SAMAYA X NOURIA NEWMAN
COMBINED SKI/KAYAK EXPEDITION IN GEORGIA
Nouria Newman, accompanied by Tiphaine Duperier and Carole Chambaret, set off to discover Georgia in May 2023. Drawn by the duality of the landscapes, between the austerity of the glaciers and the flourishing nature in the heart of the valleys, they chose to undertake an expedition that reflects this contrast by combining skiing and kayaking. For Samaya, Nouria recounts their journey.
"With Tiphaine, we wanted to go on a project that was relatively short and not necessarily ultra-demanding. Georgia seemed like the perfect destination, both for kayaking and for the skiing, which looked insane. For the first part of the trip, we went with Carole, a good friend of ours, to do the entire mountain section.
When we arrived, we had a very small weather window, and since Carole wasn't there for long, we were in a hurry and tried to get as much done in the mountains as possible. Except the conditions weren't really cooperating: it was either too hot, or the weather was clear but only for a very short window. In the first 10 days, we only made 3 attempts. It was tough because we weren't acclimatized, and we chose something a bit difficult, so we got shut down. It started getting warm very early on the ascent of the couloir, and we saw an avalanche trigger nearby, so we turned back. It was the same for the second attempt.
What was truly amazing was that dogs from out of nowhere followed us everywhere in the mountains. They would sleep with us at base camp, follow closely on our heels when we started our ascents, and only turn back when we put on our crampons.
When we crossed to the other side of the glacier, we were truly all on our own and finally managed to ski a few beautiful slopes. For me, it was super hard; I was at the end of my rope at every turn—I had to focus, and I was scared. But I still enjoy that, and it also helps me progress in my kayaking. Because today, progressing is a bit laborious; I feel like I've been stuck at the same level for three years, and I realize that doing other activities, especially mountaineering, helps me with everything from decision-making to handling gear and endurance. There are real transfers taking place.
I also find it interesting to be in a discipline where you're not actually good and you're extremely vulnerable, which pushes you to seek out sensations where you're afraid and really putting yourself in a difficult spot. It's great because to be in that same state in my own sport, it would imply that I’m putting myself in real danger.
Ultimately, Georgia was a combined expedition. It’s funny because when we were skiing in the mountains, it was very abrupt, and the glaciers were intimidating. Then you descend to go kayaking in the heart of a small forest, it’s springtime, with flowers everywhere. For the kayaking side, we were in superb canyons with beautiful waterfalls. The problem was that it had rained so much that there was flooding, and I was doing sessions in places I didn't know—I felt a bit of pressure. But I also wanted to paddle as much as possible, so I just went for it!"
