Gigi Rüf – Arlberg. Photo: Matt Georges
Even though snowboarding is limited to places that are cold enough to have snow, our horizons are still seemingly endless. Destination is a collection of photo galleries focusing on one area of the world at a time, with advice from our chief snapper Matt Georges, as well as snippets of what went in to some of the shots from a few of the photographers involved. First up: Europe.
It was the Irish novelist George Moore who once said: “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it,” a sentiment that perfectly describes a British snowboarder’s relationship with Europe. After all, it’s where most of us put in our first turns, did our first seasons and – even after decades of affordable global air travel – return year after year. Journals like the one you’re reading may spark a yearning for powder fields afar, but really you can find everything you need just the other side of the Channel.
From heliboarding in Italy to unrestricted off-piste in France; from Austrian parks to Swiss glaciers; and from the Iberian Peninsula all the way up to the freezing North of Scandi-land – where the world’s greatest snowboarders are forged in the same furnace as Mjölnir – the vast scale and infinite variations of this continent and its riders are what brings us back, time and time again.
It’s home.
In Focus
“With infinite hiking possibilities right from the lifts, it’s a constant battle with the punters to score fresh powder. Head to the high mountains for steep lines, before ending up at a crazy après-ski party hammered on the local booze. Use the wide-angle for scenic shots of crazy mountains and endless Scandinavian sunsets, but pack a full bag – Europe isall about diversity and deploying a mix of photographic skills.”
– Matt Georges, Senior Photographer
