“I still remember all the questions I used to ask myself when I first started skiing full-time. Knowing what I know today, this is the book I wish I’d had but never found back then” - Jimmy Odén, UIAGM Mountain Guide. (Starting words to his book: Free Skiing – How to adapt to the mountain)

“Always put food out for the choucas, as the alpine jackdaws (Corvus Monedula) are called. Local legend has it that they are the reincarnated souls of deceased mountaineers.” – Old alpine saying / belief

Now here is a product that I can’t recommend enough. I let those two quotes above do the best they can. This book combines the hard, often harsh and unpleasant, facts to the real stories from the mountains.

Jimmy Odén is a Swedish mountain guide born in 1971. From 1993 on he has lived his dream in Verbier, Switzerland. He is a UIAGM mountain guide and has skied full time around the world since 1990. He is a member of Bureau des Guides in Verbier and the Swiss Mountain Guide Association, as well as the Swedish Mountain Guide Association, where he serves on the training committee. Jimmy was recently featured in an article for Conde Nast Traveller “Europe’s Top Ten Mountain Guides” and he regularly writes articles on mountain safety for skiers.

The book probably has more info on ski mountaineering than even 90% of freeskiers need to know – meaning the stuff gets pretty technical at times and seems to be more related to climbing than skiing. But after all, ski mountaineering in its true meaning is about combining rock-hard skiing AND climbing skills and thus creating something only a few really master.

I’d still say the book is really usefull for an average freeskier too. As the author himself says: “And as the book is written from a passionate skier’s perspective, everything documented on its 366 pages comes down to one single aim: To help capable free skiers reach as much good skiing as possible – as safely as possible.” For a skier the book serves as a full encyclopedia – you can always get back to it and check the facts straight if you need some more information.

Many of the climbing terms and techniques qo way over my head. And to be honest, no one learn those from a book after all. The key to practise in real life and then practise some more, and preferably under a certified guide at first. But after you have done that, it is pretty wise to get back to this book now and then.

Theoretical part also covered in Free Skiing book

Then there is some info and thoughts that serve pretty well in theoretical level too. I really like the way the book introduces risk management and decision making in the mountains. The examples and stories tell how in most cases things start to go wrong from small, early bad decisions that then create a series of wrong moves/decisions during the day. Ever had that day in the mountains when you felt that bad vibe in your chest/stomach from an early morning on? I surely have and although I couldn’t claim to have as developed “mountain sense” as Jimmy describes in his book, I should have trusted my instincts in those mornings (knock on wood I’ve never encountered anything really bad but there have been couple of close calls that I still gives me shivers at times…)

In addition to the risk managing part, the weather and snow knowledge in the book is very useful and informative for the less experienced skier too. When venturing off-piste, taking a closer look to the (always changing) weather conditions and snow layers is never a bad move. Even if you’re going with the guide, asking about these things will make you wiser in the future.

The beginning of th book has a nice (and really uplifting) gallery of both skiing and scenery pictures. Otherwise the editing in the book is a bit dull, and frankly, you can see the work is done by indipendent, small publishing company. But actually this doesn’t bother me at all. The facts and stories are all real deal and give you a very professional feel about the author and his views.

And, yes, you can buy the book from our web shop too… I highly recommend this book to any skier who ever skis in the backcountry. Click here to order Free Skiing book.