"A new project documenting the best ski adventures that Europe has to offer. From popular classics to iconic ski lines on big peaks, these adventures will call to skiers from all over the world and for good reason!"

 

The Vision

 

This multi-year YouTube series starting winter 25/26 will follow me, Dave Searle, accomplished ski mountaineer and IFMGA mountain guide as I set out to find the 50 best ski mountaineering adventures that Europe has to offer.

 

The end goal is to make an outstanding coffee table book about these top 50 ski adventures with epic story telling and top tier photography.This book aims to stand the test of time and inspire future generations to explore and grow as skiers. It will be made available in English, French, German and Italian.

 

I plan to spend the majority of each winter over the next several years exploring these adventures or potential adventures to include in the book. Together with a small team, we will make a YouTube series documenting this journey that will be hosted on my channel.

 

The goal is to make 10-15 adventure videos per year. Some of these adventures might not make it into the book but will become “strong contenders” and feed into the storyline of creating the book and how difficult it is to choose from the selection of routes out there. 

 

Several episodes will drop during each season with key adventures and higher production value projects or videos shot in the spring being released in the following autumn.  Some episodes will have multiple objectives in and some videos will likely cover the story of a failure also. There also exists the opportunity to make episodes with 3rd party footage and interviews, for example with some of the more extreme lines. 

 

There will also be spin off shows about gear, techniques and planning alongside interviews and podcast appearances to promote the project.  My hope is further opportunities to explore other regions around the world also exist further down the line (after this initial project is finished). For example the grand ski tour goes to Japan, New Zealand, Baffin Island, Chile etc and we make an episode or series about those destinations.  
 

Why the title “The Grand Ski Tour” 

 

With regards to the title “The Grand Ski Tour” the inspiration comes from two main sources. The first is the 17th to early 19th century “Grand Tour” around Europe that the aristocracy traditionally took to experience the fine art, culture and music that Europe had to offer. Even now you can see signage for the“Grand Tour” in parts of Switzerland, leading those traveling by car or motorcycle to traditional sites of interest. For me the idea of traveling around Europe to experience different cultures with adventurous skiing being the main “site of interest” fills me with an indescribable level of excitement and passion! A grand adventure indeed.

 

The second is the British motoring TV show “The Grand Tour” with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. It has also been one of my all time favourite TV shows and a huge inspiration for how I want this project to feel. I love the mix of adventure, childish banter and stunning scenery that the show brought together to showcase different parts of the world, all with the common theme of driving weird and wonderful cars.  The global success of this TV show is testimony to the fact that many people love this style of documentary - one that combines humour and adventure with a historical and cultural perspective. Adding the word “Ski” into the title perfectly describes what this project is about, whilst distinguishing it from the original series. The fact that the term “ski tour” appears in the title is also a nice nod to what will be involved in so many of the series’ ski adventures.  

 

Picking the adventures 

 

Picking Europe’s best ski adventures will inevitably be somewhat subjective. However, we are aiming to find adventures that are widely considered as inspiring and aesthetically beautiful. Objectives that draw you in and compel you to ski them, with no limit on the difficulty of the adventure - both at the lower and upper end. 

 

Each adventure should, ideally, already be considered “classic” and be future-proof to some degree (i.e. unless something catastrophic happens it should still be possible for future generations to complete the adventure.) Discussions around how the mountains change over time and how some adventures that would have been classics will or have already become un-skiable or unattainable will be important in this project. 

 

Ski tours, multi day traverses, ski mountaineering objectives and off piste runs will all be considered. A good geographical spread is important but not as far as having to represent all countries in Europe, for example who wants to ski in the Netherlands?  

 

For this project Georgia is considered part of Europe, as the scope of skiing out there creates a visual and cultural dynamic that will nicely contrast to the other, more mainstream areas. Also, in my experience the majority of Georgians identify as European rather than Asian.  Svalbard will also be included in the project due to its geographical situation it fits well into this project. 

 

Whilst we have adventures in mind, we want to use a collaborative approach to deciding the adventures we’ll feature. We want to hear from you about your thoughts on lines, objectives and locations to include. Pitch us an idea and you never know if we will make a trip together! 

 

Geographical areas that are currently being considered:

 

• The Alps 

• The Dolomites

• The Pyrenees 

• Georgia 

• Norway

• Svalbard 

• Iceland

• Scotland? 

• Turkey?

• Greece? 

​

 

Guiding lights for this project

 

Safety first - Safety is of the utmost importance on this project. We will always take a careful, considered approach that listens to all voices in the team and if something seems unsafe for any reason, or we are being drawn into “getting the shot”, or rushing, or pushing on, we will stop and assess the situation. Coming back later is always an option or simply not doing the objective if it is too far outside of our comfort zone.  If needed, we can also consider interviewing someone about an adventure, and leveraging their footage to make it into an episode or an adventure to include in the book especially at the upper end of the difficulty spectrum. Safety will always come first. 

 

Best quality images and video possible - Content will always be the best quality possible. If an objective requires a fast and light approach then the quality of the footage will naturally have to match this. However, we shall always strive to include high quality drone footage and   cinema camera shots into the filming, together with high quality audio and well thought through scenes. Action cameras will be used in the creation of each episode, but we will focus on getting the most out of this style of cameras by ensuring we have the best frame, sound and image quality possible.

Part of the process of undertaking this series is to create photos for the book. We will lean into capturing the images as a theme through the series.

 

Collaborative - It’s very important for this to be  a collaborative project incorporating professional athletes, guides and key figures of the ski community into each episode - and the pages of the book. We’ll also aim to create opportunities for motivated skiers to join the journey, for example by inviting them to join via “dream trip” type competitions.  

 

Content, not sponsor driven - Sponsorship will be a big part of this project, but it’s important that all sponsors are aligned with the vision and are led by the project itself, rather than the other way around. Authentic product placement and gear talk that is real are important guiding lights for the project. They will help build trust and engagement from the audience, together  with an openness about our relationship to the brands involved.   

 

Good vibes only! - This project is about good vibes, challenges and spending time with friends in the mountains. Authentic, humorous scenes and fun will be a cornerstone of every episode. Skiing is dangerous but it doesn’t mean we have to take every moment seriously. I want to make a YouTube series that is  fun and appealing to watch. Humility, good vibes, fun and friends all the way. 

 

Project ethics

 

• Use public transport where possible and car share when not. Use electric cars if possible. 

• Use mechanical uplift and/or human power. Never ski or film with a helicopter. 

• Promote sustainability along the way, for example by keeping track of carbon emissions.

• Be respectful and considerate of local communities and cultures. 

• Be open to concerns about including objectives if any arise.  

• Leave no trace on the mountain. 

• Give 1% of profits of the YT series and book back to the planet. 

​

​