The Most Efficient Skiing in the World on Italy’s Skyway Monte Bianco. Video

Mountainwatch | Video

“This is faster than heli skiing, it’s faster than snowmobiling, it’s a lot faster than walking, it’s the mother-fricken Skyway Monte Bianco.”

Norwegian freeskier Nicolai Schirmer released this film a few weeks ago and it documents his and snowboarding mate Krister Kopala attempt to ski/ride 1600 vertical feet in an hour -the most efficient skiing in the world.

They do it via the Skyway Monte Bianco a cable car located on the Italian side of Mont Blanc that has a top station at 3466m (11371ft). It takes 15 minutes to reach the top, hence the potential for 16000 vertical feet in 60 mins.

However, there is a catch as the terrain accessed in the Skyway Mont Bianca is gnarly, dangerous and avalanche-prone with a lot of exposure. As Nikolai says, this is not America, and there are no restrictions on where you can drop in, but once you do, you’re on your own.

Strap in for some rowdy big mountain freeriding from two of the best in the business.

Nikolai Schirmer is a Norwegian freeskier and filmmaker whose films are renowned for their story telling, characters and self-deprecating humour. He is also a busy man and is releasing Topside episodes monthly this northern hemisphere winter – check them out on his You Tube channel