in the summer and playing a bit of football (or soccer as you call it in North America). I am English after all 😉
Website/Blog: www.paulholding.wordpress.com
