A photographer. Three skiers. One artistic vision. Painting The Mountains is a tribute to one of the world’s most unpredictable mountain ranges—the Fitz Roy massif in Argentine Patagonia—and the passionate skiing community it inspires. Through the lens of Matthew Tufts, a journalist and photographer, we follow French skiers Aurélien Lardy, Vivian Bruchez, and Jules Socié as they take on some of the steepest lines ever skied.
How did these guys even think of skiing these ramps? How do they handle the stress of such an intense sport? To understand the mindset of these high-level athletes, we went back in time with them, exploring their earliest memories on skis.
It was at a young age that Jules and Aurélien began skiing. Jules' father, a ski instructor with the ESF, introduced him to skiing early on, while Aurélien's father, a soldier stationed in Chamonix, gave him the perfect opportunity to embrace the sport. Both quickly joined the "Pôle Espoir" development program and then the FIS, where they constantly pushed each other to improve.
"Skiing is my number one passion today, but it's not me who chose this life—it's my life that chose me." Aurélien Lardy
At 18, Jules decided to leave slalom gates behind and started freeriding around his home in Flaine. His first memory of steep skiing was at 19, when his father took him to the Glacier d’Argentière. “That’s where I discovered high mountains, mountaineering, and steep skiing. It clicked immediately, and I loved it right away. I’m the one who wanted to discover it, but it was my father who gave me a taste for exploring the high mountains and the vertical world.”
Marco Siffredi, Sylvain Saudan, Emile Allais, Vivian Bruchez—these names were all great influences for the two young skiers. Vivian, in particular, not only inspired them through his films but also coached Aurélien for several years at the Argentière Club. “It’s funny because at the time, I had no idea who he was or what he had accomplished. Vivian is one of my main inspirations for what I do today, and he’s the one who inspired me to take on steep skiing.”
At 21, after earning several national and European titles, Aurélien, inspired by tales of mountaineering, decided to “look up, lift my head, and explore the mountains.” That’s how he started steep skiing, tackling the Cosmiques Couloir. Since then, he rarely returns there, preferring narrow, technical routes over wide, untouched freeride slopes. “In freeride, I don’t feel very focused, whereas in steep skiing, I’m completely invested in what I’m doing.”
"I love being perched on my edges, above the void, thinking about my next turn." Aurélien Lardy
Over the years, both skiers gained enough confidence with their skis and ice axes to dream of more exposed lines. When Aurélien saw footage of Andreas Fransson on the Whillans-Cochrane Ramp in Patagonia’s Fitz Roy massif, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “The footage is really old, badly shot, with a poor-quality camera. But you could already sense the ramp’s grandeur. The guy went down it solo—it’s incredible. Living something like that is the holy grail.” He adds, “I remember thinking, the day I get the chance to ski that, if I ever make it happen, it’ll feel like completing the circle.”
Strong words to describe the Whillans-Cochrane Ramp: a 300-meter-long slope, suspended in the middle of the mountain, with a gradient exceeding 50°, rated 5.5, E5, and 1,000 meters of exposure below. In three words: no room for error.
"One of the most exposed routes on Earth, unlike anything else" according to the three skiers.
Jules and Aurélien dove into research, gathering as much information as possible about the ramp. The Fitz Roy massif is located in a harsh region with unpredictable weather, where very few skiers dare to venture. It’s an ideal place where, “almost everything remains to be done.” Jules explains, “It’s one of the most beautiful massifs in the world. A massive granite range that you have to earn—there’s a lot of hiking involved because it’s so wild. There are couloirs everywhere, major descents, and very few skiers have been there, so there are plenty of lines to open.”
"The Mont Blanc massif is very technical, with steep slopes, but you know rescue services aren’t far, so you can afford not to rely solely on yourself. But in Patagonia, it’s just you. If something goes wrong, you’re in deep sh*t. Out there, it’s full commitment—it’s beautiful. You reconnect with your senses, the mountain, you listen to everything and see everything. Even your body, your brain, your intuition—everything aligns, and it’s very powerful” says Aurélien.
Big Wall Skiing "Whillans-Cochrane" 5.5 / E5 / 300m
Once on site, Jules and Aurélien were joined by Vivian, who took advantage of a family vacation in the region to accompany them. After enduring bad weather, they managed to open seven new lines and repeat one: the Whillans-Cochrane. “Vivian has achieved so much in skiing; he’s one of the key figures who has pushed the sport forward. If even he says it’s the most extreme line on the planet, it’s humbling. We were lucky to ski it!” exclaims Aurélien. Jules agrees: “When we reached the bottom of that descent, we shared something truly profound among the three of us. It strengthens bonds. We were so happy, and for that alone, skiing a line like that makes sense. But is it reasonable? I don’t know.”
A mentally taxing descent, more so than a technical one, according to Aurélien, who couldn’t ignore the void beneath his skis. “It’s truly extreme—I’d never experienced anything like it. A steep slope, with over 1,000 meters of exposure, is pretty special. Humans have no business being there, especially not with skis. The void below is so heavy, you wouldn’t want to do this every day. Yet, I think about it every day.”
A triumphant challenge in a region where climbing and mountaineering dominate due to the sheer verticality of the mountains, but where a vibrant mountain community resides. Jules notes: “Even though it takes a lot of walking to access the mountains, you’re not too far from civilization. It’s not like the Himalayas, where it takes weeks to reach a city.” Aurélien adds, “The funny part is, at the end of the day, we’d go to Fresco Bar, and it felt like coming home. There was a stark contrast between the day, where we were deep in the massif, completely isolated, hyper-focused, and the evening, where we’d share pints with everyone and relive the day… It reminded me of Chamonix.”
“Now that you’ve skied that ramp, Aurélien, do you feel like you’ve completed the circle?” “Not at all! (laughs) The great thing about mountains is that through travels and experiences, you evolve. Your desires change, your vision changes, and the lines that motivate me today won’t be the same in 10 years. What I love about the mountains and skiing is standing in front of a blank canvas and imagining the lines to draw.”
A perspective that bridges the gap between athlete and artist—this is the essence of Painting the Mountains, which we invite you to (re)watch on our Youtube channel, February 9th at 8pm (CET).
