Climbing Our Way into a Secret Couloir | Hidden Faces Ep 18

m. on 31 October 2019, Ross Hewitt woke Dave Searle at Plateau Hut beneath Aoraki/Mount Cook. The air was almost still, but the glacier was covered in sastrugi and windboard.... Read more on the Athlete page

Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands | Active: 2018-present | Disciplines: freeride, steep skiing Deep snow filled the trees above Tarvisio in 2024 as Loïc Isliker, Silvia Moser, Max Kroneck and Joi Hoffmann moved east with skis and camera equipment carried between railway platforms and mountain approaches. The same journey later reached high alpine terrain in Romania, with the four skiers documenting themselves instead of travelling with a separate film crew. Trains, buses, trams and walking linked the ski days across a three-week journey through eastern Europe, turning the transfers between mountain ranges into part of the footage rather than something left outside the film.... Read more on the Athlete page

Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands | Active: 2014-present | Known for: Dutch freeride titles in 2014 and 2015, Hidden Faces films with Loïc Isliker, Above Arolla | Disciplines: freeride, steep skiing, ski touring Stars hung over the Pigne d'Arolla as Paul de Groot climbed in darkness with a heavy pack during the 2024 Above Arolla project. He and Loïc Isliker had chosen a tent instead of a mountain hut and spent a freezing night waiting before the ascent. Under the night sky, the weight of their equipment accompanied each step toward the summit.... Read more on the Athlete page

Courmayeur Mont Blanc is an Italian Alps resort in the Aosta Valley | Known for: Arp at 2755 metres, Val Veny and Chécrouit terrain, Skyway Monte Bianco, glacier freeride and a progressive snowpark | Season: November 28 2026 to April 11 2027 | Best for: freeride, high mountain skiing, technical piste laps and mixed park and off-piste trips Arp At 2755 Metres Above Val Veny And Chécrouit Arp reaches 2755 metres above Courmayeur, forming the highest point of the conventional ski area beneath the southern side of the Mont Blanc massif. The resort officially lists 18 lifts and 33 descents, with more than 100 kilometres when groomed terrain and recognised off-piste possibilities are considered together. Skiing is distributed mainly across two faces: Chécrouit above Courmayeur and Dolonne, and Val Veny on the western side toward Entrèves.... Read more on the Location page

French mountain equipment brand | Founded in 1970 from Fernand Petzl's caving work in southeastern France | Known for: ski touring harnesses, crampons, ice axes, headlamps and glacier rescue systems | Focus: compact technical equipment for moving through steep and glaciated terrain, supported by detailed technical guidance for mountaineers, ski tourers and high mountain professionals. From Fernand Petzl's cave tools to a French Alps equipment company Petzl grew from Fernand Petzl's work as a caver and craftsman in southeastern France. The company traces its story to his underground exploration in the 1930s, says he began marketing his first products in 1968, and dates the birth of Petzl as a company to 1970.... Read more on the Sponsor page

Dutch winter sports apparel brand | Founded in 2011 by Stenmar IJff from handmade beanies | Known for: freeride-oriented outerwear, technical layers, ski socks and community events | Focus: functional winter clothing shaped by skiing, snowboarding and a strong Dutch freeride culture. From handmade beanies in 2011 to a full winter sports label Poederbaas began in the Netherlands when Stenmar IJff started crocheting colorful beanies in 2011 and selling them during ski trips in the Alps. Those handmade hats established the visual side of the brand first: bright winter accessories connected directly to ski travel rather than to a conventional fashion launch.... Read more on the Sponsor page