Must Watch: One Last Session Before the Demolition of These Jumps in Austria

Nov 11, 2018
by Peter Kaiser  


Views: 18,309    Faves: 111    Comments: 9

Viewable in 4K. Watch it here.




THE STORY


LA is a secret spot deep inside an alluvial forest nearby a river named ‘Lech’ near Reutte/Austria. A place where Peter Kaiser could actualise his imagination and carry his dreams into reality. With time passing, LA grew into one of Austria’s most iconic dirt jump spots. It has been a spot where Peter found his kind of freedom and could progress his riding in every aspect.

Starting in spring 2013 the first shovel was thrown and the first roll-in got constructed from old lumber found in the alluvial forest. It then has been 4 years of quality times, laughs, experiences, blood, sweat and tears. From short cold winter days digging onto hours constructing roll-ins in treetops to warm summer evenings sessioning with friends. It’s been a place handbuilt with love, and ridden with the greatest pleasure.

LA was now expected to reveal its last period and it was predicted to be gone forever as the jumps were on nature protected reserve. Michael Haunschmidt and Peter Kaiser took on one last mission to give LA the appreciation it deserved before it was too late.



Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl
Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl



THE LAST ERA


Even thought spending days at LA often felt timeless, the clock was ticking and only a little period was left for everyone to contribute to its last chapter. Void is a unique short film entirely produced by a couple friends showcasing the last couple sessions that went down at LA.

Once the sun disappears, there is still a little blueish light remaining before the dark settles. Which as of short fall days and casual working hours was when Michael and Peter mainly got to shoot for this project. From the actual filming and riding onto to the entire post production - everyone who contributed to this project only did so as of true dedication to an inspiring place and an amazing project. Luca Kleinhenz has been composing an individual song entirely from scratch, while Michael has been crushing it on the editing. Meanwhile, Peter has been writing down some phrases, which later on would make for a voiceover narrated by fellow Canadian Calvin Huth. As soon as everything was in position on the timeline, Martin Rohrmoser put on the final audio mix. With the synopsis set and the deadline approaching fast, fellow friend and photographer Stefan Voitl also came out to shoot some stills prior to its demolition.

On the 20th October 2017, the LA crew plus a couple friends got to have one last session with Michael and Peter also finishing shooting for Void. A day later, the 21st October 2017 the bulldozer rolled in leaving nothing behind except some rollins high up in the treetops. It’s been one hell of a time.




Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl
Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl
Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl

Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl

Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl

Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl
Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl

Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl



THE BUILD

Every spare minute from spring 2013 until fall 2017, thousands of nails and screws, about 150,000 full shovels, circa 4,000 full wheelbarrows and around 500 tons of sand - all this and an uncountable amount of dedication is what went into turning Peter’s vision into reality.


Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl
Peter Kaiser in LA Austria. Photo Stefan Voitl

Peter Kaiser doing a halfcab-barspin of the drop



CREDITS

Riding: Peter Kaiser
Cinematography/Editing: Michael Haunschmidt / vimeo.com/michaelhaunschmidt
Photography: Stefan Voitl / voi.tl
Aerial Shots: Matthias Garber
Music: Luca Kleinhenz / soundcloud.com/orangeblock
Sound Mix: Martin Rohrmoser / locationsound.at/
Voicover: Calvin Huth
Special Thanks to the LA crew, Manuel Ehrenreich and everyone else who ever touched a shovel out there.


photo


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Author Info:
PeterKaiser avatar

Member since Nov 24, 2011
17 articles

49 Comments
  • 53 5
 I always wondered how it is more 'eco' to bulldoze something than dig slowly by shovel.
  • 40 2
 Four years is a pretty good run for a poached out spot in the woods. I mean - the Preserve Mgmt had to have know it was there the whole time - especially with the double decker scaffolding . In most places in the US - that wouldn’t have lasted four days before someone narcs you out for being an Ecoterrorist
  • 5 4
 But you're in Switzerland...
  • 12 61
flag Beez177 (Nov 11, 2018 at 8:59) (Below Threshold)
 Make sure you get your dig in against the US, you forgot to mention Trump tho.
  • 32 2
 @jwrendenver: I have dual citizenship- live in the USA currently , voted in last election
  • 6 74
flag Beez177 (Nov 11, 2018 at 10:18) (Below Threshold)
 @gnarnaimo: FU
  • 33 7
 Being a builder and philosophy graduate myself, I have mixed feelings after reading this article...

First, "nature protected reserve" and "thousands of nails and screws" doesn't really sound right.

Then, throwing few quotes of Aristotle and Kant makes me even more confused...
  • 24 38
flag deadmeat25 (Nov 11, 2018 at 2:14) (Below Threshold)
 Yeah coz some nails and screws in some wood, in the woods, are an ecological disaster waiting to happen... lol
  • 52 2
 They had their run, now the forest will reclaim the area, no biggie. We do hella lot worse stuff to the environment than this. Sick trails guys.
  • 20 2
 Really sad. They build this in a rather remote area, never leaving litter or something there. some old guy found it by chance and reported them. they even tried to pursuade him to let it go (would have been ok with the officials) but the old man wanted this place to be destroyed. they had to remove a lot of trees to get the bulldozer there ... what a shame
  • 4 1
 I wondered if that was the case. I worked for the Bureau of Land Mgmt in Oregon for two years and seen first hand that their priority are very much complaint driven. As long as they chose the spot wisely (i.e. no rare animal or plant site and kept it low key) -and **especially if nobody complains**, it is often tolerated....... the just have bigger fish to fry than chasing small scale mischief makers
  • 2 0
 @SirWonky: yeah, seems to be the same situation here. there was also an article about it in an austrian newspaper, but it didnt change anything. i post a link if you are interested (its in german language though)

www.google.at/amp/s/mobil.derstandard.at/2000067293888/Naturschutz-Peter-Kaisers-Trainingsplatz-wurde-dem-Erdboden-gleichgemacht%3famplified=true
  • 12 0
 isn't it an offence/crime to build sth in nature reserves in Austria? The jumps got bulldozed (I guess at the cost of the forestry office or whatever it's called there) and there is a video in which the builders "confess" to their involvement in the construction. An explanation of the process would elucidate things a bit.
  • 17 1
 Those fork decals are sick AF
  • 6 0
 Well could just move all kickers and stuff else where? But you do need too work with the enviroment I have my own trails that are built next too a river which does flood, so the land cant be used for anything else, But so far have not had any problems in 5 years of didding, but are getting a bit out of control as far as making new lines but have not used any nails & all the trees are healthy now as filled in round all the tree roots & built trails round all miss shapes trees, So it is more like enviromental sculpture!
  • 7 0
 That fork looks like an old Judy SL. Love it Brings me back to the ol days!!!!!
  • 5 0
 well... If kids can't go out in the woods an build,ride dirt bikes then F,IT
Worse is, it's the generation that get sites shut down are the same generation that are moaning that the country(s) is "raising pussies"
  • 8 3
 For my work, I build factories, roads, buildings and even mountain bikes authorized in natural parks and a small dirt ground is not the real ecological problem.
  • 5 0
 Why is nobody saying anything about how sick and slick and full of style his riding is?

Great riding and video bro well done
  • 3 0
 Wicked style!! Some people really just don't get it... It's a heinous crime to intentionally destroy the joy of others, joy freely shared, respectfully kept... aerial wizardry, imitation and praise of the deft, swooping birds, languid inverted whipping in the very rhythm of all that makes this universe. Ride strong and fly high brothers and sisters!!!
  • 14 12
 Building non sanctioned trails in an eco preserve, hammering nails into live trees, and building sketchy bridges. 15-20 years ago that was how we did it. We know there are better ways now. This kind of stuff does nothing to help our cause. Mtb trails are in risk of being shut down all over the world because of actions like this. Then to make it even worse the government (tax payers) has to foot the bill for the demolition and clear many live trees out to get the dozers in. Cool jumps good riding but they'd be just as cool and good on legal trails and would make mtbers look a lot better.
  • 25 0
 show me legal trails like that ??
  • 5 0
 That's a little scare mongering right? in risk of being shut down all over the world?

In my world, MTB is a mass movement by now. Too many people to be neglected on the long run. If you care to read Jarl666's comment, in this case even the officials were ok with the spot. Their hand was just forced by some pensionist filing an official complaint. Goes to show in my eyes that it slowly becomes clear even for officials that a few nails in a tree are not THE big eco-sin. And not in the slightest compared to damage caused by say harvester machines.

So if you keep both feet on the ground, spots like this one ought to be welcomed as a good example of using nature instead of harming it.
  • 6 0
 A little bit of OT, but still – please keep in mind that Austria still is a developing country in terms of mountainbiking. Actually riding on forest roads is mostly illegal and people got sued for doing that. And if you consider that there are really a lot of mountains in Austria, there are very few legal mtb-trails. In Tyrol, where those jumps were located, it's a little bit better then in the area around Vienna, Austrias capital. Just look it up on Trailforks. And try not to cry. Maybe Austria is just those 15–20 years behind the rest of the world ...
  • 6 2
 Great riding! But can we stop trying to win the annual film festival with these obscure and abstract messages in a riding clip?
  • 3 0
 It would be a neat tribute to this spot to print out a bunch of gnarly riding pictures from there and pin them to the surrounding trees
  • 4 0
 That’s sad Frown I know what it’s like to have all your work just flattened
  • 2 0
 It is pretty unheard of nowadays...but I saw some combos I had never seen before! Flip double bar to nac landing?? Indian Air to barspin?? What the heck! Not even Semenuk!!
  • 4 0
 That was awesome!
  • 3 1
 It's too bad those jumps are gonna be gone. Anyways, the riding was sick! Keep up the good work!!!
  • 2 0
 Get this man to joyride please. Thanks
  • 3 1
 Sad! Those jumps looked legit
  • 3 1
 hEy aRE ThoSE scREWS!! buLLdoZE!!!!!!
  • 2 0
 Let build secret jumps. Proceeds to build 40ft roll in...
  • 1 0
 What fork is he using? Looks like an old Judy SL ?!?!?!?

www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=104490
  • 1 0
 Sick riding. Lots of trails start illegally. Nature preserve probably bad idea but it is what it is now.
  • 2 0
 What is LA supposed to stand for??
  • 1 0
 the Village it is in is called Lech-aschau.
  • 1 0
 Thats Digging not Didding, how come I cant edit my posts?
  • 1 0
 is his fork supposed to be a RS Judy?
  • 8 0
 It’s a Pike with some amazing throwback graphics. Also I guess the crown is polished? Had me fooled then I did some searching. Nice unique look.
  • 3 5
 Ya up f n idiots city should have shut that shit down a long time ago. They knew what they were doing when they started to build. Why do u think they went so deep into the forest
  • 2 1
 Nice one!!!
  • 4 4
 To many videos on this site lately
  • 1 0
 Hahaha...wtf...
  • 1 2
 I wish there was a story about the trails, not just some guy showing off how sick he is at biking.
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