Sylvain Saudan, the impossible skier, known in France as Le Skier deImpossible, has once again made international news regarding the narrow escape he and his group experienced while skiing in the Gondé region. His helicopter was wrecked by snow dust which is very typical in the powdery snow conditions of winter at such altitudes. The pilot landed too fast and could not see the landing properly due to a cloud of snow dust causing the helicopter to slide down a narrow corridor. Unfortunately, Sylvain did not hold his satellite phone and was unable to relay the news of the accident and its location to the hotel’s support team. They walked for some distance and then skied all the way to Dachigam through the hills and the pilot, who could not join them as he was not carrying skis, stayed behind and was then picked up by an Air Force helicopter.
This is not the first time he has faced such an ordeal. Earlier also a few years ago he had a similar situation twice while skiing in the same area. In a 1999 crash he nearly crushed his ribs. Sylvain’s relationship with Kashmir is a long one and an ongoing story. It will be interesting to tell the story of this man with an indomitable spirit and an immense love of adventure. The over 70-year-old Swiss-born skier lives in Chamonix, France. He is considered the father of extreme skateboarding and this is what gave him the name the impossible skater. He has the hardest 18 offspring to his credit. In the mountains, people are usually known for the first ascent of high and difficult peaks, but he is famous for the first descent. He has skied Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe; Nun Summit in Kargil. and a number of other peaks in Nepal and the Karakorum. He has three entries in the Guinness Book of Records to his credit. Getting into and out of dangerous situations is Sylvain Saudan’s daily life.
He has faced the worst episodes during his long and adventurous life. It was a pleasure to fly with him to almost all possible ski areas in the valley. It’s fun to watch him ski through the deep powdery snow with extreme agility even at this age. A person of his age in our area usually stays at home and prays for a peaceful end in the comfort of his home. Not sylvan. He is always in pursuit of adventure in almost every part of the world. Be it skiing down Grande Jorasse; heli-skiing in the Himalayas; mountain biking in Switzerland; Or go for a high-altitude marathon in the Karakorum. He is everywhere! His relationship with Kashmir is very impressive. He first came to Kashmir in 1976, more than 30 years ago. I had the honor of bringing him to Kashmir and that was also an interesting coincidence. In 1975 I was invited to Chamonix in France by Mayor Maurice Herzog, the most famous French climber who first reached Annapurna. During my visit, he introduced me to Sylvain Saoudan as France’s most famous and insane skier.
Sylvain was at the time looking for a 7,000-meter peak in the Himalayas to ski in as he had already skied the 6,000-meter Mount McKinley. He was shown the 7,135-meter-high Nun Peak in the Soro Valley in Kargil. Sylvan came to Srinagar in 1976 with a small team for climbing and snowboarding. However, it fell short of Nun’s estimate and had to turn back halfway. There was wide media coverage in Paris claiming that the impossible skater had been beaten for the first time by Noon Peak. He gave worldwide publicity to Nun which has become one of the most popular Himalayan peaks and is frequented by a large number of foreign expeditions every year. In his press conference in Paris upon his return from Noon after his first failure, Sylvain announces that Noon is a challenge for him and he will not rest until he has climbed the mountain and snowboarded. He came again in 1977 but this time he was well prepared and resolute. He successfully climbed and skied down the mountain.
After that he went to Nepal and Pakistan and experienced the mountains of 8000 meters. Dhaulagiri and broad peak. I was always in contact with him and met him several times in Chamonix during my European visits. In 1986, I met him again in Chamonix and asked him about his latest adventure. He started heli-skiing. This sport involves the use of a helicopter to reach the high mountain hills to ski the pristine slopes. Some of the best skiers prefer to ski in different unexplored areas because the traditional ski areas are very crowded and the slopes take a beating. They love to ski in new areas on the powder snow. Kashmir has the best ski slopes in the world with perfect snow conditions. With the help of a helicopter, one can ski every day on a new slope in completely different areas. Sylvain was offered the possibility of starting a regular heli-skiing program in Kashmir.
He agreed immediately and started his project in 1987. At first he used a charter helicopter of the Helicopter Federation of France which he brought to Kashmir. Despite difficult law and order conditions, he continued his project through the worst years. Bringing European tourists to Kashmir has been a real challenge against the most negative travel warnings issued by almost all European countries. Somehow, Sylvan has kept the foreign tourism flag flying in Kashmir against all odds. However, the European helicopter rental was too expensive and he did not find it viable. After that, use the state helicopter for some time. However, there were some problems with the government helicopter and he was forced to discontinue his project. It is unfortunate that the project was not interrupted by the situation here but by administrative problems between the local pilots and the programme’s organizer. He again contacted the state government last year and was told that he had now bought his own helicopter which he brought to Kashmir this winter after being granted permission to restart the programme. It is very unfortunate that his recent efforts to revive heli-skiing in Kashmir have met a setback. But Sylvain is not one to give up easily.
His friends from France have been asking me for the past few years to dissuade him from the heli-skiing project because it has incurred huge losses. Money was not what attracted him. Heaven on Earth completely bewitched him. He will always find an excuse to visit Kashmir. Tourism in Kashmir could not dream of being better advocated in the face of adverse travel advice from European governments. We must appreciate his persistence in promoting Kashmir as an unparalleled adventure tourism destination. Rarely does one see a person go to such extremes for the love of a place. In fact, Kashmir tourism can use it as a brand for adventure. Kashmir, the land of ultimate adventure is an impossible skater’s first love.
The central and state tourism departments and the tourism industry in general must respect the indomitable spirit and love for Kashmir of this world famous adventure sportsman. It will be very helpful if he is appointed as an adventure tourism brand ambassador in Kashmir. There is no better way to promote Kashmir among the various adventure tourism markets of the world than by sending him on a series of shows on the road with his dramatic shots of heli-skiing in Kashmir. It is certain that, despite the recent incident, Kashmir has not seen another sylvan. He will keep coming and bringing groups of heli-skiers and other adventure enthusiasts here!
