My own Backyard

Patagonia is wild and amazing. It's perfect for mountain adventures and finding isolated places to explore and connect with nature. After numerous ski trips around the world, Lucas Swieykowski and Thibaud Duchosal decided to explore Lucas' backyard, the surroundings of Bariloche, Argentina. During the first two weeks of August, they planned long ski touring days, powder lines, mountain hut overnighters – and taking full advantage of the Southern Hemispheres' winter. This year, Patagonia was blessed with snow. Large amounts of fresh snow had fallen in the Southern Andes, creating mind-blowing freeride conditions. So Lucas and Thibaud set out into the wild, returning home with memories that will last for a long, long time...

I met Thibaud many years ago on different photo shoots in the Alps, followed by several freeride competitions and events. A few movie projects about extreme skiing as well as mountain adventure and lifestyle later, we had built a good friendship. Ever since, we have discovered different places in Patagonia, such as some volcanoes including Volcan Lanin, which we skied last spring. By the end of the European winter, we decided to get together and ski some new terrain in the area I call home: Bariloche. We wanted to find and ski fresh powder, which meant we needed to go in August. Being the middle of our winter season, this promised good conditions and a decent chance for great snow. Beautiful nature and high mountains surround Bariloche.

Great, cold lakes and untouched forests create the impression that it's all wild and unexplored out there. This is Patagonia, where hostile conditions are part of the game. High winds coming from the Pacific and the Atlantic and hitting the Andes Mountains are normal, and they are the reason finding those perfect snow conditions is difficult. Fresh and light powder is rare, but if you are in the right spot during a snowstorm or right after it, you'll probably have the time of your life. August arrived and so had the snow in the previous weeks. We had a good base, and conditions were looking really good; bowls and big faces were filled up with snow.

Avalanche danger looked reasonable, so as soon as Thibaud arrived, we knew we were going to have some good times exploring this amazing terrain. Having this kind of a backyard just outside your door is a fantastic thing. We started off skiing some nice tree lines around the area of Cerro Lopez, waiting for the clouds to clear out to allow us approach higher elevations. When the forecast finally announced a sunny window, we headed to the Van Titter Valley. It's situated at the backside of Cerro Catedral, offering great terrain with lots of different options and exposures, making it very convenient and offering good snow at least on one side or the other.

We hiked up and started skiing the couloirs facing south, finding a great amount super fresh, deep snow. I dropped into the first couloir, and after three turns I was already screaming with joy and excitement. I hadn't felt that quality of snow, deep and smooth, in such a place for a really long time. We spent the entire day ski touring from one place to another, with long and intense moments, always hunting for the best snow. It was a long and tough but also epic day, rewarding us with big lines and good laughs. When you hike past those big granite rocks sticking out from the mountain, you feel really small. We are so tiny, and the mountains are simply gigantic. That's why we have to respect them and choose the right time to be there.

In the mountains, and especially in Patagonia, the weather can change extremely fast, causing serious trouble if you are not prepared for it. We spent the next days in Van Titter Valley, switching from one side to the other, discovering big bowls, riding steep couloirs, and exploring fun terrain. When it felt like we had skied every slope and hike every ridge, we decided to leave and search for new challenges. We had another week, so we drove to Baguales, Patagonia, south of Bariloche. This big mountain reserve located just beneath the Villegas mountain range offers a huge area with great terrain ideal for ski touring. We started off from the main refuge in La Messada and headed to the North Valley, our planned destination.

After A couple hours of hiking and skiing, we could see the area we would soon discover and ski. We got really excited. The snow was windblown, which is pretty normal in Patagonia, but we were still able to get some great runs from the summit of the Villegas mountain and down to the refuge. The following day, we skied a lot of southern bowls, finishing off with the highlight of the day, skiing El Ciruela, just opposite Villegas. At the summit of this mountain sits a giant rock, giving it a powerful and intimidating look. We had to ski it, top to bottom. Big lines – this was our mission on this trip, and we wanted to get some at El Ciruela. Needless to say that we did, but not without the help and support of the people of Baguales.

We owe it to their hospitality that we were able to enjoy and explore this sensational place. I spend a lot of time on the road, discover mountain ranges and regions around the world, and sometimes tend to forget what's just outside my door. I am glad that I dedicated my time and energy during the last two years to get to know and explore my own backyard better. Seeing the world is nice, and I feel lucky that I can, but I love Patagonia. Being accompanied by Thibaud was the icing on the cake. Patagonia's nature is very special, and when I am standing on top of a mountain seeing the raw and wild beauty of the environment, I really feel connected with earth. And that's the reason I will continue exploring this fantastic land, which I call home.