For the first Downdays Experience Hub, we headed to the freeride playground of Mestia in Georgia. We found: big mountains, deep snow, even deeper culture, and exactly the kind of terrain that makes Georgia such an attractive ski destination.
Yes, this seems to be the place.
All images: Clemens Bartl
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HighlightMagic in Mestia
Experience Hub Georgia: Touring the Caucasus
The idea behind the Experience Hub is simple: take a small group from the Downdays community and drop them straight into the environments we usually just report about — athletes, guides, real terrain and the culture around it.
For the first trip, that meant a week in the Caucasus chasing powder and exploring the endless lines around Mestia.
Big terrain, flexible plans
The trip originally lined up with the Georgian stop of the Freeride World Tour. Unfortunately, the FWT event ended up being cancelled due to conditions — which of course, is part of the game when you’re dealing with real freeride terrain.
Luckily, the backup plan for the Experience Hub trip wasn’t exactly a downgrade. Instead of watching the pros shred the contest face, we headed into the backcountry near Ushguli for several days of touring with freeride legend and Peak Performance athlete Hendrik Windstedt.
Powder, freeride & free‑touring
Beyond the touring days in Ushguli with Hendrik Windstedt, most of the week revolved around powder laps in Tetnuldi Ski Resort and Hatsvali Ski Resort above Mestia. With fresh snow rolling in and terrain in every direction, classic lift laps quickly turned into free-touring missions: short skins straight from the lifts to reach untouched lines just beyond the obvious zones.
Storm cycles delivered proper Caucasus powder, and with lifts and backcountry options side by side, every day offered a mix of alpine faces, open bowls, playful tree lines, and technical couloirs.
To keep things safe, the crew also completed avalanche rescue training using the latest Mammut safety equipment — a hands-on session in beacon use, probes, shovels, and companion rescue drills. Small crew, big terrain, endless lines — and the confidence that comes with proper preparation.
Culture beyond the mountains
Even though we scored lots of epic riding, the Experience Hub was never just about skiing. Between powder days, the group also dove into the unique and intriguing culture of the Svaneti region.
Highlights included visiting the historic Svaneti Tower Museum to learn about the region’s iconic medieval defense towers, as well as a local Georgian cooking class where the group learned to prepare traditional dishes like Khachapuri.
Evenings were spent around long tables filled with incredible Georgian food and experiencing the famously warm local hospitality — occasionally accompanied by a small glass of Chacha.
Exactly the kind of “downdays” that make a ski trip more than just skiing.
Just the beginning
The first Experience Hub trip showed exactly what the concept is about: bringing the Downdays community closer to the places, people, mountains and locations that shape the sport. Mestia delivered the goods for our first outing—and this is just beginning. With more trips being planned for next season, an exciting future awaits for the Experience Hub—and just maybe, for you too.
