photos >>>
The Hans Saari Memorial Fund (HSMF) was created to honor the life of Hans Saari, a young mountaineer who lost his life in a skiing accident in 2001. The fund's mission: "Is to foster an appreciation for skiing and its personal challenges, alpine environments, and mountain cultures by promoting ski exploration and education." (hansfund.org)
A native of Washington State, 27-year-old Jason Thompson skied for the first time at age 12 and when he moved to Bozeman, Montana, for college, he traded in soccer cleats for ski boots. With the help of the Hans Saari Memorial Fund, Thompson and his ski pals, Seth Waterfall and Tyler Jones, traveled beyond the mountains of Montana to explore relatively unknown ski terrain. With its western edge along the Black Sea, Georgia is nestled between Turkey (southwest), Armenia (south), Azerbaijan (southeast), and Russia (north). Home to the Caucasus Mountains and slightly smaller than South Carolina, Georgia binds Eastern Europe and Western Asia and is not typically a ski destination. Instead, it is better known for a history of political strife and economic and cultural struggles. Jason, Seth, and Tyler honored Saari and the goals of the fund by traveling to Georgia's highest peak, 17,063-foot Mount Shkhara, to explore mountain cultures and "promote ski exploration and education."
POWDER: How did you hear about the Hans Saari Memorial Fund?
Jason Thompson: I knew about Hans and what he was doing with Alex Lowe and Kris Erickson while I was living in Bozeman prior to his death. I still remember the day when I heard about Hans' accident. I never had the opportunity to meet him. I guess I first heard about the fund when calling the avalanche center every morning for the report since the fund would sponsor reports.
P: What pushed you to apply for the fund?
JT: I wanted to experience a new culture and I wanted to go skiing. I figured that there would be a lot of folks applying for this grant; grants for skiing are hard to come by. It is a privilege to have received this grant in honor of Hans.
P: Why did you decide to ski in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains of all places?
JT: I started looking in the Caucasus on the Russian side, but was curious about Georgia, especially when I couldn't find any information about it. I was intrigued. I saw that Mt. Shkhara was in Georgia; I googled it and found a stunning image - an image that says, "These two couloirs are here to be skied." I looked at maps to locate the nearest town or village; I found Ushguli. The more research and time I spent, the more fascinated I became with the history of the region and culture. Skiing where no one else has and to see fascinating history and people all along the way, that's when I knew I wanted to travel to Georgia.
P: Where in the country were you and how long was the trip?
JT: We left Seattle on May 16 and returned June 7. We flew from Seattle to Amsterdam and then into Tbilisi, the Capitol of Georgia. From Tbilisi we drove around 14 to 15 hours to Ushguli, which is at the base of Mount Shkhara, in the Central Caucasus Range. We spent a total of 15 days on Mount Shkhara.
P: Georgia has struggled economically and politically in the past with its ties to the former Soviet Union. Did you feel any tension within the country or among the people?
JT: We felt completely safe our entire trip and very welcomed. Georgians want to welcome guests and make them feel at home - specifically, the Svans, where we spent most of our time. We ate and drank with them until we couldn't do it any more. Many people didn't realize that we were from the States; they would guess Sweden or Germany and many times we had to tell them. Then they were very excited to meet us.
P: What surprised you most when you got to Georgia?
JT: They love Tupac in Georgia. We had just left our hotel beginning our drive to Ushguli. We stopped at a stoplight and a BMW pulled up next to us. Tupac's lyrics filled the air with a loud bass line. Messages to Tupac were written on bus stop stations. It seemed like there was a large discrepancy between the poor and rich, especially once you get out of Tbilisi, the capitol. The techno-dance parties in Tbilisi were an experience.
P: What was the hardest part of the trip?
JT: We had five and a half days of bad weather. It was tough. Sitting in our tent beginning to wonder if we were going to be able to ski anymore. But we were awarded with some great ski conditions after the long wait.
P: What was one of the best parts of the trip?
JT: Being able to ski on Georgian snow. To climb and ski some of our main objectives got us really jazzed. On our return to Ushguli, our host family welcomed us with excitement celebrating with us. As I sat next to the fire, happy to be inside warm and dry as it rained outside, Seth and Tyler sat across from me. Our host dad Temrez, his wife, and his uncle looked over my shoulder viewing some video footage and images. I think it was then that they were able to grasp what we were trying to do.
P: Was the skiing similar to anything or anywhere else you have skied before?
JT: It was a very unique region to ski; we only experienced one very small zone of a large mountain range. On our drive into Ushguli, we were in the forest, where all the trees were green and there was plenty of water. But then you break out above treeline around 6,000 feet and see steep hillsides - probably beautiful meadows in the summer time. Around 11,000 feet, the terrain becomes very steep and rocky. The terrain reminded me of a mix between Chamonix, the Pacific Northwest and a little of Alaska.
P: How, if at all, has this experience changed the way you look at life and skiing?
JT: I remember on our drive into Ushguli, we had stopped for a quick break and our driver asked me about what type of skis I used. He didn't speak English, so with hand motions and gestures, we discussed skinny skis, shaped skis and fat skis. Most of the folks had no concept of what we were trying to do while we were there. Skiing offers a great opportunity to travel and experience new cultures. Skiing and climbing, often times are self-centered acts, but they always open the door to give back. Skiing also forges friendships, and being in the mountains keeps you humble and gives you perspective.
P: Any final words?
JT: We want to thank the HSMF for the opportunity. We want to thank Hans for his passion and enthusiasm for mountain cultures and getting others excited about skiing. He used his skis to paint his emotions on a canvas, and his life will live on because of that. Thanks to everyone that helped make this trip happen: Smith Optics, Organic Valley Farms, Sterling Ropes, Clif Bar, and many others along the way. Thanks to Merab, our interpreter, for showing us his beautiful country and the people. This fall we will be promoting the HSMF and the Svaneti Mountaineering Tourism Center (SvanetiProject.com)
Photo 11. September 2007 von Susan Astray
No comments:
Post a Comment