Martina Demmel (@martinademmel) started climbing in 2017. She was a regular attendee of our Petzl Junior Rock Camp. Today she is part of the Petzl Athlete’s Team and continues to surprise us with her power. On the same day, she onsighted her first 8b+ (Humildes pa casa) and redpointed an 8c+ (Joe Blau) at Oliana. “Seems like once the sending train is rolling, it's not that easy to stop again! This was literally one of the most unexpected sends ever by still being pumped from the onsight an hour before, but therefore I had the right commitment and flow in my movements” … story to be continued. Pictures @tonimasbuchaca / @julianbueckers & @simontoplak

How do you set up your device for abseiling? Here are the steps we recommend to install your device for abseiling. Petzl Tips - unlosable prusik knot & connecting the device. #mountaineering #skitouring

Where will you take it?  Designed for mountaineers and ski mountaineers, the FLY harness is Petzl’s most lightweight harness (130g), and can be donned with both feet on the ground. 🤩 Mountaineer: @mathieumaynadier Photo: @marc_daviet

Which crampons for your next #skitouring mission? Sometimes you pass by technical terrains, hard snowpack, or steep lines. In these situations, you will need to wear crampons. This is why we designed our crampons to answers your needs: light, compact, and adaptable to your skiing shoes. Here are the LEOPARD LLF or IRVIS HYBRID (featured in the photo) Which one is your favorite? 📷 @mathis_dumas ⛷ @vivianbruchez

"I love playing in the mountains and I hope to continue to experience and share those moments for a long time. With extreme skiing, nothing is guaranteed. I have to approach the mountain and the projects I take on with humility. You have to know when to back off in order to learn from the experience and return to ski another day. And that path is the path to Life. So, I’m very strict in how I prepare for my projects and how I use my gear. Before I drop into a steep line, I have a ritual: I clean the inserts of my ski boots with scissors from my Leatherman pocket knife. My boots and bindings are so important; they’re my direct connection to the skis and I shouldn’t have any doubts about how they’ll perform. Even if I have to do it during the descent, I always take the time to complete this step. It often made my skiing buddies smile, but it wasn’t long before they were asking to borrow my scissors! I spend a lot of time looking at topos, imagining lines, and scoping them out. Carrying around a pair of binoculars seems old school, but it’s the key to finding lines!" Vivian Brucher “The Seeker” / @vivianbruchez Photo: @mathis_dumas

“Veine de Pierre” by Vivian Bruchez ( @vivianbruchez ) Climbing peaks and skiing steeps is my life. It gives me a sense of fulfillment every day. Truly experiencing the mountains is to be fully immersed, to observe, learn how to read the signs, and know when to listen. We often say that it’s dangerous, but we sometimes forget that it’s the accumulation of poor decisions made by the mountaineer or skier that leads to dangerous situations. It took three attempts to make this line happen. The first attempt, I was solo and turned around at the base of the couloir. It was too warm that day, but the atmosphere and ambiance had convinced me that there was potential. Ten days later, I went up with Ben Tibbetts and we turned around just below the summit in a short but intense rocky passage. Lack of gear, lack of perseverance, this time we abandoned the objective due to a lack of motivation. Turning around on a day like that is definitely disappointing, but the feeling quickly fades among the landscape, the colors, and the emotion you experience in this kind of place. The Jorasses and Mont-Blanc ranges create a spectacular backdrop and granite giants tower all around you as you sneak past them, through deep couloirs. I finally returned to the adventure several days later with Ben Tibbets again, whose physical fitness and abilities hugely contributed to the project’s success. In summary, we did two 60m rappels (one in the upper section, and one in the lower section), some mountaineering, slopes between 40 and 45 degrees, and a long walk back to Chamonix at 11pm, with a bit of soreness the next day and a sense of satisfaction in having completed a project that was realized with patience and determination. Chamonix, you always have surprises up your sleeve to make sure we live with intensity! @bentibbettsphotography

What's behind a ski descent? A story by Vivian Bruchez @vivianbruchez Here’s a photo of what I do: steep slopes, jump turns, ice axe over my shoulder, rope, ice screws, harness, mountaineering helmet. A mix of snow, ice, and rock. Seeing this photo, you can get a sense of the sport, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. This photo was taken by Boris Langenstein on the north face of the Blanche de Peuterey, on May 25, 2020. The line is a skier's dream, partly due to aesthetics, but also due to its history. It has long inhabited my dreams and continues to cultivate the myth that surrounds it. Like an island rising toward the sky above the glaciers, the peak is defended by a fortress of seracs. It’s at the same time appealing and frightening. The north face was skied for the first time by Anselme Baud and Patrick Vallençant in 1977 and their descent has resonated with me from the beginning. As I skied, I felt the weight of this history and heritage. My legs trembled as I made the first turns. On that day, my friends and I followed a spontaneous itinerary, inspired by the generations before us but bringing our own perspectives. We went from one side of the mountain to the other and found a line that didn’t require us to rope up, making it a full ski descent of one of the most iconic peaks in the Mont-Blanc massif. It was a beautiful moment of shared visions across generations. Photo: © Boris Langenstein

Hey Petzl fam, my name is Vivian Bruchez ( @vivianbruchez ) and I’m a big mountain guide and professional skier. Born and raised in Chamonix, I was influenced by the mountains that towered around me and I believe it shaped my vision as a skier. 50% skiing, 50% mountaineering— that’s what we call extreme skiing. I’m a born and bred competition skier. At first, I competed in downhill skiing, then ski cross, and finally freeride. But I really found my path carving lines in the mountains. It gives me so much freedom, there’s room for creativity, and it requires a lot of commitment. I’m not necessarily attracted by performance and even less so by danger. It’s the stories that draw me in and lead me to the mountains, the stories I experience and can then pass on to others. I’ve always been inspired by the majestic mountains in this valley, by their grandeur and the perspectives they offer, but also because they change every day: snow, wind, rain, light. It’s always a sight to behold. “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust Photo: @mathis_dumas

Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll (again) open and free a king line on the Cerro Chalten Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll (@seanvillanuevaodriscoll ) and Jon Griffin journey on the south face of Fitz-Roy. For sure they will remember the technicity, mental challenge, and physical committed line with an unforgettable 350m off-width. Climbing in off-width is super demanding, physically and mentally.  Route: « La Chaltenense » - 500m 7a - Monster Off-width 03/03/2021 Jon Griffin was climbing with a speaker attached to his harness. So here is the playlist they had (or sing) during the ascent.  Simon & Garfunkel « El Condor Pasa » Rocky Road To Dublin Stick Figure « Weight of Sound »  Nathan Evans « The Wellerman » Degiheugi « Kolkata » Fidel Nadal « International Love » Jahneration « Reggae Love »  Photo-topo © @rolo_garibotti @patagoniavertical + Jon Griffin

[Petzl Tips] Thread and equalize a Bunny knot (or Double figure 8 knot) Bunny knot is used for load-sharing anchors when installing ropes. This is a tip to learn how to perfectly thread and easily equalize it. #PetzlTips / #PetzlProfessional

François D’Haene vision of #PierraMenta The Pierra Menta is a 4 stages #SkiMountaineering race (with 10000m elevation gain in total). Usually, it takes place every year in Beaufortain, France. Teams of 2 skiers race for 4 days in those beautiful mountains. Due to the current health situation, the format of Pierra Menta has been modified this year, and his part of the World Championship in another format. But Francois had his own vision of the Pierra Menta. Last week, he linked the most iconic summits of Beaufortain mountain range (10 000m elevation gain) in a DAY! Yes, you read this correctly in a day. What a mission! Bravo François @francois_dhaene

Tom Livingstone's journey on the Grandes Jorasses, Chamonix France. @tom__livingstone and @glatt.men climbed the beautiful and committing route 'Rolling Stones' on the Grandes Jorasses. The route has a big reputation and is given M8 and 6a on the 1000m north face. Freeing every pitch (except one where Tom had to have a point of aid to work out where to go). The route goes up the left side of the Walker Spur. It follows ramps and ribbons of ice, interspersed with dry tooling and hard mixed climbing. What a journey! #Accesstheinaccessible