Stories
The Western Faces 50 - Rohan Kennedy's Quest To Ski Iconic Aussie Lines
Longtime Le Bent ambassador and backcountry aficionado Rohan Kennedy has been living in Jindabyne since 2007 and skiing the Australian Main Range since 2012. Now a backcountry guide for SMBC after spending 10 years in ski patrol, Rohan practically lives on the Main Range during the winter and spring months. Rohan helped guide Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad and the Le Bent team out along the Western Faces back in 2019 and has been inspired by Cody to complete a kind of 'Aussie Fifty Project', drawing inspiration from an incredible local book and our answer to Cody's muse, 'The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America.' The below was written by Rohan. THE WESTERN FACES 50 WITH ALAN ANDREWS' SKIING THE WESTERN FACES OF KOSCIUSKO By Rohan Kennedy If there’s one book that stands out as the ultimate guide to the NSW Main Range backcountry, it’s Alan Andrews’, “Skiing the Western Faces Kosciusko.” Published in 1993, this book has been described by many as the definitive guide for skiing this remarkable area, and I couldn’t agree more. Alan Andrews poured his love for the Kosciusko region into this book, combining decades of experience with a unique approach. His guide is more than just a collection of routes; it’s a blend of poems, hand-drawn maps, and detailed information covering 14 sections of the Main Range from Dead Horse Gap to Mount Tate. I first bought this book over ten years ago, and since then, it has been my source of inspiration for planning and dreaming about backcountry ski tours. The notes and photos in its pages have guided me to discover 40 ski lines, and I’ve added another 10 lines myself that represent some of the steepest challenges the range has to offer — lines that Alan himself envisioned might one day be skied. Having watched Cody Townsend's 'The Fifty' series and having had the pleasure of guiding him while he was here in Australia, I was inspired to undertake a similar project in our own mountains, to shine a light onto the great skiing we have here and bring this personal challenge to life. With snow falling and more in the forecast, I’m excited to continue this journey and see if I can complete my list of 50 lines. I’ll be sharing updates and stories from the slopes along the way as I work towards my goal. View of Watsons Crags South Face from Sentinel Summit. Below is the full list with names of lines taken from the book or names of lines that I have heard most about from the area. 1. Strzelecki Creek2. Little Austria3. Avalanche Alley4. Townsend West Spur5. Anderson Crags6. Friars Alp 7. Watson Creek8. Siren Song Creek9. Kosciuszko 10. South Rams Head area 11. Cleft Rock Run12. Golden Gully13. The Spur 14. The Couloir15. The Corrie16. Twin Humps17. Abbotts18. Byatts Camp19. Muellers Peak20. The Racecourse 21. Ians Gully22. The Alice Rawson23. Twynam North Spur24. Triple A25. The Scimitar26. Goes Forever27. The Awesome Spur28. Walters Gully29. Ant Ridge.30. Avalanche Gully 31. Avalanche Face32. Tenison Woods North Face33. Carruthers West Spur34. Middle Gully35. Erics Funnel36. Carruthers Variant37. Sentinel SE Face38. Sentinel SW Face39. Sentinel N Face40. Sunshine Chutes 41. Watsons Crags North Face42. Dog Leg43. Waterfall44. Crags Hidden Line45. Club Lake46. Blue Lake47. Twin Valleys48. Tate E Face49. 11 Highest Peaks Traverse50. Jagungal You can follow Rohan Kennedy on Instagram for updates on the project as he hopes to tick off a number of lines each week!
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BOA Ski Boots - What Are They & Do They Fit Better?
We exist to keep you in the moment with our luxuriously soft snow socks, and therefore we stay up to date with the latest in ski boot technology. So, what’s the fuss about BOA ski boots? We take a look at BOA and modern bootfitting.
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WOMEN’S WEEK AT BALDFACE LODGE WITH LEONIE WOHL
Leonie Wohl had the pleasure of skiing up north this winter despite living down here in Australia. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t a little jealous of her last-minute trip when she pitched it to us, but we also wanted to hear all about it when she got back. If you also feel like a vicarious shred at a world-class lodge with a bunch of ripping women, read on! WOMEN'S WEEK AT A BACKCOUNTRY LODGE WORDS BY LEONIE WOHL PHOTOS BY LAUREN POWERS Maybe you were lucky enough to get some epic pow turns with friends this northern winter, maybe you’re dreaming about the same to come in the Southern Hemisphere (fingers crossed!). Well, I was lucky enough to get those pow turns, not only with one of my best girlfriends, but with a bunch of other women, across four epic days in a bucket-list location. Just over 50 women (including our female guides) came together, all with a different story and journey — some travelling with old friends, some travelling solo and making new friends along the way, and some even running into unexpected old connections in the departure zone of Nelson Airport. The one thing we all had in common was the desire to connect to like-minded lady shredders. We knew that the week would be full of those feel-good vibes, of lifting each other up and making memories and friendships to last a lifetime. Now, if you haven’t heard of Baldface Lodge or aren’t familiar with what’s on offer — it’s a private cat-skiing lodge just north of Nelson, in British Colombia, Canada. It’s well worth putting it on the bucket list! There is a waitlist of more than a year and it’s home to Stop #2 of the Natural Selection Tour (the stop that Lé Bent team rider Dustin Craven won this season). The Lodge has access to more than 32,000 acres of land for your shredding pleasure, set deep in the Selkirk Mountain Range. The terrain is epic and has it all — steeps, tree riding, open mellow fields and the one-and-only ‘Scary Cherry’ Natural Selection course. How did I get one of these limited spots for Baldface Lodge? It’s simple, take your friends with you! Now, I don’t mean just invite your crew on a weekend away. What I mean is, when the opportunity presents itself for your own success, networking and progression, pull your support network up to your level and bring them on the journey with you. And that my friends, is exactly how I got on this trip of a lifetime! Throwback to December 2021 — Australia is just starting to see the light at the end of the Covid tunnel, and international travel is becoming a thought we now dare entertain… it's within reach. And just like that, it’s like the universe in all her wisdom knew it was time. I got a call from my USA-based best girl, excited that we Aussies were finally getting let out… Her next sentence set me into a spin… “I got you a spot at Baldface for Women’s Week with me!” You’re kidding! Not only did my girl get on this trip, but she also got me and two others from her hometown on it too. And as she would say… "Duh, of course my girls are coming!" Fast-forward 3 months, time to dust off the board bag, dig out the base layers and jetset off to the other side of the world, crossing my fingers and toes that Mother Nature was on our side and had something up her sleeve in the form of April pow for one epic girl’s trip! What is Women’s Week all about? Women’s Week Baldface is about celebrating connection, it’s about coming together for a common love of snowboarding, it’s about sparkle parties, cocktails, bonfires, birthdays, and having one hell of a time making memories with all the #baldfacebabes — guests, guides and staff! It’s about sharing your story, your journey, inspiring others and being inspired in return. And this year’s gathering of shred sisters did not disappoint! There were your everyday ‘leisure athletes’ and mums taking time out from busy lives and jobs to do what brings them joy; there were aspiring, semi and retired pros; there were survivors of breast cancer and the incredible women who run B4BC; there were entrepreneurs carving their place in the world, bringing more options for women’s specific gear. We were young women and young-at-heart women, and then there were the boys of Baldface who were stoked to have the vibe of Women’s Week descend upon them. We were even lucky enough to have the one-and-only Baldface regular, Jess Kimura, spend the week with us — riding with us, sharing stories of building Scary Cherry in summer, and a special night sharing her story and movie with us. Having someone who is such a legend, who has done so much and is still pushing so hard for women in snowboarding, shredding alongside us all week was pretty cool and an absolute honour. But, what Baldface is really about, is the pow turns and Mother Nature, she delivered! So, now we have the vibe check, what does the week look like? After the heli uplifts and an afternoon of settling into the lodge, drinks, and setting up or waxing boards, we settled into a three-course dinner, a briefing on how the week would run, instructions for our first morning and a choice to either relax or kick on at the bar. Walking back to the chalet, snow started falling. About 5cm fell on the first night and would be the start of the snowfall that increased each day – thank you, Mother Nature! We spent the first hour or so completing an avalanche safety refresh and practised using our beacons. We got to know the guides and our cat driver. As cat #4, my group was the last to leave, at first thinking maybe we were missing out on precious shredding time, but we soon realised we had absolutely struck gold with our guides – the legendary ‘Walrus’ and Florida-girl-turned-Nelson-local, Tammy. Walrus, knowing all the best spots as a long-time guide for Baldface, had us on fresh tracks across all four days. Not just good for fresh tracks, Walrus also delivered on the bad jokes and witty Canadian one-liners throughout the day. We averaged around 3500 vertical metres or about 12 runs and rode from about 8:30 – 3:30 each day. Lunch was eaten out on the cat — tunes playing, absolute stoke, big smiles — then beers on the way back to the lodge. The post-ride schedule was full of aprés, dinner, massages, bonfires, a movie night, photo slideshows of each day, fireworks, one very epic sparkle party — rinse and repeat! Four days of pow shreds, good times, new friendships and belly laughs for days. I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of women to share the week with! New connections, shared ideas and goals and promises of future — Women’s Week isn’t just at Baldface but all over the world. The week was exactly what you can hope for when such an inspirational and passionate bunch of shred sisters take over the ultimate cat-skiing destination. So, as we head into the Aussie season, I’m filled with ambition to bring more of that vibe to the Women’s Backcountry community, to grow the community and provide more opportunities for women to build connections and get out there! So, watch this space because who runs the world? Girls!
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TRAIL RUNNER TOM BATROUNEY'S AMBITIOUS PROJECT TO RUN FOREVER
PRF UPDATE: WATCH THE NEWLY RELEASED FILM BELOW! Can you run forever in a few pairs of socks? Team Runner Tom Batrouney wanted to find out, so we slung him a bunch of fresh socks from our New Trail Collection, and cheered from the bushes as he literally ran laps around us at a local trail at Manly Dam in Sydney. Tom planned to run 10km laps around the Dam, for as long as he possibly could, maybe even forever. Three pairs of socks and 140km later, Tom called it a day — 36 hours after he started running. Below Tom writes about why he set this impossible goal and what running forever means to him. PROJECT: RUN FOREVER by Tom Batrouney I always wanted to run forever. Ever since entering the world of running on the school oval, it was always in the back of my mind. My body just wasn't built for speed. I knew this, but finding a distance long enough was almost as impossible as the concept of pushing myself to my very limit and beyond for, well, forever. Could I run forever? Haha, don't be ridiculous. That's what people would say so that's what I would say to myself. Then I stumbled into the world of ultra-trail running. A world not so much about speed but using your body and mind to travel through nature over absolute mind-blowing distances. I spent years in the bush training, on the physio table and in the gym, making myself indestructible physically and mentally. I spent time getting to know my body, what was strong and what was weak. A weakness in everyday life is fine but a weakness over 36 hours of running with no sleep will become the most painful experience of your life. Tom hitting his stride during one of the easier sections of trail in his Run Forever route. Nature has been a constant in my life. From watching every single animal documentary sitting on my Dad's knee to dedicating my life to protecting and promoting it, nature has always been there. Every single thing I have in my life has come to me, not by luck but by impossibly hard work and lessons learnt in nature. Nature has taught me when to be hugely powerful and confident but that it can reduce me to an adult man curled in a ball on the ground crying. It demands respect but needs care and there is a way to harness it to allow for all that is good in this world to flow into your life. The key is not nature, stay with me, the key is you, yep you, people are the key. There was a rotating crew of trail lovers and friends who came down to support Tom in his attempt to run forever. Absolutely everyone can do absolutely anything. It all just comes down to what you listen to, what you think and what you tell yourself. Is running forever ridiculous? If so, why? What about when you were a kid and you didn't care what people thought. Was it ridiculous to climb that tree that everyone said you couldn't? Things can only be ridiculous until you say you're doing them and then once you do that they go from ridiculous to an action, a movement or a conscious 'thing' you are doing. They transcend words and talk and enter the world as physical action and this is where I get really excited. Tom hydrating and stretching the hips at the aid station after lap number 4... that is, over 40km into his run. So why would I run forever? Why not — is really the best answer in the world. Why the hell not. All of the reasons not to, can become reasons to, if you attack them one by one, throw fake caution to the wind and are willing to face fears head on, over and over and over again until they become your best friends. I set out at 7am on April 8th to run continuous 10km loops of Manly Dam on what was potentially the wettest day on record and my plan was to run forever. What better way to test the new trail range. Lé Bent team runner Vlad Shatrov joined Tom for a few laps and wore the new Terra Ultra Light 3/4 Crew Trail Socks. After 30km — much of which underwater — they were not so 'winter white'. Tom's in the background wearing the slightly more cushioned Terra Light 3/4 Crew Trail Sock in Konbu Green. I wanted to push myself so far beyond my physical and mental limits to show both myself and those I can reach, that our planet is worth fighting for. Not to sacrifice myself like a martyr but to show myself in my rawest, most beaten down, pure form because that is where the power is. PROJECT: RUN FOREVER was something I could DO. “This loop is, without doubt, one of the most challenging trails out there! It's constantly changing incline, direction and surface making rhythm difficult and adding to the difficulty of the challenge. Then add in the conditions encountered, flooded, wet and rutted out! Constant focus was needed so as not to fall or get injured, sections of thick mud added additional fatigue, harder than the UTA100 for sure and reminded me of the 2018 Tarawera mudfest!." - Vlad Shatrov Tom and Vlad quickly discovered what condition the trail was in — or rather, how much water it was under — after just 3km. We set out with 3 goals, to keep me moving for as long as my body and mind would allow, to bring a community of people along for the ride and to raise a huge amount of money for two environmental groups doing critical work for the future of our planet. Spoiler alert, we did all three! The first environmental group was For Wild Places. They are engaging the running and outdoor community to fall in love with nature and fight to keep wild places wild for future generations. It's a new brand of sports activism and man is it important. The other group is Seabin, who are cleaning up our oceans. They're using upstream solutions to catch and analyse rubbish at the source, so that we can, for the first time in history, actually know what is in our harbours, rivers and lakes before it's out into the ocean where it becomes a vastly more difficult problem. I grew up in the ocean surfing and have moved in and out of running on trails and have seen the effect of, well us, on these ecosystems. The relationship between land and sea is something I'm involved with daily and the small thing that I can do is to raise money and awareness for something that everyone cares about but not everyone knows about. “To see the community of runners join in to do their bit was special! My team got so much out of it as I know Tom did too! A collective of like-minded individuals brought together on an awesome adventure." - Vlad Shatrov People are great and I love absolutely everyone. I don't care what you do, what you look like or what the world thinks of you. We are all people, all the same, and love is really where everything that is good starts. If you love someone, you care about them, and if you care about them, then you care about what might happen to them and that right there is the best brand of environmentalism. I’ve competed in and witnessed a few runs for environmental causes now and something really special happens when the purpose of the endurance feat lies far beyond the finish line. It’s difficult to put into words. Tom slipping on a fresh pair of Light 3/4 Crew Trail Socks after 70km's in the Terra's. Another Lé Bent team runner, Paige Penrose, joined Tom for a jaunt and to offer moral support. "The look in Tom’s eyes after lap 5 was not that of someone who had run 50km of definitely not flat, dry trail and who had potentially hundreds of kilometres left," Said Paige. "It was excitement!" “The humans surrounding him handing him potato after potato, topped with a banana or two, finding him dry clothes, taping his feet, doing live videos with various brands and companies or arranging tv news coverage to spread the word further fed off and emulated that drive. Yes, Tom achieved an immense physical performance but the message was clear without words — do not underestimate the power of individual action in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Especially when it comes to the planet." - Paige Penrose Tom's young son cheering him over the start line for yet another lap. When you're running forever, there's no such thing as a finish line. I love you! I love you so much that I want to fight so that you will at least have a chance to experience what I have in nature. I ran for 140kms, 36 hours and pushed my body and mind to absolute breaking point. I did it for me, so that I can learn and grow and be the change I want to see in the world and I did it for you to inspire you to do something that scares you knowing full well that you have absolutely no idea what you are truly capable of. PROJECT: RUN FOREVER was a lifetime in the making and it was, without doubt, the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It was terrifying, horribly painful and dark but none of those things will kill you, they will just make you a much better version of yourself. At the time of writing this, we are around $4k short of our $30k goal and donations are still open. Can you spare $23 to remove 250 plastic straws from Sydney Harbour or $250 to inspire a future sports activist? Donate To Project: Run Forever Some final stats from the run: 140kms run 36 hours on feet 30 potatoes consumed 1 pair of shoes worn 3 pairs of Le Bent Trail socks 0 foot issues
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Michael Wirth's Mission To Ski The 59 peaks above 13,000 Feet In The Elks
A recent addition to the team, Michael Wirth is a 23yo ski mountaineer from Aspen, Colorado. Michael had an epic goal last season, and we wanted to tell you about it, but we didn't even know how to put the feat into words. Instead, we thought it should come straight from the horses (or Elk's) mouth. The below was written by Michael. Expect plenty more to come from him. The Beauty and Challenge of Ski Mountaineering in the Elks by Michael Wirth In embarking on a challenge, one that tries all facets of your mental and physical fortitude, you discover a new world within yourself. That is, a sensation of transcendental connection to the world around you. My name is Michael Wirth, I’m a 23-year-old ski mountaineer from Aspen, CO. I just finished a project where I became the first person to climb and ski from the summits of all 59 peaks above 13,000’ in the Elk Mountain Range of Colorado. I did this in 61 days. I’m here to share a glimpse into the challenges and beauty of this journey. Throughout this project and over the years, I’ve found myself falling deeper in love with ski mountaineering: primarily because this sport never ceases to challenge you further – on both mental and physical levels. The most obvious challenge ski mountaineers confront comes with moving in technical and exposed terrain. The difficulty here comes with building a level of mental comfort and physical confidence to make critical moves when the consequence could mean death. Plain and simple: big mountains, ice, and cliffs are hard to move through. Micheal nearing an unnamed summit after another early start. The other challenges that confronted me throughout my project, and the ones I believe to be the greatest challenges, were fatigue and planning. Let’s start with fatigue: to ski off the summit of a remote and steep peak means starting your journey in the middle of the night. In the spring conditions of Colorado ski mountaineering, you must start early to avoid having the sun warm a slope and cause a wet slide avalanche. So, your alarm clock goes off at 2am, you roll out of bed, slam down an espresso and force some oatmeal in. Your body doesn’t want to be awake at this time, and it certainly doesn’t want to digest any food. You remind yourself that you’ll need this energy and that your efforts will be rewarded by the unparalleled beauty of a snow-covered alpine landscape. Doing this a few, or even ten, times in a season isn’t all that bad because a nap awaits you after your trying yet rewarding climb and ski. However, for my project, I didn’t take a nap once. After I finished an objective, my attention immediately turned to the next. In the remaining hours of the day, I was busy driving to the next trailhead, drying out my gear, laying out the food I needed for the next day, and eating what I could in order to stay nourished for the many remaining peaks. Then, you try to go to bed before 8pm to wake up again at 2am and do it all over. For roughly the first 30 summits, this was brutal. My body was resisting falling into a rhythm of waking up in the middle of the night. Consequently, many of those days were fueled by reminding myself: you get to ski, you get to be in the alpine, you get to be in one of the most beautiful places on planet earth. That worked. I moved through the darkness of a forest every early morning waiting for the first light of the day to welcome me. When it did, I never wanted to be anywhere else. Sunrise over the Elks is a small reward for those Alpine starts. Once I reached the halfway mark of the project, I fell into a rhythm. The fatigue was never gone, nor was the confusion of eating breakfast around midnight. But, my body started to harmonize with my mind’s desire to journey into the alpine every day. At this point, things were flowing. I was pretty much in a flow state for an entire month. My routine had been dialed; I reached a point of deep connection and understanding of the Elk Range’s geography and snow conditions that I’d never experienced before; I knew what I had to do to finish the project and my body was trained to follow that desire at an unconscious level. Every part of my being was dedicated and working together to fulfill this dream. Let’s back up for a moment. I mentioned that planning was the other great challenge of this project. The 13,000’ summits in the Elk Range are rarely traveled in both the summer and winter. That means there is very little beta (information about routes previously completed) on these peaks. Within the Elk Range, there are 52 13,000’ summits: only around ten of them had information available on winter climbing and ski descent routes. Consequently, mapping out how to ski off the summits of all 52 peaks became a puzzle. About four months prior to actually setting off to ski the first mountain, I was in heavy information collecting mode. I started off by compiling a list of all the 13,000’ peaks then plotting them onto maps. Here is my first complete map of all 52 summits. Don’t worry, I didn’t just use a paper map as some sort of hipster statement. I think there is something extremely valuable to visualizing a landscape by scratching it up with a pen rather than with a computer cursor. Furthermore, the landscape is set, there’s no zooming in and out or changing axis, thus you get a sense for the absolute layout of a place with a fixed paper map. After getting this initial layout of the Elks etched in my mind, I switched over to using our space-age tech of Caltopo and FATMAP. First, I used FATMAP’s elevation gradient to ensure that I hadn’t missed any 13,000’ summits in the range. Then, I categorized the peaks by their prominent drainage so that I could more easily sort through the sheer number of them. This type of categorization proved to be quite useful later on in the project, as I was prioritizing certain areas of the range depending on how well snow was holding there. Then it came time to start the project. The anticipation was big, particularly because I had spent a lot of time mapping peaks, studying snow forecasts, and performing snow column tests around the areas where I’d be skiing. I was nervous because we had a particularly unstable snowpack this year throughout Colorado, and especially in the Elks. However, the warming temperatures of spring always end up settling the snowpack: it’s just a game of being too early–especially when you’re trying to ski so many peaks in one season. The only way to answer your questions about the snowpack and which lines go or don’t is to head out and assess the conditions with your own eyes. So, I started off by climbing and skiing some summits that were more straightforward: that’s when the true mapping and planning began. Each time I reached a summit, I’d take a panoramic view, note the neighboring 13,000’ summits and scribe some quick notes to myself about prospective ascent and descent routes. This process continued throughout the entire project: I’d continuously get slightly different views of peaks I had yet to ski as I stood on the summits of their neighbors. Then, it just came time to trust what I’d seen, have confidence in my observations about the snowpack, and go ski that line that no one had ever written about and possibly never skied before. It may sound a bit like I was just going for it on those unknown peaks. However, that was never the case. I completed six first descents throughout the two months. For each of those lines, I scoped them from at least three different mountain tops–noting the cruxes, the steep sections, the entrance, and the exit. All of it was very planned. All of it was a collaboration of spending two months fully immersed in the mountains. All of it was a result of listening to my surroundings. The project concluded when I'd skied all 52 13,000’ peaks and seven 14,000’ Elk Range mountains from their summits. That last day was hard. I’d just experienced the most challenging and also most beautiful two months of my life. When you wake up at 2am every day for two months and venture into the alpine, you’re met with the most beautiful moments the world has to offer. The snow-covered mountains turn to the softest blue with the first light of the day. Then, they begin to glow with that unmistakable alpine orange. In those moments, your tiredness disappears, you become overwhelmed with an appreciation for the world at large, and you feel alive. This project meant so much to me, as the Elk Range is home to the wilderness and mountains that I explored throughout my childhood. It feels amazing to have taken this opportunity to turn off the well-traveled path, to explore something new, to experience something like no one has before. I can now say I’m an explorer and I’ve explored something in a deeper way than anyone has before.
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LÉ BENT WELCOMES XAVIER DE LE RUE TO THE TEAM
The acronym G.O.A.T gets thrown around a lot in professional sports. So, perhaps adding the word ‘Mountain’ as a prefix more accurately represents what Xavier De Le Rue is to modern professional snowboarding. A 3 x Freeride World Tour champion and 4 x World Boardercross Champion, Xavier has seen, and probably ridden, it all. Xavier joins Pro Team riders Cody Townsend, Sammy Carlson and Elyse Saugstad and will be flying the Lé Bent boarder flag from the highest peaks. From the Kuril Islands to Antarctica, Vanuatu to Svalbard and Spain, Le Rue arrives at Le Bent HQ with plenty of stories from his many years spent in snowboard boots. “I tried the Lé Bent products for the first-time last year and was super impressed by the quality,” said Xavier. “I saw what my buddy Cody was doing with the guys and wanted to join in!” “We had the idea to make a splitboarding / snowboard specific sock that really fits my riding which I found very appealing.” Taking learnings from the existing Pro Series Socks, Xavier’s snowboard sock which is currently in the final testing stage (you can stay up to date on its development here), will see some unique snowboard specific considerations to ensure a sock, according to Xavier, “without any pressure points where all the binding straps apply pressure.” “I like a sock that is not too thin for touring and with a padding that is different from skiing.” Now making his home in Verbier, Xavier knows the ins and outs of more European big mountain lines than most. However, his exploits have taken him all the way to the poles. When asked where the wildest place his board has taken him? "Antarctica is definitely the one," he says. "5 days in a heavy metal boat, riding through the roughest seas on the planet, and at the end of it, the most magical and powerful mountain environment that I have had the chance to witness." Closer to home, "When I want to go more wild , Chamonix offers a pretty unique access to high alpine mega runs and that is quite special as well." It's also not far from where Le Bent co-founders Simon and Anthony cut their teeth fitting ski boots for over a decade in Val-d'Isère. With such an incredibly rounded snowboarding CV, we asked Xavier what he was most proud of in his career to date — Was it his 3rd FWT world title in a row? An epic first descent in Antarctica? Or being a four time winner of the Verbier Xtreme? His answer actually surprised us, and speaks to his humble reverence for nature and the lines he's ridden. “I think that all the ice riding shots we did for a while are quite a good memory for me as it really launched a new window of runs in the high alpine. I have always tried to think outside of the box and try new things to broaden our spectrum as snowboarders and I am proud to have influenced the sport in that way.” - Xavier De Le Rue Nowadays, Xavier's mission extends beyond riding the steepest, iciest lines — although he's still doing plenty of that too — into the realm of sustainability, within and beyond snowboarding. Having recently attended COP26, Xavier is focused on working with brands to lessen their environmental impact, something we're welcoming from him here at Lé Bent. “I am really trying to influence as much as I can my partners to gradually shift the production of all the products towards a more sustainable version.” “After 22 years of amazing opportunities through snowboarding, my goal now is to pass on my knowledge, in order to inspire others to get out there and enjoy their own adventures.” That goal starts with Lé Bent helping snowboarders find a better fit, so they can take their riding to new heights. Stay up to date as we unveil our new creation with XV here.
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Cody Townsend’s The Fifty Project is Back - Behind The Scenes of Season 3
Cody Townsend is a skier of international renown. At one time most known perhaps for his “line of the year” in 2014, he’s now turned his attention to a self-produced film series “The Fifty Project”, inspired by the book, ‘The 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America.’ He’s less known, but equally defined in his mind by an, “undying love of fart jokes, abhorrence of math and curious infatuation with tiny dogs.” Cody’s real-life web series became an unprecedented success in the first half of 2019 and introduced a mainstream audience and other skiers alike, to such niche objects as skins, beacons and ski touring socks. Not only are we stoked to announce the return of the Fifty Project for season 3, but Lé Bent is now also an official sponsor. Now 28 episodes deep, and having documented 30 classic ski lines and counting, the most watched winter sports series in the world is back. “The FIFTY was started because I was searching for something new in skiing.” - Cody Townsend Watch the latest episodes here: “I’d spent the prior decade chasing the highest performance downhill, big mountain focused skiing I could. Eventually I felt like I’d tapped out all my dreams, goals and challenges within that realm.” Said Cody. “As skiing is a sport with an unlimited amount of ways you can do it, I started being drawn into the human-powered approach to skiing big lines, to expeditions to far flung corners of the world and to skiing iconic peaks that had no mechanized access.” To date, Cody’s been joined by a number of big-name, big mountain riders as well as lesser known but equally respected locals. From the likes of snowboarder and activist Jeremy Jones, to photographer Jimmy Chin and fellow Le Bent team rider Elyse Saugstad (who also happens to be Cody’s better half). However, this season promises to have an even more stacked cast of mountain icons. Cody leading Jimmy Chin up the Grand Teton for Episode 12. Pic cred: Bjarne Salen Jeremy Jones joined Cody on his mission up Meteorite in Alaska for the short film Peak Obsession which combined lines 17 and 18 of the Fifty. Pic cred: Bjarne Salen The first episode of season 3 where the team tries to climb and ski Mt Stimson is a doozy. “Sometimes it's not immediately apparent what is "classic" about the lines in the book.” Said Cody. “With Stimson, it was pretty obvious. It's a mountain that sticks up like a giant white shark fin in the sky, dwarfing nearly everything else around it. There is one little sliver off of Hwy 2 in Glacier National Park where it jumps out of the forest and stands tall and proud. It's the kind of mountain that screams at you and draws you in with its magnetic aesthetics.” “Problem is what you don't stare at, what you look right over, is possibly the gnarliest part of this mountain...the 9mile (14.5km), thick forested, heavily vegetated, deep canyoned, narrow creek'ed approach.” Mt Stimson is the opposite of low hanging fruit. Here it lurks in the distance, with days of bushwhacking and creek crossings in between. Pic cred: Bjarne Salen “I'd honestly not recommend anyone to attempt this line unless you're really into ski touring in creek water filled ski boots, torn clothes, lugging heavy backpacks over and under hundreds of deadfall trees and generally just all out suffering for days on end.” “Now I've been known to do some bushwhacks, but absolutely nothing compares with this bushwhack.” Said Cody. Indeed, Cody’s no sook when it comes to creek crossings and taking off his socks in the snow. Heck, he did a bunch of them when he visited us Downunder during our final testing of his Signature Pro Series Snow Sock. “There is no getting around the complete punishment your feet go through on tours like Stimson," he said. "You’re gonna get them wet, sweaty and cold at times. But minimizing those impacts with better materials and innovations like the heel grip strips on the Pro Model Sock helps you get through the day.” “I know with those socks I’m gonna have less chance of blisters, which could be trip enders, and more chance for warm feet which makes the challenges that you’re gonna face just a little bit easier.” Cody's Pro Series Sock. Before the line (left) and drying inside-out after a creek crossing en route to Mt Stimson for the first line of the season (right). Pic cred: Ming Poon & Bjarne Salen When asked what we can expect out of this season of the Fifty Project, Cody said, “More suffering, more education and some big challenges.” “This season was one of the toughest seasons yet and I think the entertainment value because of that is only increased. It wasn’t my favorite season while out in the field, but it’s probably my favorite season in terms of the episodes we’ve produced.” There’ll also be plenty of bonus episodes too, noting that in seasons 1 & 2 Cody produced 11 bonus episodes that often covered his all-important gear selection. “My gear decisions are always changing, always nuanced and always adapted to bring the highest level of comfort, safety and chances for success. I’m super calculated with every piece of gear I bring out there because without good gear, this project wouldn’t be possible.” Cody and Nick Russell making camp during their approach to Mt Stimson. Pic Cred: Bjarne Salen One unsung item that Cody has worn up and down all of his Fifty lines, is a Lightweight Le Bent Baselayer. "Layering is everything because one of the most important aspect of big backcountry missions is temperature management." Said Cody. “I’ve found with base layers, the combo of wool and synthetic, like the Le Bent Merino & Bamboo Rayon blend provides a perfect blend of maintaining warmth and being dry” “You’re constantly going back and forth between the heat built up from physical exertion and the cold that the environment you’re in brings. So, maintaining your temperature is essential to staying dry and a comfortable temp.” Cody tours in the Men's Core 200 Crew baselayer top and bottoms. Pic cred: Ming Poon & Bjarne Salen Episodes from season 3 of The Fifty Project will be dropping fortnightly, with some bonus surprises in between as we head full steam into winter. Stay up to date by following Lé Bent on Instagram and Facebook and be the first to know about new releases. As for Cody, he’ll be bushwhacking his way into winter and more lines on his journey to ski all 50 classics! Stay tuned. Check out the socks that have taken Cody up every single line of the Fifty...
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ULTRA-TRAIL AUSTRALIA 2021 EVENT RECAP
When a runner who effectively limped across the 100km finish line says, “UTA 2021 didn't disappoint.” You know it’s a special race indeed. After a covid-19 hiatus, the Ultra-Trail Australia event finally happened last weekend and it was one for the books. Team runner Vlad Shatrov is the aforementioned limping, but stoked trail runner, and while he might not have taken first place as he would have liked, there were still many firsts to be had on a very trying course. For Vlad it was the: - First time I’ve run in the dark in the Blue Mountains. - First time I’ve worn a fleece in an event. - First time I’ve been sleeted on in an event. - First time I’ve got a shirt with another year printed on it. - First time I’ve run all day with gloves on. According to Vlad, and the number of bloodied knees we saw hobbling through the event expo, “The conditions were just so tough which made finishing even more rewarding.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vlad Shatrov (@vlad_protrailrunner) “You could see the smiles on everyone’s face as big racing returned. It was definitely a relief and a boost for many!” “I didn't have the day I trained for, it’s really tough when you cannot deliver on your preparation but honestly it’s those days you grow more. I didn’t feel great all day - then topping it off I hurt my left ankle, the pain at 65km was so real. Finishing was necessary for me this year no matter the time. I’ll be back stronger. And shout out if you didn’t have a great day - Ben I hope the hug at 60km lifted your spirits on your DNF.” Vlad’s referring to fellow Le Bent runner Ben Duffus, who, despite leading the pack for the majority of the 100km was forced to retire from injury around the 60km mark. “I was feeling the fittest I’d ever been,” said Ben. “But unfortunately, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and an ongoing hip-flexor issue was my undoing.” “Obviously, I was gutted at the time to have to withdraw, but the love and support I’ve received from the trail-running community has been incredible. I’m already looking forward to going back and having another crack at it next year!” Ben still in high spirits midway through the 100k. Photo: Lucy Bartholomew While Ben and Vlad jostled for the top two places before injuries struck, one Le Bent runner, Brendan Davies, was quietly grinding away and crossed the line in 5th place, 2nd in the Masters category. Brendan in action during the last UTA (he was too quick for a photo op this year). Photo: UTA While it's fair to say most of the Le Bent men didn’t have the day they’d hoped for, the same can’t be said for the female team, whose results probably exceeded their expectations but were right in line with their abilities. In the 22km event, Paige Penrose was the first female over the line despite not even knowing if she’d be on the start line the night before. “I’m absolutely loving running at the moment but I’ve had a big few months of races and for some reason I had no competitive drive coming into UTA,” said Paige. “I was super excited for a long run in the mountains, but had no fight. I decided to turn up and run my own run. My legs and body know what to do so I handed it to them.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paige Penrose (@pipenrose) “My race ended up being pretty sweet. The first few km were pretty intense but I let that happen and plugged along. A mate, Majell Backhausen, who was doing media coverage, jumped in behind me on the trail and we had a good catch up. Then I chatted to a guy all the way along the valley floor. Once we hit the single trail with some roots and rocks to play on, I’m not quite sure what happened.” What happened next, in fact, was Paige stormed her way up the Furber steps and across the finish line to first place. That’s right... Paige can run 22km and hold a conversation on the tricky terrain without breaking a sweat. Photo: UTA Hot on Paige’s heels was fellow Le Bent athlete Kellie Emmerson who took second place in 2.07hrs. “It is always pretty daunting showing up to one of the biggest events on the calendar, let alone after having a baby!” Said (new mum) Kellie. “But you can’t hide in a ‘shorter’ race. It’s all in! So, the 22km event was a true test of my current fitness and I’m stoked to see myself on the right track.” Kellie Emmerson not missing a beat after welcoming a new bub! What a performance. The trail running community arguably put on the best show of the week, cheering on friends and family as temperatures dipped below 0 Degrees Celsius. Baselayers and Glove Liners were heavily coveted from our store at the Expo and plenty of Lucy Pro Series Socks were spotted in action out in the wild. Lucy Bartholomew making friends after running in the 11km race and more than a few of her Pro Series Socks for sale. There were plenty of our Viper Run Club friends out on course as well, and as many Lucy Socks. Finally, congratulations to all the runners who participated, no matter your result or whether you made it across the finish line! And also shoutout to the volunteers and race organisers who made the week possible. We’ll see you on the trails!
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PAINT BY POWDER - LEXI DOWDALL'S QUEST TO PAINT ALL UTAH SKI RESORTS
Guest blog by Ambassador/Team Painter Lexi Dowdall Like many of you, 2020 hijacked most of my big plans and goals the moment mid-March steamrolled in. I had committed to skiing each of the 15 ski resorts in Utah. I was on my 7th resort when we all retreated into lockdowns of unknown duration. My employment in the ski industry, helping to organize and facilitate nearly 100 Freeride competitions for skiers and snowboarders in the USA and Canada, ground to a halt. I had no work and nothing to keep me occupied during what would normally be the most intense period of my season, culminating in 3 championship events in April. Ten months of planning and logistics. Gone. Within three days, everything was cancellations and... crickets.I didn’t know what to do with the sudden closure of my favorite ski areas and I suddenly had more time on my hands than I’d had in years. I began a 15 day sketching challenge. This turned into a 100 day watercolor challenge. I suddenly had the time and energy to invest in myself and my hobbies, so I went for it. In December 2020, I launched an art website, www.kapowder.com, alongside a new goal. To visit and paint each ski resort in Utah. I picked one of my favorite resorts to start: Alta Ski Area. In 2020 I had randomly collected and saved some powder snow from Alta underneath a gleaming full moon following a particularly memorable storm cycle. I thought how fun it would be to use this mason jar of water in my watercolor painting of Alta. I thought it would better capture the essence and magic of what we locals call “Alta Magic.” While painting Alta with my snowmelt, I contemplated how much skiing means to me and the vital role the winter landscape of Utah and our snowpack plays in my own life. So many of my peers and friends actually depend on snowfall for their jobs and livelihoods too. Winter and skiing and snowboarding is integral to our well-being, our mental health, our very identity. Any deep thoughts about winter are always accompanied by a deeper twinge of fear. The ever-present threat of climate change. The natural response is to feel helpless and to pretend it’s not happening. I know I do. Lexi collecting some snow another kind of way... Photo: Jeff Bartlett Science tells us: The last five years were the hottest on record and carbon dioxide emission levels have surpassed historic levels— the climate is warming. Years with low snow totals negatively impact the economy in Utah and beyond. In Utah alone, the ski industry brings in $1.7 billion and creates over 20,000 jobs. The global impact is difficult to calculate or even fathom... Warmer temperatures will and have adversely affected the quality and depth of the snow in many regions. Brian McInerney, a hydrologist for the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Salt Lake City, Utah anticipates that the Wasatch Range (where I’ve lived and played my whole life) will be snow free by 2100. Well over 500 inches (1300cm) of snowfall blankets the Wasatch in an average year. All of this snow could be rainfall in 80 years. All of this is so scary. Even typing that sentence above makes me want to puke. The simplest thing to do is to give up or ignore the facts. However, it’s vital to remember the importance and power of collective change. If we all make small changes, we can make a difference in this fight against climate change. Join me. By painting each of the 15 ski resorts in Utah with meltwater collected from each mountain, I want to bring awareness and inspire action around the changes we must all make to fight climate change. Five percent of all proceeds from my Paint by Powder prints will be donated to Protect our Winters. Help me spread the word. Making even a small change is empowering and builds momentum. Here are some simple and effective steps you can take to save our snow. - Carpool to the ski hill or ride public transit. - Work remotely when possible and combine errands into one trip to use your car less. - Bike to grab groceries or run errands near home. - Buy and consume less meat. - Use your ski or shred gear till it’s throttled. If your gear still has life, donate it to a worthy organization. Here in the US there are awesome orgs like the Chill Foundation or Share Winter that bring low income children to local hills for ski and snowboard lessons. Many mountains have adaptive skiing or snowboarding programs that can reuse outerwear, gloves, goggles, etc. - If you’re not using a light--shut it off. If it’s on and you’re not using it, you’re wasting energy and pumping carbon needlessly into the air. This one is so simple! Turn off outdoor lights at night. Switch to higher efficiency light bulbs. I only run large loads of laundry 1x per week and when it’s warm, I air dry my clothes outside. My power bill is typically under $30 a month because I am vigilant with my electricity use. - When buying household items that come in plastic, purchase in bulk or the largest containers you can find. For example, I buy jumbo shampoo, laundry detergent, dish soap, body wash, cleaning supplies etc. in the largest container I can find to cut down on plastic consumption, shipping and transportation of the products, and my own shopping trips to buy them. - Look for and support brands that do not use plastic packaging. For example, save up some money and buy a metal razor. Use toothpaste tablets that come in a glass jar. A little research goes a long way here and it’s rewarding to slowly switch your household products over to more responsible options which often cost the same or less than conventional products. This isn’t an overnight process, it’s a journey. I just found a subscription service for bamboo toilet paper that uses NO plastic - WIN! - When travelling, don’t use or steal the hotel shampoo! This one was really hard for me. I am a recovering hotel shampoo kleptomaniac. I now use refillable bottles from home and leave the complementary stuff behind because it creates SO much plastic waste. In a hotel room, there are typically 2-3 garbage cans. Just use one and reduce your plastic bag wastage by 50-66%! See how quickly that tiny little choices and actions can all add up to using drastically less resources? - Consider cancelling your Amazon Prime account. It’s just stuff. Do you really need all that stuff? Does it actually make you happy? I know that’s a big one…and it may not be feasible for some households. But do think about it… - The stuff that makes me happiest isn’t stuff at all! It is experiences, time with friends or my cat, investing in a hobby, listening to music, talking to a loved one...you get the gist. Try one change, then try another. I’ve found that as I improve in one area I’m keen to try another challenge and then tell my friends and peers about it. Be an inspiration and example to others and our positive impact multiplies exponentially! I hope to see you out there on the slopes and may we all work a little harder to safeguard the winter sports that make us feel alive. Winter is worth it. More snow banks like this please. Photo: Jeff Bartlett
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