Birdos: Custom-made Freeride Skis

Boston-born Dan Loutrel was a boatbuilder back home in Massachusetts before his love of skiing brought him to Andermatt in 2003. He fell in love with the legendary deep powder on the famous Gemsstock ski run, and because the freeride skis he prefers were both rare and extremely expensive in Switzerland at the time, he decided to use his boatbuilding skills to produce his own. Now he runs Birdos Freeride Skis, a thriving workshop in Andermatt, and has become something of a cult name among freeriders all over the world for both his standard skis and custom-designed models. Factory tours are available by appointment.

This article appeared in the October 2014 print edition of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report under the headline “Custom Skis."