Steve Baldwin's Blog
February 26, 2021
Covid corn harvest
Its February, and it already got warm and sunny here in the Alps! With the ski-lifts closed for Covid, the only way to get shredding is human powered with skins or snowshoes for climbing. We went on a corn hunting expedition and found some great soft spring snow:
August 17, 2020
inspirations
What inspires me?
In these times of relative peace between winters, now is a good chance to reflect on some of the things that inspire me as a skier and author, with some of my words and photos.
My main influence over the last 2 decades, as you can probably tell, has been freshly fallen snow. Each snowflake is unique, and there are many millions of them in each snowstorm. Imagine the insane amount of variables involved when you get a thick carpet of fresh white fluff building up in the back yard, or on the mountainside, creating a field of deep powder.
The classic snowflake crystal has 6 sides, or arms, but every snow crystal is a variation of that: some have been broken apart by wind, some have gathered together creating large goose-feather snowflakes, and some have been morphed or bonded together by subtle temperature changes in the air. It is actually pretty rare to find a perfectly formed snow crystal, and they don't tend to last long before transforming!
Seeing perfect stellar snowflakes in the air, or just settled on the ground, is like briefly glimpsing the soul of a storm before it is whisked away by a gust of wind. Those lucky enough to have skied a deep fresh bowl of frosted flakes may have had a few instants to connect their soul with the soul of the storm, another living being. The stellar crystals can create an amazing network of connections between snowflakes, filled with air pockets, and the snow-rider charges through this as if floating on air or in a cloud.
Another major influence in my adult life has been mountain scenery, especially when coated with a fresh blanket of white fluff! Some terrain looks absolutely stunning when the sun comes out after a storm. 
Especially amazing is when the snow-covered mountains glow orange and pink in the sunset: 
Light has always fascinated me, especially the way natural light plays on the landscape to create different atmospheres: 
... And then, of course, there is the powder riding itself: the deeper the better!!! ;-)
When the light powder crystals fluff up over your shoulders and into your face, that is close to the pinnacle, or Shangri-La of mountain activities.
Surfing waves of white gold is our preferred pastime in this world!
In these times of relative peace between winters, now is a good chance to reflect on some of the things that inspire me as a skier and author, with some of my words and photos.My main influence over the last 2 decades, as you can probably tell, has been freshly fallen snow. Each snowflake is unique, and there are many millions of them in each snowstorm. Imagine the insane amount of variables involved when you get a thick carpet of fresh white fluff building up in the back yard, or on the mountainside, creating a field of deep powder.
The classic snowflake crystal has 6 sides, or arms, but every snow crystal is a variation of that: some have been broken apart by wind, some have gathered together creating large goose-feather snowflakes, and some have been morphed or bonded together by subtle temperature changes in the air. It is actually pretty rare to find a perfectly formed snow crystal, and they don't tend to last long before transforming!
Seeing perfect stellar snowflakes in the air, or just settled on the ground, is like briefly glimpsing the soul of a storm before it is whisked away by a gust of wind. Those lucky enough to have skied a deep fresh bowl of frosted flakes may have had a few instants to connect their soul with the soul of the storm, another living being. The stellar crystals can create an amazing network of connections between snowflakes, filled with air pockets, and the snow-rider charges through this as if floating on air or in a cloud.
Another major influence in my adult life has been mountain scenery, especially when coated with a fresh blanket of white fluff! Some terrain looks absolutely stunning when the sun comes out after a storm. Especially amazing is when the snow-covered mountains glow orange and pink in the sunset: Light has always fascinated me, especially the way natural light plays on the landscape to create different atmospheres: ... And then, of course, there is the powder riding itself: the deeper the better!!! ;-)When the light powder crystals fluff up over your shoulders and into your face, that is close to the pinnacle, or Shangri-La of mountain activities.
Surfing waves of white gold is our preferred pastime in this world!
May 2, 2020
Mountain scale
The scale, and the distance of these mountains from any point in the valley, are easy to under-estimate. Some fresh snow in the alpine terrain helps to define the furthest ridges, which seem so close, yet are over a kilometre vertically above us.The giant walls of rock seem to tower even more vertically when they are shrouded in clouds, and the mist sculpts the closer ridges, defining the actual shape of the mountain.
February 27, 2020
winter 2020
It is 20 years since I first set eyes on the Alps and first visited Chamonix, and to celebrate, here are some recent powder shots from this winter ... Steve
Igniting his powder dreams
with "Snow Tales & Powder Trails":February 2020:Steve's Photos:
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October 2, 2018
"Waves" ski and ride movie
My "WAVES" video is now live! Watch it here, or in my youtube channel: The first big weather wave of the autumn came in last night, with fresh snow in the mountains, just in time for this: my “Waves” movie! It isn't short, so grab a coffee or a beer, sit back, & enjoy the powder. :-)
I’ll be releasing a shorter, more punchy edit nearer the winter: watch out for “Pure Powder” ;-)
I’ll be releasing a shorter, more punchy edit nearer the winter: watch out for “Pure Powder” ;-)
September 8, 2018
a New video for autumn 2018
Coming October 1st: A Chamonix powder video edit: It’s been a long hot summer, but now the days are longer and the nights are colder, and it’s nearly winter again!
To cool down over the summer I have been editing a powder video from the last 5 years of www.chamonix.net footage around the Chamonix valley. Here is a preview. Release date for the main film is October 1st…
To cool down over the summer I have been editing a powder video from the last 5 years of www.chamonix.net footage around the Chamonix valley. Here is a preview. Release date for the main film is October 1st…
February 4, 2018
February 04th, 2018
For Sale: framed printed photos by Steve Baldwin ("Snow Tales & Powder Trails").
75 Euros for each framed print.
Images are 30x40cm, some in larger frames. Those featured here are already framed, but many more are available. Good for chalets/restaurants/homes.
Available in the Chamonix area and Savoie/Haute-Savoie region. Please contact me (best by FB private message)
75 Euros for each framed print.
Images are 30x40cm, some in larger frames. Those featured here are already framed, but many more are available. Good for chalets/restaurants/homes.
Available in the Chamonix area and Savoie/Haute-Savoie region. Please contact me (best by FB private message)
September 19, 2016
Winter is coming
A few days of rain in Chamonix, left a nice coating of fresh snow up in the mountains - September "termination dust" 
There's always something interesting going on above Chamonix...: 
There's always something interesting going on above Chamonix...: 
March 2, 2016
This winter
Here are some images from this winter so far! This is what I wrote about in "Snow Tales and Powder Trails" 
December 11, 2015
competition
Time for a COMPETITION … (to celebrate the start of winter in Chamonix) ... "Spot The Bird" ... deadline Dec 21st.
This is one of my interior images from my book "Snow Tales and Powder Trails". If anyone can spot the bird, circle it in red (digitally) and send it to me via my contact form, then I will put all of the correct names in a hat and pick one out on December 21st, to celebrate winter solstice...
The winner will receive a free signed copy of the paperback version of "Snow Tales and Powder Trails", and 2 runners up will receive each a voucher to download the e-book version.
This is one of my interior images from my book "Snow Tales and Powder Trails". If anyone can spot the bird, circle it in red (digitally) and send it to me via my contact form, then I will put all of the correct names in a hat and pick one out on December 21st, to celebrate winter solstice...
The winner will receive a free signed copy of the paperback version of "Snow Tales and Powder Trails", and 2 runners up will receive each a voucher to download the e-book version.
