/advancedadventures Collection #5 English

ADVENTURES COLLECTION

BY ADVANCE 2022

Photo MARIO HELLER

From zero to 8,000 metres above sea level. This magazine takes you from the palm-fringed beaches of the Caribbean, via Dubai and Nice, to the highest peaks of the Karakoram mountains in the north-east of Pakistan.

Our stories could not be more different – or more breathtaking. What is it that unites them? It’s the desire to try something new. Paragliding makes it possible to approach projects in a completely different way and can change the previously unthinkable into reality. Different sports are being combined, ever more frequently. Such combos bring sport and adventure together in a variety of ways, from Climb & Fly to Ski & Fly to Vol-Biv.

Whether in remote playgrounds or on familiar terrain, it all depends on your passion and curiosity. Develop your ideas, make a start, be open to adventure. These are what count. The experience is what it's all about. Tell us about it on #advancedadventures. We are eager to hear your story.

THIS IS CERRO TORRE

Roger Schäli and Mario Heller went to Patagonia. Their grand plan – to take off from the very top of the “impossible” Cerro Torre mountain.

SUMMIT HUNTERS

Tom de Dorlodot and Horacio Llorens wanted to break the altitude record on K2, and fly around four of the world's highest peaks in one day: this is their own special Grand Slam.

SALZBURG WATERSPORTS

The cultural city of Salzburg was amazed! Roland Brunnbauer makes a spectacular flight to Leopoldskron Palace.

DUBAI FLASHBACK

Chrigel Maurer recounts the personal turbulence he encountered at the Hike & Fly race in Dubai, and what he learned as a result.

GIRL POWER ON THE SCHRECKHORN

Summit or not? For Caro North and Nadine Wallner the paraglider would determine whether they succeed in climbing the challenging Schreckhorn.

SAILING TO PARADISE

Perfect palm beaches, bachata rhythms and challenging launch sites awaited Tom de Dorlodot, Adi Geisegger and Robert Blum in the Dominican Republic.

THE ATTRACTION OF MONT BLANC

For Fred Souchon, the highest mountain in the Alps is one big playground. With his creative ideas, he keeps rediscovering it.

312 KM OF PURE ADVENTURE

Aaron Durogati makes spectacular Ski & Fly combos in Pakistan, and flies a new XC record in the midst of the 7,000 metre mountains.

MAGICAL MATTERHORN

Adi Geisegger, Melanie Weber and Michi Maurer fly over the Swiss landmark with paramotors.

The 3,000+ metre-high granite needle on the rim of the Patagonian Ice Sheet is hugely attractive to alpinists. This spectacular rock tower is considered one of the most difficult and at the same time most beautiful peaks in the world because of its steep, smooth walls and icy upper section. Roger Schäli, Mario Heller and Pablo Pontoriero wanted not only to climb the mountain, but to take off from the top.

Almost every mountaineer will have heard of Patagonia. The famous Cerro Torre has a reputation as the “impossible” mountain. Some say it’s one of the world’s most difficult peaks, because of the permanently bad weather and strong winds. Very few dare to even think about climbing it, even once. So, what has this got to do with paragliding? Sometimes, very occasionally, the weather is quiet. The usually stormy wind goes to sleep, and a growing number of paraglider pilots dream of flying there. Like Swiss pilots Roger Schäli and Mario Heller, and Argentinian mountain guide Pablo Pontoriero.

– ROGER SCHÄLI –

THIS IS

Cerro Torre has long been known as the “impossible” mountain, because of the permanently bad weather and strong winds.

MARIO HELLER

As a tandem pilot, Mario makes the dream of flying possible for many people. When he is not realising his own dreams, he films and photographs those of others.

ROGER SCHÄLI

Roger is an internationally renowned alpinist. In addition to numerous expeditions all over the world, he is particularly passionate about the Eiger. He has already climbed it over 50 times.

Text RAPHAELA HAUG

Photos MARIO HELLER, ROGER SCHÄLI, CATALINA CLARO

THE CERRO TORRE ROCK NEEDLE

In Patagonia you have to be patient, waiting and hoping for a favourable weather window. The waiting and hoping can turn out longer or shorter. “We had a five-day weather window coming up”, reports Roger, “and I had a dream. Could it be possible to take off from Cerro Torre? Was it worth taking the paraglider?” As with most dreams, it started small. “We packed our rucksacks and expected to take three or four days to reach the summit,” said Mario. How heavy was the rucksack? “I didn’t

weigh mine and don’t really want to know… perhaps about 15 kilos?” He laughs and shakes his head. “Luckily, the flying equipment part was only 2 kg and it took up little space.”

Was it worth packing the paraglider?

Fortunately, the flying equipment only weighs about 2 kg, so the temptation to leave it out was small.

–

HELLER

A LONG WAY

The landscape was delightful. The hiking trail winds through the southern bays, always slightly uphill. Every so often you’d pass a clearing, or cross a stream. As they continued to hike, the three got ever closer to the Marconi pass and so to the inland icefield. This stretches over several hundred kilometres through Argentina. The landscape changes, giving way to snow and ice. For a day and a half the three laboriously trudged through the snow to the start of their route.

– ROGER SCHÄLI –

There they met two Argentinian rope teams, who were also planning to climb Cerro Torre, but without paragliders. The climbing conditions on the mountain were very demanding. Roger, Mario and Pablo joined forces with these rope teams, and by climbing as one big team, they could share the lead. One climbs in front and the others are then belayed from above with the rope. They also shared food and melted snow for water for the whole group. Three individual rope teams became one large team with a common goal: Cerro Torre. “I have never experienced such team spirit on the mountain!” Roger said.

I have never experienced such team spirit on the mountain! That doesn't happen very often in paragliding or mountaineering.

AT LAST. ON TOP.

On the fourth day, the alpinists reached their goal to stand on the summit of Cerro Torre. It was breath-taking! To the right they could see the inland ice, with snow as far as the eye can see. On the left, the famous Fitz Roy mountains rose out of the Patagonian steppe. Just ahead, far below, they could see the starting point of El Chalten. “We were overjoyed and nervous at the same time”, the three agreed, “because we had another challenge ahead: the committing launch from the big rock tower. The glider will have just risen above our heads as the 1,000 metre-high east face falls away vertically below our feet”, said Mario. Was he nervous before the take-off? “Yes, definitely. When you're standing at the summit after almost four days of hiking and climbing, when the launch site doesn't allow any mistakes, and you can't take an upward look at the glider. Yes, then you are nervous”, Mario laughed. Pablo took off first, then Roger, and Mario brought up the rear. The other climbing partners waited on the summit until we had taken off and only then began abseiling down. Contrary to all expectations, the flyers enjoyed an absolutely smooth glide over the breath-taking landscape.

– MARIO HELLER –

I would never have thought it possible that the air in Patagonia could be so calm. Absolute joy. Not a rustle from the glider.

EQUIPMENT

PI 3 Light Versatility

STRAPLESS 2 Ultralight Mountaineer

A REUNION

After landing, the three professional alpinists had tears in their eyes. The tension of the last few days was evident. “It was an incredibly emotional moment,” Mario admits. Taking off in snow and landing on grass is always special. But to be able to take off from this summit after almost four days of climbing, especially when there are only a handful of days a year when the wind in Patagonia would allow it – and to land together ... Yes, that is very special. A feeling of complete contentment. Pure happiness.

The three packed up their wings and were back in Chalten an hour later. The other climbing partners arrived late the following day. Everyone was very happy to be back down in the village together, and to toast their shared summit success.

ROGER:

Aborted take-off? No way!

All in all, I went to the Torre with a good feeling. I was quite concerned about the small launch site, but not so much about the climb to the summit. But I was wrong. The conditions on the ascent were not good, the rucksack heavy as hell, the climb a long way. It was very demanding. I reached my limits! To top it all off there was then the challenging launch. Pablo and Mario are better pilots than me, so I was happy they let me launch in the middle. Once you pull the wing up, there's no turning back, no second chance. Aborted take-off? No way!

I was so relieved when I was finally in the air. Wow! And the flight was an absolute dream in incredibly calm conditions!

MARIO : Incredible team spirit

We climbed as a team, a big team. The nonflying rope partners, our Argentinian friends, helped us at the summit with the take-off. It's definitely different when you know there's someone else up there waiting for you. If the take-off doesn't work out you can abseil down with them. That gives you extra security. But while flying down was so nice for us, I felt sorry for our friends. We had a great time together on the ascent but then they had to abseil down without us. The way back from the Torre to civilisation is long, and they did not arrive until late the next day. It reminds you how privileged we pilots are, to have such light, compact gliders that you can easily take with you.

SALZBURG WATERSPORTS

A FLIGHT OVER THE TOWN OF CULTURE

Salzburg is a very special place for culture lovers, and also for paragliders. Right on the outskirts of Salzburg, above the Gaisberg, you can admire the city panorama from the air. It usually has to be enjoyed from a certain distance, however, because flying over Salzburg old town is not normally permitted. “Not normally”, however, does not mean it is impossible ...

It’s going to be a spectacular flight: acro pro Roland Brunnbauer is sure of it. He would like to dedicate his next flying adventure to his adopted hometown, Salzburg. Leopoldskron Palace is undoubtedly one of the historic jewels of Salzburg, so an unusual landing site has been found. You can see the Gaisberg from the Leopoldskron pond, which sits directly in front of the palace, and nothing interrupts the course of a flight – except for the Salzburg CTR above the old town.

A MOUNTAIN WITH SPECIAL RULES

Leopoldskron Palace and the Gaisberg are both situated in the middle of the Salzburg Airport Control Zone. Any flying in this restricted area has to be approved by the control tower. To the west, the restriction is permanent – flying over the city of Salzburg is not possible without a special permit. After much negotiation, the tower agrees to open the CTR for this unusual event and the city council agrees a time window.

LEOPOLDSKRON PALACE IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE HISTORIC JEWELS OF SALZBURG.

THE PALACE GARDEN

The first on-site inspection with the photo team raises an important problem. The pond in front of the splendid palace is surrounded by trees, which makes landing next to it impossible. “If I don't want to land in a tree, then I guess I have to land in the water,” Roland realises, adding: “Preferably with a ground spiral and wingtip water touch!” In acro competitions, a ground spiral is the ultimate manoeuvre as it requires many different skills. “The difficulty with it is that I have to pay attention to many things: initiating the spiral with enough height and potential energy, calculating the rotations precisely and releasing at just the right moment. Only with a perfect end to the spiral will I touch the water with the stabilo.”

Text LEANDRA POSSELT

Photos DAVID STEINBACH, ROLAND BRUNNBAUER

LET THE WATER GAMES BEGIN

The day has come. When Roland arrives at the launch site, he gets a few surprised looks. He waits for the right moment for his take-off. He is not dressed in the usual warm clothes that would be appropriate for the cool weather, but instead is barefoot and wearing swimming trunks. A canoeist is waiting on the large pond below, ready for some Air Sea Rescue action. The paraglider water games can begin!

With the photographers in position, Roland appears in the sky. He does not have much height as he flies over the pond and gets ready for the spiral, but there's still enough to enter it and pick up some downward speed. Happiness reigns when his wingtip elegantly brushes the water. Wet but happy, he and the canoeist return to the shore.

This flight is probably the best proof that what at first seems to be an impossible undertaking can be possible, with good planning and a pinch of creativity!

IMPRESS 4

SIGMA 11 Ambitious Cross Country

ROLAND BRUNNBAUER

Roland spends every free minute flying ACRO and took second place at the 2021 Synchro World Championships. Every now and then he also gets out with cross-country equipment or works “on the side” as a social worker.

I TRIED TO TAKE EVERY LITTLE UPDRAUGHT I COULD SO AS TO HAVE AS MUCH HEIGHT AS POSSIBLE.

" "

Salzburg Watersports A flight over the town of culture

SUMMIT

WITH ITS FIVE 8,000 METRE MOUNTAINS AND NUMEROUS 7,000 VERSIONS THE KARAKORAM IS A UNIQUE PLACE FOR DISCOVERERS AND ADVENTURERS. IF YOU WANT TO BREAK SOME RECORDS THIS IS THE PLACE FOR IT, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT EXCEPTIONAL PILOTS TOM DE DORLODOT AND HORACIO LLORENS WANTED TO DO. THEIR BIG GOAL: TO FLY OVER THE SUMMIT OF K2.

Text BEAT RECK

Photos

RAMON MORILLAS, HORACIO LLORENS, ANDREY PRONIN

HUNTERS

Tom

Summit Hunters Soaring the highest Mountains in the World

ARAKORAM

FOR EVER

The Karakoram is addictive. Anyone who has flown just once in this unique mountain arena wants to do it again. So Tom de Dorlodot returned to this remote part of the earth for the seventh time. It is a place of extremes – made for pilots who want to break records and discover new routes. For his latest project Tom was able to persuade multiple acro world champion Horacio Llorens as well as top pilot Ramon Morillas to come along. The highlight of the expedition was to be an overflight of 8,611 metre high K2. The current world record was set in 2021 on the neighbouring Broad Peak. At that time, Antoine Girard had reached 8,407 metres.

“Flying at altitude is a complete discipline in itself,” says Tom, “because above 7,500 metres the thermals usually stop, and then you need high altitude wind to soar dynamically over the peaks. If the wind is too strong, there's a danger on K2 that it will blow you to China. A no-go. If it's too weak, you can't get up.” Because of the low air density at high altitude, the trim speed of the paraglider is more than 50 km/h.

“Flying in the Baltoro Glacier area is pretty much one of the most intense adrenaline rushes of my life.” Horacio

BALTORO BASECAMP

PAKISTAN

CHINA

6286m TRANGO TOWERS

Baltoro Glacier Basecamp

8611m K2 8051m BROAD PEAK 8035m GASHERBRUM 2 7932m GASHERBRUM 4

7276m MUSTHAG TOWER 10 km

8080m GASHERBRUM 1

7821m MASHERBRUM (K1)

The Karakoram region has almost nothing but superlatives to offer: Not only the highest concentration of highest peaks, but also probably the largest valley glacier in the world. “The dimensions of the Baltoro Glacier are unimaginable. Only from the air do you get an idea of its size,” says Tom. "The main glacier is over 60 km long. It's all crevasses, séracs and ice blocks as big as houses. Land here? Out of the question! Our approach route to K2 runs along Baltoro. It is the entrance ticket to the second highest mountain in the world."

The six-man team (three pilots, two guides, one cook) set up their base camp in Paiju at 3,370 metres, a little below the final slopes of the Baltoro ice. Once installed, their task was to find a suitable launch site. “Almost impossible – everywhere is steep, rocky and partly overgrown,” Tom recalls. So the three pilots first climbed up the scree for an hour and a half. “About 800 metres above our base camp we found what we were looking for. But we had to clear away rocks and bushes. Eventually, however, In the end it almost looked like an official launch site.”

PERFECT START

The pilots got off to a perfect start: blue skies, reliable, friendly thermals up to 7 m/s. “The first ten days were a gift. We were able to fly day after day and get to know the area. We checked out every thermal on the 40 km or so way to K2 and went through the options,” says Tom. By the third day of flying the pilots had established the line to K2 and soared on its flanks. At 7,200 m, however, it was over. There was no high altitude wind to carry the record hunters up the flanks to the summit.

On their other four approaches to K2, the pilots climbed as high as 7,500 metres. “To reach such heights after take-off sometimes takes less than half an hour. This altitude pushes your body to the limit. It can't acclimatise fast enough. We were on oxygen for that reason.” Tom knows what a sudden blackout feels like: “It's happened to me twice before. That's why we wanted to play it safe here.”

Summit Hunters Soaring the highest Mountains in the World

LIKE THE EXPLORERS OF OLD

The approach to K2 became their daily commute: it led over seven side valleys or side glaciers to Concordia, the place where the Baltoro and GodwinAusten glaciers meet. “We felt like the explorers of old,” says Tom, “discovering new flying territory. We crossed numerous completely unexplored areas and flew over peaks that had never been climbed before.” The pilots were stunned when they suddenly saw an eagle circling on the flanks of K2. “Wow! The king of the skies; at over 7,000 metres. For a while we competed with him. Then he turned off towards China. We had to decline the invitation...”

Safety first. That was the motto for all flights. The impassability of the terrain and the huge distances back to camp effectively ruled out a landing. Nevertheless, it happened once: on a return flight from K2, Ramon missed a thermal connection. His final option: landing at the base camp of Broad Peak at 4,900 metres. The alpinists took him in for the night. Then it was back to Paiju on foot: two and a half arduous days, over 12 hours' mountain hike each day.

After the adrenaline rush of the first ten days of flying came the bad weather clouds, and finally the rain. But the pilot team – by now only Tom and Horacio – were not discouraged: “We stuck it out for a week, then we descended to the next village in a day's walk, eventually chatting with our families again and eating fresh fruit!” Eventually the sky cleared up again and there was good news: “Moderate high-altitude winds with fine weather were forecast for the coming days. We sensed one last chance,” Tom reports.

“We want to do this together. It's a team project. It's always good to have a friend who can support you.”

Summit Hunters Soaring the highest Mountains in the World

RAND SLAM DAY

When Tom and Horacio looked out of the tent at 6 am on 19 July they knew: this is the day. They packed equipment and some provisions: a hard-boiled egg and a boiled potato – their only remaining supplies. Around noon they took off in the direction of K2. The route led past the imposing Trango Towers, and because conditions were so good, they headed directly for the Muztagh Tower (7,273 metres). “That was a first.”

A little later, the team reached K2. “It was our fifth and last attempt. Again we were able to circle up to about 7,500 metres. There was a wind of 15 km/h up there, but this was just not enough for us to gain altitude by soaring the mountain side. Sure, we were a bit frustrated: the perfect day, the right wind, we were in the right place – but we just lacked that last bit of luck.”

“OK, we thought, let's fly on to the next eightthousander.” The two pilots flew over the Baltoro Glacier to Broad Peak, 10 km away. By now it was late afternoon. The wind didn't play ball at Broad Peak either and at 7,500 climbing was over. So we went straight on to Gasherbrum IV, the next eightthousander. “Gasherbrum is perfectly aligned for the wind, but here, too, we didn't manage to gain height in the dynamic updraught.”

The valleys were already in shadow. It was time to turn back. “Back at Broad Peak, we heard a call for help on the radio. An alpinist was missing on Broad Peak. We managed to locate first the backpack and then the dead climber from the air. We radioed the sad news back to the expedition. What will happen to his family? What does this mean for his friends? The experience made us think a lot. And we realised again how vulnerable we humans are in this inhospitable region.”

WEIGHTLESS

Less is More Fun

TOM DE DORLODOT

Having participated eight times, Tom is an ultimate X-Alps veteran. The Belgian has made countless Vol-Biv expeditions. He travels the world with his sailing boat and visits exceptional paragliding spots.

IN THE ADVENTURE PARK

Looking back, Tom summarises the Grand Slam day as follows: “When we landed exactly ten metres from our tent after a little over seven hours of flight, we were very proud and happy, despite the initial frustration at K2. We were at 7,550 metres, had flown to four of the highest peaks and opened up new routes in the process. We felt safe and good at all times! What a privilege to live such an adventure!”

Tom's record-breaking project is not off the table: “Of course, if you take on big challenges, you have to accept disappointments. But our expedition was a success even so: the pictures and stories we bring home are simply incredible. We will return. The people here have grown close to my heart. The Karakoram is a paradise. And we were the only pilots in it for a month.” By the way: Tom's son's middle name is Karakorum.

Summit Hunters Soaring the highest Mountains in the World

CHRIGEL MAURER

Chrigel has already won the X-Alps seven times, won the overall World Cup three times in a row and was European champion. "The Adelboden eagle" is a well-known name to every paraglider pilot. He shares his enormous knowledge in lectures, through the X-Alps Academy he founded and through personal coaching sessions with pilots and up-and-coming talents.

Chrigel

Maurer’s reflections on the personal turmoil he experienced at the Hike & Fly adventure in Dubai 2021

“SOARING HIGH ABOVE THE DUBAI SKYLINE WAS ONE OF THE MOST MOVING MOMENTS OF MY WHOLE CAREER.”

IT IS NEARLY A YEAR SINCE CHRIGEL MAURER CAUSED A STIR AT THE TOP-CLASS DESERT EVENT. NOT ONLY WERE HIS SKILLS PUT TO THE TEST IN THIS SUPERLATIVE COMPETITION, BUT ALSO HIS CONSCIENCE. FANS AND FOLLOWERS STARTED ASKING CRITICAL QUESTIONS: WHY ARE YOU FLYING HERE? ARE YOU LETTING YOURSELF BE BOUGHT? WHERE ARE YOUR MORALS? CHRIGEL FOUND THIS DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. WHAT CONCLUSIONS DID HE DRAW FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? HERE IS HIS PERSONAL REVIEW.

Those who know me know that I’m a perfectionist. I do not go to take-off without a clear strategy and meticulous preparation, and my head must be absolutely ready. I went to the UAE Hike & Fly in Dubai in this state of mind, but no-one really knew in detail exactly how the competition would work. We knew we would climb a skyscraper and then take off from the heli-pad. That excited me! That was new! There were about 25 top pilots at the start with me.

SENSATIONAL PICTURES

I was not disappointed. From the first day of competition, it was an unforgettable experience: we were allowed to climb the 300 metre high Address Beach Hotel and take off from the roof – an absolute first. Because it went so well, we asked if we could fly again from the roof after the task. The conditions were perfect and we were able to soar high above the Dubai skyline on the building until late at night. My heart beat faster: it was one of the most moving moments of my entire piloting career. Of course, the sensational pictures and films went viral immediately.

THE BOOMERANG IMPACT

But instead of Likes, a storm of criticism hailed down, massively: reproaches, rejection, accusations. Chrigel, where is your morality? My elation was trashed. Everything came back at me like a boomerang of negativity. Just a few hours ago I was overwhelmed with feelings of happiness. And now I had become the target of criticism. I had never experienced anything like this before! I was aware that not everyone will always like everything I do. But just like this? Why these reproachful comments? What had I done wrong?

WELCOME TO SOCIAL MEDIA

I had already been to the FAI World Air Games in Dubai back in 2016. At that time, my participation in the competition was neither questioned nor commented on. Now, in 2021, this was completely different, and so I locked myself in my hotel room and clicked through the platforms. I studied the comments. I wanted to understand. The carousel of thoughts in my head began to spin: am I doing something bad? Am I ultimately for sale? Can I justify my participation in the competition to myself? Nothing but questions and doubts.

WHAT IF I WIN?

Detailed mental training is part of every competition preparation for me. I invest a lot of time in strategy and always have a plan B and a plan C ready in case plan A doesn't work out. My credo: everything that can be planned, should be planned, so that you can react better to the unplannable. I try to judge everything rationally, but in the end, I can only rely on my gut feeling. And now? I sat in my hotel room with no plan. What if I win? Will the criticism then be even more massive? Will I be punished for it? The carousel of thoughts was spinning at full speed.

“MY CREDO: EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE PLANNED SHOULD BE PLANNED, SO THAT YOU CAN REACT BETTER TO THE UNPLANNABLE.”

LAST SECOND, LAST PLACE

The last task of the competition was held on a hill at the edge of the Al Faya desert. I was in the sprint to the finish and was in the lead: victory and high prize money were within direct reach. The heat was getting to me. Sand as far as the eye could see. I was at my limit. And the carousel of thoughts was still spinning: can this victory be justified? How do I deal with the accusations? At the last second, I decided to cross the line outside the finish arch. That put me in last place in the day's standings. Victory had been given away. I felt a brief moment of peace – but the conflict was not resolved.

IT HAS TO BE FAIR

As an athlete, you want to win. That's why you go to the start line. That's the idea of competition. Not wanting to win – that's anything but fair. That's not me – I'm not just “for sale.” I decided to write a post about it. It was the first one since I've been in Dubai. Here's the wording: “I've never done anything like this before and I won't do it again because it's unfair. I apologise to the participants, my partners and the organisers. It was a kind of blackout that I’ve never encountered before.”

EPILOGUE

The UAE Hike & Fly 2021 has taken me into new territory. A competition that offers new tasks: I wanted to be there! Looking at the spectacular skyline pictures again, I think: the flying is one thing, having values is another. For me as an athlete, being a top professional today also means thinking about values. So not only having a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, but also a Plan V (Values). So, part of preparing for a competition is also the question: can you stand behind the event?

Nadine is a mountain guide and ski instructor

She lives in the Arlberg, Austrian winter sports mecca, and has won the Freeride World tour twice. When she's not skiing, she's taking to the air or the rocks – always ready for a new adventure.

CARO NORTH

Caro is a mountain guide and professional alpinist. At 16 years old she stood on the 6,961 metre summit of Aconcagua in South America. Since then she has taken part in numerous expeditions to Patagonia, the Indian Himalayas, Iran, Armenia, Alaska, South Africa and the Yosemite Valley.

Text RAPHAELA HAUG

Photos J.HELLINGER/EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

NADINE WALLNER

GIRL POWER

ON THE SCHRECKHORN

Made possible by a large piece of cloth

To transit the 4,078 metre Schreckhorn is one of the most demanding high altitude tours in the Alps. Heavy snowfall initially interrupts the plans of Caro North and Nadine Wallner, but then the two professional alpinists suddenly find themselves on touring skis in the middle of summer. And the use of their paragliders will determine whether this challenging project can be achieved.

It is the beginning of June and has been snowing up to 2,000 metres. Avalanche risk in the Alps is high. An approaching high pressure window looks good for a long-awaited tour, but the direct approach is anything but safe. What to do? “What if we just fly over the critical slopes?” Caro suddenly says, and a smile lights up her face. In no time Caro and Nadine have packed their mountain-climbing, skiing and paragliding gear and board the train for the Jungfraujoch. It’s a round about route, but one that is unavoidable.

Flying miracle bag

First, fully loaded up, they head from the Jungfraujoch on touring skis to the Mönchsjoch hut. Here Caro and Nadine spend their first night. The destination for the next stage is the bivouac site at the foot of the Schreckhorn, but in between lies a block of ice that drops away 1,000 steep metres, part of a large inaccessible glacier. Its name: the Ice Sea. The paraglider will hopefully overcome these obstacles. What sounds simple usually turns out to be more complicated, and flying in high mountains requires a lot of experience. Often the wind is too strong, the cloud base too low or the weather just not good enough.

“ Besides ski touring, mountaineering and bivouac equipment, we also have our PI 3s with us. The backpack feels like being on an expedition.”

Morning Magic

The first rays of sunlight touch the summits, and a little later the mountains all around glow in the morning light. A new day awakens and with it Caro and Nadine move towards the Fiescher saddle. They want to take off on the east side of the Grosses Fiescherhorn at almost 4,000 metres. The weather and wind are perfect. One last look, a quick "good flight" and Caro takes off. Nadine behind. Glide performance is difficult to estimate with heavily loaded gliders and skis on their feet, so the two hope that they will arrive high enough on the other side. The grin is all the wider when they land only a little below their sleeping place. The plan has worked and they are even higher up than they guessed. Brilliant!

“

The take-off site requires some care. It is unprotected. Immediately in front the cliff falls abruptly away for 1,000 metres into dark depths. What an impressive flight amidst the 4,000-metre peaks of the Bernese Oberland.”

ON THE SCHRECKHORN

Summit success ...

That night in the tent is cold. Nadine and Caro set off while it’s still dark to climb the ridge between the Lauteraarhorn and the Schreckhorn. From there, the pair want to reach the Schreckhorn summit. First, the ascent is on a steep flank, and then it’s on to the exposed ridge. The last few metres to the summit have to be traversed in snow. It is strenuous, tiring, but once at the top the view is simply overwhelming. The two women are in each other's arms, beaming with joy. What an amazing moment. “We enjoy the moment before we descend from the Schreckhorn via a normal route, which is still very snowy in parts, and get back to our bivouac spot,” Nadine tells us. Now the paragliders come into play again to fly back to the valley...

...

Unfortunately, the weather gods show the two climbers no mercy. The clouds travel fast, faster than Caro and Nadine. When the two arrive back at their bivouac site they are already in the middle of a whiteout. With a maximum visibility of one to two metres, flying is out of the question. And so they wait, waiting and hoping that it will open up again. “We had a bad premonition that we would have to spend another night in our bivouac if the cloud cover didn't clear,” Caro reports. But hope lies eternal. Finally, a few hours later and a few hundred metres lower, they find a hole in the cloud. They seize the opportunity, take off and soon land in Grindelwald, overjoyed.

“ It's amazing that the plan worked out in the end. The perfect combination of flying and mountaineering”, Caro beams.

is not the same as paraglider success

SCHRECKHORN

ON THE

Thanks to Lucien Caviezel and Roger Schäli for their help. There is a film of the complete tour in the 20th EOFT.

Girl Power on the Schreckhorn Made possible by a large piece of cloth

SAILING TO PARADISE

Tom de Dorlodot crossed the Atlantic with his sailing boat and set out to explore the crosscountry flying potential of the Dominican Republic. He met up with photographer Adi Geisegger and his companion Robert Blum. Pristine palm tree beaches, Dominican bachata music and some really challenging take-off spots await them. A mule trip to a remote take-off place completes the adventure.

Adi Geisegger flopped onto his bed then froze. Directly above him a tarantula hung motionless on the ceiling of the basic hotel room. “Now what?” he asked nervously in the direction of his roommate. Robert Blum’s advice was, “Go to sleep!”

They had landed in Punta Cana a few hours earlier. It was mid-January – winter in Europe. They had arranged to meet adventurer and professional paragliding pilot Tom de Dorlodot. The 37-year-old Belgian had just crossed the Atlantic in his sailing boat, and together the three of them planned to fly on the island. Adi’s mission was to take photos of the new light cross-country paraglider, the IOTA DLS.

Adi didn't sleep much the night of the tarantula, but he and Robert met Tom

the next morning in Santo Domingo, the capital. With Tom was a local paraglider pilot who had already organised a driver and vehicle for the three guests. “Now is the best time to fly, let's go straight away,” he said.

Tom de Dorlodot

The three were soon in the air. They soared on a beach, flew wingovers, banking only centimetres above the treetops of the densely overgrown slopes. The sea shimmered turquoise below them. Suddenly it was going up everywhere and beautiful cumulus clouds formed parallel

with the coastline. It was a convergence zone that enabled the three of them to fly far out over the open sea. Several kilometres further on, they landed on the beach as the sun set. Bachata music rhythms sound all weekend on this Caribbean island. Over a reviving coconut milk, they made plans for the following days.

On the way to the centre of Jarabacoa, the home of the Dominican paragliding scene, Tom, Robert and Adi passed a high valley where, according to the local pilot, there was a difficult-to-reach launch site. It was the perfect starting point for a crosscountry flight.

“ There is definitely the potential for long-distance flying. The island record of around 200 kilometres shows that.”

Text SÉBASTIAN LAVOYER

Photos ADI GEISEGGER, BENOIT DELFOSSE

“All of my adventures, whether in the air or at sea, are about savouring the moment to the fullest, right to the end.”

Tom de Dorlodot

In a sweltering 30 degrees and 90% + humidity they set off. When they reached the top, the three guest pilots looked at each other, puzzled. The so-called take-off area offered just enough space to lay out a glider, with a take-off run of barely ten metres beyond that. Take-off would only be possible here with wind, if at all. But a short time later, a breeze set up – an invitation for X-Alps veteran Tom to pull up and get airborne after a few paces, followed by Geisegger and Blum. The thermals were strong, hoisting them straight to cloudbase. This was a highspeed introduction and their first real cross-country flight. Following a ridge to the north, they flew over slopes covered with cotton grass that shimmered golden in the sunlight. Flying conditions were dazzling, the speed fast. After about 40 kilometres they turned around. In typical Caribbean fashion, cumulus clouds had built in front of them, soon to be followed by the first showers in the distance. It was the premature end of a cross-country flight that had lasted almost three hours.

“There are few official flying areas, but these offer relatively good launch sites and good flying conditions. If you are looking for more adventure, you can also find less developed areas.”

ROBERT BLUM

Two days later Adi and Robert met up with Tom and his sailing boat at Samana harbour. It was late afternoon when the three Europeans set sail on the Caribbean Sea. Tom introduced his visitors to the fine art of sailing. He spends several months a year on the boat, and is always on the lookout for exotic new paragliding territory.

It was a short night, with Tom in his captain’s cabin, his guests in their B&B. They set off early to the north, headed for Playa Rincon. They hiked a steep path parallel to the coastline, up to a plateau. There they met a farmer and asked about the place the locals recommended. They were concerned to find a fence across it, but the farmer was happy to take it down for them.

Even so, the take-off remained a challenge. The place is slightly in the lee, and the wind not perfectly laminar. Once in the air however, they soared over the crystal-clear bay and the deserted palm-fringed beach. To one side was Cape Playa Rincon with its breathtaking jungle vegetation. In a mix of thermals and sea breezes they circled along the coast ever higher above this paradise landscape. It was the final point of their Caribbean adventure together.

TOM DE DORLODOT

Having participated eight times, Tom is an ultimate X-Alps veteran. The Belgian has made countless Vol-Biv expeditions. He travels the world with his sailing boat and visits exceptional paragliding spots.

ADI GEISEGGER

Adi has been flying paragliders and hang gliders since the early ‘90s. Austrian-born, he is one of the most celebrated paraglider photographers. He also flies paramotors.

ROBERT BLUM

This Allgäuer has been paragliding since the earliest days of the sport. He has set a few German cross-country records and had numerous Vol-Biv adventures, including in mountains like the High Atlas, Nepalese Himalayas and the Caucasus.

SEA TO SUMMIT

Mont Blanc does not always have to be climbed from Chamonix: Why not climb from sea level, and then glide down? Challenge set, Fred Souchon and Tom Jeanniot packed their vol-biv gear and headed for Nice. The Mediterranean murmured quietly, there was a tang of salt in the air, but it is too stable for flying here. The pilots used two rental bicycles from the city of Nice to save themselves a 10 km walk. They still managed to fly 30 kilometres that first day.

MONT BLANC NICE

VOL-BIV CHALLENGES

As is so often the case with bivouac flying, the whole journey is a big adventure. Individual flights varied from a 100-kilometre flight to a glide down. Conditions were changeable, naturally: sometimes thunderstorms, sometimes fierce winds, sometimes air that is too stable. “I usually do my vol-biv trips by fair means, but this time we hitched, just a bit,” Fred comments. “We had to choose between being in Chamonix earlier with the chance to launch from the top of Mont Blanc, or doing it all by fair means ... with no Mont Blanc summit.”

Text BEAT RECK

Photos

FRED SOUCHON, FARNORTH_PRODUCTION

“I USUALLY DO MY VOL-BIV TRIPS BY FAIR MEANS, BUT THIS TIME WE HITCHHIKED, JUST A BIT.”

GOAL: 4,809 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

On the morning of day six, Mont Blanc appeared on the horizon and by the evening, Fred and Tom finally reached Chamonix. Should they climb straightaway? With the wind forecast, it was tempting but after a short discussion they made a more sensible plan: sleep first, then hike up to Planpraz (2,000 m a.s.l.), take off there, thermal up and try to land as close as possible to the Tête Rousse hut (3,187 m a.s.l.). That would leave just 1,622 metres of climbing to the summit. For the climb (on the normal route) Fred and Tom swapped their XC gear for PI 3s and STRAPLESS 2s, which they had stashed at the hut in advance. Fred: “When we arrived at the summit, amazingly the wind was blowing at 5 km/h from the south – perfect! We were overwhelmed with gratitude, and as we glided down to Chamonix all the exertions of the challenging vol-biv week were almost forgotten.”

“ WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE SUMMIT, AMAZINGLY THE WIND WAS BLOWING AT 5 KM/H FROM THE SOUTH. WE WERE OVERWHELMED WITH GRATITUDE.”

IT HAS TO BE THE TOP

Mont Blanc is more than a mountain. It’s a paradise, a sports field, a source of ideas, a magician and a seducer. And so, after the Sea to Summit trip, less than three months had gone by before Fred set off again on his next Mont Blanc adventure. This time it was a cross-country flight project – but what would a Mont Blanc adventure be without a summit experience? Fred and friends set off at 2 a.m. from the Cosmiques hut (3,613 m a.s.l.). They headed for the main summit across the steep flanks of Mont Blanc du Tacul. The wind on top was once again perfect, and Fred landed back in Chamonix at 9 am, just in time for a second breakfast. This was just a “small” prelude to the three-nation flight that followed.

Fred

lives in the French

sport mecca of Chamonix. He works there as a mountain rescuer and guide. He has been able to fly from Mont Blanc well over 10 times and has already undertaken several Vol-Biv expeditions including to the Himalayas and Caucasus.

FRED SOUCHON

Souchon

mountain

The Attraction of Mont Blanc Fred Souchon and his life’s Mountain

ONCE AROUND

A few hours later, Fred was up at the launch site near Planpraz, this time with his XC equipment. The aim was to fly around the entire Mont Blanc massif in one day. The route crosses three national borders, as well as countless remote valleys and glaciers. Flying conditions on the first day of September were promising, with base rising to over 4,000 m during the afternoon.

A MASSIVE EXPERIENCE

The 67 flying kilometres that Fred covered that day are hard to beat in terms of experience value – almost four hours of breathtakingly beautiful flying. Fred could have flown even further, but he was too tired. After all, he had already hiked up the mountain at 2 am! The circumnavigation of the Mont Blanc massif went perfectly. It is not a distance that will top the daily ranking in the XContest, but the experience is hard to beat. When you are rewarded with such a perfect flying adventure, what more can you ask for?

“

I COULD HAVE FLOWN LONGER THAT DAY, BUT I WAS TIRED. I HAD REACHED MY GOAL AND HAD BEEN BEAUTIFULLY REWARDED.”

MONT BLANC

CHAMONIX

TRIENT

IT’S ALL IN THE MIX

Variety is the spice of life. The French are masters of mixing different disciplines. They call such combined projects “combos”. The combo possibilities are almost unlimited, as is their experience value. What idea or dream will Fred come up with next? One thing is already certain: Mont Blanc is his inspiration.

The

Pure Adventure 312km

Skill, Courage and Curiosity in the Karakoram

Every cross-country fight has its own story. Aaron Durogati's 312 km triangle in the middle of Pakistan's 7,000 metre scenery was special. The longest FAI triangle flown in Asia came about simply because landing on the way was not an option. In the Karakoram, everything is somewhat different.

“Let's see what's possible. Let's find out what will work.” When Aaron Durogati and his three companions Fabi Buhl, Will Smith and Jake Holland finally arrived in Karimabad after 20 hours on the Karakoram Highway, they initially felt overwhelmed by the sheer might of the high mountains. They were surrounded by seven-thousandmetre peaks, with the eight-thousanders in sight: well-known mountains like Rakaposhi, Nanga Parbat, K2 and many more.

It was Aaron's first trip to the remote north-east of Pakistan. The World Cup winner, X-Alps athlete and exceptional pilot had no record-breaking plan when he set off for the Karakoram for five weeks at the beginning of May 2022. All he wanted was, “To become free in his mind ... and do what he knows how to do – paragliding and skiing. To experience both in a new dimension.” Hence the long journey to the Hunza Valley and Karimabad. It would be a “life experience” in every respect.

Text BEAT RECK

Photos JAKE HOLLAND, FABI BUHL, AARON DUROGATI

“When we arrived the weather was unstable.

We had storms with wind speeds of up to 80 km/h. So, we concentrated on acclimatising: wait for a weather window, go up on foot, come down with the PI 3.” The aim was to get fit for altitudes above 5,000 metres. Soon Aaron and his team understood the conditions well enough that they set off for their first Ski & Fly Combos. The Hunza Peak glacier (around 5,000 m above sea level) offered exciting steep slopes, and when the weather improved, Barbara Peak (5,520 m above sea level) offered cool freeride experiences. Aaron's first assessment: wonderful, but very challenging and at times treacherous terrain. “This is no longer sport, this is adventure.”

At last, after twenty days the weather improved and cross-country flights were possible. The first cross-country, a 200 km flat triangle, was a success. The thin air at altitudes up to 6,500 m guaranteed speed and the flight took less than six hours. “My intention was to fly as far as possible and see as much as possible.”

Aaron had chosen an eastern slope above Karimabad as the launch site for his cross-country flights. Before each take-off, he first had to climb up 1,000 metres on foot. His second cross-country was a flat FAI triangle of 285 km, and it turned out to be quite a learning experience: katabatic wind – strong, cold, thermal-balancing glacier air descending the big glaciers – put a spoke in his wheel. At 5,000 m altitude the Karimabad goal was showing within gliding range on his vario, but a few minutes later Aaron was forced to land in a remote valley. The walk out took several hours.

But no sooner had the cross-country flying really begun than Aaron's stomach started to complain: “Pakistani food is not my thing. I'm Italian, and so I always had a bit of trouble with the menu. When we set off on the next adventure, Barbara Peak, I suddenly felt really bad.” It shook things up and delayed the programme. I had to get better, clear the infection and take a rest day before I could continue with the Ski & Fly combos.

Everything starts with acclimatisation

On and on, ever more adventurous

AARON DUROGATI

My most impressive Ski & Fly Combo

"

While my friends Fabi and Will tackled the never-climbed 5,810 m high Gulmit Tower, I had another plan. It was similarly adventurous: I took off with the OMEGA XA in Karimabad (2,800 m) and landed on the snow-covered shoulder of the Gulmit Tower (5,650 m). The flight lasted barely an hour. To be able to land safely I put on the skis while in the air. Then the fun began: the descent through the gulley was an experience in a class of its own, my most impressive Ski & Fly combo ever. So I flew up again straight away to repeat the adventure. What I was specially pleased about was that Fabi and Will managed the first ascent of the Gulmit Tower.

AARON DUROGATI

Aaron is a complete all-round talent: a pilot who feels at home in all paragliding disciplines – XC, Vol-Biv, Speedflying and Climb & Fly. The former overall World Cup winner has already participated five times in the X-Alps.

Once Aaron's stomach had returned to normal, the next setback was a hard landing. “I didn't have a protector on this flight for once, and my back took a hit.” Despite the pain, Aaron climbed back up to the launch site the next day with his Omega XA 4. “I had noticed that my back felt best when in the harness.” And so began Aaron's Asian record-breaking adventure.

Up until the first turnpoint, Aaron was progressing very quickly, but then he encountered some difficult sections when he had to scratch for height at 200 metres above a remote valley floor, circling in only 0.1 metres per second of climb. “Every metre of climb was worth its weight in gold because landing out and jogging back was not an option. The terrain was far too chal-lenging and with my back I couldn't run anyway. I would have been completely lost.” The last leg of the flight again went well. Thanks to good thermals, Aaron flew past the 7,800 m Rakaposhi back to the final turnpoint. The Asian record adventure was a success: 312 kilometres in 10 and a half hours.

New record for Asia

“In terms of thermals, the flying is similar to flying in the Alps. But when you're in the Karakoram you experience everything in a different dimension: you gain more altitude and everything is ten times bigger than at home: the glaciers, the crevasses, the seracs. And above all, you are completely on your own – on very difficult terrain. That's the big difference.” Aaron had been confronted with this situation repeatedly during his flights. “There's no helicopter to pick you up. Here you'd be out for days until you got back, if you got back at all.” This required as much self-confidence as intuition: “In the five weeks I learned to trust my gut feeling. If I hadn't listened to my inner voice when making decisions, the record flight wouldn't have happened either.”

A completely different dimension

“

Cross-country flying in the Karakoram is no longer a sport, it’s an adventure.”

PI 3 Light Versatility

OMEGA XA Challenge Yourself

Karakoram

MAGIC

MATTERHORN

This shapely monolith symbolises the Swiss Alps, and its image adorns Toblerone boxes. Photographer Adi Geisegger traversed the 4,478 m summit with a paramotor, with Melanie Weber and Michi Maurer in front of the lens. Adi reports on a unique flight against this imposing landmark.

There are many peaks in the Alps, but only a few have such enormous charisma as the Matterhorn. As a ‘flying photographer’ I couldn't let go of the dream of circling above this giant with a paraglider in the right light! When I told Michi Maurer about the idea, the Swiss pilot was immediately convinced: “If you want to try it, count me in!”

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS

In order to capture the mountain giant in the best light, we would have to take off early in the morning. We could not expect thermals this early, so needed paramotor power as a climbing aid. A basic question remained – would we even be able to climb to over 4,500 m with the paramotor? We carried out test flights and made numerous improvements to find the best set-up. In addition, we took portable oxygen, because going to such an altitude without acclimatisation can lead to altitude sickness.

WIND, A DECISIVE FACTOR

Finding the right weather window was the biggest challenge. With only a 14 HP paramotor we had to reach more than 4,000 metres of altitude. This would only

work with help from the right wind against the mountainside. Countless hours passed in front of isobar charts and wind forecasts until, after three months, a mighty Azores high pressure system appeared, bringing with it the wind conditions we needed. Light south-easterly wind up to over 4,500 metres and around minus 23 degrees temperature – perfect conditions for our project.

DAY OF DAYS Paramotoring is not allowed in Switzerland. This made our project more difficult and considerably lengthened the flight to reach the mountaintop. The Matterhorn lies on the Swiss/Italian border, so we decided to set off from the Aosta valley. We found a suitable take-off near Saint Vincent. Just after 7 am it was time to go. With full tanks and three layers of clothing our take-off run was quite something, and lifting off gave us such feelings of joy and relief, just to be in the air. With purring motors we crept upwards.

THE

Text LEANDRA POSSELT

Photos ADI GEISEGGER

MELANIE WEBER

Melanie discovered paragliding eight years ago. As a Hike & Fly, paramotor and crosscountry pilot she enjoys exploring new areas of flying.

ADI GEISEGGER

Adi has been flying paragliders and hang gliders since the early 1990s. Since then, the photographer and film-maker can often be seen in the air with his paramotor.

MICHI MAURER

Paragliding is Michi's profession. He is an experienced competition pilot and head of the ADVANCE test team.

Magic Matterhorn Flight over the Swiss landmark

PARAMOTORING IN THE WORLD OF ICE AND SNOW

Magic Matterhorn Flight over the Swiss landmark

GIGANTIC HEIGHTS AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES

Quite suddenly, as we flew over the first foothill, the Matterhorn rose in front of us like an ice and snow giant. I could not breathe for a moment. In this instant I had been presented with the enormity and appeal of the mountain that I had been dreaming about for years. At the same moment, Melanie and Michael positioned themselves in front of the still-distant mountain giant, and I took the first picture – a mystical entry into the world of rock, ice and snow.

THE MAGICAL 4,000 METRE LEVEL

The peaks all around us were over 3,000 metres high and we felt very small in this mighty mountain world. The wind helped us as planned, and we climbed the steep rock faces of Punta Budden and Punta Lioy along the Italian/Swiss border towards the magic 4,000 metre mark. One eye on the camera viewfinder, the other on the GPS map to keep an eye on our position and avoid entering Swiss airspace.

TOWARDS THE SUMMIT

The view was overwhelming. The whole Monte Rosa area with the highest peaks in Switzerland were spread out in front of us. The Breithorn (4,164 m) and the Dufourspitze (4,634 m) shone in the backlight. I took one picture after another and suddenly we were above the summit of the Matterhorn. The dream had come true! The altimeter showed 4,525 metres – we had made it. The air was icy, but without any turbulence. We enjoyed the moment in complete silence as the three of us glided over the summit. The view at this time of day and at this altitude was almost limitless. In that magical moment I thought of the famous words of Walt Disney: “If you can dream it, you can do it!”