1193 Search Results for "or"

• Salvaging a Season Salvaging a Season

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Salvage - Philippi Spring 2013 from Matt Philippi on Vimeo.

    Matt Philippi’s winter was not the powder-filled fantasy he had hoped for. Instead of chairlifts and sled tracks, Philippi faced a worn-out space on the couch and over ten new screws added to his anatomy. After an entire winter of being bitch-slapped by the sport he loves, it would be logical for him to take it easy. But that just wouldn’t be any fun. We caught up with him to find out how he got so mangled, and how he’s already back in action.

     

    TGR: You broke your wrist early in the season, how did that happen?

    Matt Phillipi: It was December 18th and I was just skiing sidecountry in Jackson and got hung up skiing some trees. The next thing I know I’m waking up from a concussion with a broken wrist, and I don’t even know what happened. My radius was shattered and the joint surface in my wrist was mangled. The next night I went in for surgery. That was the last time I do a surgery without a nerve block.

    TGR: That’s rugged. How long were you out for?

    MP: It was a wrist, so I could keep skiing. I took a week-and-a-half off for Christmas.

    By mid January I was hitting it really hard. I couldn’t snowmobile at all so I was resort skiing and doing big skin days. It was an amazing two weeks of skiing. I was really getting to know the resorts well.

    

    TGR: Two weeks only? Then what happened?

    MP: It was January 27th I was just skiing on the backside of Jackson, skiing Little Targhee headed towards Cardiac Ridge. It was the fourth of fifth skin lap of the day, in blower pow, and I hit a submerged stump. I guess I just wasn’t being careful enough, and hit it, compressed my ankle, and tomahawked down the hill. 

    Right away I knew my ankle was at least sprained pretty bad. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and the only way out was to skin. I ended up doing a 3.5-hour skin back to the tram. There was a lot of screaming and swearing at myself but ultimately I made it out. It was one of the more intense experiences in the backcountry I’ve ever had. It was an awakening to how gnarly things can be back there.

    TGR: So what was wrong?

    MP: I was skinning with my inner anklebone broken completely off. I had to have a screw drilled into it to reattach it to my tibia.

    

    TGR: So you snapped a bone off, and were still able to ski this year?

    MP: I was back on skis by early April. I was out for about two months, which is pretty damn quick. The sprain was more of a pain than the break.

    TGR: So this edit is kind of a comeback. How’d it get done?

    MP: The sled skiing is in a secret zone south of Jackson. KGB productions had been out there working with a couple of people. I saw some Instagrams and wanted to hit them up. They took me there and it was a go. Before then I was sucking it up on the groomers. I went out there and hadn’t hit any airs yet, or anything, but I was able to get a couple of shots. A week later another storm rolled through. And I was able to get some more shots. The zone is rowdy. It’s one of those zones where you nearly run out of gas.

     

    TGR: It looks rowdy, but that line you did in Grand Teton National Park was nuts.

    MP: After that second day, it was getting towards late April, and Eric Daft wanted to go ski a gnarly line off the Grand itself, but they bailed and I got convinced to ski Dartmouth Couloir, which is off the south saddle of the Grand. It’s in between the Grand and the Middle. I Google Earth-ed it, and looked doable. But it was the type of day that should have been broken up. We started at like 4am, got to the line at 2:30pm, dropped, and had to hike out. There were grizzly tracks everywhere and a huge wet-slide that scared us. Check out the story at snowbrains.com

    TGR: Totally seems worth it. So where are you now?

    MP: I had a weird season with broken bones, but I’m stoked to end the season skiing how I wanted to, and all my confidence is back. I know I can push it harder next year and ski bigger lines. I’m looking to give it 110 as usual. It won’t be different than any other years; I’ll just start with a couple more scars.

     

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• Laying Down Lines and Saving L Laying Down Lines and Saving Lives in Cooke City

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:
    Words by Michael Sudmeier
    Images by Sam Pope
    
    
    Some things in life are subject to change. And this is especially true for those who spend time in the backcountry. While recently filming near Cooke City, Montana for Way of Life, TGR athletes and filmers had to continually adapt to new challenges—including saving a man’s life. The plans for the trip had been simple enough—film some late spring ski descents at the end of April. The start of the trip, however, was filled with pow days, cold temperatures, and assisting with a rescue.
    
    
    
    Before heading into the backcountry, the crew convened in Cooke City and geared up for the trip.
    
    
    “I thought it was going to be mainly mountaineering missions—skiing couloirs and things like that,” explained Todd Ligare. He was joined by TGR athletes John Spriggs and Griffin Post, as well as a production and support team that included Dan Gibeau, Sam Pope, Hennie van Jaarsveld, Corey Seeman, and Steve Popovich. Despite anticipating spring conditions, “It felt like a mid-winter trip in late April, which was awesome,” offered Spriggs. He and the group named the project Nightmare Camp—a play on TGR’s Fantasy Camp, which had wrapped up a few weeks prior in Alaska.
    
    
    After members of the crew skied a few lines on their first day, a snowmobiler approached them, searching for assistance and a means to contact rescue and medical personnel. “You could tell he was dealing with a heavy situation, but he seemed calm and was dealing with it appropriately,” explained Ligare. “He basically asked if we had a way to contact help.”
    
    
    The man’s friend had stopped breathing after his vest became tangled in his sled. “Basically, the [patient] had a protective vest on, and he was hill climbing,” explained Post. “Through an unfortunate series of events, his handlebars went through his protective vest and hung him.” The man had rushed to aid his friend, but his response time was delayed due to the steep slope on which the injured snowmobiler was perched. Initially, the snowmobiler was not breathing. Once freed from his sled, however, he resumed breathing but remained unconscious.
    
    
    
    Whether exploring new zones or assisting with a rescue, the group relied heavily on its sleds.
    
    
    Tapping into rescue and medical training they receive at the start of each season, the crew from TGR sprung into action. Ligare sought out the crew’s satellite phone and medical equipment while Pope traveled to the injured sledder. Once at site of the incident, Pope and a snowboarder who was also in the area provided initial care for the patient. According to Pope, they “created a flat spot for [the patient], cleared his airway, stabilized his head, and put some layers under and on him to provide insulation from the snow.”
    
    
    After retrieving the group’s satellite phone, Ligare—now joined by Post—sought out higher ground in order to contact Park County Search and Rescue. Post remained in contact with rescuers while Ligare, Gibeau, and Spriggs brought the group’s medical kit and sked, a collapsible rescue stretcher, to the scene. The group helped Pope further stabilize the patient and initiated a high angle rescue to lower him down the slope. They also took turns traveling to Post, relaying updates to rescuers. Seeman, who had been in town servicing a snowmobile, led rescue personnel Ben Zavora and Jan Gaertner, President of the Cooke City EMS, to the patient.
    
    
    By the time Gaertner and Zavora arrived, the team had not only lowered the patient down the slope, but also prepared a landing zone for a helicopter. Gaertner and the team provided additional care and readied the patient for transport. “We packaged him, got him on some oxygen, and cleared his airway,” she explained. “I also put an AED on him [in the event his heart stopped]. He had quit breathing twice.” Fortunately, the weather briefly cooperated with rescuers. “We got there and the sky opened up and the sun came out. We got a helicopter in and when the helicopter left, the clouds came over and it started snowing again,” explained Gaertner.
    
    
    “I’ll tell you what, it was not his time to die,” offered Gaertner. She credits the team from TGR with ensuring this was the case. “The guys did an awesome job,” she explained. “They were so excited to use their skills and equipment. I would work with those guys any day.”
    
    
    
    In a letter to TGR, Jan Gaertner—President of the Cooke City EMS—thanked the crew for its assistance.
    
    
    For the team, the incident provided an opportunity to put into practice the skills they had cultivated through TGR’s annual safety summit, the International Pro Riders Workshop (IPRW). Although the curriculum is continually evolving, IPRW aims to help attendees successfully negotiate the challenges inevitable in backcountry travel. The course typically addresses assessing avalanche terrain, initiating first aid in a wilderness context, and leading rescue efforts.
    
    
    According to Cofounder Todd Jones, TGR developed its IPRW program because “we recognized that we’re out in a really dangerous and inhospitable environment that demands high levels of training and expertise. That training can make the difference between a fairly standard rescue and a really bad situation.”
    
    
    
    IPRW ensures TGR's team is prepared for backcountry emergencies.  Luckily, no emergencies resulted from the crew killing this line.
    
    
    The rescue in Cooke City served as a testament to the training’s success. In a thank you letter to TGR, Gaertner wrote, “Your skiers were the first responders on the scene, and because of their training and communications [they] saved this man’s life.” According to Spriggs, the high angle rescue that the team performed was “exactly what we learned at IPRW.” Gaertner noted that the team was especially successful in executing the skills it had developed at the workshop. “It’s one thing to get the training,” she explained. “It’s another thing to be able to act on it—and all those guys were able to act calmly and efficiently and do what they were taught to do.”
    
    
    During its time in the Cooke City area, the TGR crew checked in with Gaertner to receive updates on the patient’s status. After several days in a coma, the man was released from the hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery. This, according to Ligare, “is a miracle—or at least not typical.” After all, the man had stopped breathing twice throughout the incident.
    
    
    The rescue with which the team assisted provided an unusual prelude to the trip—and the adventures only continued. At the start of their filming, “it snowed two feet so we just skied pow for days,” revealed Post. “It was unseasonably cold for the first four days and we had some of the best snow of the year.” 
    
    
    For the ten day trip, the crew established a base camp from which they began sledding and touring each morning. “We basically had a little village out in the woods and camped there and didn’t come back to town,” explained Post. “We were really much more immersed in the mountains than trips where you just go out for the day.” 
    
    
    
    The crew was better at skiing than cooking, as evidenced by its reliance on precooked dinners.
    
    
    Although the group had a large dome tent, plenty of food, and a propane stove and heater, being immersed in the mountains was not especially luxurious. Temperatures one evening hovered near twenty below. For dinner, the crew had “two different options of precooked meals that we would heat up: Mexican or Thai. The big joke every night was ‘what do you guys want for dinner?’” explained Pope. As the days progressed, the crew also established a second camp from which it could access more remote zones.
    
    
    
    There's nothing like the smell of a campfire--especially one accompanied by the smell of wet socks and boots.
    
    
    According to the team, its base camp provided quick access to terrain but was not without its challenges. “The camping adds a whole new layer of logistics to deal with—drying clothes, charging batteries, and dumping footage,” Pope explained. The group’s proximity to its target terrain helped fuel the intensity of the experience. “The trip was probably the most full throttle trip I have ever been on,” revealed Post. “We were just so busy—we would get up at six pretty much every morning, put our ski boots on by seven-thirty or eight, and we’d pretty much be skiing and in our ski boots until eight at night.”
    
    
    As the temperatures warmed up towards the end of the trip, the crew was also able to ski several couloirs. After being shut down on one couloir due to rapidly softening snow and wet slides, the team was able to ski the couloir on its final day. “The snow conditions were super variable,” revealed Pope. “But to me, that’s the impressive thing about professional skiers—they make it look easy no matter what the conditions.” But this should come as no surprise. After all, they can even make saving a life look easy.
    
    
    
    The crew kicked back in Cooke City at the trip's conclusion.
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• Sending It with Sage: Postcard Sending It with Sage: Postcards from Fantasy Camp

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    After returning home from his annual pilgrimage to AK, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa gave us a glimpse inside Fantasy Camp. Located deep within the Neacola Mountains, Fantasy Camp served as TGR’s staging ground this spring. Whether nailing first descents or documenting them, the TGR crew kept busy filming for Way of Life. As we gear up for the film’s release, we’ll be filling you in on what went down in Alaska.

    Words and Images by Sage Cattabriga-Alosa

    

    Todd Ligar and Ian Mac look down on a nice little spine wall we dubbed NHL. The wall earned this name because lurking just under a thin dust of snow was a solid sheet of ice that stretched from wall to wall. It made for some exciting attempts at hanging on—and some hockey stops. 

    

    Ariel views like this allow for quickly spotting multiple zones. I often go back through my photos, looking for areas where lines and zones might have been hiding on the first look. 

    

    The Land of Ice—seeing glacial caps and massive glacial fields is quite a sight. It’s cool to see mountains being formed right before your eyes.

    

    The ol' Look down.

    

    Ian Mac speeds out of a massive line in an icy world. The challenge on lines like this is dealing with an exit plan. Large bergshrunds littered the bottom of this wall and the snow was firm underneath the top layer. Needless to say, control—and a plan—was critical to getting out safely.

    

    House-size chunks of ice and snow make up this peeling glacier.

    

    This looks like a calm perch, but the area below is loaded with spince walls that branch out in almost all directions. Here, Ian enjoys a moment of calm before the storm.

    

    Tim Durtschi launches into a 360 off this natural spine flank. This was his first film line of the trip, and he came out of the gate hot!

    

    Mountain views for days.

    

    The glow of the sun reflects off the ocean in the distance. 

    

    Wind can be your enemy out in the alpine, turning glory pow into sastrugi moguls. Luckily, we found protected zones that held good snow through the end of our trip. 

    

    Tempting fruit. 

    

    A razorback. 

    

    Doug Brewer, a bush pilot, was the key to our success at Fantasy Camp. He flew us, our gear, our camp supplies, and fuel out in many different flights. In this photo, he is headed home after taking us on a recon flight in his Bush Hawk.

    

    GPS helps, but helicopters are fly-by-sight aircrafts.

    

    This is how we measure our time out in the helicopter. It keeps track of the amount of hours that we are pulling power, and how long we can fly. 

    

    Sammy Carlson flies out of the bottom of a fun line.

    

    The production team hard at work. Dutch Simpson shoots third angle, picking up the action, and reaction as we roll up to the group at the end of each run. And Tim D, who mostly shoots his Sony Action Cam helps out. 

    

    Dana Flahr lays some smooth tracks while killing time before our next set up.

    
     

    A zone that got away... always tons of options out there. And it feels good to have goals for the future. It looks like you could have a bit of fun with this one.

     

    Ice . . . 

    

    Ice . . .

     Baby.

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• Daron Rahlves: Sugar Bowl Amba Daron Rahlves: Sugar Bowl Ambassador

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    "Sugar Bowl Resort is my favorite ski area because of the terrain, snow and overall experience. The Bowl gets dumped on and is an epic playground stacked with terrain. I love the smooth flowing groomed runs any day, but get drawn to the open trees, bowls, tight lines and gullies. Now as a professional free skier the challenging steeps in Palisades is my training ground for big lines in AK. Fun runs and fresh snow, days after a storm are there so find me and lets go. If not, explore or find a local and you'll be fired up. For determined and dedicated youth in the ski world, the Sugar Bowl Academy (SBA) is dedicated to offering an environment to excel in academics and racing / free skiing. It's an amazing life path where I'm more than willing to pass on my knowledge of the sport since I grew up in a similar system. To top it off the resort staff are super friendly giving it that traditional ski experience charm, an important reason for my loyalty to Sugar Bowl. Come check it out and take a run down Rahlves' Run." Banzai!!! Sugar Bowl Ambassador - Daron Rahlves

     

    15 years on the US Ski Team, 4x Olympian and the most decorated male American Downhill and Super G skier in history. Daron won 12 World Cup races, had 28 World Cup podiums, 7 US National Titles, is the 2001 World Champion in Super G, Silver medal at the 2005 Worlds in DH and Bronze medal in GS. He was the winner of the legendary Hahnenkamm Downhill in 2003 and SG in 2004 along with 7 podium finishes in Kitzbuhel over 5 years. Ski cross became his competition of choice in 2007 and in 2008 Daron took Gold in Skier-X at ESPN's Winter X Games 12 and finished 3rd overall on the Jeep Skiing/48 Straight Tour. Currently he's on the Teton Gravity Research (TGR) team skiing big mountain lines and works closely with his sponsors to develop the best quality equipment and experience for those unforgettable days on snow.

     

    Video by Weston Walker
    http://www.westonwalker.com

     

    Stills Courtesy of Sugar Bowl

    http://www.sugarbowl.com; http://www.facebook.com/sugarbowlresort

     

    Race photo courtesy of Deven Hickingbotham

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• Aspen Obscene Aspen Obscene

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Photos: Digi Dave

    
    

    Nobody is concerned that Than is missing. We haven’t been in Aspen for 12 hours, and we’re already a man down. Breakfast at Aspen’s Jour de Fete is just too damn good. The genuine Frenchman in charge of whipping up espresso drinks and croissant concoctions could make me forget my grandmother going missing in Chicago’s Southside with a bag full of cash and a slow pace. The sun is shining, and Than’s empty seat at the table makes it easy for us to spread out—keeping our hangovers from combining into the perfect storm… For now.

    The plan was simple enough—get to Aspen for the extra bonus closing at Highlands. Late winter in the Southern Rockies is making up for a lackluster early season. Colorado’s inbounds terrain is the best it’s been all year, and the lifts at Jackson Hole hadn’t been spinning for nearly a month.

    

    Aspen, contrary to the Bogner and Bentley façade, is a dirtbag’s delight. So, to get in touch with Aspen’s seedier side, Than, Cook, and myself jumped into a car and decided to see for ourselves. 

    We arrive late Friday night after a whirlwind of snus tins and malt beverages. The Limelight hotel is surprisingly cheap during the off-season and their breakfast is way above average. They also allow dogs, so pick up a puppy on the way over as a conversation starter.

    After stocking the fridge and then promptly trying to empty it, we wander over to Little Annie’s. Seventeen dollars later we have a pitcher of Budweiser and five shots of Early Times whiskey. Repeat. Repeat. Everything begins to taste like band-aid and herpes. Repeat. Two repeats later and I’m drinking out of a shoe.

    

    By the time breakfast rolls around, Than is missing. We’re not worried. You will meet the girl/guy of your dreams in Aspen. It’s what happens when the entire population of the town, and all of its visitors are there for the soul purpose of having fun. You might even throw up on said dream girl’s porch. Than shows up as we wrap up our meal with a smirk.

    After a few more breakfast beers, it’s ski time. We arrive greeted by none other than Klaus Obermeyer. He yodels for us and announces the skiing is “Eleven out of ten!”

    

    He’s right. All of Aspen Highlands’ 3,635 vertical feet have achieved a miraculously good corn cycle and the snow is nothing short of heroic. Snow fuels celebration, which in turn fuels skiing. Somehow we don’t get removed from the ski area, the bus ride home, or the hotel.

    As Aspen becomes a blur of laughter, empty glasses, and haphazard street crossings, I start learning all sorts of lessons. The most important ones are these:

    1.Tables comprised of the same sex are always looking for trouble.

    2.Colorado’s new views on certain controlled substances don’t suck.

    3.Getting forcibly removed from the staff bathroom at Escobar with a new friend is totally worth it.

    4.If you’re trying to get away with skinny-dipping after-hours, claim that you’re a lifeguard.

    5.If all else fails, go to New York Pizza. If everything is failing, you probably need to eat anyways.

    

    Suddenly the sun is out again and we’re hiking up to the top of Highlands Bowl for the last run of the season. A crowd of locals is gathered to take in the Maroon Bells, sip champagne, and shred the shit out of an incredible late season snowpack one last time. For all the glamour associated with Aspen, the group taking the season’s last run down the bowl shows none of it. It’s just skiers and smiles. Every turn puts us further from the season. Despite the fact that I haven’t slept in two days the snow is so good and the runs are so steep I have one of my best runs of the season.

    I slide sideways into the base area in a spray of snow, thoroughly used up, totally worn out. Ski season—what a ride.

    

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• Through the Lens: Jason Thomps Through the Lens: Jason Thompson

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:
    Words by Kim Havell and Jason Thompson
    Images by Jason Thompson
    
    
    Upon graduating from Montana State University in 2004, photographer Jason Thompson joined Big Sky’s Ski Patrol and also worked as a mountain guide in Washington and Alaska, steadily building a career in adventure photography. His focus is on creating skiing and climbing imagery that captures the essence of action adventure.
    
    
    With a style that Thompson describes as “raw and unposed”, he strives for simplicity. His images are the product of his lifestyle, telling stories inspired by nature, adventure, and the human experience. At twelve years of age, Thompson decided to pursue photography with an old-school Olympus camera. He took photography classes in high school while shooting action photos of skiing, backpacking, and soccer.
    
    
    
    
    
    Thompson is currently on an expedition to University Peak in Alaska with friend and ski partner, Forrest Coots. When asked about Thompson, Coots shares, “JT has a strong skill set built from years of guiding. He is comfortable climbing and skiing big lines, while also shooting, which allows him to capture that raw-feeling. His images reflect his travels through the mountains via ice climbing and ski mountaineering in iconic locations around the world.” 
    
    
    
    
    The Start—Insights from Jason
    As a kid, I was drawn to the mountains and loved the winter months. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest I was exposed to some of the finest mountain terrain in the lower 48. The Olympic Mountains served as my launching point for adventuring as well as capturing the escapades with my camera. The Washington experience extended from childhood through high school. 
    
    
    A high school friend gave me a flyer for Montana State University. That was the first time I realized the power of marketing; there was a skier on the front page of the flyer. I was sold. I had also seen many of Kris Erickson's pictures and read many of Hans Saari's words. It was an easy move to a place where two creative adventurers that I had looked up to had made their home base. In the fall of 1999, I moved to Bozeman, without ever having been there, two days before classes started. Five years later I graduated with a degree in photography. The community in Bozeman welcomed me and it’s been home ever since. 
    
    
    
    
    Breaking Through
    For me, the photography process has more been a series of ups and downs with a continual ebb and flow. There have also been great moments that have provided me with bigger surges. 
    
    
    In 2008, Tyler Jones, Seth Waterfall, and I received a Hans Saari Ski Exploration grant for a trip to Mount Shkhara in the Republic of Georgia, located in the Svaneti Region. I had to plan a major trip from a climbing/skiing perspective as well as from a photography perspective. It was a great learning exercise. The expedition was powerful for the three of us, visiting a place that we knew little about. It left a mark on me in my young photography career.
    
    
    In issue #36 of Alpinist Magazine I had a double page spread. The article, written by Joe Josephson, was about ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon here in Bozeman, Montana. I was humbled and thrilled at this incredible opportunity to be involved.
    
    
    
    
    
    Inspiration
    During my junior year of university, Kris Erickson came in and gave a talk to my photography business class. It was groundbreaking for me. I remember being blown away by the images he was showing, the adventures he had been on, and the people and places he had seen. It was an inspiring forty minutes for me. I remember thinking that, yep, I could do that for work. 
    
    
    Since then I have had a chance to get to know Kris better. The insight he provided that day and since then has motivated me to follow suit in many ways and has helped me to carefully evaluate how I mold and shape my photography and my brand.  I have heard Kris mention so many nuggets of wisdom over the years. When I used to shoot slides, I built myself a light table, made of out of cheap plywood and plexiglass. I would write quotes or ideas that I had heard which inspired me or had caused me to take pause. Some of my favorite nuggets written on that light table were from Kris. I wish I had kept that light table—somewhere during the many moves I lost it.
    
    
    
    
    Safety
    I have always wanted to be a photographer and that has always been my number one goal. But, I tactically decided early on to pursue ski patrolling and guiding in order to give me a solid foundation of management, in particular from a safety standpoint. I heard Will Gadd explain his philosophy and outlook on life as a “positive, negative outlook.” Meaning, the universe is out to kill us. As Will put it, if you get hit with that piece of ice that is your fault. No one else can be blamed for that. He preached personal responsibility. I agree.
    
    
    
    
    
    As a ski patroller at Big Sky Ski Resort, I learned a lot over the years about avalanches and helping others with medical incidents and avalanche mitigation. I also started mountain guiding, spending time in the Alaska Range and on Mt Rainier.
    
    
    
    
    I have a very open dialogue with athletes with whom I am shooting. Safety is number one. Just because there is a camera does not mean that you have to accept a risk that you wouldn't normally take. The industry trend is to make everything look very sexy. Often times the careful calculations are not shown or exposed. That is one of the things I want to bring to the table as a photographer. Showing the process of how the hazard is being evaluated and what steps are being taken in order to minimize “our” exposure to that risk or hazard. 
    
    
    
    
    
    The Creative Process
    The creative visual process has only begun to take shape in the vertical terrain. I think that we have just seen the beginning. As a visual adventure artist I try and pre-visualize how an athlete will ski a certain line or climb a certain line. I use the athlete as my brush stroke on a blank canvas to generate the exclamation point to the already stunning landscape. 
    
    
    Hans Saari stated this idea beautifully: “ The vibrancy of the line means everything. Like a cello, there is no sound until the string is taut. The more you struggle, the tighter the string, the greater the music.” 
    
    
    
    The Business
    With the current status of the industry, it takes creativity to approach the visual side of things and to see things from new angles. If I use a business model that my mentors used previously, chances are that I probably will not last too long in this industry. 
    
    
    The digital age has shifted many things. But, I believe that relationships propel us forward. It’s the human connection. As a viewer of images, you are drawn to the content that captures that soul. One of the quotes that I had written on my plywood light table twelve years ago was from Kris Erickson—“It’s about the relationships.“ 
    
    
    
    
    
    Just like any business that is starting out, a plan of action has to be put into place. Still, taking that first step into the unknown is still probably one of the biggest adventures upon which I have embarked. But just like climbing or skiing a big objective, after the first few pitches your nerves calm down. I have been able to realize that “yeah, I can do this.” It’s something that you have to commit to. It’s a lifestyle. Creative artists pour their lives into doing what makes them passionate. 
    
    
    
    
    Partnerships
    Time spent with friends exploring and adventuring inspires me the most. I've found a greater personal joy in the expedition style shooting versus the one-day shoots. It is a chance to get to know my subjects in greater detail and see more of their personalities shine.
    
    
    
    
    
    There are several folks with whom I really love working:
    
    
    - Ice climber Andres Marin has been a great friend of mine for a very long time. His energy is contagious. Andres has a drive for perfection and professionalism that is very admirable.
    
    
    - Forrest Coots and I met for the first time while in Chile during the fall of 2011 on a ski trip. We meshed right away. I enjoy Forrest's desire to take trips to places that require some thoughtful planning. Forrest and I have sat in our tents during storms and shoot texts back and forth dreaming about trips and different ideas that spark our passions for skiing in the mountains.
    
    
    - Tyler Jones and I met in 2005 while we were guiding for the same company. Tyler has since gone on to finish his AMGA guiding certifications as the youngest American to complete the process. His meticulous attention to detail is somewhat astonishing. Tyler is one of my best friends. From the Republic of Georgia, Montana, Alaska and La Grave, our mountain time has played a huge role in our friendship. I've learned a ton from Tyler in regards to hazard mitigation.
    
    
    - I was recently on a shoot with Conrad Anker. His vision, dedication and outlook on life is inspiring. He would prefer to talk about his new route the “Nutcracker” than talk about his last summit on Everest without oxygen. His psych for climbing is contagious, his energy transcends generations, his talents are inspiring to watch, and his mentorship helps many. Conrad never stops learning and he is a proponent for adaptation. That’s just rad. 
    
    
    
    
    The Future of the Industry
    I believe the future involves a lot of creative collaboration. Sharing ideas and collaborating can be very rewarding. It will most likely evolve and morph on a much larger scale. I know of some climbing projects that are in the works based on wide scale submissions from climbers willing to submit content from a whole season’s worth of footage from one location. So instead of one or even five filmers being involved, there will be fifty contributing work. 
    
    
    
    Career Highlights
    - Every year I make a little more money than the previous year as a photographer.
    
    
    - Having my first image published in a Patagonia catalog and then having them re-license it for a store display in the Seattle store—that was a goal of mine that year and it felt really good to nail it. 
    
    
    - Being awarded the Hans Saari Ski Exploration Grant for a Ski trip to Mt Shkhara in the Republic of Georgia. 
    
    
    - Double page spread in Alpinist Magazine #36
    
    
    - The moment I realized that I actually had an audience that was listening to me and actively following my work. It was a moment that shifted my mindset and challenged me to work even harder. It wasn't just my mom who was looking at my pictures anymore. 
    
    
    - Being asked to give a talk at Montana State University in the same business photography class in which I had heard Kris Erickson give his talk. 
    
    
    - The friends I have made and the many interesting people that I have been fortunate to meet over the years because of photography. 
    
    
    - Being invited on the Cerro Castillo ski trip in Patagonia with Drew Stoecklein, Chuck “The Pit Viper King” Mumford and Forrest Coots to work on and create the short film “Take The Ride.”
    
    
    To view more of Jason's work, drop into http://www.jthompsonphotography.com
    
    
    
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• Stevens Pass: More Snow Than H Stevens Pass: More Snow Than Hype

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Words and Images by Joey Mara

    The Cascades are loaded with underrated gems—and Stevens Pass is definitely one of them. Not only is the resort peppered with steep terrain, it also enjoys massive storms that make the mountain a freerider’s dream. Only eighty miles from downtown Seattle, Stevens Pass has been slinging lift tickets for seventy-five years. In that time, it’s been responsible for more than a few people calling in sick to sample the latest storm. With ten lifts serving 1,125 acres spread between the mountain’s front and backside, the resort accommodates skiers and riders of all ability levels. Nonetheless, the mountain is best known for its expert terrain.

    

    No one disputes that the snow in the Pacific Northwest is deep, yet its quality is often up for debate. A few locals will come clean, however, and reveal that labels like “cascade concrete” are misnomers designed to keep tourists away. The snow at Stevens is premium—and thanks to receiving over 450 inches of snow annually, there’s plenty of pow to go around. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the mountain to see upwards of 650 inches in a season.  

    

    After a storm, however, the snow at Stevens is typically measured in feet thanks to a unique weather phenomenon known as the Puget Sound Convergence Zone. West of Seattle, the Olympic Mountains split incoming storm tracks, forcing their wind and moisture to divide to the north and south and collide again when they converge at the Cascades. This concentrates precipitation in the vicinity of Stevens Pass. Consequently, storms may hammer the mountain while other resorts in the state receive only a fraction of this snowfall. Needless to say, the storms at Stevens make dreams come true—just come prepared with a snorkel. In December of 2012, for example, a storm dropped 39 inches at the base of Stevens and sixty inches at its summit in just a twenty-four hour period.

    

    Stevens Pass lacks the glamour (and excessive amenities) of a mega resort—and that’s fine with those who call the mountain home. For the courageous, Stevens has plenty of steep lines—perfect for those who like to push limits and occasionally piss their pants. Pillows, chutes, steeps, cliffs, and spines all litter the mountain, while the tree skiing is also world class. It might be worth befriending a local when you come to Stevens, as much of this terrain can be elusive to the uninitiated. To further maximize your time at Stevens, be ready for some serious storm riding. Locals revel in the free refills provided by Steven’s heavy snowfall. The mountain’s night skiing can also add a new dimension to chasing powder. And if you’re fortunate enough to catch a bluebird day, Cowboy and Rooster Ridges provide an ample canvas for laying down creative lines. It should come as no surprise that skiers and riders can explore Stevens season after season and continue to find new zones.

    Stevens Past to Present Celebrating 75 Years! from Joey mara on Vimeo.

    For those prepared to venture outside the access gates, the backcountry at Stevens Pass is the real deal. Due to the high amount of snow and steep terrain, avalanches occur frequently. Adding to the danger, visibility can change rapidly. That being said, a wealth of ridges, back bowls, and peaks can be accessed via the lifts or by touring from the highway or nordic trails. Much of Steven’s backcountry dumps skiers at the highway, enabling them to easily hitch a ride back to the resort.

    

    In addition to its natural terrain, Stevens Pass boasts a solid park. The Top Phlight park crew spends its days prepping dozens of rails and kickers of all sizes. Stevens also has one of the few halfpipes in the state of Washington. Thanks to the diversity of its terrain, the mountain is a breeding ground for well-rounded rippers.

    

    Stevens has remained under the radar thanks, in part, to a lack of accommodations at its base. For those wishing to stay close to the slopes, a variety of rental cabins are available on both sides of the pass. Most visitors, however, stay in or around the town of Leavenworth on the east side of the pass. Located forty-five minutes from Stevens, Leavenworth sports a Bavarian theme and offers plenty of entertainment for those looking to kick back and slip off their boots. During the winter months, the town is lit up with Christmas lights and the streets are packed with Seattleites hoping to escape the city, shop, and enjoy some food and drinks at German pubs. For those looking for no-frills lodging, the small towns of Skykomish and Gold Bar on the Seattle side of the pass offer affordable options.

    

    Stevens will never be a Whistler or an Aspen—and it does not want to be such a resort. And while the scene is mellow, the mountain is not. Needless to say, Stevens has no shortage of challenging terrain—and good company with whom to explore it. The people are friendly and the snow is deep. If you measure your seasons in faceshots and high fives, Stevens might be your soulmate.

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• Go: North Cascade Heli Go: North Cascade Heli

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    North Cascade Heli from Joey mara on Vimeo.

     

    Words And Video By Joseph Mara

    In a cut-off corner of north-central Washington State, a little known heli-skiing operation has been flying under the radar for nearly thirty years. North Cascade Heli (NCH), located in the town of Mazama, operates in a 300,000 acre permit area just south of North Cascades National Park. Pioneered by Harris Sanford in the early 80’s and then named Liberty Bell Alpine Tours, the outfit is now run by owners and guides Paul Butler and Ken Brooks. Their multifaceted operation now offers several different experiences ranging from a single heli-day (seven guaranteed runs or money back) and private flight time charters, all the way to extended guided touring trips at their two-story backcountry yurt. Planning a longer trip is recommended because weather conditions in the North Cascades vary drastically from day to day. The operating season is short, only seventy days from mid-January through March. Space fills up quickly so plan months in advance if you can.

    NCH offers a wide variety of terrain for all ability levels. Their longest run is 3,800 vertical feet, touring through high alpine peaks, glades, and trees. Bowls, couloirs, and slide paths are also on the menu. Snow? Yeah, they have plenty of that. The Cascades receive huge deposits of white gold every year and boast some impressive totals, including the single season world record snowfall of 1,140 inches held by Mt. Baker, situated just west of the helicopter permit area. The Cascades are the most glaciated mountains in the lower forty eight and are one of the few mountain ranges in North America with active volcanoes, including Mt. Rainier rising to over 14,000 feet. This makes the Cascades one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the world, and there is no better way to experience them than by helicopter. 

    You will be in good hands at NCH with some of the most experienced guides in the business. Pilot Seamus O’Daimhin, a Vietnam Veteran who flies for logging and fire-fighting operations in the summer, has eyes in the back of his head. You will buzz low over mountain peaks and watch the bottom drop out as you cross ridges between runs. With such a large permit area and a max elevation of 9,000 feet, NCH can always find the good snow, even after a big warm up. conditions. If you get lucky, your guide just might take you to Stair Step, and Seamus will drop you off on a tiny mountain peak landing that may test your faith in him. 

    The typical one day trip begins in the heli-barn at 7:30 AM with a review of the day’s schedule and backcountry safety protocol, followed by weigh-ins and outfitting of all guests with the necessary safety equipment. Afterwards, a short review of proper beacon, shovel, and probe use takes place outside. Once everyone has completed the safety training, the pilot will go over the dos and don’ts of riding on board the A-Star B2 helicopter. Around 9:00 AM, up to three groups of four guests each will take turns loading the bird and flying out to their first run. Seven runs with lunch provided is a typical day, and additional runs can be purchased on the spot with time and weather permitting. Expect to arrive back at the heli-barn by mid-afternoon with a huge grin and a hankering for cold beer (BYOB). If you will be enjoying an extended stay with NCH, you will be shuttled to the Barron Yurt to begin your multi-day backcountry tour. The touring packages can often include an extra “heli-bump” or two. 

    NCH’s location in Mazama is why it’s one of Washington’s best-kept secrets.  Mazama is relatively isolated during winter months due to the closure of the west side of the North Cascades Highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation cannot maintain the road because of the massive amounts of snowfall. Most guests come from the Seattle area and make the four and a half hour drive around. Lodging can be found in Mazama at the Freestone Inn, or The Rolling Huts if you are looking for a more rustic experience (outhouses and no sink). Nearby Winthrop is a charming old western town which is well worth a stop for lodging, hot air balloons, the oldest legal saloon in Washington State, city girls on vacation, or the rusty old cowhands and their classic cars. Make sure to check out Kelly’s restaurant at The Rolling Huts outside of town for the best Irish food around, not to mention Steve’s signature cocktails which may or may not include real absinthe (ask for the “Aviation”). For anglers, this is prime steelhead country as well. The nearby Methow River offers excellent fishing and the latter half of NCH’s operating season coincides with the start of the fishing season. The cross-country skiing is also world class possibly more popular here than alpine skiing (if you happen to know someone who is into that). This seldom seen corner of the country is more than worth a visit. Combine the skiing, the natural beauty of the North Cascades, the uniqueness of Mazama and Winthrop, and NCH’s nearly three decades of heli-operation experience and you might just leave with a new annual tradition. 

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• Go: Irwin Cat Skiing Go: Irwin Cat Skiing

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    Words: Pip Hunt

    Photos: Re Wikstrom

    A gloved finger etches a penis on a foggy window, then hastily circles it and slashes a line through the center. It’s almost as if our Tucker snow cat is filled with sixteen year-old boys. Rather than baseball, Alfalfa, and a “no girls allowed” sign, this moving clubhouse is filled tutus, sparkles and a pink wig. Pop music blares through the speakers and an old school ski film skitters across the big screen in front of us—though no one pays attention. Hannah Whitney, Utah Regional Director for SheJumps, gets down in the middle of the spacious cat. Before long, the entire snowcat bounces as seven women dance to “Call Me Maybe”. I’m not even through my first cup of coffee yet. 

    We’re heading up a snowy Kebler Pass, the unpaved summer road that connects Crested Butte to the rest of the Western Slope. Ten miles outside the funky, prayer-flag-draped ski town lies the Movie Cabin, the base for all of Irwin Catskiing’s daily adventures.

    While Crested Butte is known for its low snow pack, steep pitches and rocky terrain, locals have always known that the “donut hole” weather pattern leaves only the Butte bare. Irwin regularly receives two to three times more snow than Mt. Crested Butte every storm. It receives more than 600 inches annually, making it a leader for Colorado ski area snow totals.

    I slurp the dregs of my coffee before stepping out of the cat, taking in the panoramic view of the Elk Mountains and the minuscule movie cabin. We crowd inside the former Hollywood Western film prop and spread out around the fire to boot up for a day of skiing. 

    

    Guides can make or break the catskiing experience; but Megan Poden, CB local, mom, ski patroller, and guide extraordinaire greets us with more flair than we arrived with. Her hot pink wig, black tutu, and sassy ways set the precedent—things are about to get ridiculous. 

    Luckily, these ladies at SheJumps, a 501-c3 non-profit organization aren’t afraid of having fun. SheJumps challenges women to reach their fullest potential through outdoor adventures. This trip wasn’t about luxury lodging, and delicious food though; it was about the terrain and initiating a new SheJumps chapter in the Gunnison Valley. It was about introducing more women to a safe backcountry skiing environment, skiing pow, and challenging each other to break free of our comfort zones. 

    Six inches of fresh waited us at the top, and the cat was stacked with snacks and beverages. Our guides cranked the tunes up between each lap. We chased each other through lines of fresh soft snow on “2D or Not 2D,” sent the “Outer Limits,” and played through the endless, rolling terrain of “Long.” 

    

    “The terrain seemed endless,” Hannah gushed afterwards. “I’ve been out here touring before when I lived in the valley, but all of my surroundings seemed so much more accessible with the cat. I’m going to be dreaming about getting back here to ski more!”

    But the real fun started every time the cat door closed. We laughed, and had a really, really, really good time.

    “I think we just set the precedent for fun,” Kyra Martin, Director of Admin for Irwin stated at the end of the day. “Irwin sees a ton of male clients, but we’ve never had a cat full of women. We wanted to bring in SheJumps to show that women need adventure too!” 

    Details: 

    Website: Irwincolorado.com

    Contact: Info@Irwincolorado.com

    Prices: $500 per day

    1000+ Acres of Terrain 

    10,000-15,000 vertical feet of skiing per day 

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• Rahlves' Banzai Tour Finishes Rahlves' Banzai Tour Finishes Strong

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    Truckee, Calif. (March 12, 2013) –Throughout the past two months, skiers, snowboarders and spectators alike have descended upon the Tahoe area to compete in and watch the rowdiest race in the Sierra. Rahlves’ Banzai Tour brought in tough competition from across the country to four renown Lake Tahoe resorts for the ultimate test of ski and riding skills.  The tour also entertained guests with quintessential pre and après ski parties, exciting results, and photo finishes.  

    Starting at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, athletes were challenged by “The Wall,” which proved to be one of the most challenging races to date, as competitors had to drop into an intimidating 20 ft. vertical wall right out of the gate. For the second tour stop hosted at Alpine Meadows, athletes were tested with fast and rough terrain, while spectators were entertained with the closest and most dramatic photo finish in Banzai history. With warm spring-like weather on the first day of the Squaw Valley tour stop, and formidable conditions on Sunday, Squaw tested the resilience of Rahlves’ Banzai Tour, as well as the dedication of tour participants. However, with fresh snow in the forecast, Rahlves’ Banzai Tour rallied for the final tour stop at Sugar Bowl Resort, home of the original Silver Belt Banzai.  

    The Sugar Bowl Final and Super Final concluded the tour in true Banzai style, complete with strong competition paired with music, barbecue, libations and the beloved Banzai atmosphere of camaraderie and healthy competition. Banzai veterans Johnny Bochenek, Kyle Coxon and John Lange took the top spots for men’s skiing during the Silver Belt, which also qualified Lange as the final athlete to compete in the Super Final. Men’s snowboarded Chelone Miller raced to first in the Silver Belt, while women’s snowboarder Kiana Putman and women’s skier Shannon Rahlves both secured the top spot in their respective categories. The men’s Super Final provided drama and a $5,000 paycheck to Salt Lake City skier Kyle Coxon. “The Sugar Bowl final and Super Final were awesome,” said Daron Rahlves. “It was a beautiful day, fans lined the course and the athletes delivered a great show. I wanted to be skiing in the Super Final, but instead was an excited fan like the rest watching and stoked for Kyle Coxon taking home the 5 grand. I will be back in the Super Final next year so those boys better start training now ha, ha.  I’m so grateful to my wife and kids for the endless support, all the sponsors, the fans and athletes for making this year’s tour the best yet. ”

     

    2013 Sugar Bowl Silver Belt Banzai Top Finishers Included:

    • Men Ski    1st Johnny Bochenek; 2nd Kyle Coxon;          3rd John Lange

    • Men Snowboard    1st Chelone Miller;     2nd Sylvain Duclos;     3rd Lucas Dehmlow 

    • Women Ski            1st Shannon Rahlves;  2nd Shelly Robertson; 3rd Hannah Jermstad

    • Women Snowboard    1st Kiana Putman;       2nd Macy Price;           3rd Carrie Hall

     

    2013 RBT Overall Top Finishers Included:

    • Men Ski          1st Johnny Bochenek;  2nd Kyle Coxon;         3rd John Lange

    • Men Snowboard  1st Chelone Miller;      2nd Lucas Dehmlow;  3rd Adam DeVargas

    • Women Ski        1st Shannon Rahlves;  2nd Shelly Robertson; 3rd Hannah Jermstad, 

    • Women Snowboard    1st Casey Lucas;          2nd Macy Price;          3rd Anna Weber

     

    2013 RBT total prize purse winnings:

     

    Men Ski

    •Johnny Bochenek$14,200

    •Kyle Coxon  $9,500

    •Jesse Maddex$3,900

    •John Lange$2,600

     

    Men Snowboard

    •Chelone Miller$8,150

    •Lucas Dehmlow$2,900

    •Adam DeVargas$2,150

     

    Women Ski

    •Shannon Rahlves$6,750

    •Shelly Robertson$2,000

    •Hannah Jermstad$1,000

     

    Women Snowboard

    •Casey Lucas$2,550

    •Macy Price$1,100

    •Iris Lazzareschi$750

     

    For those who are curious about the tour’s name, Banzai is a Japanese term expressed as an exuberant cheer meaning, “Long Life!” or “Hurray!”  An apt name for a high-spirited downhill ski and snowboard competition, the Silver Belt Race first took place in the 1940s at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and was re-introduced with the head-to-head action by Daron Rahlves and Sugar Bowl in 2009. The race continued with one event for another year, and then Rahlves decided to take the show on the road, officially launching Rahlves’ Banzai Tour and expanding to stops at four of Lake Tahoe's premier resorts.

    The Rahlves Banzai tour is presented by Bank of The West. The Rahlves Banzai Tour is also supported by sponsors such as Red Bull, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Contour, CEP “intelligent sportswear”, North Lake Tahoe Chamber/VCB/Resort Association, Spyder, Atomic, Start Haus Ski Shop, Wend Wax, COAL, SVE/BOSE, The Bar Effect, World Cup Supply, Jagermeister, Snow Fest, Sports Insurance, Technical Equipment Cleaners, Resort at Squaw Creek, ZINKA, 101.5 Truckee Tahoe Radio, Tahoe TV, POWDER Mag, High Fives Foundation and CRUX Events, thereby creating an alluring $80,000 prize purse. For more information, to check out previous race results, videos and to register, visit www.rahlvesbanzai.com. For up-to-the-minute news, “Like” The Rahlves’ Banzai Tour on Facebook and follow @RahlvesBanzai on Twitter & download the free Official Banzai App on your smart phone at banzai.genzplay.com

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• Thunder Glacier - Mountain Man Thunder Glacier - Mountain Man Mission Episode 1

  • From: johnwellsma
  • Description:
    John Wells and Pete Durr skiing the Thunder Glacier in the North Cascades. Filmed and edited by John Wells
    
    "I have walked by the Thunder for about 10 years on many missions to ski Mt. Baker. Never have I seen the snow bridges and bergschrunds so filled in. This was a moment of exploration, perfect planning, and route finding that all came together in 7 minutes of big mountain fun. Enjoy, many more Mountain Man Missions to come this summer! Stay tuned. Winter has its way of bowing out, gracefully throwing in the towel moving on towards a new season and different weather cycles. With the close-out or shuddering of Winter the mountains are the fullest, the snowpack is settled and locked in for the spring, at these moments you can steal a line from the mountain gods before it is too late and summer is here." - John Wells

    
    Watch More Videos By John Wells

  • 1 month ago
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• Chaos Ensues at the Orage Mast Chaos Ensues at the Orage Masters

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

     

    A heap of burlap bags and pink lawn flamingos lay smoldering, Ronald McDonald is on all fours vomiting, and a what appears to be a gang of bikers is grabbing every girl they can lay their hands on and carrying them away.

     

    

     

    No, it’s not the set of a post apocalyptic horror movie, it’s the eighth edition of the Orage Masters. After a two-year hiatus from the freeskiing scene, and on the eve of freeskiing’s Olympic debut, the Orage Masters is a gasoline-soaked breath of fresh air.  The competiton brought together eight film crews, pitted them head to head in a single elimination format, and let the other teams determine who won each match up.

     

    

     

    Instead of scoring on trick difficulty, amplitude, style, and speed, teams were judged on overall impression, antics, and fun. Or something like that. At one point the Level 1 team got a perfect ten score that was reduced for egg-throwing antics from the night before. There weren’t any appeals to the International Olympic Committee though, just loud cheers from the crowd.

    The day started with theatrical skiing antics from Traveling Circus, Toy Soldier Productions, Inspired Media’s, 4bi9 Media, Level 1, Stept Productions, The Kids, and a wild card crew named Me Gustan Aviones.

     

    

     

    Skiing prowess weighed in just as heavily as antics while competing however, as teams like The Kids—short Sean Pettit due to an injury—made it to the semi-finals thanks to big moves and gasoline. They were ejected after being warned not to light anything else on fire. Their response, as well as the crowds was a big “F-You!” The Masters isn’t winning, but having fun.

     

     

    And fun was had. When finals came around the entire scene was in full party mode.  Level 1 and 4bi9 each dropped more doubles than an In-N-Out over a 20-minute jam session that was complete with a party going on right in the middle of the course. Whiskey flowed like beer flowed like wine. The landing of the final jump was littered with costume parts. Ronald couldn’t stop puking. Little John Strenio tossed a triple back flip through the middle of it all and helped seal the win for team Level 1.

     

    

     

    The awards ceremony was short lived, and all the oversized victory checks wound up on fire. Who needs pageantry when there is a party going on in the parking lot?

     

     

    Events like the Orage Masters are important. Freeskiing has reached a level of competitiveness, professionalism, and maturity that warrants Olympic recognition, but at the end of the day, it’s only skiing. Mike Nick and Orage brought that to our fullest attention at this year’s Masters. Sure skiing might get cast into the mainstream public eye next year in Sochi, but for those of us who are lucky enough to know skiing already, this is a firm reminder of why we keep doing it. You know, fun with friends, the freedom of the mountains, and of gallons and gallons of gasoline. Right?

     

    

     

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• News: Backcountry.com Signs TG News: Backcountry.com Signs TGR Athlete Ian McIntosh To Pro Team

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    
    
    Canadian pro freeskier Ian McIntosh is a hard-charging specimen of brute strength, raw talent, and pure style. Today, Backcountry.com, online specialty retailer of premium outdoor gear, welcomes McIntosh to their 34-member Pro Team. No slouch to slashing turns on steep powder faces, electrifying crowds at comps, or bringing his A-game for the camera, McIntosh joins an elite athlete roster that includes some of the most talented professionals in skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering, rock climbing, and mountain biking.
    
    “We are super excited about having Ian join our program,” said Jonny Atencio, Sports Marketing Manager at Backcountry.com. “I've known Ian since he was competing on the Freeride Tour – the guy is a beast. His ability to seek out and ski unique lines is uncanny. We look forward to Ian's contributions to our community, as he will be providing product reviews, answering questions, and uploading photos and video to the Backcountry.com site.”
    
    Growing up in the Kootenays in interior British Columbia, Canada, McIntosh has had skis strapped to his feet since he was two-years-old. As part of a family that was crazy about skiing – his grandfather is still an instructor at age 85 – McIntosh honed his love for speed and technique as a ski racer during his early years. But, as he got older, the big mountains were calling McIntosh’s name – which prompted a move to Whistler in 2004.
    
    “Having an avid skiing family, it was natural for me to gain a huge love for the mountains,” said McIntosh. “I was ski touring with my family from age 10. But, my love for powder quickly overtook my love for racing and I found myself completely addicted to skiing and over the years became a successful ski bum. Many things helped me hone my skills over the years from racing to the Freeski Tour, but I attribute everything to those early years as a kid where my passion for the mountains was born.”
    After a few years on the freeride comp circuit, where he took second-place overall on the Freeski World Tour in 2004 and won the North American crown the same year, McIntosh was invited to shoot with leading ski-film company Teton Gravity Research (TGR) – a dream of his. This opportunity opened the door to McIntosh’s ski career as he has become a leading athlete in not only TGR’s annual ski films, but many others including Warren Miller and Red Bull productions. In 2007, McIntosh won the Powder Magazine Awards “Breakthrough Performance” honor.
    
    “My skiing today is evolving as I become more and more focused on going places where not many have ever been and skiing mountains and lines that have never been ridden,” said McIntosh. “Bigger challenges and bigger rewards are waiting. Joining Backcountry.com is super exciting for me because I think that I embody the backcountry spirit as strong as most.”
    Consisting of some of the most experienced and respected athletes in the world, Backcountry.com’s Pro Team members are ambassadors – and affiliates – for the site. Through adding product reviews, updating their personal profile pages, and sharing news across their social media channels, Backcountry.com athletes are an extension of the brand helping connect and engage customers and the Backcountry.com community.
    
    For more about Backcountry.com

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• Tiny House Tour Episode 4 - Ou Tiny House Tour Episode 4 - Outdoor Research

  • From: outdoorresearch102344
  • Description:

    There is the discovery, when your eyes catch the first glimpse of a pillow line. Your mind quickly assesses the fun factor, believing how easy it will be to effortlessly drop from one marshmallow cloud to the next. Why wouldn’t you ski these pillows? You start hiking. At the top, the world looks a bit different. Disorientation follows, as you realize you have no idea where those inviting little puffs actually live. They seem to have crept away leaving you standing with only a visual of the flat snow at the bottom. But you decide to drop in because you’ve got a feeling that this is something you can do, something that you’ll love. You trust the pillows and your ability to make just enough contact with your skis that it counts, but not enough to stop the momentum in the graceful pillow line pseudo fall. 
    
    The moment when you point your skis downwards a flash image of the line appears in your mind. One pseudo-turn. Oooh, nice snow—this is going to be memorable. Then, maybe a jolt or two? A face shot mid-line? A flat landing at the bottom? And then it’s over. You can’t recall every detail of the line. Maybe you can’t remember any at all. But the dream state is still with you. Just as it should be, because skiing isn’t about overanalyzing. Once you’ve decided to ski a pillow line, it’s see it, feel it, and go.

    Watch Outdoor Research Videos

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• Filming for TGR's HIGHER Begin Filming for TGR's HIGHER Begins

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    
    
    On Monday, March 18th, after a two-day approach and five years of scouting, Jeremy Jones dropped in on the Grand Teton in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, kicking off the final leg of a snowboard odyssey that has captivated the world since the premiere of TGR’s Deeper.

    Joined by legendary snowboarder Brian Iguchi, and Exum mountain guides Zahan Billimora and Brendan O’Neill, Jones descended the Grand’s Otterbody face, a high hanging snowfield with hundreds of 

    feet of exposure below it. A massive storm cycle yielded 27 inches of new snow only a few days before the descent, making the line a very touch-and-go operation.

    Just getting to the line was a massive effort. “We broke it up over two days, It’s about 5,000 feet to where we camped on the lower saddle. We spent a day getting to that point.” Says Jeremy Jones. “The next morning it took about five hours for the last 2,100 feet.”

     

    Most of the route was hazardous, not just because of the exposure, but because of the new snow as well. “It was really questionable whether the snow bonded to the previous melt/freeze cycle,” says TGR’s Steve Jones who was onsite directing the shoot. “They went up Sunday night with the notion just to look at it on Monday. The whole decent is a no fall zone. If anything were to slough or slide, it’s game over.”

    Conditions were stable and the group made the descent, but not without a few incredibly tense moments. At one point, Jones, Iguchi, and Billamora had all made an initial repel onto the Otterbody face while O’Neill skied toward them and triggered a large amount of slough. The three below were sheltered as the snow passed over them, but there was no way to tell that from the camera angles.

    “It was pretty emotional in the sense that at a point I wasn’t sure if I was going to watch my brother and two friends get sloughed off the mountain,” says Steve Jones. “From our perspective it looked like the slough was bearing down on them. It was a really tense moment for everyone.”

    

    160

    The tension didn’t end there. When the group arrived at a mandatory 400-foot rappel, there was so much snow accumulation that the anchor was nowhere to be found. Instead of using a set anchor, they had to make a new one. Testing out a new anchor with a 400-foot drop isn’t exactly ideal.

    These trials are typical for a descent in Grand Teton National Park according to Jeremy Jones. “I’ve tried to have the Tetons in my last two films,” says Jeremy Jones. “[They] are a tricky range, and probably the toughest place that we’ve tried to shoot in the last five years. Two of the last five years I’ve wrote it off right from the get go.”

    Jones says that Grand Teton National Park was one of his main motivations for going to terrain that was only accessed by foot. “I was running out of terrain, but I realized that there is so much terrain in the park.”

    

    When asked where Higher will take him next, Jones’s reply echoed his never-ending sense of adventure. “Higher is an evolution of everything I’ve done in snowboarding. Where that shakes out, I don’t know. We’ll know in a couple of years when it’s done.”

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• Interview: Ralph Backstrom Interview: Ralph Backstrom

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    
    Ralph Backtsrom is no stranger to the podium on the Freeride World Tour circuit. The overall title has eluded him till this year when he dropped into the infamous Bac de Rosses face with aggression and not only won the day, but the overall title as well. We caught up with him to get his take on his first ever world championship.
    
    TGR: Ralph, after a few years of near misses, you’re the FWT World Champ. Has that set in yet?  How does it feel?
    
    Ralph Backstrom: It's been a long road of near misses, and yes, it has set in.  I'm super stoked.
    
    TGR: You dropped first and wound up staying on top.  Tell me about your line choice. Also tell us how nerve-wracking  it was to be in the hot seat for the entire competition.
    
    RB: I knew I was going to be dropping first 2-3 days before the comp; just had a really strong feeling.  The only thing was that I thought the skiers were going to be going first.  When we heard that the snowboarders were going to go first, I knew I still had the 1st bib.  It can be a bit nerve wracking going first, but most riders in AK prefer to go first, right?  I had been in Verbier for 5 days or so before the comp and had picked a line out.  After 2 bad line choices/falls in the prior comps, I picked the first line that spoke to me when I saw the face.  Then, the night before the comp, I kept having these micro dreams/thoughts that parts of my line were too tight for the amount of slough that would be moving, and kept having trouble visualizing individual turns.  So I woke up super tired, and the fog didn't help me feel any more awake.  I definitely wasn't in a state to ride a technical line.  I changed my line minutes before I left the judges tent to start hiking to something less technical and less exposed.  It wasn't until I saw my score that I knew how good my run was.  I had flown passed some features I'd planned to hit, so thought I'd be easy to beat.  I definitely dodged some bullets sitting there at the bottom watching the others come down!
    
    TGR: You were in third coming into the finals at Verbier. How did that affect your decision-making when you were picking your line?
    
    RB: I try not to let stuff like overall points get into my head for decision making, so I just tried to pick something I knew I could stomp most of, with some bigger airs that were maybe questionable.
    
    TGR: What was going through your head when you dropped into the Bec?
    
    RB: I was so rushed before we dropped I didn't have time to think at all.  A couple riders and myself were talking to Nicolas Hale-Woods on speaker phone about contingency plans if the fog didn't clear.  It cleared right then, and he said, “forerunner in 2 minutes!”  After he dropped, the starter said, “Ralph Backstrom 2 minutes!  No, 1 minute!”  I even forgot to put on my backpack up there.
    
    TGR: The tour lasts all winter. What do you do to stay on your game when you aren’t competing?
    
    RB: I try to stay in shape, have a good time riding, and stay healthy.
    
    TGR: You’ve had some pretty awesome film segments. What drives you to compete in the Tour?
    
    RB: Competition lines and film lines are pretty similar, and doing either of them is good practice for the other.  I do think comp lines generally tend to be a little more difficult due to conditions, tracks, etc, and are therefore good preparation for filming.  It's a good way to travel the world with cool people too.
    
    TGR: What venue is your favorite one to compete at?
    
    RB: Revelstoke, Mack Daddy Face.
    
    TGR: After finally getting the overall title, are you planning on competing next year?
    
    RB: That's hard to say at this point.  The tour is great, but I think there are still a few things that could use some polishing, and you never know what other opportunities will come up...
    
    TGR: What are you going to do with the rest of your winter?
    
    RB: I'm in Laax right now for the GoPro Snow Camp, heading back to Tahoe in a few days for the Pain McShlonkey, then up to Alaska.

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• Whistler Is A Sure Shot By Joh Whistler Is A Sure Shot By John Wells

  • From: johnwellsma
  • Description:

    You can’t go wrong anywhere at Whistler Blackcomb.  Even if you ride the lifts with no ski gear and just eat a meal at the Roundhouse or sightsee, that will be the best lunch or ride you have ever had.  Same goes for scoping sunny lines to be had in the forecast and preying on high pressure weather windows, WB (Whistler Blackcomb) always rewards the patient ones.
    
    After a foggy rundown the day before, the alpine popped blue and the sure thing John Wells was betting on came through.  Off he went out the gate for another epic multi line day filled with limitless ideas, plans, and goals.  This is how it works at WB, you dream it, wake up, and do it.
    
    Whistler is always a sure shot.
    
    Watch More John Wells Videos

     

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• palpics5.PNG palpics5.PNG

  • From: calebwood
  • Description:

    These ar all taken at my home in my backyard, or Solitude Ski Resort

  • 2 months ago
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• sup brah.PNG sup brah.PNG

  • From: calebwood
  • Description:

    These ar all taken at my home in my backyard, or Solitude Ski Resort

  • 2 months ago
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• pow jump.PNG pow jump.PNG

  • From: calebwood
  • Description:

    These ar all taken at my home in my backyard, or Solitude Ski Resort

  • 2 months ago
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