Glacier Patrol, "The rookies’ experience"

Travelling from Zermatt to Verbier in around 16 hours, the Blackriders were at the end of the challenge they’d set themselves. Scarcely had they arrived, when they admitted wanting to participate in the next edition: "but against the clock next time!"

TEXT : Vincent Gillioz
PHOTOS : Loris von Siebenthal

The atmosphere reigning at the station square in Zermatt on the evening of April 16th is indescribable. Some 300 alpinist skiers are preparing to set off for the 16th glacier patrol (PDG) on the famous courses that connect Zermatt to Verbier. Despite the icy cold, crowds of people turn out to encourage the competitors before their ordeal. The weather forecasts promise minus 25 degrees at Tête Blanche, the peak, which generates nervousness among the participants. The atmosphere is euphoric, ranging from anxiety to satisfaction. Each racer savours the moment, aware that he or she will actually be taking part in the event they have prepared for all the winter. For many, especially the amateurs, this preparation has come about through selflessness and sacrifice, with the aim of amassing the meters at altitude prior to D-Day. Everyone there has had to juggle between their private and professional lives and training. Some have found a balance, whilst others are delighted to move onto something else.

Training and humility
In the midst of this crowd, the Blackriders (see box) patiently await their baptism of fire. They are the rookies of the PDG, and are setting out on the discovery of themselves. Made up of three people, the patrols take on the skills of two guides, Richard Lehner and Benedikt Perren, to form two teams.

Who are these famous Blackriders? They’re a group of friends who met in Zermatt, who like challenges and transcending their own capabilities. In their forties, father figures and freelancers, they decided to create some joint projects in order to have fun and keep their weight down. Their title came about through an implied reference from a passer-by whilst they were all skiing in black. All of a sudden, they made use of it in their different projects, their habits and in the creation of a pair of skis and a watch.
Nicolas Gonet, Armand Berli, Jean-François Demole and Jean-Gabriel Perreten are the members of this atypical group, limited to four, "because it is ideal for riding in a helicopter" jokes Jean-Gabriel. But the pleasure doesn’t end there. They practice all kind of different mountain sports, from mountaineering to ski touring, via the freeride phenomenon of course.

Read the rest of the article in the Mountain Report magazine - Where to find ?