83 Search Results for ""fall line""

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

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

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

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

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

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

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

     

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

    

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

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• 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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• 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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• Floating In Fieberbrunn With S Floating In Fieberbrunn With Sage Cattabriga-Alosa

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa gets ready to drop into deep Austrian snow. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    “Oh man! Hehe, I got a Fieber brew'n!”
    
    Excitement was thick in the air after our first run, filled with insanely deep snow.
    
    We had arrived just hours before in the dark of night to Fieberbrunn, Austria, after a wrong turn led us up a snow-covered single-lane road. Once the realization hit that things were not right the crew, Tim Durtchi, Colter Hinchcliff, Dylan Hood, photographer Mark Fisher, cinematographers Dustin Handly, Athan Merick, the TGR production crew, and I, found that one of our vans was basically stuck.  The van was not stuck so much as it was ****ed, as it was overloaded, filled with bags on the inside, five ski bags on the roof, and equipped with non-snow tires and without chains.
    
    The steep, single-lane snow-packed road was slick, and the van became a toboggan. We literally inched the van back down the mountain in a full skid, using the crew as anchors dragging along each side, and back, keeping the van from gaining too much momentum and ending up in a creek, ditch or snow bank. The drive, which should have taken about an hour and a half, took almost seven.
    
    That was all behind us now, nearly forgotten, washed away with, as nearly all the crew described, the deepest snow that they had ever skied.  Our start to the day was a little slow, but as we made our way up the series of pod gondolas, the first glimpses of terrain revealed steep trees covered in a visibly thick blanket of snow. As soon as we clicked in and made or first turns, verbal excitement erupted in a chain reaction as one by one we dipped into the waist deep snow. Excitement was high, and we were eager to get right to work, capitalizing on the amazing snow, and capturing the phenomenon of really, really deep snow. Immediately we began identifying shoot-able lanes of powder and pillows that inspired us to break out the cameras, line up zones and embark on the blind ride that would start as soon as you began skiing.
    
    This storm was unique to our trip in Austria, it had snowed almost three feet in just over 24 hours, and was sitting on a soft base creating a bottomless, blower, layer of snow that covered the mountain. Skiing already feels like flying, and when conditions are like this, you are flying in slow motion, hovering down the mountain, suspended by a million feathery crystals, where the flying only ends when the fall line stops.
    
    We continued through the day stepping out small takeoffs, floating off pillows and linking turn after turn of blinding fun. The entire crew was glowing, in awe of the experience, and grateful to have made it to this powder paradise.
    
    Sage busts a cork 3 into bottomless pow at Fieberbrunn. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Charging 50 cm of snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Deep, deep snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Sage gets pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    So pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Yes, yes it was deep. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Field goal. Photo by Dustin Handley.

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  • 3 months ago
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• Flying With Sage In Fieberbruu Flying With Sage In Fieberbruun

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa gets ready to drop into deep Austrian snow. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    “Oh man! Hehe, I got a Fieber brew'n!” 
    
    Excitement was thick in the air after our first run, filled with insanely deep snow.
    
    We had arrived just hours before in the dark of night to Fieberbrunn, Austria, after a wrong turn led us up a snow-covered single-lane road. Once the realization hit that things were not right the crew, Tim Durtchi, Colter Hinchcliff, Dylan Hood, photographer Mark Fisher, cinematographers Dustin Handly, Athan Merick, the TGR production crew, and I, found that one of our vans was basically stuck.  The van was not stuck so much as it was ****ed, as it was overloaded, filled with bags on the inside, five ski bags on the roof, and equipped with non-snow tires and without chains.
    
    The steep, single-lane snow-packed road was slick, and the van became a toboggan. We literally inched the van back down the mountain in a full skid, using the crew as anchors dragging along each side, and back, keeping the van from gaining too much momentum and ending up in a creek, ditch or snow bank. The drive, which should have taken about an hour and a half, took almost seven.
    
    That was all behind us now, nearly forgotten, washed away with, as nearly all the crew described, the deepest snow that they had ever skied.  Our start to the day was a little slow, but as we made our way up the series of pod gondolas, the first glimpses of terrain revealed steep trees covered in a visibly thick blanket of snow. As soon as we clicked in and made or first turns, verbal excitement erupted in a chain reaction as one by one we dipped into the waist deep snow. Excitement was high, and we were eager to get right to work, capitalizing on the amazing snow, and capturing the phenomenon of really, really deep snow. Immediately we began identifying shoot-able lanes of powder and pillows that inspired us to break out the cameras, line up zones and embark on the blind ride that would start as soon as you began skiing.
    
    This storm was unique to our trip in Austria, it had snowed almost three feet in just over 24 hours, and was sitting on a soft base creating a bottomless, blower, layer of snow that covered the mountain. Skiing already feels like flying, and when conditions are like this, you are flying in slow motion, hovering down the mountain, suspended by a million feathery crystals, where the flying only ends when the fall line stops. 
    
    We continued through the day stepping out small takeoffs, floating off pillows and linking turn after turn of blinding fun. The entire crew was glowing, in awe of the experience, and grateful to have made it to this powder paradise.

    Sage busts a cork 3 into bottomless pow at Fieberbrunn. Photo by Dutch Simpson.

    Charging 50 cm of snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.

    Deep, deep snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.

    Sage gets pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.

    So pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.

    Yes, yes it was deep. Photo by Dustin Handley.

    Field goal. Photo by Dustin Handley.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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• Flying In Fieberbruun With Sag Flying In Fieberbruun With Sage

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa gets ready to drop into deep Austrian snow. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Words by Sage Cattabriga-Alosa
    Photos by Dutch Simpson and Dustin Handley
    
    "Oh man! Hehe, I got a Fieber brew'n!"
    
    Excitement was thick in the air after our first run, filled with insanely deep snow.
    
    We had arrived just hours before in the dark of night to Fieberbrunn, Austria, after a wrong turn led us up a snow-covered single-lane road. Once the realization hit that things were not right the crew, Tim Durtchi, Colter Hinchcliff, Dylan Hood, photographer Mark Fisher, cinematographers Dustin Handly, Athan Merick, the TGR production crew, and I, found that one of our vans was basically stuck.  The van was not stuck so much as it was ****ed, as it was overloaded, filled with bags on the inside, five ski bags on the roof, and equipped with non-snow tires and without chains.
    
    The steep, single-lane snow-packed road was slick, and the van became a toboggan. We literally inched the van back down the mountain in a full skid, using the crew as anchors dragging along each side, and back, keeping the van from gaining too much momentum and ending up in a creek, ditch or snow bank. The drive, which should have taken about an hour and a half, took almost seven.
    
    That was all behind us now, nearly forgotten, washed away with, as nearly all the crew described, the deepest snow that they had ever skied.  Our start to the day was a little slow, but as we made our way up the series of pod gondolas, the first glimpses of terrain revealed steep trees covered in a visibly thick blanket of snow. As soon as we clicked in and made or first turns, verbal excitement erupted in a chain reaction as one by one we dipped into the waist deep snow. Excitement was high, and we were eager to get right to work, capitalizing on the amazing snow, and capturing the phenomenon of really, really deep snow. Immediately we began identifying shoot-able lanes of powder and pillows that inspired us to break out the cameras, line up zones and embark on the blind ride that would start as soon as you began skiing.
    
    This storm was unique to our trip in Austria, it had snowed almost three feet in just over 24 hours, and was sitting on a soft base creating a bottomless, blower, layer of snow that covered the mountain. Skiing already feels like flying, and when conditions are like this, you are flying in slow motion, hovering down the mountain, suspended by a million feathery crystals, where the flying only ends when the fall line stops. 
    
    We continued through the day stepping out small takeoffs, floating off pillows and linking turn after turn of blinding fun. The entire crew was glowing, in awe of the experience, and grateful to have made it to this powder paradise.

    Sage busts a cork 3 into bottomless pow at Fieberbrunn. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Charging 50 cm of snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Deep, deep snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Sage gets pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    So pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Yes, yes it was deep. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Field goal huck. Photo by Dustin Handley.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 130
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• Flying In Fieberbruun With Sag Flying In Fieberbruun With Sage Cattabriga-Alosa

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa gets ready to drop into deep Austrian snow. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Words by Sage Cattabriga-Alosa
    Photos by Dutch Simpson and Dustin Handley
    
    "Oh man! Hehe, I got a Fieber brew'n!"
    
    Excitement was thick in the air after our first run, filled with insanely deep snow.
    
    We had arrived just hours before in the dark of night to Fieberbrunn, Austria, after a wrong turn led us up a snow-covered single-lane road. Once the realization hit that things were not right the crew, Tim Durtchi, Colter Hinchcliff, Dylan Hood, photographer Mark Fisher, cinematographers Dustin Handly, Athan Merick, the TGR production crew, and I, found that one of our vans was basically stuck.  The van was not stuck so much as it was ****ed, as it was overloaded, filled with bags on the inside, five ski bags on the roof, and equipped with non-snow tires and without chains.
    
    The steep, single-lane snow-packed road was slick, and the van became a toboggan. We literally inched the van back down the mountain in a full skid, using the crew as anchors dragging along each side, and back, keeping the van from gaining too much momentum and ending up in a creek, ditch or snow bank. The drive, which should have taken about an hour and a half, took almost seven.
    
    That was all behind us now, nearly forgotten, washed away with, as nearly all the crew described, the deepest snow that they had ever skied.  Our start to the day was a little slow, but as we made our way up the series of pod gondolas, the first glimpses of terrain revealed steep trees covered in a visibly thick blanket of snow. As soon as we clicked in and made or first turns, verbal excitement erupted in a chain reaction as one by one we dipped into the waist deep snow. Excitement was high, and we were eager to get right to work, capitalizing on the amazing snow, and capturing the phenomenon of really, really deep snow. Immediately we began identifying shoot-able lanes of powder and pillows that inspired us to break out the cameras, line up zones and embark on the blind ride that would start as soon as you began skiing.
    
    This storm was unique to our trip in Austria, it had snowed almost three feet in just over 24 hours, and was sitting on a soft base creating a bottomless, blower, layer of snow that covered the mountain. Skiing already feels like flying, and when conditions are like this, you are flying in slow motion, hovering down the mountain, suspended by a million feathery crystals, where the flying only ends when the fall line stops. 
    
    We continued through the day stepping out small takeoffs, floating off pillows and linking turn after turn of blinding fun. The entire crew was glowing, in awe of the experience, and grateful to have made it to this powder paradise.

    Sage busts a cork 3 into bottomless pow at Fieberbrunn. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Charging 50 cm of snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Deep, deep snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Sage gets pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    So pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Yes, yes it was deep. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Field goal huck. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Want to huck like Sage and the crew?  Get the right gear from Backcountry.com
    

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 78
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• Flying In Fieberbruun With Sag Flying In Fieberbruun With Sage Cattabriga-Alosa

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa gets ready to drop into deep Austrian snow. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Words by Sage Cattabriga-Alosa
    Photos by Dutch Simpson and Dustin Handley
    
    "Oh man! Hehe, I got a Fieber brew'n!"
    
    Excitement was thick in the air after our first run, filled with insanely deep snow.
    
    We had arrived just hours before in the dark of night to Fieberbrunn, Austria, after a wrong turn led us up a snow-covered single-lane road. Once the realization hit that things were not right the crew, Tim Durtchi, Colter Hinchcliff, Dylan Hood, photographer Mark Fisher, cinematographers Dustin Handly, Athan Merick, the TGR production crew, and I, found that one of our vans was basically stuck.  The van was not stuck so much as it was ****ed, as it was overloaded, filled with bags on the inside, five ski bags on the roof, and equipped with non-snow tires and without chains.
    
    The steep, single-lane snow-packed road was slick, and the van became a toboggan. We literally inched the van back down the mountain in a full skid, using the crew as anchors dragging along each side, and back, keeping the van from gaining too much momentum and ending up in a creek, ditch or snow bank. The drive, which should have taken about an hour and a half, took almost seven.
    
    That was all behind us now, nearly forgotten, washed away with, as nearly all the crew described, the deepest snow that they had ever skied.  Our start to the day was a little slow, but as we made our way up the series of pod gondolas, the first glimpses of terrain revealed steep trees covered in a visibly thick blanket of snow. As soon as we clicked in and made or first turns, verbal excitement erupted in a chain reaction as one by one we dipped into the waist deep snow. Excitement was high, and we were eager to get right to work, capitalizing on the amazing snow, and capturing the phenomenon of really, really deep snow. Immediately we began identifying shoot-able lanes of powder and pillows that inspired us to break out the cameras, line up zones and embark on the blind ride that would start as soon as you began skiing.
    
    This storm was unique to our trip in Austria, it had snowed almost three feet in just over 24 hours, and was sitting on a soft base creating a bottomless, blower, layer of snow that covered the mountain. Skiing already feels like flying, and when conditions are like this, you are flying in slow motion, hovering down the mountain, suspended by a million feathery crystals, where the flying only ends when the fall line stops. 
    
    We continued through the day stepping out small takeoffs, floating off pillows and linking turn after turn of blinding fun. The entire crew was glowing, in awe of the experience, and grateful to have made it to this powder paradise.

    Sage busts a cork 3 into bottomless pow at Fieberbrunn. Photo by Dutch Simpson.
    
    Charging 50 cm of snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Deep, deep snow. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Sage gets pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    So pitted. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Yes, yes it was deep. Photo by Dustin Handley.
    
    Field goal huck. Photo by Dustin Handley.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 114
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• Resort Review: Mt. Baker, Wash Resort Review: Mt. Baker, Washington Home To The Legendary Banked Slalom Snowboard Race

  • From: mikehardaker
  • Description:

    

    The Mt. Baker Ski Area is a tiny ski resort located in the USA near Canada, known for having the most snow in North America averaging an impressive 641 inches of snow annually. The resort even broke the record for total snowfall during the 98-99 season with a whopping 1,140 inches of snow.  Located within the Mt. Baker-Snowqualmie National Forrest the Mt. Baker Ski Area was created in 1940 as a recreational destination for Washington residents.  Fast forward almost 75 years and the terrain and base area still look almost exactly the same. You won’t find any real estate for sale or overpriced ski shops here.
    
    The nearest lodging to the ski resort is located 30 miles down the road in the town of Glacier, Washington where to the locals the lack of internet and cell service is a welcome relief. For travelers you truly have to adapt while stepping back in time. If your sole focus is riding powder and ripping it fall line you’d be hard pressed to find better terrain in North America.  Short vertical runs average around 1,000 feet with access to some of the rowdiest terrain around, combined with a lack of crowds and non–existent lift lines and you have the breeding grounds for some of the best riders in the world to test their skills.  Its no wonder people like Carter Turk, Craig Kelly, Jamie Lynn, Jeff Fulton, George St. James, Tex Davenport, Mike Ranquet, Lucas DeBari, Forrest Burki, and every other ripper in the snowboard industry has called this mountain home.
    
    Baker’s roots in snowboarding go way back, this was the first resort in the United States to truly embrace snowboarding and has been home to the Legendary Baked Slalom snowboard race, the longest running snowboarding competition in the world for the last 27 years. The resort is family run and operated which is extremely rare these days, maybe that’s why parking is free and lift tickets are only $50 a day.
    
    If you like to hike, or just access life changing terrain it happens quick at Baker.  The resort’s backcountry policy allows for skiers and riders to duck ropes if the following conditions are met, you must have a partner, avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe and backpack along with an understanding of the terrain.  Ropes here are meant to be ducked, just not the ones with 2 sets of ropes as those lines lead to un-survivable cliffs, which  are numerous within the resorts boundaries. If you’re smart and a strong rider you can shred some of the best lift accessed terrain in North America, if you blow it you may end up seriously hurt or even worse. 
    
    Each year 100 lucky snowboarders are chosen by lottery to compete in the Legendary Banked Slalom (LBS) snowboard race.  Getting a spot is truly an honor especially when you’re an unknown rider like myself.  Looking at the start list for this years race names like Travis Rice, Terje Haakonsen, Temple Cummins and Blair Habenicht certainly stand out!
    
    The LBS course is dug by hand each year in a natural half pipe with banked slalom gates running from top to bottom.  The start shack is legendary in itself with the words “stay low, say your prayers” painted across the entrance, good advise indeed. Unlike other snowboard contest the vibe at the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom is all about having fun, maybe it’s due to the fact there is no prize money to win, instead the best snowboarders in the world hurl themselves down an icy course for the chance to win a roll of duct tape and a Carhartt jacket.
    
    Snowboarders from all over the world come to the event annually driving up the Mt. Baker Highway to see old friends, rip powder in an effort to cement their names in the history books.  Just being selected to race is an honor in itself. The LBS is regarded as the predecessor to boardercross races.
    
    The LBS takes place over 3 days giving each rider 2 days to qualify for a shot to ride in the finals. Plenty of high fives, hoots and hollers will follow each run, as the course is lined by locals, media, competitors and visiting riders all looking to see fast and flawless runs.
    
    Wondering what the secret is to win, so am I.  To win a roll of duct tape your wax must be dialed for the Northwest snow that tends to be warmer than most places in the country. Sharp edges seem to help too especially when 100 riders slide down the same line creating an extremely fast course. Racers times tend to get faster as the day progresses. 
    
    Guys like Blair Habenicht, Terje Haakonsen and Temple Cummins seem un-phased by the icy conditions each year. However this year just may be a bit different as the resort is calling for between 2-4 feet of snow the week leading up to the start of the race.
    
    Stay tuned for TGR’s updates throughout the week from the 2013 Legendary Banked Slalom race at Mt. Baker!

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  • 3 months ago
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• TGR Fall Line Camp 2012 - Almo TGR Fall Line Camp 2012 - Almost Live Season 5 Episode 2

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    In season 5 episode 2 of Teton Gravity Research's web series Almost Live pro skier Tim Durtschi teaches the youth the ropes at the TGR Fall Line Camp at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Now in it’s second winter the TGR Fall Line Camp is the ultimate freeride experience held in the big mountain Mecca of Jackson Hole for middle and high schoolers who aspire to join the next generation of big mountain rippers and park & pipe superstars. Check out what went down at this year's camp.
    
    Teton Gravity Research’s Almost Live series takes you around the globe with the TGR production team and athletes. Get an inside look at what goes into first descents, building and hitting massive backcountry jumps, traveling throughout the most exotic locales on the planet, and the lives of the world's top riders. Almost Live plants you on location with the TGR crew. You will be able to track the crew’s progress throughout the season, and watch the drama unfold.
    
    Watch More Almost Live Episodes
    
    Watch More TGR Videos
    
    Music: The Weekenders
    Track: Somatic Spirit
    www.weekendersmusic.com

  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 34
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• News: 1st Annual ‘Beer & Gear’ News: 1st Annual ‘Beer & Gear’ Festival At Brundage Mountain, Idaho

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    

    Drink local beers, demo the latest ski gear, and repeat – that’s what’s on tap for the first annual 2 –day Brundage Mountain Beer and Gear Festival taking place Saturday January 26^th and Sunday the 27^th.

     

    McCALL, ID – It’s a two-day celebration of everything that makes our local ski culture special. From hand-crafted skis to local craft beer, backcountry adventures to friendly hometown ski shops, the 1^st Annual Beer & Gear Festival is a one-stop celebration of skiing and riding in the West Central Mountains.
    
    “We’re extremely excited to partner with so many great local groups,” said resort spokesperson, April Russell. “With their help, we’re highlighting everything the McCall area has to offer.”
    
    Day 1, Saturday, January 26, focuses on the things that ignite our passions for snowsports. Guests can take a few runs on the latest demo gear offered by Gravity Sports and Hometown Sports in the base area. A Beer Garden featuring the liquid delights of Salmon River Brewery will be on tap from noon - 4 pm. Discounted lift tickets are available for this weekend and throughout the entire ski season for McCall locals and visitors. $54.00 lift tickets is to good a deal to pass up
    
    Day 1 wraps up on the third floor with Winter Wildland Alliance’s Backcountry Film Festival. The festival features 90 minutes of independent ski films including the award-winning Skiing the Void, TGR’s Further, and many more. Admission is FREE. Doors open at 5 pm, films start at 6pm. More details are available at: www.brundage.com/13737/new-the-beer-gear-festival/
    
    The SideStash Cafe will be open late serving draft beer, wine, sodas, soups and sandwiches. Local backcountry, avalanche safety, and gear experts from Brundage Mountain SnowCat Adventures, Payette Powder Guides, The Ullr Ski Company, Gravity Sports and Hometown Sportswill be on hand to answer questions about safely exploring the backcountry in our area.
    
    Day 2, Sunday, January 27, centers around exploring new techniques and new technology to make your time on the slopes even more satisfying.
    
    We’ll fuel up with a $7 pancake feed (includes bacon) from 9-11 a.m. Rent a favorite demo ski from Fall Line Tunes & Demo Shop here on the mountain or try  the 'unlimited switchout' option as the best way to experience all that ski technology has to offer.
    
    A variety of skier and rider improvement sessions will be offered from 1pm – 3 pm on Sunday at an amazingly affordable rate of just $10. Topics include turning with confidence, advanced carving, small and big bumps, and advanced tactics to challenge anything on the mountain. Participants may sign up on the day-of or pre-register with the snowsports desk at 208.634.4151 x 100.
    
    More details on the clinics are available at: www.brundage.com/13737/new-the-beer-gear-festival/

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
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• First Look: Black Diamond Equi First Look: Black Diamond Equipment’s Fall 2013 Freeride Skis And Boots

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    From Left to right, Black Diamond's 2013-14 Megawatt, Verdict, AMPerage, Convert, and Zealot skis.

    Sure, you may have just bought new skis, but they’re already obsolete. Sorry, next year’s boards have already been invented. Later this month, at the Outdoor Retailer and SIA trade shows, all of the winter 2013-14 skis will begin to be promoted, starting the annual cycle of ski-stoke and anticipation all over again. It’s just how it works. Everyone likes shiny new plastic toys, especially when they allow you have more fun on the snow than the year before. And that’s the point, to have more fun.
    
    Last week, Teton Gravity Research office jockeys had the pleasure of testing out some of Black Diamond Equipment’s 2013-14 freeride skis and boots. These are the stiffer boots and fatter skis in the BD ski line. Black Diamond ski category director Thomas Laakso (who absolutely rips, by the way) brought up big mountain, all mountain, and freetour boards from Utah to the TGR offices in Teton Village, Wyoming. TGR staff went nuts skiing the new sticks at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and in the Jackson Hole backcountry.
    
    In all we were able to test:
    
    Big Mountain Series Skis
    Megawatt - 188
    AMPerage - 185, 195
    
    All Mountain Series Skis
    Zealot - 182   
    Verdict - 180
    
    Freetour Series
    Carbon Megawatt - 188
    Convert - 180
    
    Boots
    Factor Mx 130 - Men’s
    
    
    
    Ski testing is tricky business. What may be the best pair of sticks for one person could be the worst pair of planks for the next person – and that was the case a couple times here. Also, there were times when just one person got out on a pair of skis, so you only have their opinion to go on. There are so many factors: conditions, group dynamic, length of ski, what type of ski the “tester” is used to, type of skier, how much time they had on them, etc.
    
    So, consider this a first look at BD’s 2013-14 freeride line.
    
    We have listed exact dimensions, weights, and prices, then our thoughts. Many of these skis are already out on the market, but for 2013-14, many of the skis weigh less due to BD using pre-preg technology in their new factory in China that they say is eco-friendly.
    
    If you don’t feel like reading this whole thing, here’s the take away: Everyone loved the 185 AMPerage and considered it a “one quiver” ski. Also, everyone loved the Megawatt in powder and thought is was “surfy.”
    
    Other results varied and not everyone was able to get out on all the skis.
    
    Anyway, here we go.
    
    
    Megawatt ($899)
    178cm:  150-125-131  9lb 1oz
    188cm:  151-125-131  10lb 9oz
    
    Two testers total on the 188
    
    Stoke Level: 8/10
    
    “It was really fun,” said TGR’s Than Volk, who is 25 years old, 5’10” and 150 lbs. “ I got one run of them, but that was all I needed. We skied [a fucking sick 3000-verical foot powder run in the Jackson Hole backcountry]. It was untracked with 12” to 18” of recent snow and the Megawatts were the perfect ski to be on. The width and rocker provided plenty of float to make really enjoyable big swooping, surfy powder turns. They reminded me a lot of my K2 Pon2oons, but are probably a little more versatile outside of untracked powder.”
    
    TGR’s Sam Petri, who is 31 years old 5’10” and considerably fatter at 190 lbs, also found them to be “surfy.”
    
    “The Black Diamond Megawatt was snappy on the hardpack and surfy in the pow," Sam said. "These are definately powder slayers and were best in even the slightest bit of fresh snow. On hardpack, if you tried to lay a carve down, they snapped you into each turn. It was a little weird on hardpack, like many skis that are 125 mm underfoot. If you carved a little less hard and “scrubbed” your turns, it was more enjoyable on hardpack. But they are not for hardpack, they are for powder, and in powder, you could straight-up charge and do anything.”
    
    So, who is this ski for? What type of skier would benefit from this ski?
    
    “This is a quiver ski for deep power,” Than Volk said.
    
    “This is a powder ski for the deepest days,” said Sam Petri.
    
    
    
    AMPerage  ($799)
    165cm:  139-115-123  8lb 10oz
    175cm:  141-115-123  9lb 1oz
    185cm:  142-115-124  9lb 8oz
    195cm:  143-115-125  10lb 
    
    Four testers total on the 185, one on the 195
    
    Stoke Level: 8.5/10
    
    “The AMPerage 185 is the ski I most looked forward to testing,” said Danny Holland, who is 29, 5’9”, 180 pounds, and rips decent, considering he is from Colorado. “A similar shape to my Atomic Automatics and Rossignol S7s, I was curious how they would compare. We stepped into the side country and found a magic run to really give these a test. The 185 AMPerage skied amazingly. It had plenty of float due to the 115mm width underfoot and carved exceptionally from top to bottom. This year’s model is also lighter by over 100 grams making the traverse out slightly less painful. Overall I would consider this a great one-quiver ski.
    
    
    Danny Holland enjoys the 2013-14 Black Diamond 185 AMPerage in the Jackson Hole backcountry.
    
    “I’ve always wanted to get on a pair of AMPerages,” Than Volk said. “I rode them on a warm bluebird day with about 6” of new wind-affected snow. We hit both off-piste runs (Rendezvous Bowl early, Headwall and The Crags) and groomers in between. What impressed me most about the skis were their versatility. In both conditions the ski was a charger. It’s fast, aggressive and agile. It reminds me most of my Atomic Automatic but is also categorically similar to my Hybrid DPS Wailer 112RPs (a less aggressive ski with more sidecut and less stiffness). This is a ski I’d definitely buy for myself and recommend to others.”
    
    
    
    “The BD Amperage was a pleasant surprise in the versatility department,” said Brian Wulf, who is 25, 5’ 10” and weights 170 lbs. “We all dream of the days of endless resort pow and empty chairlifts, but that’s rarely the reality. Instead, we end up bumping around on hardpack searching for the goods and compromising in fun. We either find a sick all mountain ski that blasts through the crud or surfs in the deep stuff, but never both. The Amperage may make reality fun again. Initiating a turn on hard park wasn’t effortless, but never did it induce fatigue. And then comes the deep stuff. So easy to pivot, the ski was playful and poppy. I would however like the ski mounted a bit more forward.”
    
    
    
    “I went out on a marginally deep, ‘dust on crust’ day with the AMPerage in a 185,” Sam Petri said. “What I found to be impressive was its ability to manage these variable conditions with ease. Whether I was floating in powder or navigating ice bumps, these skis were there for me. While 115 mm under foot may be fat for some people, I consider this one of the truest ‘one quiver’ skis I’ve been on in a while. Seems like you could put touring bindings on them or resort bindings and be equally happy.”
    
    Who is this ski for? What type of skier would benefit from this ski?
    
    “This ski is perfect for your big mountain skier,” Danny Holland said. “It’s for someone who wants something that performs well on various conditions and is a joy to ski when things are soft.”
    
    “It’s a great all mountain powder ski for a resort like Jackson Hole,” Than Volk said. “It’s got the flotation and width for powder while maintaining the stiffness for crud and groomers once it’s tracked out.”
    
    “The ski is versatile from trees, to crud, to pow,” Brian Wulf said. “But the shape certainly lends itself to the skier that likes a more fun and playful stick.
    
    “This ski is for everyone,” Sam Petri said. “Again, I was so impressed by its versatility. I would be confused if someone were to ski this one and come back disappointed. I’ve never been on the Armada JJ, but all my friends have it and rave about it. I have to think this skis directly competes with it.”
    
    

    
    Zealot  ($849)
    182cm:  135-110-123  10lb 2oz
    192cm:  136-110-125  10lb 13oz
    
    Two Testers on the 182
    
    Stoke Level: Hard to say. Results are a little inconclusive on this one. Only two testers took this ski out. Danny was stoked, giving them a 9/10. Than, not so much, giving them a 5/10.
    
    “I have been the type of skier that has traditionally ridden on wider and softer skis such as the Rossignol S7 and recently Atomic Automatics,” Danny Holland said. “My mind was completely blow away after getting on a stiffer hard charging ski like the Zealot. It was amazing to drop in and pick up speed, put in a turn and feel completely in control. It was like skiing on rails.”
    
    Than Volk, not quite as amped, but would like to try them again.
    
    “The day before I rode them had gotten pretty warm,” Than Volk said. “While we got 3” - 4” overnight, we were mostly riding off-piste and it was pretty much “dust on crust” conditions that would have been tough on any pair of skis. I have a pair of Volkl Kanatas and hoped they would perform similarly, but didn’t feel like I got a great chance to test that out.”
    
    Who is this ski for? What type of skier would benefit from this ski?
    
    “This is really a perfect big mountain ski,” Danny Holland said. “It is ideal on those days where the thicker sticks really are not needed and you want to rip tram laps as fast as humanly possible.”
    
    “If it’s anything like a Katana it should be a great front side ski that also holds its own in powder,” Than Volk said.
    
    Teton Gravity Research Advertising Guru - Than Volk
    
    Verdict  ($799)
    164cm:  130-100-118  8lb 10oz
    172cm:  131-100-118  9lb 1oz
    180cm:  132-100-119  9lb 8oz
    188cm:  133-100-119  10lb
    
    One Tester on the 180
    
    Stoke Level: 7
    
    “The Black Diamond Verdict is a great ski but for the conditions that we had today I would have probably want something a little heavier and stiffer,” Said Johanna Murphy, who is 26, 5’5” and 135 lbs. “I would have loved to try these out in lighter snow because I think that’s where these skis would have shined. I felt somewhat sloppy because hitting any hard packed snow they almost flew away from my body making balancing challenging. In the hobacks where the snow was a little softer due to being in the sun these skies performed well. I was in control and smoothly going over the bumpy terrain.”
    
    “My best moment on them was in the Hobacks – The Hobacks were pretty soft when we skied on them and the Verdicts were great handling that light slightly cruddy snow,” Johanna said. “The worst moment was on groomers – I didn’t feel like there was enough edge to catch on the icy groomers that we hit. I felt like the skis were chattering.”
    
    So, who is this ski for? What type of skier would benefit from this ski?
    
    “This ski is for an all mountain skier that has lots of snow to play with. If you are a hard charging skier with a hardpacked mountain to ski on, these probably are not for you,” Johanna said.
    
    

    
    Carbon Megawatt ($999)
    178cm:  145-120-127  7lb 1oz
    188cm:  147-120-127  8lb
    
    One Tester on the 188
    
    Stoke Level: 8.5
    
    “For such a fat ski, I can’t believe how light these boards are,” Sam Petri said. “I skied these on Teton Pass and they were mounted with tech bindings. It was a true pleasure to hike with such fat skis that didn’t weigh so much. On the way down, it was mostly powder and I felt these performed similarly to the non-carbon version in powder – which is awesome.  You can make both large and small turns and you can do that new school thing where you throw them sideways at high spped to make a giant powder plume. I would not ski these at the resort, though, as I think skiing an all carbon ski in resort conditions often leads to a ‘tinny’ feel.”
    
    Who is this ski for? What type of skier would benefit from this ski?
    
    “This ski is for the dedicated backcountry skier who has a quiver of skis and wants this one for the deepest days of the year and general powder crushing,” Sam Petri said.
    
    
    
    
    Convert  ($799)
    164cm:  131-105-116  6lb 6oz
    172cm:  132-105-116  7lb
    180cm:  133-105-117  7lb 4oz
    188cm:  134-105-117  7lb 11oz
    
    One tester on the 180
    
    Stoke level: 8.5
    
    “There is no question that these Black Diamond Covert skis are meant for the pow,” said Joni McGregor, who is 23, 5’7” and 120 lbs. “They were super fun and fast in the wide open powder fields.  They gave me confidence that I don’t get from my own skis in the deep snow.  When we started hitting groomers and going through the trees, these skis were not as ideal. It was more difficult to make good turns on these runs.  Overall, I had a great time on the Covert and it would be the perfect ski for the really deep days.”
    
    Who is this ski for? What type of skier would benefit from this ski?
    
    “An expert skier that likes to tour to find the pow.”
    
    
    
    
    
    A few of us got to get out on the new Factor Mx 130 Ski Boot.
    
    Black Diamond’s Factor Mx 130 boots offer an impressively alpine-boot like feel with an equally impressive walk mode. While everyone’s foot is different, these boots are a solid choice for those that want to ski hard and tour hard. We charged in and out of bounds in them. Below are some specs and some thoughts from BD ski category director Thomas Laakso.
    
    Available in sizes 24.5-30.5
    Weight: 4 kg (8 lb 3 oz) [size 27.5].
     
    ·      Mx Direct Connect technology for unmatched lateral stiffness and Flex 130 fore/aft stiffness
    ·      Mx Direct Connect Alpine and AT Sole Blocks (tech binding compatible) included, integrated heel shock absorber
    ·      Resistance-free walk mode offers 40 degrees of touring freedom
    ·      30% lower profile buckles than previous Factor boots
    ·      Performance 100 mm V-shaped last with 100% thermoformable Direct Connect liner
    
    
    
    “Did you catch Johnny Collinson's run up at Revelstoke?” BD ski category director Thomas Laakso asked in an email. “I'm kind of biased but sort of think that was one of the sickest airs of the comp, along with a super technical line of which he got ROBBED…  But anyways, of relevance, I think it was the first time anyone's really competed on a freeride boot like that.  Stock Factor Mx boots and slaying a line like that!  Along with the new Amperage as well which surely helped him stomp that 3 like a man.   But it is pretty cool that he's competing in it, filming in it, touring in it, and slaying it.  Same with Angel.  Same with Callum Pettit who's not competing, but touring, filming and just monkeying around all in that one boot.  And same with Samuel Antematten in Europe who's competing on it next week in Courmayer.  There hasn't been a boot that you can do all that with yet.  Who knew that a walk mode boot with 40 degrees of touring could also compete at the highest level where they were using plug race boots just last year!”
    
    

    Thanks again to Black Diamond for letting us have the first look at the 2013-14 freeride line! Much appreciated!

    Shop for Black Diamond skis, boots, poles and more at Backcountry.com while helping support TGR!

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  • 4 months ago
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• How Electronics Interfere With How Electronics Interfere With Avalanche Transceivers

  • From: brennanlagasse
  • Description:

    The International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) is held every two years in a major mountain region of the world. It is regarded by snow science professionals as a top conference, bringing researchers and practitioners together to report on experiments, exchange theory and share their experiences in the field to better understand the science of snow.
    
    This past fall, ISSW took place in Anchorage, Alaska, where John Barkhausen, a student at Alaska Pacific University, discussed his findings after organizing a field study to test the theory of electrical interference and avalanche transceivers. The topic has been discussed in many snowcentric circles across the globe for several years. However, a recent YouTube video posted by Stuart Pitches is arguably what has brought the topic into the households of a majority of everyday snow folks.
    
    

    
    
    The video clearly shows that when a GoPro camera is on and in close proximity to a searching avalanche transceiver it can cause interference. The GoPro can facilitate false signal readings, which ultimately may negatively impact the searchers attempt to locate a buried avalanche victim. With so many people using GoPro’s and other helmet cameras while also utilizing avalanche transceivers in the field, it’s obvious there are reasons for concern. The range of interference has been identified as variable depending on model, but the bottom line is that these cameras do influence the working mechanics of avalanche transceivers.
    
    What John Barkhausen discussed at ISSW was not solely related to helmet cameras, but electronics as a whole. Not only are skiers and riders who employ the use of avalanche transceivers increasingly using helmet cameras, they also tend to carry radios, cell phones, GPS devices, other types of cameras or an iPod. Simplistically, the answer to if electronics influence transceiver function is yes. However, the real question is to what degree? Even if helmet cameras were deemed unsafe for use do to the manner that they influence avalanche transceiver function, many backcountry experts support to use of cell phones in the field, as they can provide a necessary point of contact to initiate rescue efforts.
    
    At ISSW Barkhausen placed several electronic devices including a RFID tag (Alyeska lift ticket), Spot emergency locator, cell phone, iPod, radio, digital camera, and GPS unit in the near vicinity of a searching avalanche transceiver to measure the effects. He tested for how the transceiver would be influenced in terms of a searching pattern as well as its receiving range. He used three different transceivers including a Pieps DSP, Barryvox Pulse, and BCA Tracker DTS.
    
    Ultimately, Barkhausen found that none of these electronic devices produced negative impacts on a transmitting beacon. That was big news, as some outfits had initially thought the use of, say, a GoPro or even having a digital camera in ones pack might throw off the ability of a transceiver to function as it’s been designed. He also found that no particular brand of transceiver was more or less affected than the other. 
    
    However, Barkhausen did find that within a range of 17 inches, electronic devices will alter the ability for a transceiver to search for a signal properly. Above 17 inches, interference is minimal, but within that distance, problems are persistent. This is also evident in the video shared by Pitches. The safest way to insure you will not alter your transceiver’s ability to function properly when in search mode is to do what you are taught in an Avi I course — keep your transceiver at arm’s length when in search mode. That way, you should be at least 17 inches away from any electronic interference. The International Commission on Alpine Rescue is reportedly considering that the 17 inches be replaced by about 2 feet (24 inches) for all electronics to ensure a safe distance is met by all users. It’s also important to think about turning your electronic devices off entirely when in avalanche terrain.
    
    As you can see in Picthes video, when your avalanche transceiver is being altered by electrical interference, you will either see erratic numbers or false triggers on your display window and/or overall range will be lost. You might also get false distance readings as well as wrong directions to follow when attempting to search. Even if you don’t have a purely analog transceiver, you will still get so much interference that instead of improper numbers and directions the beeps you are supposed to listen to and follow while searching will be filled with static and thus rendered inaudible.
    
    Clearly, more study is needed to be able to provide full conclusive data regarding different brands and products that represent the most risk for users. According to Barkhausen’s work, iPod’s and GPS units seem to create the most interference of all the electronic devices, although from Picthes video GoPro’s don’t seem to be too far off in terms of potential negative impacts. I’m sure more study and conversation on the subject will be forth coming in the weeks/months ahead so we can all better understand the issue as a whole.
    
    Barkhausen is scheduled to follow up this years presentation at the 2014 ISSW in Banff, Canada, but in the meantime, take home points in the now are to make sure you always perform a transceiver search at arm’s length. If you’re on a snowmobile, get off it to perform a search, so as to not allow any electronics (spark plugs) or noise to influence your search. Also, think about turning your electronic devices off and stowing them away from you transceiver when you are spending time in avalanche terrain.
    
    Read More Here

    Shop for Avalanche beacons while supporting TGR. 10% of each sales goes back to out site from http://backcountry.com

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• News: Patagonia Signs Kye Pete News: Patagonia Signs Kye Petersen And Pep Fujas To Global Ambassador Team

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Kye Petersen is now a Patagonia Ambassador. Photo via Spatziba.
    
    Ski Athletes Pep Fujas and Kye Petersen Join Patagonia as Part of The Company’s Growing Ambassador Line-Up and Expanded Commitment to Snow Sports
    
    VENTURA, Calif. — Patagonia Inc., a leading designer of core outdoor, surf and snowsport apparel, equipment, footwear and accessories, is pleased to announce that Pep Fujas and Kye Petersen have joined the company as Ambassadors. Both individuals embody the company’s core values, come equipped with a life-long dedication to skiing and a desire to ride in the best outerwear possible. As a company, Patagonia has increased its focus in the snow sports category with a major update planned to its outerwear line in Fall 2013. Fujas and Petersen, like other Patagonia Ambassadors, will collaborate closely with the company’s designers to provide first-hand input on every aspect of product performance and design. 
    
    “We’re excited to welcome Pep and Kye to the Patagonia family,” says Josh Nielsen, Patagonia’s Global Category Marketer for snow sports, “Both athletes embody the values and direction of Patagonia Snow and we look forward to working with them closely as we continue to build and evolve our technical product range to meet their needs and the needs of the core end user.”
    
    Kye Petersen, hailed as one of the most talented multidiscipline ski athletes of his generation and winner of the 2012 Powder Magazine Full Throttle and Best Natural Air awards, notes about Patagonia, “I wanted to partner with Patagonia because of their quality, long-lasting products. Everything is well thought out and simple, nothing you don’t need. I like how the product is trustworthy and also the fact that it’s made from recycled materials.”
    
    “I think my skiing style fits with the brand as I’m often exploring new mountains by foot and finding myself deep in the backcountry of remote and pristine mountain ranges,” continues Petersen. “I’m also spending long days in the mountains in all kinds of conditions and putting my gear through rigorous testing. I’m super stoked to start a collaboration and help each other continue to get better in what we are doing!”
    
    Pep Fujas is now a Patagonia Ambassador. Photo by Chris Benchetler.
    
    Fujas, a ski film icon regarded for his innovative approach to skiing and distinct style says, “Part of the reason I joined Patagonia is that they practice exactly what they preach.  The company philosophy isn’t just a moniker or marketing scheme, it’s a way of life that is lived by each and every employee, one which is mindful of their impact on the natural world from creation and design to production and distribution.”
    
    “Patagonia has the highest quality products and they take pride in every garment they make,” continues Fujas. “I know with Patagonia that they have so much experience and have made quality gear for so long that I will be able to perform without having to think about being cold or wet or uncomfortable.” 
    
    Fujas and Petersen join a team of Ambassadors that includes Josh Dirksen, Carston Oliver, Ryland Bell, Forrest Shearer, surfing’s Malloy Brothers, Gerry Lopez and climbing’s Tommy Caldwell, Sonnie Trotter, and other notable athletes at the height of their sports.

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  • 4 months ago
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• 2012 TGR Fall Line Camp At Jac 2012 TGR Fall Line Camp At Jackson Hole

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Forget reaching for the stars, come and shred with them – Tim Durchi and Matt Philippi and many other Jackson Hole athletes to be exact. Now in it’s second winter the TGR Fall Line Camp is the ultimate freeride experience held in the big mountain Mecca of Jackson Hole for middle and high schoolers who aspire to join the next generation of big mountain rippers and park & pipe superstars. Up and coming skiers and snowboarders will spend 3 days improving their fundamentals and learning to drop cliffs, jib features and rip turns with members of the TGR cast, the Jackson Hole Mountain Sports School’s premier youth coaches, and TGR Grom contest winner Daniel Tisi.
    
    The days start early, including one morning on the pre-public “Hollywood” Tram, rubbing shoulders and testing helmet cams with action sports stars Tim Durchi, Matt Philippi, Max Hammer and more. TGR Grom contest winner Daniel Tisi, will also join for a day of big mountain shredding, sharing his lessons-learned from years of competing and filming, and finally achieving his dream of shooting with TGR.
     
    After full throttle sessions of slashing turns and burning quads under the tutelage of the best instructors and pro athletes in the world of big mountain skiing, the up and comers will pull up a chair in the TGR studios and get after it, editing the epic footage they captured during the day. Production magicians from behind the TGR curtain will reveal simple secrets of turning low budget footage into sponsor-worthy final content.
     
    If you aren’t salivating yet, this might not be for you. But, if your idea of ‘the High Life’ (TGR 2003) involves clocking air time in the Tetons, learning to stick your spin or stomp your jib, while hanging out with TGR & JH Mountain Sports School pros, you might not want to wait. The TGR Fall Line Camp takes the meaning of “taking it to the next level” — to the next level.
     
    Level
    
    A ski and snowboard camp for middle and high school aged kids who dream big, and know they need to start small to get there. The camp focuses on building the incremental skills necessary for making good decisions and riding big mountains safely. Skiers & snowboarders with intermediate to advanced skills, able to ski a strong parallel turn in varied snow conditions, and all terrain.
     
    Details
    
    December 29-31, 2012.  $775 for camp and lift tickets or $655 camp only. 

    Sign Up For The TGR Fall Line Camp Now

    For more information call 307-739-2686.
     

  • 5 months ago
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• Shit Jobs Part 4: Waiter Shit Jobs Part 4: Waiter

  • From: jeremybenson
  • Description:

    I never thought I’d be so obsessed with skiing that I would base my entire life around having the freedom to ski absolutely everyday, but that’s what happened. I never would have thought I’d be a waiter, caterer, part-time landscaper, and half-assed freelance writer all at the same time, but that’s what I do. My college degree isn’t doing me much good, but I haven’t missed a powder day for 11 years and counting. Shit jobs have given me the freedom to ski as much as I can, live in an incredible place, and still make a living, sort of.
    
    This series will attempt to profile some of the best and worst shit jobs in a ski town. Don’t get me wrong, in no way do I intend to bash professions like these, they are a means to an end, the axis upon which our mountain lives spin. Without jobs like these, how would you ski over 100 days a season and still be employed?
    
    Points North Heli and Ice Axe Expeditions guide Andrew Eisenstark moonlights as a waiter. Believe it or not, he wears his work shirt when he skis, seriously.
    
    Shit Jobs Part 4: Waiter
    
    Ten years ago, I took my first restaurant job. My winter employment as a ski tech came to an end with the season and I needed a job so I could pay the rent and not have to call my parents and beg them for money. I never thought I’d work in a restaurant, but I took the job out of convenience and necessity. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that marked the beginning of a long and promising career in the restaurant industry. For the better part of the last decade, I’ve worked in a restaurant in some capacity, bussing, bartending, or serving, both seasonally and year round. Why, you ask? Because I love skiing, and I’m just too damn lazy to figure out a better way to make ends meet while still having the ability to ski all day, every day.
    
    Many people in ski towns, and pretty much everywhere else, have made careers out of waiting tables. It makes sense, the hours are ideal for skiing, as long as you work in the evening, and you can make really good money. I know waiters who work full-time, and are damn good at it, that make well over $50,000 a year. Obviously, the amount of money you stand to make waiting tables varies from place to place and fluctuates wildly with the seasons, but there are few jobs in ski towns that allow as much potential for time on the hill and earning money as being a server.
    
    Restaurants offer a plethora of shit jobs, and not so shitty jobs, for people in ski towns (see Shit Jobs: Part 1). Typically, the full spectrum of jobs are available, dishwasher, line cook, busser, bartender, manager, and server. Ideally, you can find an evening shift working in the front of the house, unless you don’t like dealing with people, then I suggest something in the kitchen. The front of the house, bussing, bartending, and serving, is generally where the money is. As glamorous as it might sound to “manage” a restaurant, it typically involves longer hours, more responsibility, and no tips, generally resulting in less money for more work. Getting a job as a server or bartender often requires experience, or working your way up through the ranks into the higher paying positions.
    
    Working the dinner shift offers some of the best hours available in a ski town. The earliest I ever have to be at work is 4 p.m., and sometimes shifts can start as late as 6 p.m. Depending on the day and how busy your restaurant is, you can be done with work anywhere from 9 until around 11 p.m. That means your shifts range from 4 to around 7 hours max. Not having to be at work until the late afternoon means that you can generally ski to the bell, if that’s what you’re into, and still make it to work on time. It’s unlikely that anyone will notice that you had a couple après beers before work, in fact, that might even help to grease the wheels and put you into a better mood to deal with tourists.
    
    As a waiter you work for and primarily get paid in cash. Most servers and front house restaurant workers get paid minimum wage, here in California that is $8 and hour. The vast majority of your take home pay comes in the form of tips, and where I work, your taxable tips are calculated as a percentage of your sales. The taxes come out of your hourly pay, and sometimes you don’t get a paycheck at all, any money in my paycheck is a bonus. A “good” night where I work will bring in $150-$300 in cash in my pocket, I consider anything under $100 to be a “bad” night, and that’s really not that bad at all.
    
    Most restaurants provide a meal for their employees. Not only does this save you money, but it really takes the edge off when you show up straight from the hill, ravenous from a bell to bell powder day where all you ate was a Snickers. Depending where you work and the mood of your manager, free drinks after, and sometimes during, your shift are a standard part of the program. This saves you even more money, because it’s not like you weren’t going to have a drink, right?
    
    Over the years, I have both loved and loathed my restaurant jobs. The money is great, the schedule is even better, what’s not to love about working as a waiter?
    
    Waiting tables in a ski town puts you into extremely frequent and close contact with the dreaded Gapers, Beaters, Cods, and Joeys that support your local economy and lifestyle. Being able to make small talk with them while attending to their every need is a blessing, and a skill that I often struggle to have. Would you find it hard to smile as you explain every single menu item that is Gluten Free to the person you just watched eat a piece of bread? You’re Gluten Free, really?
    
    Around the 1,000th time one of your customers says, “You look like you went skiing today,” or, “sure looks like you got some sun today,” it might start to drive you crazy. Of course you went skiing today, you’re a waiter in a ski town, for crying out loud. It doesn’t matter how much sunscreen you use, skiing 6 to 7 days a week, all season long, for years on end results in one thing, semi-permanent raccoon-face. Couple that with a nice dose of wind-burn and you’ve got a winning combination sure to make everyone know that you ski, a lot. It’s unavoidable. And think better of telling anyone that you went backcountry skiing, otherwise you’ll probably find yourself explaining how climbing skins work, again.
    
    After a long day on the hill, all you want to do is go home, start a fire, crack a beer, and put your feet up, but that’s not going to happen. You change in the car, rush straight into work, freshen up in the bathroom, crush some employee meal, hope you don’t still look baked, and find some source of caffeine. The rest of the day will be spent on your feet, walking rapidly, kissing ass, and speaking as properly as you can. There are better ways to recover your muscles, but that’ll have to wait. Some busy nights you’ll be stuck at the restaurant ‘til 11 p.m. or later. Nights like these make it hard to get up for dawn patrol or get to the liftline at 5:30 a.m. so you can get 15th chair, if you’re lucky.
    
    When you’re done with work you’ve got a pocket full of cash, and a 2 beer buzz. It can be hard not to stop into the bar across the street for a shifter, or two, or three. Interestingly, the same work schedule that is so great for skiing is pretty darn ideal for partying too. Falling into the party scene head-first, like Dexter Rutecki in Aspen Extreme, should be a legitimate concern. Next thing you know you’ve put on 15 pounds of “drinking weight,” and Carlos, the local coke dealer, is on your speed dial. All of a sudden you only make it out skiing after 11, and then only on sunny days. This is only hypothetical, of course, but I’ve seen it happen.
    
    It doesn’t take long to get used to the lifestyle that being a waiter provides. The perfect recreation schedule and easy money could be something that you fall in love with and sucks you in for life. What other job in a ski town gives you the freedom to play all day long, both summer and winter, and still make a decent living in an incredible place? Here I am, 10 years after taking my first restaurant job, still working in a restaurant. Not because I love it, but because of how much I love everything else that I do, it’s almost like I’m trapped by the sports that I’m passionate about, unwilling to give up the freedom to play to try something different and break out of the cycle.
    
    I’m not entirely sure that I chose to be waiter, it almost seems like it chose me. Fortunately, waiting tables has by far the best schedule to pay ratio of any of the shit jobs I’ve held. Guess I better get used it, I might be doing this for the rest of my life…
    
    Shit Jobs Part 3: Unemployment Collecting Seasonal Worker
    
    Shit Jobs Part 2: Ski Tech

    Shit Jobs Part 1: Line Cook

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  • 5 months ago
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• Small Group Heli Skiing; The W Small Group Heli Skiing; The Way Forward

  • From: johnforrest
  • Description:

     

    Small Group Heli Skiing; The Way Forward

    By Aaron Whitfield, Terrace, B.C.

    Small group heli skiing at Northern Escape Heli-Skiing in Terrace, BC, means you and three to five buddies are flying together in an A-Star or Koala helicopter. With nearly 1.8 million acres of terrain for your exclusive use, it’s a skier/boarder’s paradise.

    Imagine yourself at the top of a mountain on a blue bird day with fresh snow, your guide, your key group of ski buddies, and no one else. Your guide points out the untracked fall line below you. You scope it out and look at your buddies with a knowing grin; it’s all yours! You hit your epic line and look back at the sweet S-turns that mark the best run of your life. Welcome to small group heli skiing at Northern Escape. Over and over again, every run, all day. Fresh tracks, no crowds, just you and your buddies chasing your guide down the mountain. Get to the bottom and jump in the waiting helicopter for a short flight up to a new peak for the next, “best run of your life.”

    Northern Escape is exclusively small group heliskiing, which makes it easier to create cohesive groups with similar ability levels. With Unlimited Vertical, you ski as much as you can without the herd mentality. When at a Cat or Heli Ski operation with 12 guests per group, a commonly heard phrase at the bottom is, “Hey man, you stole my line!” That’s when you learn that it’s only your line when you are looking back up at it. With a small group, there are plenty of fresh lines for everyone.

    There is also the lodge experience to consider. At Northern Escape’s Yellow Cedar Lodge, they cater to a maximum of 18 guests at a time, leading to an intimate lodge atmosphere. There is a high staff to guest ratio, which results in great customer service where everyone knows your name. As many happy guests can attest, small group heli skiing is the way forward.

     

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  • 6 months ago
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• Gear Review: 2012 Trew WyEast Gear Review: 2012 Trew WyEast Softshell Jacket

  • From: warpigsinfin
  • Description:
    I've gotten to play with TREW's WyEast softshell for the last two months, and am declaring it a lightweight (23oz), packable, stylish soft shell jacket with a pretty manageble pricetage ($200).  
    

    
    Though it's still early season I've taken this jacket out on 5 backcountry ski adventures in conditions ranging from 10*F with high winds and blowing snow to 50*F with high winds and drizzly mist.  The WyEast kept me warm and dry while venting my sweat effectively.
    
    I've also taken this jacket climbing/mountaineering 3 times, and have ridden my bike all over the valley with typical Jackson Hole fall (fickle) weather including high winds, drizzle, torrential snow dumps, and drastic temperature swings.
    
    In my experience the TREW WyEast softshell has proven itself a reliable jacket across the spectrum of conditions I've experienced over the last two months and still looks/feels new after ~40 days total of use.
    
    TREW says the following about the WyEast on their website, and it's a surprisingly accurate description:
    
    

    "THE WYEAST: Durable, Breathable, Comfortable.
    
    Three seasons, one mission: getting after it. Moving like water, you are everything and nothing. You break like the wind. You party like a beast. Your jacket is the WyEast.... Designed with excellent range of motion and weather resistance for alpine ascents, but slim-fitting and breathable enough to layer under a shell on brutally cold days, the WyEast softshell is crucial to your cold-weather arsenal. A plush fleece lining and supple, yet burly polyester rip-stop face fabric give this jacket last-call comfort that belies its rugged capabilities. Built for the rigors of a life on and around snow, for springtime Cascade ascents and midnight truck repairs, it complements our line of hardshell jackets like a second thought. Anatomical design, welded and reinforced laser-cut pockets, and rock-solid construction testify to its TREW roots."
    
      Here's what I have to say about the WyEast: 
      THE GOOD
      *lightweight at 23oz and packs down small
      *slim fit great for wearing under a shell or mountaineering
      *stretchy fabric does not restrict movement
      *very breathable yet water resistant
      *cozy liner, especially around shoulders/mouth
      *solid zippers (not the kind that wear out quickly)
      *big hood with good drawstrings
      *good powder drawstrings at the waist
      *big waist pockets and good interior pocket
      *long sleeves, good velcro sleeve closures
      *more affordable ($200) than others (Arcteryx hooded softshell is $398)
    
      THE BAD
      *only comes in two color schemes (though pretty sweet colors)
      *made in Vietnam (better than China, but not made locally.. but what is?)
      *big "thumbs up" logo on the back left shoulder may upset Negative Nancy
      *bright red is a bad color choice for fighting the New American Revolution
      *black is a great color choice for fighting the New American Revolution
      *embedded chick magnetism may make romantic fidelity difficult
      *no headphones built into the hood
      *no bungie roach clip for my "goggle wipe" (Burton used to include these) 
      *doesn't fit a German Shepherd very well.
      *only available in sizes S-XXL (won't fit "Average Americans" above 350 lbs)
      *keeps me from sweating but does nothing to control my body odor
      *pisses me off that this jacket didn't exist years ago.
    
      SO THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS.
    
      Check out the WyEast right here...
    
    

     

     

     
  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 271
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• Game On: Tahoe Goes Off In Oct Game On: Tahoe Goes Off In October

  • From: sethlightcap
  • Description:

    72 hours into winter, Allison Lightcap slashes a deep drift on Donner Summit.
    
    Story and Photos by Seth Lightcap
    
    More than a few Lake Tahoe folk got the lights turned out on their summer lifestyle last week. After a mild fall with very little rain, Old Man Winter flipped the switch with authority. A potent storm blew into the Sierra on October 21 and dumped nearly four feet of snow on the crest over the next three days. There was no window of tacky singletrack for the mountain bikes and motos this year. Tahoe went from dusty, powdery trails to straight-up pow turns in 24 hours!
    
    It’s not the first time the Sierra ski season has opened with an overnight pummeling, but the last week of October 2012 will go down as something special. The combination of immediate coverage and cold pow made for unbelievably good skiing conditions within a day of the first flakes falling. But don’t take my word for it. I know seeing is believing. Here’s a gallery of shots from last week celebrating the epic start to winter in the Sierra:
    
    The storm track favored North Tahoe. Donner Summit and the neighboring peaks of Sugar Bowl ski resort got especially creamed. 
    
    Earning your turns is the only option if you want to shred the Sierra crest in October. Squaw Valley opened one base level chairlift for four hours on Thursday and Boreal did the same Friday to Sunday, but no upper mountain lifts have cracked in California yet. Allison Lightcap started her season on her splitboard.
    
    The storm came in gusty on Sunday but the winds died Monday night. Tuesday and Wednesday it snowed steadily. Terrain at 8,000 feet was left with a couple feet of cream atop a couple feet of dense windpack - a perfect insta-base.
    
    Moss Halladay lights up a turn testing the depths of a loaded gully dropping off the crest.
    
    Allison Lightcap threads a line into one of the ‘Sisters’ chutes at Sugar Bowl.

    You can bet Sugar Bowl ambassador Daron Rahlves has been out charging laps around his home turf.

    Even speed racer Rahlves has kept his turns relatively mellow. Despite the thick blanket of fresh snow, lurking rocks still abound.
    
    Ryland Bell left his home in Alaska just in time. He drove into Tahoe and wallowed into waist deep snow the next day.
    
    Field of fall foliage turned field of dreams for Ryland Bell.
    
    Matt Clark barrels into the white room while the storm was still pounding.
    
    All of the Tahoe Basin got some snow but only select areas got enough to safely ski. Brennan Lagasse swam through a shark tank skiing this pitch.
    
    These first tours were the perfect shakedown to remind you what you forgot about backcountry skiing over the summer. Brennan Lagasse won’t leave home without his skin wax next mission. 

    From a mild fall to dead winter overnight - Chris Galvin lives the Tahoe dream tearing into an October pow turn.

  • Blog post
  • 7 months ago
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