HOW TO DO VERBIER LIKE FREERIDE WORLD CHAMPION EMILIEN BADOUX

Tucked away in the dramatic and wildly picturesque Valais, Verbier is no doubt best known for its incredibly vast and varied freeride terrain.

Discovering all the mountains that Verbier has to offer would take a lifetime, however if you could count on one person to help you make the most of this off-piste mecca, it’s local charger and Freeride World Champion Emilien Badoux.

Emilien has been competing on the world stage for almost two decadesand in the process has ridden some of the most beautiful and unspoilt lines around the globe.

But the slopes of Verbier’s famous peaks have always drawn him home, and now, when he isn’t hunting out new powder lines around the 4 Vallées, he’s sharing them with visitors through personalised guided tours.

We asked the Swiss snowboard pro to tell us about his favourite runs around Verbier and share with us the best way to experience these mountains through the eyes of a freeride champion.

1 BEC DES ROSSES, DOG LEG COULOIR AND HEART

The crown jewel of Verbier’s freeriding wonderland, Bec des Rosses is a natural addition to Emilien’s list.

The Dog Leg couloir is an eternally popular option for hard-charging freeriders and offers a fast, open line down to the Heart Zone.

“I love it because is the part of this mountain the most playful to jump cliffs and be fast, especially in the heart zone of the Bec.”

2 MT GELÉ, COULOIR BOUQUETIN

Mont-Gelé has long been a favourite for expert skiers and snowboarders on the hunt for Verbier’s famous couloirs and off-piste terrain.

While the possibilities from Mont-Gelé’s summit are endless, with stunning routes down virtually every aspect of the mountain, there’s one in particular that has stolen Emilien’s heart.

“This is my favourite couloir because it could be your first in the day, even before have doing any slope. So it’s the perfect breakfast, but be careful as the access is very difficult.”

3 MT GOND, RIDERS LEFT

The irresistible freeride terrain from the top of Mont Gond rewards hard-chargers with plenty of steeps that are peppered with a mega collection of perfectly arranged cliff drops and hundreds of line options.

“Another mythical mountain in the 4 Vallee. The hiking is really nice between the rocks and the way down gives plenty of options.”

Mt Gond is also the face used in the 4* Freeride world tour qualifier in Nendaz, it has become a bit of a local legend for freeriders.

4 BEC DES ROSSES, FACE DES DAMES

Soaring at over 3200m, the imposing peak of Bec des Rosses has become a beacon for freeride crusaders. As the setting for the most prestigious extreme skiing events in the world, creative riders are constantly raising the bar, but Emilien knows there’s always new ways to descend the infamous face.

“This mountain is a legend. Even the side is a perfect playground for jumping cliffs, fast runs and many steep lines”

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2l41f6

5 PETIT ROGNEUX, COULOIR AU DESSUS DE VERBIER

“C’est un des meilleurs run pour rentrer à la maison après une bonne journée de poudreuse droit en bas jusqu’à Verbier”

“This is one of the best runs to get home after a good day of powder right down to Verbier.”