529 Search Results for "perisher valley"

• valley valley

  • From: slaagmaster
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  • 2 weeks ago
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• Orage Masters 8 Orage Masters 8

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    On April 6, 2013 The Orage Masters, aka the Anti Comp, now better known as the craziest scene skiing has ever seen crash landed for its 8th event at Sun Valley Resort, Idaho and officially became a thing of legend within the world of ski contests.
    
    8 teams of skiing's elite film crews featuring the likes of Level 1 Productions, 4bi9 Media, Traveling Circus, Step Productions, Inspired Media, The Kids, Toy Soldier Productions and Me Gustan Aviones came costume clad, ready to throw down and eager to claim bragging rights and the $10,000 cold hard cash compliments of Go Pro that come with 1st place.
    
    Level 1 took top honors and the white dinner jackets.
    4bi9 Media claimed second and a trip to Retallack lodge.
    And The Traveling Circus rounded out the top 3 earning a 5 day trip back to the host resort, Sun Valley.
    
    Call outs to Johnny G's subshack for feeding the crews and of course Freeskier Magazine for playing the role of our fantabulous media partner of choice.
    
    www.orage.com
    www.facebook.com/orage

  • 3 weeks ago
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• Utah's Growing Season Utah's Growing Season

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Words: Erme Catino

    Photos: Joe Johnson

    

    Sun is shining, the weather is sweet. Make you want to move your dancing feet.

    The April sun has already begun blooming flowers in the Salt Lake Valley. Spring, the perennial fight between winter and summer has been entrenched in weather warfare. 

     To the rescue, here I am. 

    The blooming flowers in my backyard were making me nervous, a few damp powder laps worsened this knot in my stomach. Winter, I knew you weren’t done. The growing season this April hasn’t been the tulips in the valley. No, they are stunted. This April the growing has been the snow-stake at Alta.

    

     

    Want you to know, y'all, where I stand. 

    A-top an untouched powder run. My mind races before I drop. Are these the last few face shots of the season? A few days go by, more powder pillaged, some deeper some thinner; a little wind rebuffs everything as folks down the valley are still trying to decipher what’s going on. 

    

     

    Tell myself a new day is rising. 

    Another storm is on the horizon. Boots shuffle around the parking lot at Alta ski area. Echoes of avalanche control work bounce off the walls of Little Cottonwood Canyon—what is today’s date, I’ve lost count, a friend reminds me, and I was a week off. Who cares? We hear the backside is about to pop.

     

    Get on the rise a new day is dawning. 

    Late spring is notorious for thinning crowds, so Alta closes for 4 days, reopening for the final few weekends. LCC and the Wasatch continue to deliver, the snowpack growing larger as ski-resorts across the state are shutting down.  A few powder laps at Snowbird, and some glorious touring on stable conditions. It’s beginning to feel like mid-winter and the lines are filled as if it is.  

     

    When the morning gathers the rainbow. Want you to know I'm a rainbow too. 

    The event has taken hold of skiers who have continued shredding. We feel engulfed in the weather and snow, our legs tired from going almost two weeks straight. Forecasts call for another storm; it’s downgraded, and then scaled up. Catching wind of this possibility, and recent daily dosing of pow, a friend arrives in town. It goes nuclear, storming all night and day. A classic Alta storm-day goes down, complete with high fives and powder caked smiles, truck pick-ups from Keyhole laps, deep runs in Eagles Nest, and it’s almost May! 

     

    So, to the rescue here I am. 

    April, the spring weather battle has shown winter triumphant. The snowpack has grown to its deepest of the season—perhaps some snow will arrive in May. Only time will tell, but for now we’ll bask in it and toast to the sun and snow gods. Sun is shining, the weather is sweet…

     

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• valley valley

  • From: slaagmaster
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  • 4 weeks ago
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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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• Jeremy Jones Asks Obama To Ste Jeremy Jones Asks Obama To Step Up Climate Game

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

    (Washington, D.C.) - Warning that “winter is in trouble,” 75 Olympic medalists and other winter sports athletes – including White House “Champion of Change” awardee and pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones – are sending a letter to President Obama today urging the President to take action on climate and clean energy.

    The representatives of the global snow sports community signing the letter include X Games champions and World Champion snowboarders, alpine/Nordic skiers and professional climbers, including:

    • Olympic gold and silver medalist Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA)

    • Olympic silver medalist and four-time X Games gold medalist Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO)

    • 10-time Big Mountain Rider of the Year Jeremy Jones (Truckee, CA)

    • Olympic silver medalist, three-time World champion, seven-time X Games champion Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton, VT)

    • Two-time Olympian and six-time X Games gold medalist Nate Holland (Truckee, CA)

    • Olympic gold & silver medalist, six-time X Games medalist, six-time World Cup champion Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT)

    • 2010 Olympian, Nordic skier Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK)

    • Five-time winner Powder Magazine’s Best Female Performer Ingrid Backstrom (Seattle, WA)

    • Two-time World Freeskiing champion Chris Davenport (Aspen, CO)

    • Two-time World Freeeskiing champion, Kit Deslauriers (Jackson, WY)

    • 2013 World champion, X Games medalist Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, CO)

    For a full list of signers, go to protectourwinters.org/athleteletter.

    “Without a doubt, winter is in trouble,” the letter states. “… at risk are the economies of tourist-dependent states where winter tourism generates $12.2 billion in revenue annually, supports 212,000 jobs and $7 billion in salaries.  Those are the jobs and businesses owned by our friends and families, generators of billions in federal and state income.”

    Jones is being honored on April 11 at a White House ceremony along with other “Champions of Change,” in recognition of “ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things in their communities to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world.”

    Jones is being recognized for his contribution to raising awareness about the impact of climate change on the winter sports industry by creating Protect Our Winters (POW), a foundation established in 2007 to unite and mobilize the global winter sports community against climate change.

    “This nomination is an absolute honor for me and the work we're doing at POW.  But it's now my responsibility to take this recognition and help secure a place in the climate discussions in Washington. The letter that's been enthusiastically signed by so many amazing athletes is a strong showing of solidarity from the leaders in snow sports on climate action, so together, we have to keep that momentum going,” Jones said.

    The letter to the president references a December 2012 report published by Protect Our Winters and the Natural Resources Defense Council highlighting the economic impact of inconsistent winters on the U.S. snow sports community and tourism-dependent states.  (See protectourwinters.org/climate_report/.)

    The athletes’ letter calls on Obama to follow through on the promise he made in the State of the Union address to fight climate change. He can do so by using executive authority currently available to reduce carbon pollution emitted by America’s power plants, the largest source of carbon pollution worsening climate change, and by rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline, which would add millions of tons of new carbon pollution to the atmosphere.  

    “Mr. President, it’s time to force our transition to clean energy, and we need your leadership,” the letter states. “…on behalf of 23 million of us who love winter and depend on it for our economic livelihoods, please take the action on climate change you have promised.”

    The full text of the letter follows:

     

    Dear President Obama,

    During the recent State of the Union address, you urged Congress to “get together, pursue a bipartisan market-based solution to climate change...but if Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will.“

    As professional athletes, representing a community of 23 million winter sports enthusiasts, we’re witnessing climate change first-hand. Last year was the warmest year on record, and once again, we’re currently experiencing another winter season of inconsistent snow and questionable extremes. Without a doubt, winter is in trouble.

    And with this lack of consistent snow, at risk are the economies of tourist-dependent states where winter tourism generates $12.2 billion in revenue annually, supports 212,000 jobs and $7 billion in salaries. Those are the jobs and businesses owned by our friends and families, generators of billions in federal and state income.

    The good news is that because we know this warming is human-caused, we can do something about it and it can be done, now, from limiting carbon pollution from our nation's dirty power plants to rejecting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

    First, it is time to tackle pollution from the biggest emitters in the United States: power plants. We’re asking for you to issue standards under the Clean Air Act that cut carbon pollution from America’s aging power plant fleet - at least 25 percent by 2020, while boosting energy efficiency and shifting to clean energy sources. Power plants are our largest source of carbon pollution. Cleaning them up will create tens of thousands of clean energy jobs, meet the pollution targets set for the country, and restore U.S. international leadership.

    Furthermore, we urge you to reject dirty fuels like tar sands. Specifically, reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, which is not in our national interest because it would unlock vast amounts of additional carbon that we can’t afford to burn, extend our dangerous addiction to fossil fuels, endanger health and safety, and put critical water resources at risk.

    Mr. President, it’s time to force our transition to clean energy, these are the first big steps and we need your leadership.

    Again, on behalf of 23 million of us who love winter and depend on it for our economic livelihoods, please take the action on climate change you have promised.

    Thank you.

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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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• Announcing The Further and Dre Announcing The Further and Dream Factory Tour Winners

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

    The dust has finally settled from the 2012 film tour, and the grand prize winners have been drawn. Both films this year provided a whole slew of amazing giveaways, and hopefully you walked away with something fresh from our sponsors. 

    And the winners are…

    Jeremy Jones’ Further, presented by O’Neill 

    Grand Prize: John from Bellingham, WA won the trip for two to ride at Squaw Valley. We connected with John just after his trip, and it sounds like it was a pretty epic adventure.  “The bluebird conditions, variety of terrain and size of Squaw Valley were incredible!  The mountain is so large that we were having trouble keeping track of which chair went where for the first two days!  We're already planning a return trip for next year and will be bringing our friends from our home mountain, Mt. Baker.  A big thanks from Belinda and I to Squaw Valley and TGR for making this amazing trip possible!”

    Runner up: Karta from Boulder, CO is headed to Japan to shred powder courtesy of Cloudline Tours.  After seeing the Japan segments from Further, she couldn’t have been happier, and we can’t wait to see the pictures.

    Second Place: Last but far from least, the head-to-toe O’Neill outerwear and a new board from Jones Snowboards goes to Jennifer in Boston, MA. 

    The Dream Factory

    Grand Prize: A heli-skiing trip for two courtesy of Alaska Heliskiing goes to Garrett from Colorado.  Pretty sure we heard his screams of excitement all the way up in Jackson Hole.  Garrett has yet to take the trip but we look forward to his report and some pictures.

    Runner Up: Caroline from Kentucky scored the trip for two to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.  Unfortunately she is fresh off an ACL tear but Jackson Hole has been awesome in working with her to shift the prize to a summer filled with mountain biking and hiking rehab…Her dream of skiing Jackson’s legendary terrain is going to have to wait another year.

    Second Place: Ben in Colorado is getting hooked up with head-to-toe outerwear from The North Face and a pair of skis from Atomic.

    From all of us at Teton Gravity Research, THANK YOU for making the 2012 tour a memorable one.  The tours reached close to 300 cities combined across the globe, and without your amazing support every year, it simply would not be possible. Enjoy the rest of your season, and see you next fall!

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• Getting Rad at the Pain McSchl Getting Rad at the Pain McSchlonkey

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    
    

     

    Words and Photos By Seth Lightcap

    What does it take to win the most important ski contest in the history of the world? Superman strength might help, but a mean drunken daffy and seriously fast fruit boot skills are what take home the hardware at the PMS!

    Sunny skies and bottomless whiskey bottles delivered exactly such debaucherous short-ski talents at the 3rd Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic this past weekend. Squaw Valley went off as hundreds of contestants, hecklers and Saucer Boy fans gathered to honor the life and legend of Shane McConkey at the annual celebration.

     

    The radness kicked off Friday night at the over-the-top Shane McConkey Foundation Gala Ball. The silent auction at the Gala raised over $64,000. Foundation director Sherry McConkey was floored by the support and thrilled the foundation could continue to dream big with donation plans that support local environmental education, Make-A-Wish and other R.A.D moves (Random Awesome Deeds).

     

    

     

    “My dream is to build a grow dome at Truckee Elementary called the ‘Saucer’ that will teach children environmental and science education while they grow the food they’ll eat in the cafeteria,” said Sherry. “Make-A-Wish is true to Shane’s heart so we hope to make three kids wishes come true plus support the Truckee Pumptrack Project, Human Society and Tahoe Wildlife Society.”

    But lest you think the PMS was all purple rainbows and cuddly puppy moments, the true battle royale commenced bright and early Saturday morning with the Chinese Downhill.

     

    

     

    A chiseled collection of the best skiers in the world donned short-skis for a winner takes all race down KT-22. Man-eating moguls and sloppy skiers stood in racer’s paths to win the coveted Golden Saucer.

    Squaw Valley local Amie Engerbretson took the Golden Saucer for the ladies. Outta towner Ryland Mauck-Duff blew away all the dudes and grabbed it for the men.

    Chinese Downhill (Men)

    1. Ryland Mauck-Duff

    2. Ben Paciotti

    3. Nicolas Anderson

    Chinese Downhill (Women)

    1. Amie Engerbretson

    2. Shawna Anzures

    3. Jackie Paaso

     

    

     

    Can you feel the love for the crazy fun of skiing right here? No doubt Saucer Boy was smiling.

     

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• Tyler Rantz 7 Yrs Old Tyler Rantz 7 Yrs Old

  • From: seeknpow
  • Description:
    Rider: Tyler Rantz Filmed By: Tim Rantz/ POV Tyler Rantz Tyler out having fun at Homewood on a few of his days off from shredding with his team of Mighty Mite rippers at Squaw. We have not had too much time to shoot but watch out for next month edit, hopefully we get some pow!
  • 2 months ago
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• Car Camping Spot Car Camping Spot

  • From: viddiewell
  • Description:
    I had luck with this lot just off the AM access road.
  • 2 months ago
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• Cherry Picking – Points North Cherry Picking – Points North Heli “Buddy Love”, the Worm Glacier

  • From: kimhavell
  • Description:

    Photo: Grant Kaye
    
    Remote, bold, and mostly unknown, some of the dream, big mountain lines lie deep in Alaska's mountains and are accessible only by helicopter. Over the season, we will cherry pick the modern gems of ski descents from one of the greatest places on the planet for big mountain powder skiing: Alaska, The Dream Factory. It will be a display of mind-blowing, inspiring, and intense moments as we ask the heli-guides and owners to cherry pick a run from each of their permit areas. This is a look into what is possible by some of the best operators in the world and their talented guides, clients and athletes.
    
    Buddy Love - Cherry Picking No. 2 - Points North Heli
    
    The Worm Glacier is a Points North Heli (PNH) treasure. Sitting at the Southern entrance of the Chugach mountain range just north of Cordova, Alaska, the Worm zone offers a vast number of options off the peaks lining its valley. Terrain ranges from the 3,000ft warm-up run “Guilt Trip” to spines galore. The stand-out, however, is a peak named “Buddy Love” that, according to PNH Chef and tail guide Nathan Stone, “is undoubtedly the brains and beauty of the Worm Glacier. Flying in, if you can make it past the temptations viewed on approach, your eyes become fixated on this lone peak at the head of the valley.”
    
    The prominent peak of Buddy Love is roughly 2800 vertical feet and a consistent 50-degree angle pitch. It is named after one of Cordova's most respected citizens and good friend of PNH, Bud Jansen, AKA “Buddy Love”. A third generation Inuit tribesmen, Bud is a central figure of the land-locked community. PNH photographer and friend Keoki Flagg explains, “Like most who were born and raised in Cordova, Buddy has made his living as a commercial fisherman. This giant of a man has a gentle, easy-going manner and he is engaged and committed to supporting any and all activities that help the community thrive.” Janson also owns the famous “Pro Shop” in Cordova, and the Worm Glacier and many of its runs are named in honor of him.
    
    
    
    When Kent Kreitler put the first descent down Buddy Love it was pre-PNH as well as pre-most heli operations in AK. Kreitler was based off the Maritime Maid boat in Prince William Sound, close to the current Points North base. The first descent was documented in TGR’s film, “Harvest”. The segment opens with Kent charging from the top, airing over a rock outcropping, and then sending it to the bottom effortlessly in about eight turns.
    
    Countless pros and film companies have visited the area over the years and superstar big mountain skier Wendy Fisher calls it the best heli run of her life. Pro snowboarders Mitch Toelder, Flo Orley and 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Seth Wescott have also charged multiple routes off its face.
    
    As Guide and Co-Owner, Jessica Sobolowski-Quinn shares, “Buddy Love used to be a peak I often skied with Kevin (Quinn – husband, guide, & co-owner). The landing zone is small and the adrenaline I would feel on the toe-in would stay with me for the first three turns skiing down. It’s exciting! Dropping onto the massive spine is intimidating, but as soon as you’re a quarter of the way down the run appears, the rollover fades away, and you are skiing a beautiful, consistently steep slope to the bottom.”
    
    Sobolowski-Quinn adds, “It was a special moment when one of our guests, KC, skied it. She is a mom of three and in her forties. I was overcome with pride and awe. It's not often you see a lady just ripping the you-know-what out of a line like Buddy Love and doing it just for the sheer joy of doing it.”
    
    Photo: Court Leve
    
    PNH company man Stone describes the run:
    
    “On the west aspect there are fluted spines, top to bottom. The apron is littered with gaping crevasses that catch your eye like an S.O.S distress signal from a pocket mirror. Due to its sun exposure, this aspect is rarely skied. But in the right conditions, it will be what you dream about. 
    
    Panning around to the northwest aspect, Buddy Love proper, is a beautiful A-framed layout. The tip of the peak is rarely landed on by helis as it occasionally can have wind scoured rock formations and a miniscule landing area; so about fifty percent of the landings are in the saddle just below the summit. This is where I set out for the quick climb to the top.
    
    Once on the summit, as I double check my gear, the bass drum in my chest is increasing in velocity and depth. Peering over the tip of my board, the view is peppered rock and small cliffs scattered about the entrance. Beyond that, the only visual is the valley floor 3,000 feet below. Classic AK roll.
    
    There are safe points. But if you are caught in the wrong area, it's taking you top to bottom in a hurry.
    
    
    
    With a consistent 50-degree pitch, I have no problem finding the accelerator in the first turn. From there it offers several routes—my personal favorite being fall line. I work the mountain from right to left. A third of the way down, a distinct rib just calls for turns. Shedding snow forms rivers on both sides of me, and yet more concentrated on either side of the spine. I make a few surf-style turns, whipping the tail while scrubbing speed in the same motion. A smooth lip. Take off!
    
    Airing a small cliff band, I am now in the gut. The belly of the beast. I have two choices at this point: wait out the slough train, or, my choice, hammer down, working left toward the shoulder, letting the snow fall away from me.
    
    Getting to the bottom third, the thought of pointing to the finish line comes to mind. But keeping one step ahead, I lock onto the open seracs and depressions on the left side of the apron. All of the snow I've been avoiding is now catching me and its destination is the danger zone. Smashing the pedal to the floor, I exit right, just before the slough nips at my heels to pull me back fall line. Arms raised, yelling in ecstasy, I realize that I made it. And I rode it how I wanted.”
    
    
    Be safe in the field, shop for all your avalanche saftey gear online at Backcountry.com

    Photos by

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• Of Course I Can - 3rd Annual P Of Course I Can - 3rd Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Purchase your tickets for the 3rd Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic at shanemcconkey.org
    
    Directed and Edited:
    Matt Palmer
    
    Director of Photography / Executive Producer:
    Grant Kaye
    
    Filmed by:
    Matt Palmer & Grant Kaye
    
    Starring the snowblading talents of:
    The Greg White Shark (Greg Lindsey)
    Little Greg Lindsey (Cody Townsend)
    Harry Balzagna (Grant Kaye)
    
    With Special Appearancces by:
    JP Auclair
    Jeremy Jones

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• Poor Man's Heli - Salomon Free Poor Man's Heli - Salomon Freeski TV S6 E12

  • From: salomonfreeski
  • Description:

    Antoine Boisselier has stared across at the Belledonne Mountains his whole life. He's always dreamed of laying ski tracks on their difficult-to-access slopes. Two years ago, he and a group of close friends launched their paragliders from across the valley and took a chance.
    
    Music:
    Development
    by
    Niklas Aman
    Courtesy of Niklas Aman
    
    Too Cold
    by
    Current Swell
    Courtesy of Nettwerk One Music
    
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• The Anti Comp Returns - Orage The Anti Comp Returns - Orage Masters 8

  • From: orageouterwear
  • Description:

    The Orage Masters is what ski events were always meant to be.  After a 2 year hiatus the Anti Comp is back. Don't miss the craziest scene skiing has ever seen. April 5-7, 2013 at Sun Valley, Idaho.  Presented in partnership with Sun Valley, Go Pro, Freeskier Magazine, Retallack, Johnny G's and Orage.
    
    Watch More Orage Videos

     

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• Waterville - Park and Pipe Ope Waterville - Park and Pipe Open Series 2013 - The North Face

  • From: thenorthface
  • Description:

    Highlights from the rail jam and big air competition at The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series at Waterville Valley Resort. Edit by Stept Productions and team athlete Nick Martini.
    
    Music:
    Black Rock Coming Soon
    The Black Eyed Keys
    
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• Chickering-Ayers, Paaso, Bell, Chickering-Ayers, Paaso, Bell, And Rozies Win FWT In Kirkwood

  • From: gregfitzsimmons
  • Description:

    
    
    3 Americans and 1 Frenchie take the top spots at the fourth stop of the FWT, TGR's Ryland Bell posts the highest score of the day.
    
    By Greg Fitzsimmons
    
    “Variable” was the word of the day at the fourth stop of the Swatch Freeride World Tour by The North Face at Kirkwood. Variable snow conditions underfoot made the challenging Cirque venue — the permanently closed terrain at Kirkwood — heavier than normal. There were a lot of high-speed crashes and tooth-rattling backslaps during the only stateside comp of the season. In the end, the winners of the male and female ski and snowboard fields displayed solid fundamentals en route to earning their titles.
    
    Mad River Glen’s Lars Chickering-Ayers took home the win in the men’s ski field, showing total control in the difficult conditions. Chickering-Ayers has found a home on big-mountain contest podiums in recent years, but he excelled on the variable snow in Kirkwood, linking a technical line in his typical full-throttle assault that fans of big-mountain competitive skiing have come to expect. Without any hesitation, Lars billy-goated through volcanic rock, pioneered a mandatory air into a chute, and laced clean GS-turns through the venue, making exposed and difficult terrain look fun.
    
    
    “I wasn't really planning to win here,” said Chickering-Ayers. “I just came out to spend time with family and have fun. I have skied these types conditions in competition in the past and knew how to deal with them. The skiing was my favorite part of the day.”
    
    Chickering-Ayers was awarded a score of 75.33 to take the top spot at Kirkwood. The “Flying Frenchman” Julien Lopez and Kiwi FWT rookie Charlie Lyons rounded out the podium in second and third place, respectively.
    
    
    Tahoe local Jaclyn Paaso won on the women’s ski side with a score of 71.67. Paaso had a difficult first half of the season on the FWT, but skied a fluid line en route to winning the comp. The Squaw Valley female skier known for sending huge cliffs skied a smart comp line. Paaso stomped a cool air off the ridge over exposed rock, cleanly navigated a tight s-turn chute, and skied out of a bottom air on the venue to take the top spot in Kirkwood.
    
    “I have had a number of crashes this season and really needed a win. It feels great to come out on top,” said Paaso. “I took my run down a notch this time because I needed to stay on my feet. Making it to the finish line was the best part for me.”
    
    Paaso’s win made her the first female skier to dethrone Sweden’s Christine Hargin this year. Hargin was perfect so far on the FWT with wins in Revy and Cham (the women didn’t compete in Italy this year), but Hargin took a hard fall during her run in Kirkwood. Pia Nic Gunderson of Norway took second and the third place spot went to American Ashley Maxfield.
    
    
    Squaw Valley’s Ryland Bell parlayed a wildcard entry into a win in men’s snowboarding. Bell, one of the stars of the Further movies, spun a backside 360 off the ridge and a frontside 360 into a chute during his line. His score of 87.67 was the highest score awarded by the judges to any competitor throughout the day. American Sammy Luebke took second and Swiss rider Emilien Badoux rounded out the men’s snowboard podium.
    
    “This was my first win ever,” said Bell. “My stoke level is really high. I wanted to do tricks, try to flow, and have fun.”
    
    
    After consecutive second-place finishes on the FWT, French rider Margot Rozies finally won in Kirkwood. Her consistent riding throughout the season meant that Rozies was the overall tour leader going into Kirkwood. After her fast and fluid winning line, Rozies has a firm grasp on the tour title with two stops left. Elodie Mouthon and Shannon Yates finished in second and third, respectively.
    
    Now, the Swatch Freeride World Tour by The North Face heads back to Europe for the last two comps of the year. Fieberbrunn, Austria is on-deck before all attention will focus on Verbier’s famed Bec de Rosses venue for the FWT finale.
    
    Overall Ski Men Standings
    
    1 Tabke, Drew     (USA) 6500.00
    2 Heitz, Jérémie (SUI) 6200.00
    3 Lopez, Julien (FRA) 5820.00
    4 Lyons, Charlie (NZL) 4900.00
    5 Barkered, Reine (SWE) 4595.00
    6 Studer, Fabio (AUT) 4340.00
    7 Gauthier, Laurent (CAN) 4180.00
    8 Eder, Markus (ITA) 4048.00
    9 Lindberg, Wille (SWE) 3900.00
    10 White-Allen, Oakley (USA) 3885.00
    11 Ducroz, Aurelien (FRA) 3685.00
    12 Guri, Kevin (FRA) 3470.00
    13 Post, Griffin (USA) 3445.00
    14 Chickering-Ayers, Lars (USA) 3395.00
    15 Collin, Sean (USA) 3070.00
    
    Overall Ski Women Standings
    
    1 Wallner, Nadine (AUT) 6025.00
    2 Gundersen, Pia Nic (NOR) 5980.00
    3 Hargin, Christine (SWE) 5975.00
    4 Maxfield, Ashley (USA) 4895.00
    5 Paaso, Jacklyn (USA) 4630.00
    6 Wright, Crystal (USA) 4265.00
    7 Slinning, Anne May (NOR) 4200.00
    8 Huber, Lorraine (AUT) 3255.00
    9 Segal, Natalie (AUS) 2955.00
    10 McMillan, Jess (USA) 2260.00
    
    Overall Snowboard Men Standings
    
    1 Backstrom, Ralph (USA) 6325.00
    2 Luebke, Sammy (USA) 5980.00
    3 Badoux, Emilien (SUI) 5585.00
    4 Guillot-Diat, Ludovic (FRA) 5290.00
    5 Routens, Aurelien (FRA) 5200.00
    6 Charlet, Jonathan (FRA) 4095.00
    7 Carlson, Tim (USA) 4060.00
    8 Rodosky, John (USA) 3870.00
    9 Orley, Flo (AUT) 3730.00
    10 Van Helfteren, Irian (NED) 3615.00
    11 Rizzuto, Jamie (CAN) 3220.00
    12 Rouge, Joel (SUI) 3215.00
    13 Annetts, Matt (USA) 2715.00
    14 Bell, Ryland (USA) 2500.00
    15 De Le Rue, Xavier (FRA) 2130.00
    
    Overall Snowboard Women Standings
    
    1 Rozies, Margot (FRA) 6900.00
    2 Mouthon, Elodie (FRA) 5805.00
    3 Dewey, Laura (USA) 5415.00
    4 Lucas, Casey (USA) 5400.00
    5 Yates, Shannan (USA) 4480.00
    6 Lazzareschi, Iris (USA) 4205.00
    7 Mouthon, Anouck (FRA) 4040.00
    8 Bock, Aline (GER) 3435.00

    Staying at Kirkwood is the way to go, sure beats driving from South Lake Tahoe.  Book your next Kirkwood vacation pacakge at: http://mountainreservations.com

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• 30 In 3 Days At Taos 30 In 3 Days At Taos

  • From: taosvalley
  • Description:

    Feb 22, 2013 - 30“ in three days makes things ski pretty good at Taos!

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• Why You Should Ski In Afghanis Why You Should Ski In Afghanistan

  • From: kausarhussain
  • Description:

    

    Afghanistan.
    
    Just the mention of the word sends images into the mind. Military units driving through deserts, windswept mud brick villages and broken arid urban landscapes. When I mention the possibility of going skiing in Afghanistan it can get some strange responses. Forget about the risk, the first question is, “Is there any snow?”
    
    Whilst it is true that much of Afghanistan is desert or semi-desert and that it hardly ever rains, it does snow. In the mountains it snows a lot. The snow is the lifeblood of Afghanistan. As it melts, it flows through the rivers that fill the canals that irrigate the fields.  A good snowfall ensures that the people of small rural communities will have a good harvest and can feed their families and livestock. A poor snowfall often leads to a drought and a famine. However, the snow in Afghanistan is both a blessing and a curse. Heavy snow cuts off villages in the mountain and every winter people freeze to death or are crushed by avalanches.
    
    Families wait for the snow to melt hoping to survive the winter until they can reap the reward that the snow will bring in the summer. For thousands of years there has been nothing for the people to do in the winter except wait for the Spring....until now.
    
    This winter young men from the villages of Kushkak, Jawzari, Ali Baig, and of the valleys of Qazan and Dukani and Foladi will pull on home made skis, crafted from wooden planks, with edges made from flattened tin cans and with poles snapped from a nearby tree. Some will be selected for training to represent their valley in a competition to see which valley can produce the best skier. They will be given modern ski gear to use. They’ll be taught how to ski, and they’ll receive basic training in first aid and avalanche awareness — skills they can take back to their village and potentially use to save lives.
    
    A handful of young men from Bamian, in Central Afghanistan have already begun guiding foreign skiers - both ex-pats from Kabul and visitors from around the world who are trickling into the region to try out Afghan skiing first hand.
    
    
    
    So how did this happen?
    
    At the beginning of the winter of 2010 almost no-one had skied in the province of Bamian. The valley's chief claim to fame had been the giant Buddha statues carved into the cliffs overlooking the town of Bamian. Tragically the two statues – which were about 1400 years old – were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 robbing the world of two of its most important ancient Buddhist relics, and robbing the people of Bamian of one of their key sources of tourist income. For Afghans, Bamian province was also well known for the lakes of Band e Amir  – a series of five lakes formed by natural travertine dams, that appear like a mirage in this high, arid landscape. In the summer Kabuli families come here to picnic and to escape the dust and heat.
    
    Bamian is also home to the Hazara people. The Hazaras are recognisable by their Mongoloid features. They’re Shia Muslims, unlike most Afghans, who are Sunni. In popular tradition they are reputed to be the remnants of the Mongol armies who came to the region with Genghis Khan. Historically they have been looked down upon by the ethnic Pushtuns and Tajiks who make up most of Afghanistan’s population. Some radical Sunnis — such as the Taliban — have seen them as heretics because of their Shia faith. Modern Afghanistan has always been ruled by Pushtun kings or Pushtun dominated governments who have tended to overlook the Hazaras. However, there have been important changes in Bamian since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. It is no Shangri-La —  there is little electricity, the province is one of the poorest in the country and by any standard it ranks as one of the least developed places on the planet. However, for the first time in decades there are signs of progress and positive change.
    
    Ten years ago, Bamian province had never had a hospital, a paved road, or a university. Now these all exist. There are still many problems, of course, but the Bamian valley is relatively secure and there is none of the anti-government fighting that plagues large parts of the rest of Afghanistan.
    
    An international development agency, the Aga Khan Foundation, saw the potential of promoting tourism in Bamian as a way of giving the people of the province an additional source of income. The Foundation has helped to develop guest houses, organise cultural festivals and provide information about the places of interest in and around Bamian.
    
    That’s fine in the summer when tourists come to the valley, but what about the winter, when guest houses lie empty? Well, the people of Bamian fall back on their timeless winter pastime of just surviving and waiting until the Spring.
    
    
    
    But taking their cue from other mountainous developing countries it was clear that any winter income was better than none so the Aga Khan Foundation began the Ski Bamian programme. With no infrastructure or lifts, the idea was to make the Koh-e-Baba mountains a new destination for ski-touring.
    
    In 2010 two American skiers were employed for the winter to map out potential routes. They brought only their own equipment so the Afghans had to get creative if they too wanted to ski along with them. Anyone with a small knowledge of Afghan military history will tell you that not having state of the art equipment never stopped the Afghans with competing with foreign powers.  Skiing with no ski equipment was not an insurmountable problem. Strips of wood with battered oil tins for edges were formed - - so, the bazaar ski was born.
    
    It quickly became clear that the mountains of Bamian were perfect for skiing and in 2011 a foreign ski trainer arrived to train the first batch of Afghan ski guides. It was early in 2011 that Ali Shah met Nando the Italian ski trainer at his village of Khushkak. Ali Shah was fit, young and spoke good English. Nando asked him what he wanted to be?
    
    “An engineer” said Ali Shah.
    
    “Why you wanna be an engineer? In Kabul there are a thousand engineers. You shoulda be a mountain guide. It's the best job in the world. You spend your whole life in the mountains with beautiful women.”
    
    It may not have been a textbook interview but Ali Shah is now Afghanistan’s best ski guide and Nando's singular teaching style set the basis for the success of the project.
    
    
    
    During 2011 and 2012 the annual Afghan Ski Challenge race (Rule number one — no weapons) was organised by a Swiss journalist and has became a focal point for the ski season (www.afghanskichallenge.com). With most Afghan Challengers having only one month’s ski training the Swiss organisers thought it an unfair challenge. They divided the race into Afghan and non-Afghan categories. The challenge is a classic ski touring route which includes skinning up as well as skiing down. They were right to divide the competition as most of the Afghans had finished before the foreigners had even got to the top.
    
    With donations from western organisations like gear4guides (www.gear4guides.com) there is now a well equipped ski rental shop in Bamian serving the local community and the ex-pat and international skiers that trickle in.
    
    My connection with skiing in Afghanistan began in 2009 when I bumped into a Scottish lad who worked for an Afghan aid agency. Ken was hiking with his girlfriend in the Wakhan region of Afghanistan in the far North East and I was leading a group of trekkers. The Wakhan region is the only other part of Afghanistan safe enough to consider these types of outdoor trips.
    
    He told me of a group of British and French skiers working in Afghanistan who regularly skied near Kabul in the winter and if I was serious about being an Afghan tour operator then I should be offering ski trips to Afghanistan. I said I'd join him on a trip that winter.
    
    On the first trip I made we took one of our regular drivers, Ali. For someone who has never skied it is quite hard to explain what we planned to do. Once we loaded up the poles and skis he had a rough idea of what we were up to and wanted to help. At the bottom of the Salang Pass, which crosses the spine of the Hindu Kush, Ali stopped at a small teahouse and ordered food for all of us. As any Afghan will tell you the best thing for breakfast if you are going to spend all day in the snow is Cow’s Foot. Boiled for hours, this gelatinous lump of bone, fat and gristle is never appealing to non Afghans and the French skiers particularly do not like it. We made a quick note that for the commercial trips, we wouldn’t let the drivers choose the dining options.
    
    But it was then that I saw how skiing was something that really appealed to all the Afghans who saw it. Standing next to Ali as we watched Ken fly down the slopes, he was awestruck. “He is a Djinn,” was Ali's response. Hazaras believe there are mountain spirits and clearly Ken was one.
    
    In the tea house where we stopped on the way back, Ali regaled the owners with the tale of Ken's exploits. Ken was described as a Djinn and I as a Boz (a goat). I hoped it was a way to describe my sure footedness in the mountains but I think it was more to do with my erratic skiing style.
    
    In keeping with Afghan tradition, the story was heavily exaggerated but it started a long discussion about skiing, mountains, snow conditions, avalanches and Afghanistan’s future.
    
    It was not only Ali who became a convert. I realised that, Cow’s Foot aside, this was an awesome way to experience Afghanistan in the winter. Skiing was something that was very foreign but the snow and the mountains was a common factor that could bring people together as it had done in that tea house. I also thought Bamian could be the perfect place for skiing.
    
    
    
    It has not always been smooth. A few elders in one or two villages are suspicious about the skiing fuss. They worry the young men will hurt themselves – preventing them from doing the hard farming work - or that skiing will be the thin end of the wedge and they'll get caught up in other foreign un-Islamic ways. This generally does not stop the young boys from hiking up the hills and skiing. “The only say it is bad because they don't know how to ski,” said one boy from Jawzari village.
    
    All the trailheads start from the villages and we have a code of conduct to help ensure that skiers behave properly. The Aga Khan programme representatives have discussed the skiing idea with all the local villages. We pay our respects to the village leaders and maybe take a cup of tea. There are many ways in which thoughtless skiers can cause offence, generally to do with women. In a country where the majority of people are illiterate and there is very limited access to the media, in these isolated rural communities, rumour is often taken as fact. If someone tells a man that the foreigners took a photo of his wife and put it on display in Kabul he will probably believe it. So Rule Number One is – Don’t take pictures of the women. Ever.
    
    Cultural sensitivity is key to the future of skiing in Afghanistan.
     
    When guiding a group of snowboarders last winter we spent a good hour discussing with the headman of one village what we wanted to do in their valley. The snowboarders were professional and were heading to a steep area that had not been ridden, so the villagers were suspicious. It took a great deal of persuasion until he agreed and let us pass around his village.
    
    As we walked around the village we were watched closely by the men on the rooftops, with no smiles or handshakes. We travelled far up the valley and soon the snowboarders were making jumps from the top of large cliffs. On the second attempt one of them failed to make his landing and crashed in a huge cloud of snow. Suddenly huge cheers rang out from the village below. All the village stood watching on the house rooftops. They liked all the action, but they liked the crashes best of all.
    
    On the way back down there was still staring and silence but we knew the ice had been broken.
    
    We went back to that area for three days and by the end we were inside drinking tea and joking with the local people.
    
    The key to a successful trip is that the Afghan villagers have  a positive experience as well as the visiting skiers.
    
    
    
    Afghanistan has always presented a contrast of lifestyles. An abiding memory of my first visit back after years away was of an old man and a young boy herding sheep down an unmade road. With his turban and billowing shalwar-kameez — a long, loose shirt and trousers, the man looked almost Biblical. A closer inspection revealed that his son was wearing a Megadeath t-shirt (presumably a charitable donation). The road they were walking along had a traffic calming feature – a half buried tank caterpillar track to stop cars speeding through the village. Introducing skiing to a small valley in the Hindu Kush seems to build on such contrasts.
    
    A typical night is spent in rooms heated by wood fire stoves called Bukharis. These are very efficient heaters. You fill them to the maximum before bedtime. It might be -25C outside but we would be sitting in our rooms in shorts and a t-shirt. As the night passes and the fire burns out the temperature plummets in the room and at dawn we'll be inside sleeping bags and the glass of water by the bed will have a layer of ice.
    
    Breakfast could be eggs or pancakes. Where we stay, the cook was trained at a US agency guesthouse. He knows exactly what hungry Westerners like to eat. Recently married, he returned to Bamian from working in Helmand province. The wages are much lower in Bamian but it is safer. In Helmand he always had to carry his ID card to get into the compound. However, if the Taliban stopped him and found this ID card he would be killed.
    
    On a very cold night the diesel will freeze in the vehicles used to take us to the mountains. We'll drink tea whilst a fire is built under the engine to defrost it, and perhaps watch the daily UN helicopter coming in to land at the Bamian military base, managed by the New Zealand army.
     
    Once in the villages at the top of the valleys, when we start to skin up we'll be invited in for tea by the village elders. Depending on the weather we'll either accept or continue uphill to make the most of the snow. I'll remind people that they should always remove their shoes when entering a house, never speak directly to the women -– and above all, no matter how serious their latest case of Kabul Belly, NEVER to fart in a room with their Afghan hosts. This is perhaps the greatest social faux pas of all.
    
    Often we'll be joined for all or part of the day by the local youths on their home-made skis. Making light work of skinning up and paying little or no attention to our avalanche warnings. they just laugh – “Inshallah” – if God wills it
    
    There is not much to do in the evenings. Alcohol is forbidden, but there is plenty of hearty traditional Afghan food and drink - kebabs, rice and hot drinks. With alcohol forbidden, we like to call this the Apres- tea scene.
    
    Skiing will not solve all the problems in Afghanistan. It won't solve the problems of Bamian but in a few small valleys in the Hindu Kush they are making a small positive impact to a handful of people and that is something worthwhile.
    
    Interested in traveling to Afghanistan, be smart and read up first.  Amazon.com has some grea books on travel and history throughout Afghanistan.
    
    
    •    Kausar Hussain is a guide and operations manager for Untamed Borders and arranges ski trips to Bamian every year. http://www.untamedborders.com www.facebook.com/untamedborders
    
    
    

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