Ice & Palms

Bikepacking takes on a whole new meaning when it’s the bike you’re wearing as a backpack. German freeskiers Jochen Mesle and Max Kroneck set out to cycle 1,800 kilometers from their homes in Durbheim, Germany to Nice, France, and ski big lines along the five-week journey. Although the ski resorts are closed for the season, spring comes late to the Austrian Alps. The friends must wait out storms and get creative about carrying 50 kilos of gear across a still-closed mountain pass to finally dip their ski boot-battered feet in the Mediterranean.