Interview with Fredrik Ericsson (SWE) - 11/2006

Dynafit am 24.11.2006 - 12:00 Uhr

Fredrik Ericsson is a ski mountaineer from Sweden living in Chamonix, France. During the last few years he has focused on ski descents on big mountains in the Himalayas and skied the 7.495 meters high Peak Communism in Tajikistan, Shisha Pangma (8.012 meters) in Tibet and Gasherbrum 2 (8.035 meters) in Pakistan.

During their Pakistan trip in 2005, Fredrik and his Norwegian friend Jorgen Aamot became the first skiers on the coveted Laila Peak. Apart from powder skiing in Chamonix Fredrik spends the winters exploring remote mountain ranges like the The Kackar Mountains of Turkey, The Sarek National Park in Sweden and The Svalbard Islands in the Arctic Sea.

Fredrik, you seem to live for skiing. When and where did you start skiing?
I grew up in the north of Sweden with long winters and lots of snow, so skiing came quite natural. I think I skied for the first time when I was three or four years old.

Where does this passion come from?
Winter sports are big in Sweden. The whole country stopped when Ingemar Stenmark was competing in the Worldcup, during the 1980's. When I was in school, the teacher pulled a TV into our classroom so that we could watch Stenmark skiing. I think that's where I got my interest and passion for skiing.

Do you work in addition to skiing - or do you "just ski"?
Thanksworthy to my sponsors I have the possibility to ski full time.

How many days do you ski in a year?
I haven't counted it, but I think it's a bit more than a hundred days.

Since when do you live in Chamonix?
I've been spending the winters in Chamonix since 2000 and all year around for the last five years.

What's your favourite pub in Chamonix?
Since I'm scared of meeting new people I go to Chambre Neuf, where all the other Swedes are... ;-)

What are your three favourite ski tours in Europe/Chamonix?
I have lots of favourites and it's hard to only pick three, but I'll try:
1. Crochues-Berard from Flegere in Chamonix is the skitour I do the most often. It's quick and easy and since the descent is north facing, it often holds good snow.
2. Breche Puiseux from Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix is a more serious tour including glaciers and normally a rappel. You get an amazing view over the Mont Blanc Massif from the Breche Puiseux.
3. The south couloir on Gjertvasstind in Hurrungane, Norway, is a long and demanding tour, but it gives you a full on mountain experience.

How important is the uphill compared to the downhill for you?
I enjoy the downhill more, but I don't mind going uphill, it's all part of the experience of being in the mountains.

How important is reliable and light gear for you?
Reliable and light gear is a must to me. Light gear makes it easier climbing up, and a few kilos lighter equipment does quite a big difference when you're at high altitude. When skiing steep and exposed lines you have to rely on the equipment, if some piece breaks, it can have a tragic ending.

How big is the challenge for you skiing higher mountains like Leila Peak and Gasherbrum II? Is it the ultimate or just pain?
Climbing and skiing in the Himalayas is the ultimate experience to me. Off course it's a lot of pain and hard work, but at the end of the day, I forget all about that and only remember the good stuff.

More and more hardcore skiers like for example Stian Hagen and Glen Plake are using the light Dynafit material. You also joined us. What was your first impression from the looks? And how was it using the gear?
When I first saw the bindings I wasn't too sure about them. I thought some pieces were missing, but as they got mounted and I tried them, it worked! I was amazed how a piece of that smallness could hold the boot against all the forces involved in skiing.

Is skiing the Mount Everest Hornbein couloir your biggest dream?
Skiing Hornbein on Everest is definitely my biggest dream. It's a straight line down from the highest mountain in the world. It doesn't get better than that.

If you were a Dynafit product manager, having a large budget: what would you change or develop for skiers like you in ski mountaineering?
As I see it, there are two products that I would like to see improvements in: boots and bindings. At the moment there is no ski touring boot on the market that can be compared to a good alpine ski boot. We need a boot that has the precision and flex of an alpine boot and the comfort with walk mode and rubber sole of a ski touring boot. When it comes to the bindings I would like to see a binding like the Dynafit (similar in size and weight) that you can use with normal ski boots.

Chamonix is very important for Dynafit as it is the Hawaii of skiers. Do you have any suggestions how Dynafit could become bigger within core skiers communities in Chamonix?
A good start is to sponsor skiers like Stian Hagen, respected alpinists and mountain guides that live in Chamonix who can give Dynafit a good word. Then the rest will follow. The level of the skiers and how they ski is very high in Chamonix, so you should make sure that you have the products that these "core" skiers need: skis, boots and bindings that are made for the highest level of skiing.

What's your next project?
I have a few trips planned for the winter and then I hope to go back to the Himalayas in the autumn to ski some big mountains.


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