Rote Wand is my favourite mountain in Vorarlberg. I was 9 hours on the way, biking, hiking and climbing to reach the top. It was a hard but magnificent day. Huge pine trees with in between waterfalls, higher up many different flowers and crazy rock formations.

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My eyes where burning from salty sweat dropping of my face and I heard the blood pumping through my head as if a midget is hammering in my head. I was on a bike tour first day I was back home in Langen, Austria. Not a normal bike tour but a high alpine hiking track what starts direct behind my house.  Half of the time I had to carry my bike on my shoulder, I like to use my strength and to feel my body, special if it will be rewarded with a beautiful view and a steep and technical down-hill. The mountain in Arlberg are also in summer very, very beautiful! This is the second summer I am at home in Austria, since 10 years I Iive in Austria.

Shortly before the summit I met a young man and we had a little conversation, he was interested in my life, so I told him what I do. Often I tell one or two things because people don’t expect a long answer on the question ‘what do you do in life’. This time I told him about all sports and different jobs, I listened to myself and I thought ‘I do quite a lot of things, and I’m happy about it’.

Days without sport are seldom for me. There are many reasons I sport so match, but beside I find time for culture, traveling, photography, cooking, reading a book etcetera. Of course it is possible because of the jobs I choose, but also because of the way I focus myself on goals. Sport is not my only goal but an important one, for me it has many meanings: Creativity, expression, meditation, fun, socializing, healthiness and getting in contact with nature.

With two colleges I’m working on an idea; to start summer sport camps where all aspects of sports are there. A mix of the fun and the spiritual site of sport, a way to come back to the basics. In that camp you are free to participate in sports and courses like kayaking, yoga, hiking, photography and more.

Whatever… Now it is raining again in Arlberg so I have to organise some stuff at home. My apartment is too big for me alone so if you pass by Arlberg and you need a bed you’re welcome. I have two guest rooms free.

Last week I had my best kayak day so far, here are some photos of that day and of the bike trip:

Today was my last working day with school kids as kayak teacher in Karnten. I love to work with kids and beside work I had lots of time to sport every day; Tennis, football, mountain bike, golf, inline skating, climbing, running, slack lining and wild water kayaking.

I hear a lot of criticism about anything but ourselves, many of us like to have a opinion about everything beside themselves. Should we not criticize our self more often?

Hear by some timeless words of wisdom from Krishnamurti, Dalai Lama, Boeddha, Rudolf Steiner and Gandi. I think Krishnamurti is very good in helping to understand our brain and to look into the mirror.

•  To love is to place our happiness in the happiness of another.

•  Be the change you want to see in the world. (Don’t talk to match).
•  If you lose contact with nature, you lose contact with humanity. (I like to run and climb)
•  We can measure the level of civilization of a country by the way this country treats its animals. (Do you know or are you interested in how animals (you eat are treated?)
•  Thinking must be empty to be able to see clearly, (I like to run and dance).
•  Temples are unnecessary, complicated philosophers are not necessary.
• Our own brains, our own heart are our temples. My philosophy is kindness
•  Once a master burned a wooden Buddha statue to warm themselves. A student shouted, „Look out, you burn the Buddha“ The Master asked: „Where is the Buddha?
• We conquer nature by obeying her, (I like to run and surf).
• Master, how can I make a perfect painting? Be perfect and then just paint normal.
• Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.
• We hear only those questions which we are able to answer, (we see only what we are able to see).
• Simplicity is inexhaustible.
• When we live in boredom and drudgery, violence is inevitable, (I like to run and freeride).
• To be believed, one needs to make truth just incredible (Try to understand the brain).
• Understanding your own thinking is the end of all your sorrow.
• Hitler and Mussolini were only the primary spokesmen for the attitude of domination and craving for power that are in the heart of almost everyone. Until the source is cleared, there will always be confusion and hate, wars and class antagonisms.
• Man is often what he thinks.
• Lying is the mother of violence
• When the ego dies, the soul awakened.
• The adage „Truth is God“ prefers above „God is Truth“. Many are murdered in the name of God, but no one has ever been killed in the name of truth.
•   The earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s need but not everyone’s greed. (You and me are one of everyone).
•  Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.
•  The wind blows incessantly of God’s grace. Lazy sailors on the sea of ​​life do not use it. But the active and the strong they hold the sails of their spirit spread to catch the wind to reach their destination.
• Is there a solution, then it makes no sense to excite.
• Is there is no solution, then there is no point to excite.
• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

I try to get and hold my body into balance. Along with my body also my soul comes in balance. Sport and nature and good/real food helps me, sometimes friends and strangers to. Anyway I’m one who is far away of from wise and don’t understand the through. But I open my eyes and my way is my relevation.

Last weekend with friends at Garda See, Italie:

I joy kayaking in Carinthia, South Austria, till July. Also mountain biking, golf, climbing and if the wind is strong wind surfing, because me and my colleges live next to Millstätter see. In summer I think the most beautiful part of Austria. Beautiful lakes everywhere till over 900 meters high in the mountains. The ‘Centralaplen’  with the highest mountains of Austria, and the South ‘Kalkalpen’ with the rocky Karawanken and  the green Nockbergen. The weather is mostly better than in the rest of Austria.

Memory of NZ last year this time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HW8sIuJYmw

The same passion I have for freeriding (& other nature sports) I have for guiding and teaching. I don’t want to give people ‘just’ some nice days. I want to teach them more as they think they can. And I want to teach them what is possible with the nature. Nature is often more beautiful and for all more playful then you think. On the other hand it is important to know the limits of natural hazards and yourself.                                           Freeriding, and to feel one with the nature is about the same good as good sex 😉                      To follow my blog click ‘follow’ in the corner of this page.

Guide reviews (kopie from http://wepowder.nl/guides/irian-van-helfteren)                                                             For Netherlands see menu: Guide Review

Jarno May 5, 2014 17:35                                                                                                                 Irian is an energetic, friendly and more than excellent snowboard guide. Meanwhile, I have been two times with him on the road as well as in his backyard as in an area where he had never been before. With his knowledge and expertise, he knows how to get the maximum from the circumstances and you are guaranteed long beautiful powder days even if it has not snowed for a while.                                                                                                  Irian has preferences to technically challenging terrain and to ride playful. Irian thus motivates you and pushes your boundaries so you get a better boarder. He does this by searching and pushing the level from the group and as well for every individual rider without going over it. He likes to share his knowledge and he has the ability to bring terms of both conditions (terrain and weather) as well improving riding techniques. A trip with Irian briefly describes the theme of the 3L’s:                                                                          Long days, Learning and a lot of Fun!

Stefan May 1, 2014 21:25                                                                                                                 Irian is definitely one of the best or the best snowboarder in the Netherlands . Although he guided us in Livigno , which is not really his home mountain we had some top days with him. Because of to the high avalanche danger we were forced to entertain us in the woods, Irian showed us runs that I only knew from Canada so far! Beside the amazing treeruns, a trip with Irian is really instructive . Almost everything we did he explained the reasons way it is good and save to ride it. Worth it to repeat. Top guy!

JWI 29th. 2014 16:40                                                                                                                     Early March, I was five days freeriding with Irian. Despite the poor snow conditions (it was hot and it did not snowed for a week), we have anyway been riding fresh powder snow every day. He knows his base Arlberg perfectly. Last winter he has invested a lot in discovering other areas in Europe. He took us on a road trip to Italy and proved a great alternative (because the snow conditions). In addition to these „technical“ aspects, I agree to comments from above, Irian is just a great guy. The extra icing on the cake: up to 2 times he found a hidden untracked couloir, a late hike to a mountain top to enjoy the sunset and he showed the best pizza restaurant at the world champion pizza maker in Itali. We are already planning our trip for next year!

meteo morris Jul . 10 2013 17:36                                                                                                   Irian is a very strong snowboarder who know Arlberg by heart. He is always good mood, proficient in his advice and very inspiring.

William May . 11 2013 14:49                                                                                                             I have been riding twice with Irian during wePowder kick-off weekend and it was magnificent. Irian often indicates different routes so everyone has challenging and for him/her save ways to come down.                                                                                                As Morris says it’s inspiring to ride with him, I progress a lot every time I ride with him. He pushes me and shows me my limits … Besides it’s a nice guy I like to ride with him again.

After a little roadtrip through Austria, Poland and Germany I’m back home in Arlberg for a few days. Every time the sun comes through it is super beautiful, above the tree level flowers and animals life starts. Higher up it is still white.

Tomorrow I will go kayaking for 6 weeks in Karnten (south Austria), in half an hour I take the night train.

In Poland some friends and I followed an Irata level 1 course for Industrial Rope Access, we succeeded. Yesterday I did my last snowboard tour in Pitztal with Tobias and Lorraine Huber, it was a very beautiful day a perfect day to finish this winter season with.

Wednesday was a big and beautiful day. I’ve been hiking 11 hours, from Rendl to Scheibler and back over Verwall Tal. Not match snow left. I needed to climb down a water fall and walk the whole Verwall valley because there was no snow left. I was just in time back to reach the train back home at 21:00h. It feels good, a tired body and clear in the head.

The other days I ve been park riding and even the freeriding was good because of cold temperatures and some new snow. I had a photo shooting for Rehall, I make all the photo’s for the new catalogue 2014/2015.

Yesterday I was paragliding, first time alone. Super nice, there was a little breeze. Now I want to fligh from a real mountain… Now I’m on the way direction Polen to do follow a course Industrie Climbing.

For the story behind the photo’s look below. The black & white photo is my favoriete winter landscape photo from me ever.

I made my favourite winter mountain landscape photo ever. Therefor I had to climb the Wörsterpitze in the afternoon.  At 19:00 h. I was standing on the steep top and enjoyed the sunset before climbing down the spine to the tent where I spend the night with a friend and photographer. The night was cold especially our wet and frozen socks and boots in the morning. The plan was to ride a couloir from the Wörsterspitze, but when we arrived at the grade it was too scary for one of us. Not strange because the grade was max half a meter wide and over 50 meters long, left and right 200 meter rocks straight down. Better to follow the feeling in this situation, the mountains are dangerous, last week a friend from south Austria died because he felt down rocks.

The day before that I climbed the Lobspitze, one of my favourite mountains in Arlberg. It was a crazy hike through deep powder, boot tracking an icy steep couloir and the last 20 meters it I had to climb a rocky part. Because of a little sluff snow avalanche I have some scratches in my board and in my as. But I could stop before the rocky part where I had to climb down.

Spring time in the mountains means also season end party’s. The best was before last night in Innsbruck, organized by Red Bull because Nadine Walner (friend and rider by the Steinbocks) won again the Freeride World Tour, this girl is rocking hard, congratulations Nadine!!!

My competition season for this season is over, last weekend I made 3th place in Obergurgl, the best competition face I’ve been riding so far, steep and technical. I’m not really happy about my results, because I know I can do better. But I had lots of fun and anyway some good rusults, 4 time podiums:  A 1^st and 2^nd place in New Zealand and two times a 3th place in Europe. Thanks to my sponsors how make it possible for me to ride the comps.

This is Lobspitze. I’ll show my favorite winter landscape photo when internet works again… Probably tomorrow.