Kamchatka part 2 \ Heliboarding

April 21. In the morning we waited for a very significant event for me. We met a famous rider team YES snowboards and my idol, DCP, also known as David Carrier-Porchern, at the airport of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

 DCP looked very tired, because he had to fly all over the world. To fly from Canada, separated from Russia of all the ocean, to Kamchatka, he had to make three flights - Vancouver-Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Moscow, Moscow-Petropavlovsk. Despite the fatigue, DCP has been on the positive, talking about driving all the way to Canada and his adventures. About an hour we got to the point of transfer for snowmobiles and about forty minutes to the base.
based on the "Snow Valley» DCP were waiting friends - JP Solberg, Romain De Marchi, and operator Paul Watt. Also, we were met by the organizer of all things: Max Balakhovskiy and guides Helipro - Alexander Moroz and Alexander Zhilyaev. Here at the base, we met Andrew Pirumova, Andrei Moskvin and others. Our team of Action Brothers - Anna Orlova, Anna Hankevich and Ivan Malakhov .
"We are waiting for two days of flight, the weather promises to sunny and warm. We fly the Mi-8 big and friendly company. Places riding will be selected in accordance with the snow, we look for powder », - said Max and we went to relax after a long day.

We got up early in the morning, and found that the weather was gorgeous - not a cloud in the sky, and already at nine o'clock we went. The first landing not far from the base, a 15-minute flight - at Mutnovsky volcano, and now we get down into the crater of a volcano! Began to travel for a great wall with soft snow, the guys from YES sang in a trio passage, drawing a fine line, then go to the glacier and decided to stay here. JP came up with a ride inside a block of ice, DCP-wandering wandering, and then jumped into a huge drop, and then with JP Romain jumped a few more drops of ice, and I jumped off the rock. Next stop - the acid lake, around which numerous geysers and fumaroles. The sight is very beautiful, but the smell around specific enough, I did not appreciate.

The second landing on a mountain slope by the sun has already eased. After the descent I took another huge pouting and he jumped down into the ice, my knees started vibrating! "Guys, check the condition of the landing, throwing pieces of snow wherever jump, this will save your knees."

Another memorable trip to the volcano Vilyuchinsky. Located directly on the shores of the bay, opening the Pacific Ocean. It met the bear, who was eager to get acquainted with the guys from YES. Once they landed on top of the mountain to shoot from a helicopter and made a couple of laps around them, we noticed a huge fat brown bear. He did not look sad after the winter and actively moving in the direction of unsuspecting guys.
 Our pilot had a unique sense of humor and decided that it's very funny to fly up to a bear at a distance "that a stone's throw" and shoot him. Bear on this came as a shock, but the pictures and video for the BBC fit. At this point we have seen more bears and a lot of their tracks. Further thought about and made descents on the background of the bay, which shimmered with all the shades of blue. After we waited for lunch overlooking the Pacific surf.

Was on this day one run, during which the guys from YES gave us the show, they found an array of drop and the three began to twist it with 540, 720, amplitude and crazy tricks. End of day, 11 hours of flight and the pilot finally made fun fun of us, simitirovav free-fall, scared much, but after that you want to experience again and again the flight.

 Rest day in perfect weather was in the park. Yes, yes, in the park. Surprised? On the basis of "Snow Valley" is a lift jump from the span of eight feet, a pyramid and a pair of sewage bumps. A great day riding and a kind of rest before the flight day.

 For the third day of relentless sun rose over the mountains of Kamchatka, the sky was cloudless, and my face was like an Indian. Today we have again a heli, the first time could not get in powder, had to fly further north. But hills here were just crazy! Particularly stood out Ivan Malakhov and DCP, they chose the line of descent, similar to Verbier, with stones and rocks, almost impassable, where the margin for error was not. Others drove a wall between open lobby, getting his adrenalin

The final descent I remember the most. In the rays of the setting sun snow filled warm shades of light, we did powder turn on the border of sun and shade, and then we waited for two spot. One built a DCP, second - Romain, I chose Romain tramp and crept upstairs. While the boys were taken, we waited in the shade of trees, and now time is running out and need to hurry, because the return must be strictly up to 19 p.m, I'm running for the distillation, and I think to do. Then see how JP is prepared to jump ... and he jumps great back flip ! His trick is loaded me and I conspired to back roll, but went through with the moves, in the end I suffered at the double, but I made a half, yet could once and .... Oh ... I had to rush to a helicopter.

 Our tour ended, we flew home happy faces, and then again ... .. our show aerobatics pilot, in the end I flew up to the ceiling and crashed, so that all afraid for me =) It was still super afterparty at Petropavlovsk, a complete separation That being said, worked, and now you can relax. Freeride season came to an end, thanks to Action Brothers, boards and binding APO - they let me down all season in a variety of situations, as well as store "SKVOT", DAKINE, Picture Organic clothing, helmets and masks Giro.

For vivid adventures in Kamchatka and thanks to Maxim Balakhovskiy Helipro, Sasha Moroz and based on "Snow Valley".

Photos: Ivan Malakhov and Maxim Balakhovskiy.