The Couloir

The couloir beckons. That fateful crag in the face of a mountain subsumes author Eddie Genell’s tortured soul. Creativity and inspiration shut down without notice. Addictions, obsessions, hurtful memory, and the loss of children in bitter divorce bury him in an avalanche of fear and loneliness.

The restorative journey takes him back to 1985. It is Winter Carnival, home to The World Cup Ski Races, spectacular ski scenes, mountaineering, heli-dropping from the stations of Verbier and Zermatt, and serve as the trappings for Eddie and the international spoiled brats of extraordinary wealth.

The small resort of Verbier is not only brimming with the idle rich, but serves as Eddie’s haven from his own excesses. "The Gang," Eddie’s gang of international expatriates, super-skiers, and entrepreneurs are all part of the celebratory and the dangerous. "They do nothing," Eddie says, "…but they do it better than anyone I’ve ever known."

The trip is also a reunion with lost love and his world is suddenly brightened by the possibility of a caring, healing love where drug use and intrigue are the norm in this world of societal excesses.

The descent beckons…