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7663 Search Results for "snow"

  • Whoops Part 2 - Deja Vu Whoops Part 2 - Deja Vu

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      The Deja Vu crew are back with another helping of slams and candid moments while filming for the Deja Vu Movie! LNP turns a broken board into a snow skate while Will Lavigne, Alex Cantin and Ben Bilocq barely hold it together jibbing walls, trees and rails. The crew also hang with a big fan in the park offering him a chance to shred one of their boards. How's that layback!?

      Check out more with the Deja Vu crew: http://dejavumovie.com/
      Subscribe to DejaVu on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/dejavu
      Instagram: @dejavumovie

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  • Inside The Chill Foundation Inside The Chill Foundation

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      Remember when you were young, wild and carefree, and all you wanted to do was go snowboarding? Try as you might, something always bamboozled your plans. Perhaps your parents didn't have the time, energy, or wherewithal to make it happen, or you were too busy getting in trouble to go yourself, or maybe you lived deep in the city with few options to get to the mountains. And if this doesn't sound like you, consider yourself privileged. Let's face it, snowboarding and board sports in general are too expensive and inaccessible for a large portion of the population, especially for underprivileged kids and at-risk youth.  

       

      Jake and Donna Burton realized this situation and wanted to lend a hand to those that need it most. This sparked them to create The Chill Foundation. The organization started humbly in 1997 in Vermont and has gained momentum ever since. Currently based in twelve cites in the US and Canada, Chill operates with one mission: to "provide opportunities to at-risk and underserved youth to build self-esteem and life skills through board sports."

       

      We fully believe in Chill's mission and wanted to find out more. So when we got invited to check out Chill in action during a recent standup paddle board event in Denver, we jumped on board to get the scoop on this powerful program. 

       

      TGR Group SUP

       

      Following a nine to five day at the TGR office, we rallied from Jackson to Denver to arrive at the Aurora Reservoir the next morning. We were promptly greeted by Molly Mazel, the director of the Denver division of Chill, and were introduced to the youth participants and chaperones. The morale was high and the energy and excitement for the day were palpable. We spent the morning partaking in activities that supported the day's theme of "responsibility" and helped clean up the reservoir. 

       

      Armed with trash pickers and plastic bags, we scouted the shore for remnants of power bait, fishing line, and other pieces of trash that posed deadly threats to the surrounding wildlife. Instead of begrudging the task, the youth participants embraced it, and did their best to help out and take on this responsibility. 

       

      Chill SUP

       

      Once our bags brimmed with the potentially deadly debris, we unloaded our findings to the local park ranger and set off for the SUP portion of the day. We were greeted by John Poppleton, the founder of Surf's SUP Colorado, who set us up with our boards and paddles for the day. From there, the youth learned paddle board skills together, and had a kickass time. While some participants were more advanced than others, a sense of accomplishment was widespread and felt throughout the day.

       

      After meeting with the youth and partaking in the program, we chatted with Molly Mazel to get her insights into this impactful program. 

       

      Chill

       

      What is your role with Chill Denver?

      This is my fourth year with Chill. I was the seasonal, local coordinator for three seasons running the snowboarding program in Denver, and last fall I started year round, full-time. This is a new model that Chill is moving into. The sites are all going from seasonal into year round, self-sustainable sites. We're building new programing, and really, we're only one staff in each city. I do have help with advisory committees at each site, but I wear all the hats. I do fundraising, development, communication, developing new programs, and running the programs--which is the best part of the job. We're an established organization that Burton started in '97, and we've been around Denver since 2005. It's really exciting to be a part of this startup, going into future seasons and keeping our kids involved each year. 

       

      How does Chill partner with youth organizations?

      We recruit new youth service agencies that are serving the demographics and populations of the youth that we want to serve, which is at-risk and underserved kids who wouldn't otherwise have access to these board sports. It's been my experience in Denver, that a great majority of the agencies we work with have been involved with us since we started. And once they are involved, they tend to stay involved and come back year after year. I think our program is a great complement to the agencies we serve, so they keep coming back, which works out great. 

       

      How many youth does Chill-Denver work with?

      It depends on the program. Our snow program is pretty established here. We typically run two nights a week and we can typically bring forty-five kids per session. So I'd say we can serve ninety kids each session. Each youth agency brings together three to fifteen kids, depending how many they are able to bring, with the chaperones they are able to allocate. For this new SUP program, we have thirteen kids enrolled. It's a lot smaller than our winter programs, as the youth here [at the SUP event] are from just three agencies. So we're hoping to grow this program moving forward. 

       

      Chill 2

       

      Can you tell me a bit about the winter program, how does it run, what can the kids expect?

      We have a gear space centrally located in Denver, so all the groups meet us there, and we outfit the youth with everything they need to learn to ride completely free of charge. We get them outerwear, gloves, helmets, boots, boards, everything--and we pack up on a bus and head up to the mountain. We had been going to Echo Mountain in Colorado for the past four years prior to last year, when they unfortunately closed down. So last year we were up at Frisco Adventure Park and we're actually in the midst of talking to other mountains now, trying to get a new contract nailed down. So we have weekly theme sessions which we hold on the bus and have microphones and the kids come up to participate. It's really a lot of fun. The real meat of our sessions is really the life skills curriculum we teach each week. When we get up to the mountain we learn how to ride and we're relating these life skills to learning a board sport. 

       

      In terms of the gear, who are your main sponsors?

      Burton is a great sponsor of ours. Not only did the owners of Burton Snowboards found The Chill Foundation, but a great contribution they make is all the gear they donate. We are very appreciative of them. We do take in some things from the community, but a lot of it does come from Vermont, from Burton. 

       

      What is you favorite part of your position with Chill?

      Working with the kids. Hands down. I sit behind a desk a lot of the time, but I do it to be out in places like this—to be out in the mountains and out in a reservoir, bringing kids who have never seen such places, and seeing them being out of their comfort zones and really lighting up. To see them learning something new in an amazing part of the world that they aren't used to seeing—that's my favorite part. 

       

      Chill 3 

      So you run this whole show in Denver?

      I'm actually the only Chill Denver employee, but I have a fantastic advisory committee that helps me. We put our heads together to think of ways that we can improve things. We put events together and we fundraise. They help me brainstorm everything. Members of the advisory committee are all former members of Chill whether they're chaperones or they've volunteered before. I've got a great support system. People who see Chill in action seem to be very passionate about it. And though I'm the only employee, I've got a lot of backing. 

       

      How did you get Chill Denver involved with Surf's SUP Colorado, the SUP event sponsor? 

      I wanted to do a SUP program and I started looking up different companies that could be a good possibility, and I cold called John [founder or Surf's SUP Colorado] and asked if he wanted to volunteer with at-risk youth. He looked into it, we met a couple times and he's all about it. I think he really likes working with the kids and giving the sport he's passionate about back to they kids. It's similar to why Burton founded Chill—giving their passion for snowboarding back to kids who otherwise wouldn't have had access.

       

      Looking towards the winter, what do you have on the horizon for programs?

      As for the winter space, we're looking to extend the program. We have a six-week curriculum in place, but we want the kids to be able to continue to snowboard. It's a sport that they don't have access to, so when our six-week program ends, in the great majority of cases, that's it for them, no more snowboarding. So I'm looking to get a mentoring program going where we match the kids up with a mentor, one on one, which would keep them going snowboarding once a week until the end of the season. That's on the horizon. I'm looking to hopefully pilot that this coming winter. We're also looking to get into other summer programs such as skate and possibly even longboarding. 

       

      Find out more about Chill and how you can be apart of its awesomeness here.

       

      Chill's Mission: 

      The mission of The Chill Foundation is to provide opportunities to at-risk and underserved youth to build self-esteem and life skills through board sports.

       

      Photos couresy of Chill

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  • Sony Signs Two-Picture Deal wi Sony Signs Two-Picture Deal with Teton Gravity Research

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      Sony’s Action Cam exclusive POV camera for Way Of Life and Higher

      Award-winning action sports production company and lifestyle brand Teton Gravity Research (TGR) has signed a two-picture deal with Sony Electronics to use its new lightweight, compact Action Cam—a mountable full HD camcorder—as the exclusive POV camera in the production of Way Of Life and Higher. This partnership becomes official as TGR wraps up a season of filming with the cameras exclusively to capture POV footage for Way Of Life, the ski and snowboard project slated for a September 2013 release, and Higher, the final installment of the Jeremy Jones trilogy to be released fall 2014. 

      Sony Action Cam

      "In selecting collaborations for Sony’s Action Cam, we looked to experienced filmmakers shooting in rigorous environments with exceptional standards of quality, who value ease of use in a compact, full-featured POV camera," explains Hidenori Toyoda, director of the camcorder business at Sony Electronics. ”TGR's reputation for innovation, relationships with world class athletes, and leadership on the frontier of action sports makes them a terrific partner." 

      Sony Action Cam

      TGR content from Sony’s Action Cam is already being released on tetongravity.com through the Mind's Eye web series, a collection of TGR athlete self-edits filmed exclusively with Sony’s Action Cam. TGR athletes from Sage Cattabriga-Alosa to Jeremy Jones depended on it all winter, praising its ease of use and low profile design, in particular.

      Sony Action Cam

      "We have been working with, and helping develop, POV cameras for the past fifteen years and I was immediately impressed with how easy the Action Cam is to use," says Todd Jones, TGR co-founder. ”The picture quality is amazing, as you can imagine with Sony's sensor technology expertise, and the audio quality is also the best I have seen in a camera of this type."

      Check Out Angel Collinson's recent Mind's Eye edit, which was filmed entirely with Sony's Action Cam.

      About Teton Gravity Research

      Founded in 1996 by Steve and Todd Jones, TGR works with the top athletes in their respective disciplines to capture, celebrate, and bring to life the passion and enthusiasm associated with action sports. Known for its media and lifestyle products, TGR has extensive production experience on all seven continents including commercial work, branded entertainment, original television programming, and 30 award-winning feature films. TGR is a proud member of 1% For The Planet, BICEP, Surfrider Foundation, and Protect Our Winters. For more information on TGR, please visit tetongravity.com, one of the leading online destinations and communities in action sports. 

      About Sony Electronics DI

      Headquartered in San Diego, Sony Electronics is a leading provider of electronic products for both the consumer and professional markets. 

      Sony is noted for a wide range of products within Digital Imaging, including advanced Alpha DSLR and NEX cameras, Cyber-shot compact cameras, Handycam® camcorders, POV Action Cams, as well as a line famed Carl Zeiss® and G-series lenses.

      The latest news and information is available at the company’s web site at www.sonydigitalimaging.com and www.sony.com/news 

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  • Sony Action Cam Sony Action Cam

  • Sony Action Cam Sony Action Cam

  • Sony Action Cam Sony Action Cam

  • Hi-Fives with Thomas Vincent o Hi-Fives with Thomas Vincent of Hi-Line Films

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      Hi-Fives is a new column that puts the spotlight on badass people and places that are breaking the mold.  We kick things off by interviewing Thomas Vincent, a twenty-three year old passionate skier from Missoula, Montana. We caught up with Vincent at the top of Beartooth Pass, a remote backcountry mecca in Montana, during the Beartooth Summer Sessions a few weeks ago.

       

      Vincent was shooting with Hi-Line Films—a production company based out of Missoula, Montana—for its upcoming release, "the simple side." We happened upon him as he stood drinking a beer and smiling while holding a napkin to his bloodied cheek.  Despite fresh injuries, he graciously answered our questions about Hi-Line Films and what the heck they were doing in Beartooh.

       

      Beartooth Look

       

      Give me the run down on yourself, name, age, job?

      My full name is Thomas Caywood Vincent the 5th. Let me look at my passport here, ah yes, I am 23 years of age. My parents introduced me to skiing when I was in kindergarden, so what...I was 5? I've been riding and filming with Hi-Line since the winter of 2011-2012. I'm currently studying digital film at the University of Montana and I often find myself following a bit of a fantasy more often than not. Since there aren't dragons flying around our heads, I put planks on my feet and slay snow ghosts. It's really my way of saying, "hey earth, do better....bitch." It feels good to ski.

       

      Why did you come to Beartooth Pass?

      I actually came here for redemption. Last year we came here at the exact same time of year with with Hi-Line Films. And last year, I found a way to break my jaw, so this year we decided I needed redemption-- I can't end on a bad note! So we came out here and I did what I sought to do, and I feel really, really good about it. This place is phenomenal. You drive up to the top of Beartooth Pass, your buddies drop in, you lap a couple of times, you hoot and holler and go home to your campsite and feel a lot better at the end of the day. It's incredible--it's big line skiing in June. 

       

      What has your experience in Beartooth been like?

      We got here late, super late on Tuesday night at like four in the morning. So we got up a little late and ended getting up to the pass at about noon on Wednesday. We got to Gardner Headwall and literally there is a road that will swing you up to this amazing face with tons of long lines, shoots, and, couloirs.  So we all rallied up and six of us hiked out to the top of our lines.  When we dropped in, we rode out this bulletproof chunder and did the best we could. We basically straight-lined the chutes, rode it out, and powered our quads through it, even if it brought tears to our eyes because it hurt so much to hold. But when you know you are getting filmed, you gotta hold it through. And we did it! 

       

      Thomas_Starfish.jpeg

       

      What went down on your second day on Beartooth Pass?

      The next day we built a massive jump on top of a cornice that Toy Solider Productions was working on last year. It's down and around from the Garder Headwall. We basically found a nice big cornice to build a jump on, to boost us up and over. We built a nice backcountry step-down. I did a starfish lincoln loop over it, which I was pretty happy with. 

       

      There was actually a carpool of British people at the base and they were ecstatic about it. They said it was the most “brilliant” thing they've ever seen in skiing--so I'm happy about that. Bringing back some old school. I like it. But a few of us were having some problems with speed on the jump. I was fortunate to stomp out some tricks, but some of the other members of the team were having a hard time and not stoked on it, but I really wanted, needed to get my redemption trick out of it. So I decided to try a cork 9 for true redemption, and I brought it to my feet a couple times, but we started seeing lightning and hearing thunder so we decided to call it, and headed back to our campsite. We got pretty rowdy at the campsite, had a raging fire, drank beers, talked about our lines and enjoyed the heck out hanging out. 

       

      Are you still seeking redemption, what happened today?

      This morning I woke up, wasn't sure if I would have the energy to go for that 9, but I got convinced. The Hi-Line crew stoked me up, so I decided to go for it. I hiked up to the jump by myself. We had the Hi-Line filmers posted up on the road, watching and tracking my progress through the telephoto lens. Once the sun peeked out, I went for it. First try, cork 9, to my feet--couldn't hold it. Second time, to my feet--couldn't hold it. Third time, started getting sloppy, cork 9 to my chest. Fourth time--almost broke my jaw again! I felt the ski come up to my jaw again, real tough. I landed the nine, and my ski just got stuck in the chunder and shot up straight into my face. So after that I decided to call it. But we're on top of Beartooth Pass, looking at Garder Headwall, right now, waiting for three of our guys to get on their lines. Ben [Zeimat] is actually setting up camera now. And shit, we're drinking beers, we're chilling, and we're loving it. This is enough for me.

       

      Editor's note, we stop the interview as the remaining three guys needled a tight, steep chute. We hooted, hollered, cheered, and got back to talking. 

       

      Beartooth Line

       

      This place is no joke, you guys are gnarly . These lines are legit. So tell me what  other projects have you been apart of?

      I've been working with "The Trimming's" web series. It was produced by two Epic Planks pro riders, and the series has been fairly popular this season. And through that I have been getting a lot of practice. With Hi-Line, they have been primarily focused on backcountry. They really don't touch any resort, so you're going to see a lot of skinning,  a lot of hiking, a lot of effort, a lot disappointment and a lot of excitement in our film.   We're calling the movie, "the simple side" and it will be coming out next fall. 

       

      Who all is in Hi-Line Films?

      Ben Zeimet, is the filmer, director, producer. He is the man behind it all. He will commission additional filmers to get different angles. But yeah, it's been really interesting and an awesome experience working with these guys. Some of the other riders you'll see are T.J. Andrews, you'd be familiar with him from, "Come Find Us," the first Toy Solider Film where he was trying the triple cork, which, actually, was right over there,  right over there on that ledge. [Points to ledge.]  He became a legend in Montana for that. So that guy has been pushing the hell out of me this trip. But let's see, we're also with Sam Arroues, and Garret Umphress. So those three including me are kind of the core team. But we've had a bunch of friends claiming lines and adding to it.

       

      When do you plan to release "the simple side"?

      We'd like to get it into Missoula by mid-October along with premiere season. We're going to tour it around Montana. We might go into a couple different places,  but we know our market niche is in Montana. And we'll definitely have a teaser coming out soon. 

       

      What you guys are doing here is the core essences of shredding..living life, camping, waking up, hiking these huge lines, and getting shit done. It's awesome. 

      Ya, totally!  And tonight, we're going to party in a school bus at our campsite.  It broke down a few days ago en route to Beartooth, but we fixed it up, and tonight we'll be celebrating our successes out here and going for it! 

       

      Check out Thomas and the rest of the Hi-Line guys in the teaser below.

      the simple side. Mid Season Teaser from Hi-Line Films on Vimeo

       

      Riders:

      T.J. Andrews

      Sam Arroues

      Thomas Vincent

      Garrett Umphress

      Joel Anderson

      Brett Bacon

      Danny Arnold

      Luke Morris

      Riley Johnson

      Jake Fagrelius

      and friends

       

      Filming and Editing by:

      Ben Zeimet

       

      Produced By:

      Hi-Line Films and Generation One Media

       

      Photos: Gavin Gibson

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  • Ketchup Soup: Backcountry Skii Ketchup Soup: Backcountry Skiing Causes Global Warming

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      Ketchup Soup Climate

      Salt Lake City—An alarming new study has sent the ski industry into a frezy after announcing that backcountry skiing and snowboarding have caused dramatic increases in global warming.

      The study, done by an international group of climatologists, has discovered that the amount of “Airborne Shit” spewed into the air is rapidly escalating due to the growing number of backcountry users that are taking to the slopes. 

      “Airborne Shit, or ABS is a byproduct of backcountry skiing,” says climatologist George Towns. “Whether it’s some revelation in the skin track, a daily vertical claim, or even talk about the snowpack, it all contributes to an incredible amount of ABS. It clouds the atmosphere and doesn’t let heat escape.”

      Towns discovered the correlation shortly after the advent of modern tele gear. “When SCARPA introduced the Terminator in the fall of 1992—the first plastic telemark ski boot—we were finished.”

      “That’s why I still use leather boots,” claimed telemark skier Donald “Quaker” Oats as the ABS avalanching out of his mouth emptied out a local used backcountry gear store in Missoula, Montana. “I’ve been skiing backcountry for at least three years now, and I just feel like the original gear is still the best way to enjoy the mountains.”

      But telemark skiing isn’t the only culprit. “It’s even easier to pinpoint in recent years,” states Towns. “Let’s look at the largest winter the West has seen in recent memory, 2010-11. Telemark was dying the year before, there was only one reliable frame-style binding on the market and it wasn’t that good, and everyone was afraid of Dynafit.” 

      “It snowed and backcountry gear sales skyrocketed,” points out Towns. “The following winter was one of Colorado’s warmest. Fires ravaged the state. Colorado only saw a late comeback in winter this year because the majority of backcountry users had just plain given up—restoring normal weather patterns.”

      “I just plain quit skiing in February,” admits Boulder resident and REI cardholder Xander Phillips, originally of Connecticut. “The weather was just so wonderful here on the front range, so I got out my mountain bike. When the snow returned this spring I still managed to log fourteen powder days, it was EPIC!”

      According to climatologists, the two-month surge in usage of the word “EPIC!” is responsible for the wildfires that are currently decimating the state.

      Secondary factors have also acted as catalysts in the current shit storm, according to Towns. “It’s almost as if society as a whole is embracing this—the proliferation of microbreweries, social media, and the TGR Forums has led to an abundance of cesspools full of backcountry-generated ABS.” 

      One ski binding engineer who wishes to remain anonymous claims he was aware of the correlation from the beginning. “We designed the bindings to be heavy on purpose, hard to operate, and prone to getting jammed with ice. We knew they would sell, but we hoped that they would frustrate people enough to stay out of the backcountry. I just hope we can fix this.”

      Moves are already being made in the ski industry to work towards a sustainable climate. Jeremy Jones, a leader in addressing global warming, has announced that the name—and concept—for his next film has changed.  Higher is now Jibber, and will exclusively feature the other Jeremy Jones. Dynafit has stated that Brody Leven will have to pick his park game back up, and Black Diamond is closing its doors permanently just to show that they care about the environment more than anyone else in the industry. 

      So what can you do to fight global warming? Here are Ketchup Soup’s guidelines for bringing winter back:

      1. Stay out of the backcountry. If you must go into the backcountry observe rules 2-5.
      2. Avoid skin track revelations. You’re hiking uphill at high altitude. An hour into a hike and you’re essentially drunk. In no way, shape, or form is it a good idea to get back with Becky. She was a terrible person at the bottom of the hill, and she still will be when you’re at the top.
      3. Avoid talk about the snowpack. You know you have no idea what is going on. You took that Level One just so you could meet girls like Becky. Now you don’t have her and you didn’t pay any attention in class. Let the real experts talk for you.
      4. Avoid Microbreweries. Not only does Becky serve there, but you know you’ll be forced to talk about how many laps you did today, what was sick, and what was sketchy. You’ll have to lie about it so you look better than everyone else who is busy counting coup and banging their chests while enjoying refined, handcrafted elegant beers.
      5. Avoid Social Media. Not only is shit created on social media, but people also talk about the ABS they create on social media, ramping up the Airborne Shit Factor exponentially. And Becky blocked you months ago.

       

      **Ketchup Soup is TGR’s  new weekly satire column aimed at poking fun at the sports we all love. TGR’s “Ketchup Soup” is a fictionalized, satirical publication. Its content should in no way be interpreted as an actual record of events. These stories are also not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, attempts to predict the future course of any individual or entity, but should be viewed only as parody. TGR’s “Ketchup Soup” is not associated with any other news service. Names used in “TGR’s Ketchup Soup” stories, unless those of public figures or entities, are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or entities is coincidental, unintentional, and accidental. Any event described in TGR’s Ketchup Soup” that actually comes to pass should also be considered coincidental, unintentional, and accidental.

       

      The moral here is laugh now, but remember, you’re probably next.

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  • 2013 Beartooth Summer Session 2013 Beartooth Summer Session

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      Beartooth Sander Grab

      The Beartooth Summer Session might just be the best idea in skiing. It’s the typical ski adventure—camping, skiing, steep terrain, an abundance of dudes and a shortage women—but with the addition of the summer’s warm sun.

      Located between Red Lodge and Cooke City, Montana, Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area consists of two pommel lifts, an ancient camper trailer that serves as the mountain’s headquarters, and 1,000 feet of steep summer snow. For the past three years they’ve been hosting the Beartooth Summer Session, a week-long ski demo/party/big mountain skiing competition put on by ON3P Skis and Booster Strap. 

      We caught up with this year’s winner, Sander Hadley, to hear his take on the competition and the overall event.

      Sander Invert

      Teton Gravity Research: Why did you come to Beartooth Basin in the first place?

      Sander Hadley: Growing up, my friend/mentor, Tanner Rosenthal, chief of Panda Poles, used to attend the All Star Ski Camp that was held at Beartooth. He always talked about the savage summer terrain. 
Then back in 2011 shortly after I graduated high school, ON3P posted a story about doing a summer session at Beartooth. I figured it was the perfect time to check it out. After having a bitchin' time during that first visit, I knew I had to make it up there every summer from then on.

       

      TGR: What makes the summer session worth coming to?

      SH: Beartooth offers pommel-serviced steep/big mountain terrain that is unmatched in the North American summer ski scene. Mix that with a passionate, experienced park crew and you have yourself a versatile summer skiing experience. The dudes at ON3P, specifically Kip Kirol, Sam Caylor and Rowen Tych, know how to throw a laid back event, providing good times for everyone. 
Where else can you camp and ski with fellow competitors? The summer session is the most laid back event of my year, as well as one of the rowdiest, matter of fact, the rowdiest. I skied some of the gnarliest stuff I have all year, in June!

      Summer Session Camping

      TGR: What was special about camping?

      SH: Camping with folks provides the opportunity to really get to know people. At an event like the Beartooth Summer Session, we are all looking to have a good time and share it with new friends. I'd say we were pretty successful this year. Not to mention the sheer beauty of a place like the Beartooths, we had amazingly good weather and some spectacular lightning storms that didn't drop much rain.



       

      TGR: What was the best moment of the entire trip?

      SH: I'd say the party in the parking lot that took place after the competition on Saturday was the best moment of the entire trip. By that point in the week, we had all got to know each other relatively well. We were all sharing the stoke that summer shredding in the Beartooths provides.

      Tail Grab Summer Session

      TGR: How would you convince someone to go next year? 

      SH: I'd tell them of the pommel-serviced steep terrain that flows into one of the best park jumps that I hit all year, the free camping that the beautiful state of Montana provides, and the amount of good people there is to meet at the event. I would also mention the laid back “anti-comp” feel that the Booster Strap Big Mountain Comp provides. I am not always someone who likes to compete, however, Kip Kirol & Sam Caylor from ON3P and Austin Hart (president of operations at Beartooth Basin) made sure to keep the comp as laid back as possible while providing a unique big mountain/slopestyle hybrid contest.

       

      TGR: Do you compete in other big mountain events?

      SH: That was my first big mountain event since the 2011 summer session. (which was the first in my life)
This year really opened my eyes. I feel like I can bring a unique freestyle influenced style into the big mountain arena. I plan on pursuing that side of skiing a lot more in the near future. 

       

      TGR: So you're not prone to throwing flat 3's off cliffs?

      SH: Growing up skiing at Pebble Creek Ski area outside of my hometown of Pocatello, Idaho we had a 10 foot tabletop jump and a handful of rails. Therefore, park was never my focus growing up. My friends and I learned our tricks on natural features around the mountain. That side of skiing has always been much more enjoyable to me as opposed to a cookie cutter terrain park, not to take away from what people are doing in the park. Pebble Creek taught me to do my tricks off of just about anything. I have just never brought them into a competition or film format. Doing those tricks off of variable terrain puts a smile on my face. 

      Slider

      TGR: Do the terrain and snowpack at Beartooth Basin make that sort of stuff easier to try?

      SH: I'd say the terrain makes you think about things a lot more, because with a lot of the rock/cliff jump options the outruns are more rocks/cliffs. However, when it's warm out and the aches of pains of cold weather skiing are not present, it is much easier to find motivation for carcass tossing. Same goes for the snowpack, when it gets warm, the snow up at Beartooth Basin becomes soft, just what you want for fat ski hucking.

      Beartooth Narrows

      TGR: Do you think you deserved to win, or was it a judge’s conspiracy?


      SH: Conspiracy, 110%. Feed those dudes enough beer and they'll do almost anything. Almost.
That's not very professional...But hey, this is the ski industry, not golf.


       

      TGR: That's going in for sure.

      SH: Hahahah gahd damn journalists.

      Braap

      For a complete list of results, click HERE

       

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  • Jason Prigge: Designing the Fu Jason Prigge: Designing the Future

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      Not long ago, Jason Prigge and Dave McReynolds sharpened their teeth in front of TGR's cameras. They starred in numerous films, including Uprising, Realm, Further, High Life, Tangerine Dream, and Subject to Change. 

      Although no longer hucking in front of the cameras, the two keep busy running MFD. We caught up with Prigge to learn more about his time with TGR, what motivates him as an industrial designer, and MFD's efforts to debut a new line of ABS packs via Kickstarter—which coincides with the brand signing Dash Longe to its team.

      Jason Prigge by Adam Clark

      Jason Prigge (Photo by Adam Clark)

      You’ve got a rich history with TGR, do you mind telling us a little about your pro career and time filming with the company?

      The first time I met up with TGR was back in ’97. I was nineteen years old and living in Jackson for my second season. It was a pretty rad time in skiing as big mountain skiing was just taking off and for the first time ever there was a freesking tour within the U.S. and Canada. The Alaska and Crested Butte comp had been around, but it was the first time for a full tour. 

      The first stop was in Jackson. My first comp ever and I got spanked. Picked a few things up though and did well in the next few and ended up winning the Nationals at Kirkwood. Brant Moles was the man that year and was pretty much chucking fifty-foot crotch grab airs every run and winning every comp. He must have missed his crotch grab in Kirkwood and I squeaked out the win. That caught the attention of Todd and Steve Jones. They probably wondered who the hell this grom was from their home town. So the next season I started shooting with them in Jackson for TGR’s third movie Uprising. After that year it just became standard issue—when you were in town and it went blue you showed up for the 8:12 and linked up with Todd for a day out looking for, as he loved to call it, mind blowing footy… 

      Jason Prigge by Adam Clark

      Although Prigge's paychecks no longer come from skiing professionally, he rips as hard as ever. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      Since walking away from filming, you’ve kept incredibly busy—creating products for a range of companies, developing the MFD AllTIME binding, and preparing to launch a new line of packs. What’s been the biggest surprise from all of these adventures? 

      The biggest surprise honestly has been running a company. There’s so many variables involved. We make every ALLTIME binding by hand, right here in Utah. Yes, we work with amazing suppliers around the region, but each binding is assembled right here in house. Logistically it all needs to line up just right for us to get product out the door on schedule. That’s one of the most challenging things, but the most rewarding comes when you meet up with someone in the lift line or out in the backcountry using the product. Especially the backcountry…Even if it’s just a day out with friends on MFDs, it’s just rewarding seeing that we’ve made something that solved a problem for us in the backcountry. Watching your buddy charge a line out in the backcountry with utter confidence or one of our athletes landing a thirty-footer switch—that’s rewarding. 

      Lately, what’s a typical day look like for you?

      Coffee…Feed the dogs. Usually I’m working unless it’s firing up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Then all goes haywire. Phone is blowing up. Checking, scanning reports, avy sites, weather…Trying to figure out what’s the best call for the day. Most of the time work wins over, but I always find ways to get out when I need to.

      Jason Prigge by Adam Clark

      We're guessing this is one of those days when it was "firing up in Little Cottonwood Canyon." It must be tough to get work done around the office. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      Arguably, as an industrial designer you make magic happen. What motivates and inspires you to do this day in and day out?

      What originally inspired me was working with sponsors. I always had an interest in art and science, but never knew what I wanted to do with it. One of my sponsors at the time was Oakley and on one of the trips down there I got a tour of their manufacturing facility—that was standard, but what really caught my eye was when we got to go into the R&D department. This is typically under lock and key so it was a big deal to get in there—even as an athlete. That was my first look at what an industrial designer does and at Oakley the designers are some of the best in the world. Mind blowing as Todd would say. I was hooked. 

      Fifteen years later and after finishing out my BS in Industrial Design, I really enjoy two things. Seeing other designers’ work and creativity and the process that goes into creating a product. Whether it’s a backpack, ski binding, or your iPhone. It all starts with a sketch. Then a better one, then a prototype, and finally you end up with something that can be produced. You and your team have done all that work to make it happen. That’s pretty cool.

      Jason Prigge by Adam Clark

      Mind blowing footy? Or just another day laying down lines? Whatever you call it, it sure looks good. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      What are some of the greatest lessons you learned as a professional skier? How have they shaped your approach to MFD and designing equipment?

      Through skiing I met some of the best people and skiers in the world. I would say that skiing as well as biking was the other influence that led me to where I am today. With design you can focus on anything you want—transportation, furniture, tech products you name it. My passion was outdoor and action sports and that came from as far back as I can remember. So there was my home. Even today, to help pay the bills, I still do work for other companies in those industries and I have been lucky enough to work with some great companies. I even came full circle by going back to fill in my design opus and working with Oakley designing and developing products for their surf, snow and mountain bike lines.

      Jason Prigge by Adam Clark

      Jason Prigge out earning turns. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      Who has inspired you the most in the ski world?

      Shane McConkey was a big influence for me to originally take the leap and start MFD. I was lucky enough to know Shane and get to experience some great times with him before his passing. Outside of being one of the funniest humans on the planet, Shane had an amazing ability to see things differently. He almost single-handedly laid down the path that has led freeskiing and skiing to where they are today. Fat skis, reverse camber, multiple profiles…all Shane. It wasn’t easy though; the companies didn’t want to listen. They had been making skis one way for decades and saw no reason to change. Skiing was dying. Shane wasn’t interested in that happening so he fought the hard fight and got his sponsors and the industry as a whole to wake up and listen. 

      When I was an athlete I saw some of the same problems. Sponsors would come to us for our ideas, make a big deal about it, and then just go off and make a soft version based on our feedback. So that’s what we are trying to fix at MFD. We listen to our athletes and community around us with the goal of making products that progress our sport. 

      Dave McReynolds by Lee Cohen

      Although Dave McReynolds aired this cliff over a decade ago, the drop is as impressive as ever. (Photo by Lee Cohen)

      What led you to team up with Dave McReynolds to create MFD? 

      Dave and I skied a lot together back in the day. We had both moved beyond our ski careers, but when I moved from Jackson to Utah he was pretty much the first person I called when the first snow fell. Around that time I had started prototyping the ALLTIME binding and ended up showing it to him one day. We went out touring and he was blown away that the rudimentary prototype I had created was the answer he was looking for to the challenges he was having in the backcountry. 

      Mostly though, Dave knows skiing. He also had industry sales experience recently working for Salomon, as well as years of knowledge from being an athlete for Rossignol, Scott, TGR and others. I knew he’d be the perfect fit. We started MFD from the core and we aim to keep it that way. 

      Dave McReynolds by Lee Cohen

      Jealous? When searching for photos of Dave McReynolds, Prigge had this to say, "Damn, the kid was so good, these could be published today." We agree. (Photo by Lee Cohen)

      Despite its youth, MFD has some rich roots with TGR. You and Dave filmed with TGR and now you just brought Dash Longe onto the team. What inspired you to bring him into the fold? 

      Dave and I knew Dash from skiing in Utah, but we originally met back in the day filming at some point for TGR. Another one of the guys involved with MFD is also really good friends with Dash so he knew that we were developing our new pack line with an ABS airbag option. Dash was going up to AK to film with TGR so he was interested in checking out our packs. He liked the designs and how the packs carried skis and gear. And although he liked those features, it was our ABS airbag option that really made him make the move to ride for MFD. 

      Dash Longe by Adam Clark

      The newest addition to MFD's team—Dash Longe. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      You’ve just launched a new collection of backpacks and collapsible bottles. What was the catalyst for creating these packs and for debuting them via Kickstarter? 

      I think MFD a lot of times comes off looking like a far bigger company than we actually are. We are lucky enough to have hard working, talented people involved that make our online presence look better than most small startups. It also helps that most of the people we became friends with skiing are now also somehow involved in the industry. So we tie into our network to do our best to get the word out. 

      In reality though, we are still in our infancy and struggle with all the hardships of growing to be a successful, profitable company. We lack the distribution, marketing budgets and lines of credit that the large corporate ski companies have, so in order to compete we have to work smarter and come up with creative products that push the limits and almost speak for themselves. Even then it’s sometimes not enough to break into the system and force the change. So, that’s why we need Kickstarter. We don’t have million dollar advertising budgets, in fact we don’t even have an advertising budget…Kickstarter gives us the voice we need to reach out to the ski community and tell them about what we’ve created. Who is behind it, why we are doing it, and ask for the community’s support to come together and help us bring these products market.

      MFD ABS 20L BackpackMFD's new 20L ABS compatible pack

      How about your ABS Compatible Backpack? How did that come into play?

      Our athletes demanded it. We were obviously aware of airbag packs and the safety benefits. We believed in airbag technology as a company but it was really our athletes (Eliel Hindert and Carlo Travarelli) that came to me while we were testing and said they were stoked on how the packs were functioning, but they were only going to use backpacks with access to an airbag system. 

      So that’s what made me take a deeper look. Originally I planned to take MFD into the airbag market after we had success with our initial launch, but now I knew we had to make the push from the start. 

      MFD ABS 20L Backpack Deployed

      Disclaimer: don't deploy this thing on the tram.

      Why ABS?

      We chose ABS as our partner to create our ABS Compatible 20L backpack because in our opinion their technology is superior and they are also the original airbag backpack company with over twenty years of experience. ABS also allowed us to focus on the part we know best and leave the technology up to the experts. Our Freetour 20L backpack is a “zip-on” system that is compatible with the ABS Vario Base Unit. The problem currently is that almost all airbag backpacks focus on the airbag technology. That’s a good thing, but creating solid ski carry systems as well as internal organization are being overlooked. That’s were we saw the opportunity to make the improvement. 

      Further strengthening our decision, ABS is also the only company to use a twin air bag system. Even if the bag gets damaged in an avalanche you still have a backup bag. The system deploys from both sides of the bag so it also gives you a stabilizing effect during a slide. Another key benefit is that the bags deploy in a way that does not inhibit your ability to see what’s around you and, if you still have the option, there’s no interference to try to ski your way out of a slide. You don’t ever want to be there and we stress to take all the precautions, get all the education and experience you can, but in the end if you get caught you want the best tools possible to survive.

      Dash Longe by Adam Clark

      Dash first rocked MFD's packs while filming in Alaska for TGR's Way of Life. He has since joined the brand's team of heavy hitters, which includes Carlo Travarelli and Eliel Hindert. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      What’s next for you and MFD? 

      First and foremost we are focused on funding our Kickstarter campaign. At this time we are one-and-a-half weeks in but need a big push to get to our goal. The way Kickstarter works is that people pledge to your campaign, but you have to hit your goal to receive the funding. No credit cards are even charged until we reach the goal. 

      We realize we are campaigning to sell ski backpacks damn right at the start of summer, but we need help to bring this program to life. It’s definitely hard to grab people’s attention, but if we are going to have an opportunity to deliver these this fall we are going to have to start building them now and we need the numbers to do it. 

      All we are saying is that if you like what you see consider pledging for one of our backpack systems or another pledge. Pre-check your backpack just like you do your ski pass. If you help us succeed come fall you will have a brand new backpack ready to go. 

      What’s next for MFD is more well thought-out products and our promise to not only always listen to the needs of our athletes, but our customers as well. 

      Utah Winter by Adam Clark

      Prigge may call this "product testing." We, however, prefer to call it a sick day. (Photo by Adam Clark)

      Anything else you’d like to share?

      Just a big thanks to all our supporters and backers of our Kickstarter campaign and MFD. We couldn’t do it without you.

      To learn more about the brand, drop into MFD's site or back the brand on Kickstarter.

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  • MFD ABS 20L Backpack Deployed MFD ABS 20L Backpack Deployed

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      MFD ABS 20L Backpack Deployed
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  • Utah Winter by Adam Clark Utah Winter by Adam Clark

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  • MFD ABS 20L Backpack MFD ABS 20L Backpack

  • MFD Backpack MFD Backpack

  • Dash Longe by Adam Clark Dash Longe by Adam Clark

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      Dash Longe by Adam Clark
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  • Dave McReynolds by Lee Cohen Dave McReynolds by Lee Cohen

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