Chamonic Redux
24 March 2009
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Deju vu. I’m in Chamonix again, with FanFan, surrounded by glacier ice. He’s wearing the same clothes, the same pack, skiing through seracs and around crevasses and I’m off to the side, shooting. We’re filming the bits and bobs that we need to complete The Edge of Never film. FanFan? Well, he’s FanFan. So he’s skiing strong, so strong. And in charge, hiking up, sidestepping, sending small waves of snow cascading. Probing the snow with his pole, looking for crevasses, checking to see where the glacier ice is beneath the soft new snow above.
A wave of the hand to tell me it’s good. Let’s go.
I’m counting him down, thinking this is all too familiar. Spooky. He’s lowering his goggles, clicking his poles together three times, snapping snow off the baskets, focusing his attention. Two turns, three, his power is immense, his authority complete. And then, as he hits the transition to the flat bench, his tip dives. He cracks at the waist, bends as if taking a bow… And now he’s flying forward…
AGAIN.
<Feedback loop>
Through the viewfinder he disappears, hands reaching into space. Through the lens, through the looking glass. What? NO! How can this be happening again? Haven’t I already moved past this? Time on a line, a straight continuum, this event, highlighted in red, somewhere to the left of my steadily proceeding >>>
Hit the square button. STOP. Rewind. <<<
Four years back, the same fall brings a broken neck and arm and leg and all the ribs on one side and a punctured lung. And survival, for him, barely. And me, so shaken… Lessons learned. Stories written. Close the book. Roll credits.
Or not.
Punch play >>> Back to today. I lower the camera, eyeing out of the viewfinder. Iris expanding. White light. And laughter. Yes. Laughter.
FanFan’s. As he brushes snow off his chin. And we share looks — really, did that just happen again? — and then laughing together. Laughing at what? Irony? Synchronicity?
The completed circle <>
Off the glacier. Safe. Happy.
Together. That’s a wrap.
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Much better ending this time!
Glad to hear Fanfan is alright! I hooked a tip back in February and ended up tearing some muscles in my shoulder when I landed.Next to waiting for that to heal, the other thing I’m looking forward to this year is”The Edge of Never” being released.The book is probably the best book about skiing that I’ve read.It was actually a friend of my cousin that found Trevor’s body.He (my cousin-Ewan -and his friend) spend every winter in Chamonix. Thank you for the update on how the film is going.All the best. Rob Moffat Toronto,Canada
I’ve spent three weekends in Chamonix already this season., After 26 years living in Europe and skiing almost every winter weekend somewhere, Cham remains a very special place. I was thinking of your film promo while a friend and I were looking down the Rond access ladder a couple of weeks ago. I sure hope you’re able to complete this project as I’m really looking forward to watching it!
I picked up the book yesterday at Dolly’s and just finished. Wow, I loved it and can’t wait for the film. I was disappointed to hear the Kye seg was cut from the ‘Steeps’film (i was ready to head to blockbuster until I read that part) but it will probably be better on its own. I just wanted to let the author know how much I enjoyed the book, could not put it down. also loved the no quotation marks, all books should be written like that. I have ski kids who are aquaintances of Kye’s and about the same age. freerider,slopestyle skiers and got into Utah backcountry this season. Undecided about having them read the book at this point. They might need to find it on their own.