It is interesting how a small event in life can make you think about something for days and weeks. Few weeks ago my friend and lifelong skier Skipe Oivo told me about a humble Swedish dude who goes big in Chamonix.
“Why not interview Andreas Fransson who is living here with us? He is a really nice dude who skis some pretty nasty mountain faces, AND he looks at skiing from a bit different perspective”, said Skipe. “Yeah, why not. Let me call him this week”, I replied.
Easy access to a nice couloir in in L’Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix. Photo by Patrik Linqvist.
I called Andreas by Skype and spent couple of hours chatting about skiing, Chamonix and life. In fact we spoke mostly about life and philosophy. During those days I also happened to read Yvon Chouinard’s “Let My People Go Surfing”. The founder of Patagonia is a climber, surfer and kayaker who cares about people and nature. He is a reluctant businessman who wasn’t supposed to become a business man, but “suddenly” created a $230 million company that has been voted as one of the best 100 companies to work for in the world.
Just like reading Yvon Chouinard’s book Let My People Go Surfing made me stop and think about my own philosophies, also discussion with Andreas Fransson was clearly influential. I recognized that these two gentlemen have something interesting to say, and I should listen up. Both respect life and try to live to the full. They rather live rich and colorful life by doing things that can literally open your eyes instead of sticking to the “holy triangle” of work, milk shop and home. These two men offered me philosophical thoughts that made something “click” in my head.
Secret spot in the backcountry of Chamonix. Photo by Patrik Linqvist.
I have been a skier all my life and in the mountains I have experienced moments that are far beyond the imagination of typical nine to five people, but during the last few years I somehow got stuck. My safe but boring 9-5 lifestyle froze my imagination and locked me inside my very own “career prison”. I wasn’t living my life to the full, and in fact I was dead bored. I threw my career goals to a thrasher already some time ago and started bringing the joy back to my life, but every now and then I need a wake up because I easily lose my focus and start working too much again. That is the guilt of a workaholic like me. This time my wake up call was the lessons I learned from Andreas Fransson and Yvon Chouinard.
Andreas Fransson goes big in Chamonix
Born in northern Sweden Andreas Fransson naturally got introduced to skiing during his early years of childhood. His family includes a number of successful cross country skiers who used to train in ski resorts in northern Finland. Andreas tried cross-country skiing but soon realized that alpine skiing was pulling him like a magnet.
By spending most of his time in ski resorts Andreas learned to ski various terrain from slopes to the backcountry. As a teenager he met Finnish colleagues Jani Johanssen, Joonas Karhumaa and Skipe Oivo, and spent a lot of time in the slopes with these “dirtbags” (a.k.a. die hard skiers).
Passionate young skier went to the Alps (St. Anton) already at the age of 16, but in 2003 he finally discovered the magnificent playground of these young mountains. Not a wonder, because in their first road trip with Joonas Karhumaa they skied resorts such as Verbier, Monte Rosa and Chamonix which are some of the best places for ski mountaineering in Europe. Now as a 26-year-old Andreas Fransson is living in Chamonix, in the headquarter of European mountaineering and backcountry skiing.
Andreas Fransson hucking in Courmayer, Italy. Photo by Patrik Linqvist.
Andreas is a smart guy but not interested in MBA and successful career in international companies. He is clearly not a corporate junkie collecting work merits to his CV. Instead he prefers to conquer mountains and work enough to support his lifestyle, and in fact his long and broad experience in skiing has helped with finding perfect jobs. Andreas doesn’t need a CV or resume because to his job as a ski instructor and heli ski guide he has qualified already years ago. No wonder because his best year includes incredible 340-350 days of skiing which is even more than legendary Seth Morrison told me to ski every year. For Andreas this is possible because as soon as summer comes to northern hemisphere he used to take a plane to the southern hemisphere. Nowadays he lives full time in Chamonix, skiing the winters and climbing the summers.
Just like for any of us the road has been bumpy also for Andreas. Enthusiastic skier has been forced to rest due to numerous injuries. Six operations and months of rest during seasons have made him think about life and health. In fact he feels that getting injured might be one of the best things that has happened to him. In my humble opinion this is a good measure to make distinction between an active skier and a “Sunday skier”, because only a pro skier would come up with such a deep philosophical thought.
Just a random rappel in L’Auiguille du Midi, Chamonix. Photo by Patrik Linqvist.
Today Andreas feels good and skis a lot. Unlike most of us he doesn’t have a problem to ski alone. When skiing alone he can tune in with the rythm of the mountain and do things in his own pace following his intuition fully. There are no fears or wills from others, just him and the mountain, in many ways he feels like he learns more like that. When skiing with others he prefers skiing with his closest friends that he can trust in 100%.
I don’t have problems with dying with what I do, but I don’t want that people skiing with me face their destiny, so that’s why I enjoy skiing alone. If I decide to ski with someone I prefer skiing with people that i can trust and that can take care of themselves.. or; good young people who are humble and really want to learn and listen to my directions..
As it was mentioned in the beginning Andreas Fransson goes big in Chamonix. He has courage to ski very challenging backcountry runs where most of us would bail out. He for example solo skied the north face of L’Aiguille du Midi of Chamonix via Mallory couloir already in autumn. Nobody had done that since the 70s. Even though he skis pretty nasty mountain faces he doesn’t consider very extreme runs as any kind of highlights in his life. His highlight is more like a day during which intuition and experience have come into play.
It was actually pretty surprising that skiing the Mallory in autumn became a “big thing” here in Chamonix. I mean I like doing these sorts of things for the adventure in itself and wasn’t counting on that attention really..
Andreas has shown his capabilities also in competitions since his first telemark freeride event in Riksgränsen in 2000. He was second in Scandinavian championships of telemark skiing in 2003 and second in Engadin snow invitational in 2008, but unfortunately got injured and decided to have a break with competitions. Although getting injured forced him to rest, the biggest reason for the break is more philosophical. He just didn’t feel like racing at that time, and therefore he decided to focus on adventures and freeskiing.
Andreas Fransson freeriding in Marecottes, Switzerland. Photo by Patrik Lindqvist.
Andreas is supported by a few companies. He receives all needed clothing from Haglöfs while he skis on all the Nordica freeride skis from Girish to Jah Love and Enforcer with race bindings or Dynafits when ski mountaineering. All protection gear and goggles’ he receives from POC. In addition to skiing he also climbs rock and ice about 150 days a year, and he is currently studying to become a UIAGM mountain guide. Climbing gives him confidence to ski big mountains.
If not skiing or climbing, Andreas likes to read a lot. He is also in love with yoga and tai chi that clearly support his philosophical thinking. But he is more into their applications in to everyday then in the movements in themselves. He is curious to learn new things, and maybe that’s why he is also learning French. As a professional skier he travels a lot which is a great way to learn about life and yourself.
Skiing is my yoga
Andreas does not believe in statistics. You don’t hear him bragging about what he has done in the mountains. In fact he is not looking for huge drops or nasty places in order to add yet another line in his never ending list of killed mountains. Instead you can hear him talking about something deeper and philosophical and the beauty of life.
Andreas Fransson charging the backcountry of Chamonix. Photo by Patrik Lindqvist.
Skiing for Andreas is his yoga and a tool to learn about life. He skis very challenging mountains in order to learn about life and himself. Surviving alone in difficult mountains gives a tremendous possibility to learn about ones strengths and weaknesses. Up there you can find your limits and even stretch them. Back in the valley you know yourself a bit better.
Hold on! Let’s have a bit more precise definition of yoga by his own words: “first of all one has to understand what a yogi is. It’s someone who never sleeps.. not physically of course, but in his mind. He or she is always awake, fully conscius. I think skiing and most action sports can drag you in to that state or level of consciousness”, says Andreas.
“I ski because it brings me joy just like to anyone else, but I’m also interested in question why.. Why does it bring joy (and so much more) to me and so many others? What are the mechanics behind the joy it brings? I say its because it drags us in to this present moment, and then the next question is; why would that bring us joy? Because feeling fully present we lack nothing. We don’t need to add something, everything is like it is – we are whole, and so everything is perfect. It’s a perfect state. Try it out right now and you will see, and watch what happens to your skiing or whatever you do when you succeed in applying it to your life”, states Andreas.
“From another point of view my skiing can be related to the subject of fear which also can have to do with being in this moment, and/or about being whole as a human being, not divided. Being divided gives doubt, which is fear.. and so on. Or it can be related to skiing and society in the sense of how the ski world is just a small model of the much bigger world and how the same mechanics, action-reaction and so on are working in our ski towns in the same as in any town all over the world.. Basically you can take any subject and it all relates to the world. We just hide ourselves behind our skis and hope or think that we are different. I don’t think we are”, concludes Andreas.
According to our soulskier there are lots of people to whom skiing is a way to learn about life. No matter if people are business men, ski bums, students or even unemployed, they all get into their “special moment” when skiing. Days in the mountains make them happy. “Some people are looking for a meaning in their lives, so why not through skiing?” asks Andreas. “There are lots of unhappy people out there. They can help themselves understand more about their lives by skiing.. or of course by anything they do, but manytimes doing something one loves, that still provides fear and holds you in the grip of this moment is one of the greatest catalysts“, continues Andreas.
Climbing in order to access a nice backcountry run in Chamonix. Photo by Patrik Linqvist.
I believe I got the point from our discussion. Andreas is looking for answers to philosophical questions and he is using skiing as his vehicle to find the answers. He has clearly stepped into next level of “philosophical skiing”, so that’s why we immediately called him “The Soulskier”.
My discussion with Andreas was truly an eye opening moment. I have lost my passion to discover the world and set myself physical challenges. I have drifted away from the soul of skiing and I have become part of the machine, a real “cubicle ninja”. I am not really proud of it, but I have recognized my root cause for the lack of joy. As a father of three kids I have responsibilities and certain limitations to ski the mountains like I used to, but I learned my lesson from my “Zen master of skiing”. There is more than just skiing in skiing. I will keep this in mind when chasing sticks or checking the backcountry with my son next weekend.
All photographs by Patrik Lindqvist. Remember to check out his cool shots in his website. Also don’t forget to check more Patrik’s amazing shots in Outdooria image agency.
