305 Search Results for ""mount snow""

• Sam Zahner Season 13: pt. 2 Sam Zahner Season 13: pt. 2

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:
    Rider: Sam Zahner Filmed By: Many Part 2... Enjoy!
  • 4 days ago
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• TGR Joins Exum Mountain Guides TGR Joins Exum Mountain Guides in the Apocalypse Couloir - Almost Live Season 5 Episode 9

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    In episode 9 of "Almost Live" Season 5, Exum Mountain Guide Zahan Billimoria teams up with Jackson Hole athletes, Griffin Post and Max Hammer, to take on the Apocalypse Couloir in Grand Teton National Park. Get an intimate glimpse inside the effort it takes to ski the remote, steep couloir. The team makes a series of repels, commiting them to the dangerous line. The boys then drop into the 3000 foot line, which is as steep as 50 degrees in some areas. They are faced with falling ice and unstable snow which add to their thrilling pursuit.  

     

    Music:

    Artist: BOCrew

    Track: The Pursure of a Dream

    http://ccmixter.org/people/BOCrew

     

    Sponsors:

    http://www.exumguides.com/

    http://www.jacksonhole.com/

     

    Shop TGR Merchandise as seen in this episode of Almost Live here: 

    https://shop.tetongravity.com

  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 48
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• Through the Lens: Jason Thomps Through the Lens: Jason Thompson

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:
    Words by Kim Havell and Jason Thompson
    Images by Jason Thompson
    
    
    Upon graduating from Montana State University in 2004, photographer Jason Thompson joined Big Sky’s Ski Patrol and also worked as a mountain guide in Washington and Alaska, steadily building a career in adventure photography. His focus is on creating skiing and climbing imagery that captures the essence of action adventure.
    
    
    With a style that Thompson describes as “raw and unposed”, he strives for simplicity. His images are the product of his lifestyle, telling stories inspired by nature, adventure, and the human experience. At twelve years of age, Thompson decided to pursue photography with an old-school Olympus camera. He took photography classes in high school while shooting action photos of skiing, backpacking, and soccer.
    
    
    
    
    
    Thompson is currently on an expedition to University Peak in Alaska with friend and ski partner, Forrest Coots. When asked about Thompson, Coots shares, “JT has a strong skill set built from years of guiding. He is comfortable climbing and skiing big lines, while also shooting, which allows him to capture that raw-feeling. His images reflect his travels through the mountains via ice climbing and ski mountaineering in iconic locations around the world.” 
    
    
    
    
    The Start—Insights from Jason
    As a kid, I was drawn to the mountains and loved the winter months. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest I was exposed to some of the finest mountain terrain in the lower 48. The Olympic Mountains served as my launching point for adventuring as well as capturing the escapades with my camera. The Washington experience extended from childhood through high school. 
    
    
    A high school friend gave me a flyer for Montana State University. That was the first time I realized the power of marketing; there was a skier on the front page of the flyer. I was sold. I had also seen many of Kris Erickson's pictures and read many of Hans Saari's words. It was an easy move to a place where two creative adventurers that I had looked up to had made their home base. In the fall of 1999, I moved to Bozeman, without ever having been there, two days before classes started. Five years later I graduated with a degree in photography. The community in Bozeman welcomed me and it’s been home ever since. 
    
    
    
    
    Breaking Through
    For me, the photography process has more been a series of ups and downs with a continual ebb and flow. There have also been great moments that have provided me with bigger surges. 
    
    
    In 2008, Tyler Jones, Seth Waterfall, and I received a Hans Saari Ski Exploration grant for a trip to Mount Shkhara in the Republic of Georgia, located in the Svaneti Region. I had to plan a major trip from a climbing/skiing perspective as well as from a photography perspective. It was a great learning exercise. The expedition was powerful for the three of us, visiting a place that we knew little about. It left a mark on me in my young photography career.
    
    
    In issue #36 of Alpinist Magazine I had a double page spread. The article, written by Joe Josephson, was about ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon here in Bozeman, Montana. I was humbled and thrilled at this incredible opportunity to be involved.
    
    
    
    
    
    Inspiration
    During my junior year of university, Kris Erickson came in and gave a talk to my photography business class. It was groundbreaking for me. I remember being blown away by the images he was showing, the adventures he had been on, and the people and places he had seen. It was an inspiring forty minutes for me. I remember thinking that, yep, I could do that for work. 
    
    
    Since then I have had a chance to get to know Kris better. The insight he provided that day and since then has motivated me to follow suit in many ways and has helped me to carefully evaluate how I mold and shape my photography and my brand.  I have heard Kris mention so many nuggets of wisdom over the years. When I used to shoot slides, I built myself a light table, made of out of cheap plywood and plexiglass. I would write quotes or ideas that I had heard which inspired me or had caused me to take pause. Some of my favorite nuggets written on that light table were from Kris. I wish I had kept that light table—somewhere during the many moves I lost it.
    
    
    
    
    Safety
    I have always wanted to be a photographer and that has always been my number one goal. But, I tactically decided early on to pursue ski patrolling and guiding in order to give me a solid foundation of management, in particular from a safety standpoint. I heard Will Gadd explain his philosophy and outlook on life as a “positive, negative outlook.” Meaning, the universe is out to kill us. As Will put it, if you get hit with that piece of ice that is your fault. No one else can be blamed for that. He preached personal responsibility. I agree.
    
    
    
    
    
    As a ski patroller at Big Sky Ski Resort, I learned a lot over the years about avalanches and helping others with medical incidents and avalanche mitigation. I also started mountain guiding, spending time in the Alaska Range and on Mt Rainier.
    
    
    
    
    I have a very open dialogue with athletes with whom I am shooting. Safety is number one. Just because there is a camera does not mean that you have to accept a risk that you wouldn't normally take. The industry trend is to make everything look very sexy. Often times the careful calculations are not shown or exposed. That is one of the things I want to bring to the table as a photographer. Showing the process of how the hazard is being evaluated and what steps are being taken in order to minimize “our” exposure to that risk or hazard. 
    
    
    
    
    
    The Creative Process
    The creative visual process has only begun to take shape in the vertical terrain. I think that we have just seen the beginning. As a visual adventure artist I try and pre-visualize how an athlete will ski a certain line or climb a certain line. I use the athlete as my brush stroke on a blank canvas to generate the exclamation point to the already stunning landscape. 
    
    
    Hans Saari stated this idea beautifully: “ The vibrancy of the line means everything. Like a cello, there is no sound until the string is taut. The more you struggle, the tighter the string, the greater the music.” 
    
    
    
    The Business
    With the current status of the industry, it takes creativity to approach the visual side of things and to see things from new angles. If I use a business model that my mentors used previously, chances are that I probably will not last too long in this industry. 
    
    
    The digital age has shifted many things. But, I believe that relationships propel us forward. It’s the human connection. As a viewer of images, you are drawn to the content that captures that soul. One of the quotes that I had written on my plywood light table twelve years ago was from Kris Erickson—“It’s about the relationships.“ 
    
    
    
    
    
    Just like any business that is starting out, a plan of action has to be put into place. Still, taking that first step into the unknown is still probably one of the biggest adventures upon which I have embarked. But just like climbing or skiing a big objective, after the first few pitches your nerves calm down. I have been able to realize that “yeah, I can do this.” It’s something that you have to commit to. It’s a lifestyle. Creative artists pour their lives into doing what makes them passionate. 
    
    
    
    
    Partnerships
    Time spent with friends exploring and adventuring inspires me the most. I've found a greater personal joy in the expedition style shooting versus the one-day shoots. It is a chance to get to know my subjects in greater detail and see more of their personalities shine.
    
    
    
    
    
    There are several folks with whom I really love working:
    
    
    - Ice climber Andres Marin has been a great friend of mine for a very long time. His energy is contagious. Andres has a drive for perfection and professionalism that is very admirable.
    
    
    - Forrest Coots and I met for the first time while in Chile during the fall of 2011 on a ski trip. We meshed right away. I enjoy Forrest's desire to take trips to places that require some thoughtful planning. Forrest and I have sat in our tents during storms and shoot texts back and forth dreaming about trips and different ideas that spark our passions for skiing in the mountains.
    
    
    - Tyler Jones and I met in 2005 while we were guiding for the same company. Tyler has since gone on to finish his AMGA guiding certifications as the youngest American to complete the process. His meticulous attention to detail is somewhat astonishing. Tyler is one of my best friends. From the Republic of Georgia, Montana, Alaska and La Grave, our mountain time has played a huge role in our friendship. I've learned a ton from Tyler in regards to hazard mitigation.
    
    
    - I was recently on a shoot with Conrad Anker. His vision, dedication and outlook on life is inspiring. He would prefer to talk about his new route the “Nutcracker” than talk about his last summit on Everest without oxygen. His psych for climbing is contagious, his energy transcends generations, his talents are inspiring to watch, and his mentorship helps many. Conrad never stops learning and he is a proponent for adaptation. That’s just rad. 
    
    
    
    
    The Future of the Industry
    I believe the future involves a lot of creative collaboration. Sharing ideas and collaborating can be very rewarding. It will most likely evolve and morph on a much larger scale. I know of some climbing projects that are in the works based on wide scale submissions from climbers willing to submit content from a whole season’s worth of footage from one location. So instead of one or even five filmers being involved, there will be fifty contributing work. 
    
    
    
    Career Highlights
    - Every year I make a little more money than the previous year as a photographer.
    
    
    - Having my first image published in a Patagonia catalog and then having them re-license it for a store display in the Seattle store—that was a goal of mine that year and it felt really good to nail it. 
    
    
    - Being awarded the Hans Saari Ski Exploration Grant for a Ski trip to Mt Shkhara in the Republic of Georgia. 
    
    
    - Double page spread in Alpinist Magazine #36
    
    
    - The moment I realized that I actually had an audience that was listening to me and actively following my work. It was a moment that shifted my mindset and challenged me to work even harder. It wasn't just my mom who was looking at my pictures anymore. 
    
    
    - Being asked to give a talk at Montana State University in the same business photography class in which I had heard Kris Erickson give his talk. 
    
    
    - The friends I have made and the many interesting people that I have been fortunate to meet over the years because of photography. 
    
    
    - Being invited on the Cerro Castillo ski trip in Patagonia with Drew Stoecklein, Chuck “The Pit Viper King” Mumford and Forrest Coots to work on and create the short film “Take The Ride.”
    
    
    To view more of Jason's work, drop into http://www.jthompsonphotography.com
    
    
    
  • Blog post
  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 175
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• Thunder Glacier - Mountain Man Thunder Glacier - Mountain Man Mission Episode 1

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

    
    Watch More Videos By John Wells

  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 41
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• JHMR Mountain Fest JHMR Mountain Fest

  • From: jacksonhole
  • Description:

    Spring is a great time in the Tetons. With tons of snow for skiing and snowboarding and fun events every weekend now is a great time to visit Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
    
    Watch More Jackson Hole Videos

     

  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 15
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• Snowboarding The Remote With M Snowboarding The Remote With Mitch Toelderer

  • From: mitchtolderer
  • Description:

    Praxmarerkarspitze is a remote peak in the Austrian Karwendel mountain range that Mitch Toelderer had always wanted to climb up and ride. He had been looking at it for the last couple years, but he never saw a good track. At the end of February, the conditions were looking good so Max Zipser, Bibi Toelderer-Pekarek and Mitch Toelderer gave it a go.
    
    Watch More Mitch Toelderer Videos

     

  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 101
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• RC Helicopter edit from Shifte RC Helicopter edit from Shifted Cinema

  • From: ethan_fortney
  • Description:

    Took one of the Helicopters up to Stevens Pass with our new Sony FS700 to test out the slomo abilities.  Besides a gusty morning, it was a pretty solid day and came away with some good shots.

    Thanks for watching,

    Ethan

    info@shiftedcinema.com

    Music: Till Death - The Dark Woods

     

  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 44
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• Daiek Defends His Title And Tu Daiek Defends His Title And Turf - Freeride World Tour TV

  • From: freerideworldtour
  • Description:

    2012 Freeskiing World Tour Champion Josh Daiek has had a rough season so far on the 2013 Freeride Word Tour. The competition on his home mountain, Kirkwood, gives him the opportunity to defend his title and improve his ranking.
    
    Watch More Freeride World Tour TV Videos

     

  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 9
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• Surface Live Free Skis (2012/2 Surface Live Free Skis (2012/2013): GEAR REVIEW

  • From: warpigsinfin
  • Description:

    SUMMARY: The Surface Live Free ski is an ultralight, fat, all mountain ski perfect for backcountry powder, ski mountaineering, and variable inbounds and sidecountry conditions. Despite being significantly lighter weight than most similarly sized skis, the Live Free is a solid wood-core ski incorporating hybrid flex: conventional camber underfoot and progressive rocker in the tip and tail. The Live Free has proven itself a fun, durable, versatile “one ski quiver” in the Teton Range.

    LENGTHS: 181cm, 191cm
    RADIUS: 181cm: 22m, 191cm: 26.2m
    WEIGHT: 181cm: 8.6lbs, 191cm: 10.2lbs (pair)
    WIDTH: 181cm:146/110/130, 191cm:156/120/135

    REVIEW SPECS: Reviewer is a 200 lb., 5’10” male backcountry powderhound and occasional ski mountaineer in Wyoming’s Teton Range. I have skied 30+ backcountry days on the 2013 Surface Live Free 191 in conditions ranging from bottomless powder to hero snow to groomers to steep, sketchy sun and wind crusts.

    Review conducted with Dynafit TLT Mountain Bootsand Dynafit TLT Speed Radical Bindings. 

    I experimented with multiple binding mount configurations, initially starting at the manufacturer recommended mount – 90cm from tail to boot center – before moving the mount back ~5cm and then ultimately moving the mount back an additional 4cm to 81cm from tail to boot center. After several seasons riding a fat, floppy 188cm ski with boot center 78cm from the tail, I didn’t enjoy having 90cm of tail and the necessity of leaning back in the deep stuff.  I predominantly ride powder and found mounting the skis 9cm back from the recommended mount to be a whole lot of fun in deep snow without sacrificing hard snow performance. I have to lean forward a bit more aggressively to engage the edges for carving, but I’d rather do that than continually lean back to keep my tips afloat in the fluff I’m generally out hunting for.
    
    FULL GEAR REVIEW HERE.   

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
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• Masters of Snowboarding Squaw Masters of Snowboarding Squaw Valley Highlights 2013 - The North Face

  • From: thenorthface
  • Description:

    The 4-star competition of The North Face Masters of Snowboarding presented by PrimaLoft was a pleasure for spectators with dynamic and creative lines abound in spring break weather. Ruari MacFarlane out of Mount Olympus, New Zealand and Squaw Valley local Iris Lazzareschi were crowned Masters Champions of a highly competitive field consisting of 16 females and 53 men.
    
    Athletes Featured: Rosemarie Daiek, Christopher Galvin, Marissa Krawczak, Casey Lucas, Colin Boyd, Moss Halladay, Hans Mindich, Ryan Hudson, Sammy Luebke, Irish Lazzareschi and Ruari McFarlane.
    
    Music credit: “What you know” by Hot Noize
    
    Watch More Videos By The North Face

     

  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 25
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• Pillow Talk With Coltson VB Pillow Talk With Coltson VB

  • From: gregfitzsimmons
  • Description:

    Colston VB on his way up in Revelstoke to film "Pillow Talk."
    
    This January in Revelstoke, while 60-plus competitors on the newly-formed Freeride World Tour were waiting for a weather window to compete in the season’s first comp, a couple of buddies from Rossaland, British Columbia, set out on a three-day mission on Roger’s Pass. The goal: find a few pillow zones that BC is known for, detonate said pillow zones, and capture the riding on film.
    
    The two-man team consisted of 21-year-old Revy-based skier Colston VB, who we highlighted last spring as one of the 10 Skiers On the Rise, and cinematographer David Peacock, who is a partner in the up-and-coming BC-based production outfit named Absolute Zero. Together, the duo created one of the sickest mini-edits to drop in awhile. Colston’s smeary style and Peacock’s fresh approach to filming combined in the making of “Pillow Talk.”
    
    
    
    “We went to three different zones on three different days,” says Colston VB. “I’ve been out here in Revy for almost a month and I haven’t gone to the same spot more than a few times. There’s just so much to explore. One of the main zones that we filmed in is actually really easy to get to. It’s only a short skin off the highway on Roger’s Pass.”
    
    The pillows that Colston’s boosting has skiers and riders frothing, and the visually compelling backdrops has filmmakers and photogs flipping out. That crazy looking, vertically striated peak in the background is Mount Ross, and it’s pillow heaven.  “It’s such a cool mountain,” says Colston, “But honestly, there are so many like it around Revelstoke. That’s how it is out here — a lot of these mountains mimic what you’ll see in the Swiss Alps.”
    
    From a filmmaker’s perspective, the terrain around Roger’s Pass was the perfect canvas to create on. “Each of the three zones we visited provided amazing potential for shooting,” says David Peacock. “Being able to get into the Ross Peak zone was a pretty awesome time. Having the sun pop as we were making our way up the steep skin track made us a little giddy, and when we emerged into the zone we couldn't wait to pull the trigger. Backlit spines and twinkling snow is what we dream about!”
    
    Colston VB dreaming in a bed of pillows.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 106
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• Under The Orange Glow Of Mount Under The Orange Glow Of Mount Etna

  • From: kimhavell
  • Description:

    Nick Waggoner skins up a volcano in Italy.
    
    Last winter, filmmakers Nick Waggoner and Zac Ramras, photographer Grant Gunderson, and Salomon freeskiers Elyse Saugstad and Kim Havell went to Italy on assignment for Salomon Freeski TV to shred Mount Etna. The episode is soon to drop. In the meantime, read the story below.
    
    The spray of liquid magma burst into the night sky. Mount Etna was erupting, as she does once roughly every two months, and we were skiing under the orange glow of her latest paroxysm.
    
    In early February 2012, a promising Italian snow forecast had us chasing a storm to Sicily, an island on the Mediterranean Sea. While much of the U.S. languished in a dry early winter Europe was being blasted by heavy snowfall and Italy was deep in the weather pattern. With a lofty goal of ski exploration on Sicily’s notorious active volcano, Etna, our team thought it best to aim for winter-like conditions.
    
    With the promise of powder, we booked tickets and landed two short days later in the coastal Sicilian city of Catania. Geographically, Sicily is the soccer ball to Italy’s boot. Assembled at the airport, we had a vague plan of action. On assignment for Salomon Freeski TV, filmmakers Nick Waggoner and Zac Ramras, photographer Grant Gunderson, and Salomon freeskiers Elyse Saugstad and I loaded into a white minivan and drove out of the city and up towards the volcano.

    Reigning above numerous fragile, cozy old towns, Mount Etna basks in a sea breeze that wafts over its small, scattered cones, jagged igneous black-rock ridges, and wide, fluted flanks. Steep, rocky lines run down parts of her face along with miles of more benign terrain to descend. Topping out at almost 11,000 feet, Etna’s high position provides unobstructed views of the coastline, which blend seamlessly into the olive groves and vineyards dotting the landscape.
    
    The quaint Sicilian town of Nicolosi was our home for the next 10 days. From the lower vantage point we admired the mountain, scoped our dream lines, and we waited. Each morning we were greeted with unpredictable weather and the repercussions of an eruption that included turbulent cloud cover, and low visibility for skiing on her relatively blank, high-alpine expanse. Café-bound, we sipped our espressos, snacked on arranchinas (popular rice cones & balls served hot with a variety of inner ingredients) and waited for sunshine and clear windows to explore the vast terrain and the best ski lines on the active volcano.
    
    We quickly realized we had to accept Mount Etna at her best and her worst. She threw out strong winds, thick fog, serpent-like clouds, and serious eruptions. She rumbled, coughed, spit, and spewed volcanic bits, with lava flow and liquid magma sliding down her slopes. We inhaled and skied ash debris but also enjoyed a few short sunny, clear stretches with a steady refresh of white snow from the constant storm cycle.
    
    With slow access via an ancient gondola, creaky chairlifts, and struggling pomas, we got a gradual boost up 740 meters of hillside. Passionate locals joined us in gondola line each morning with their short carving skis and big smiles. Pouring out of the cabins, we warmed-up with the Sicilians on a few of the groomed options at one of Etna’s two ski resorts.
    
    Elyse Saugstad skis Mount Etna.
    
    After sampling the mellow in-bounds terrain, our team headed into the backcountry. Though there is easy access to ski tour and explore the many additional acres of more challenging off-resort offerings, there is absolute solitude. We had any line we chose all to ourselves.
    
    As we ventured across Etna’s broad landscape, we crossed high ridgelines that protected hidden valleys of rocky couloirs, mini-volcano cones, and small amphitheatres with mini-golf-like terrain. Dropping off one sastrugi-ridden ridge to the West, we skied wind-buffed corridors and then toured back up and skied corn back to the resort. Checking out the Volcano cones, we set a hard edge on each icy turn on the windward slopes and then skied packed powder on the leeward. Skiing into the craters was almost always soft as the sun reflected heat into the white belly of their inner bowls. We got a taste of everything.
    
    One evening as the setting sun cast luminous colors over the horizon and the volcano erupted behind us, Nick turned to us and asked, “Should we hike up and get some ski shots next to the lava?”
    
    Elyse and I looked at each other, then looked at Nick, and said, “No, thanks.”
    
    Though there were many cultural highlights we were there to ski. When the visibility was poor up high, due to Etna’s unusually deep snowpack during our visit, we were able to find good alternative options. We ducked into heavily wooded hillsides off the winding road up to the resort. From a skier perspective, the forests needed some pruning, but we found tight alleyways and fun, smooth powder skiing under the protected canopy of the towering trees.
    
    The tempestuous visit was a beautiful and healthy reminder that nature is very, very close. Etna was in charge and we were on her agenda. After ten days of patience, waiting, and unusual skiing adventures on Etna’s flanks, our U.S. team “Magma” was provided with a couple of lessons: don’t book a ticket to Etna for a storm and Sicily is beautiful but Etna can be a tricky beast.
    
    The sunset in Taormina, Italy.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 152
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• 12-21-12 End of the World Stor 12-21-12 End of the World Storm

  • From: johnwellsma
  • Description:

    12-21-12 /// End of the World Storm – by John Wells

    
    Where will you ride on your last day on Earth? Well, hopefully it’s a powder day and you are riding at your favorite resort or your choicest line far away from civilization. For me and Carl Wollschlager we decided to head into the eye of humanity and venture to Cypress Mountain just outside Vancouver, B.C. for some deep pow turns before our time here on this planet is over. With Mt. Baker acting like an apocalyptic wicked step sister (with 80 inches in 6 days and 100 downed trees in the road) she closed her doors to us and we headed north for some End of the World turns. Shit, no time to sit at home and sulk when the world is going to end in just a day or two. We mounted up, braved Vancouver rush hour traffic and mashed through 6 inches of snow, blasted around front wheel drive cars stuck in the coastal mush and got to our destination ready to shred.

    Meanwhile in the rest of the World mayhem ensues; Schools closing early, NASA giving scientific reasons countering the predictions of the Mayan Astronomers, people jacking up their credit cards in hope they won’t have to pay them off, and students praying for a 3 day weekend. All the while 22 inches of snow fell while we carved deep trenches in the trees and got blasted by 40 mph winds full of that lovely B.C. coastal velvet. Remember Y2K ? I think my clock radio from 1984 was the only thing affected by that multi-billion dollar fear campaign to stimulate our society into spending more money to add some more zeros. Zeros should be cheap, even free, hence the zero, duh.
    Society was at its best on December 20, 2012. Traffic up the ying yang, lots of people pushing Prius’ in the snow (electric cars are great in the snow, good torque) smart cars parked in plow lanes (not so smart) and generally a feeling of doomsday filled the air at 9 AM in Downtown Vancouver. Lightning bolts cracked the sky heading up to Cypress as the coastal air masses mixed and dumped heavy snow.

    Transformers blew with heavy winds knocking out all power; Cypress Mountain was running strictly on Diesel generators and none was the wiser. It truly felt like the end of the world for most urbanites but for us it was just another day riding pow, and boy did we ride. The trees were tight and magical, huge clouds of snow blinding every turn, mini avalanches in the trees, and pushy city folk wondering why we had backpacks on. It could have all ended then but they popped on the lights and pushed on into the darkness as Cypress was engulfed in a warm up and we left as the storm subsided and the fog rolled in. The End of the World was a mere hours away. It loomed near in the form of a shwarma /Donnair wrap in a crusty Falafel shack on Denman Street where in only hours the departure from this world was only too real!

  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 462

• The ARC'TERYX Deep Winter Phot The ARC'TERYX Deep Winter Photo Challenge

  • From: whistlerblackcomb
  • Description:

    The ARC'TERYX Deep Winter Photo Challenge presented by GORE TEX® will take place on Saturday, January 19 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Six photographers and their teams have begun shooting on Whistler and Blackcomb in an effort to compile the best shots they can with their athletes to produce a slideshow judges and fans will love on Saturday night. Ryan Regehr followed Mike Helfrich and his team on the first day of shooting.
    
    Watch More Videos By Whistler Blackcomb

     

  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 9
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• The Beginning - ARcast Early S The Beginning - ARcast Early Season Part 1 - Armada Skis

  • From: armadaskis108111
  • Description:

    This past December Mammoth found itself with excellent early season conditions, tons of snow, and an Unbound Terrain Park that could arguably match up to the size and quality of most other resort parks mid-season.
    
    Phil Casabon and Henrik Harlaut begin their season in the Unbound park, with this ARcast being shot throughout three days of perfectly sunny, wind free days of park lapping in early December.
    
    Watch More Videos By Armada Skis

     

  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 202
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• Dollar Mountain Money Shot 201 Dollar Mountain Money Shot 2013

  • From: idarado
  • Description:

    The second annual Banked Slalom in Sun Valley Idaho was a great success despite the freezing temperatures.
    
    Watch More Videos By Smith Optics

     

  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 9
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• The Weak 3 By Ian Compton The Weak 3 By Ian Compton

  • From: line_skis
  • Description:

    Mr. Andy Parry and Jack Borland traveled back East in the TC van to kick off the “Tell A Friend Tour”. Huge thanks to everyone who showed up and Killington & Okemo for treating us so kindly! After pizza parties and a but load of free gear for the kids we sent it to Mount Snow to have some fun in the sun. See you all next Tuesday for a new Weak.
    
    Click To Watch More Line Videos

     

  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 6
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• The Weak 2 By Ian Compton The Weak 2 By Ian Compton

  • From: line_skis
  • Description:

    Welp, its still early season so ripping turns at Mount Snow was a must...Felt good carving hard and grabbing some grabs. After that me and my roommate Brian. S cruised over to Killington where we met up with the Darkside dudes and Mr. Evan Williams. Big thanks to Charlie Dayton for laying it down, Dan. V and Tyler Mills for snacking on some simply naked peta chips. See you all Next Tuesday for a new Weak... - Ian Compton

  • 5 months ago
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• The Pay Off - Sierra Storm Cha The Pay Off - Sierra Storm Chasing

  • From: gregfitzsimmons
  • Description:

    
    
    The promise of precipitation was too much to ignore. A series of late November storms were lining up on the Pacific and barreling towards the Sierra Nevada. A lot of dialogue was swirling around about the systems, though, with everyone wondering, speculating, and predicting a full gamut of outcomes. Ranging from torrential rains up to 10,000 feet that could force the Tahoe communities to start from scratch, to rain at lake level foreshadowing copious amounts of blower above 7,000 feet. It seemed like every pow-starved skier and rider in Northern California fit one of two molds: Negative naysayer or eternal optimist.
    
    For us, it was a worthwhile gamble on the last weekend of November. We knew full well that the potential rain would be a huge drag, forcing our crew to baton down the hatches of our West Shore cabin, watch football and drink whiskey in close quarters to pass the time, and ruminate and brood over what could have been. The other option that proved to be the impetus for us loading in the truck, weathering the pissing rain en route to Tahoe, and risking cabin fever can be summed up by one stat that had our heads spinning: The series of storms — if things lined up and it all came to a cold fruition — could drop as much as 100 inches on the Sierras. 
    
    It seemed like a no-brainer; we opted to head to Tahoe.
    
    Friday afternoon was shit. Unrelenting rain followed us from Santa Cruz to Sacramento, but we held onto hope as we started climbing in elevation toward Donner Summit. If the temps started to drop as we climbed, the rain would turn to pow. But, as we crested Donner Pass, at 7,056 feet, the Truckee River raged with runoff and the thermometer on my dashboard read 36 degrees. That night was spent sipping on whiskey and hoping it was pounding up high.
    
    Those predicting rain and a wet weekend nailed it for Saturday. We woke up early to check the snow reports, and drove to the base of Squaw hoping to see something different than what we read online. But, soaking wet tram operators greeted us in front of the closed tram doors. “Not today, guys,” they said beneath dripping hoods. “It’s snowing hard on top but the winds are too strong.”
    
    So, biscuits and gravy in Rosie’s dining room — a Tahoe City institution — were followed immediately by IPAs at Rosie’s bar, which lead to pulling slots and playing cards at the Crystal Bay Casino. The precipitation didn’t stop, but neither did the winds. Kirkwood was spinning its chairs while getting buried by wet snow, but the chairlift-halting winds had most of Tahoe’s mountains in a holding pattern.
    
    Finally, late Sunday morning the rain at lake level turned to heavy wet flakes that accumulated quickly. As the winds started pulling back in the late afternoon we pulled ourselves away from the slot machines and headed up to see what was happening at Mount Rose — the semi-secret hidden gem on the eastside of Lake Tahoe. With a base elevation of 8,260 feet, Rose offered a solid option to rectify the weekend and sample the snow. Skin tracks winding up to the Mount Rose backcountry were promising, 40-plus inches of fresh were sitting untracked on the mountain after two days of weather closure, and we decided to sit around one last night to see if Monday was a-go.
    
    
    “That shift in weather on Sunday morning was very much expected,” said OpenSnow.com's Joel Gratz. “That was the cold front from the final storm that came through. That whole weekend event wasn’t one storm, but was a series of a few storms that drew a lot of moisture off the Pacific, which also drew a lot of warm air. That final storm was strong enough on Sunday morning to pull in colder air from the north. It just took a stronger storm, a stronger piece of energy, to drag that colder air down.”
    
    As Mount Shasta was getting buried beneath 18 feet of snow, our guys called in sick to work on Monday. It proved to be a solid decision. 
    
    From Squaw to Mount Rose, the lift lines were sparse on Monday morning. Most of the pow-hungry masses were either at work or just over the weekend’s waiting game. But, Monday proved to be an all-time, early-winter day for the patient few whose priorities are straight.
    
    Storm totals of 42 inches on the upper mountain at Squaw and 45 mid-winter inches blanketed Mount Rose, and bluebird skies sat over all of Lake Tahoe. The waiting game proved to be a war of attrition, but Monday’s conditions rewarded the patient.
    
    What’s this mean looking forward and for everyone in Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho?
    
    “There’s a difference between an individual storm and a general weather pattern. What happened last weekend in Tahoe was a series of individual storms, but what were tracking now is an overall change in the weather pattern,” Gratz said. “The storm pattern is going to shift to a different orientation which should hopefully bring in colder air for more areas and give some new areas a better chance to see snow. That’s not a guarantee that we’ll see big snowstorms, but at least it sets us up for the PNW, the northern Rockies, and down into Utah and Colorado to have better chances of consistent storms over the next few weeks. That’s the key: consistent cold storms. Some might be big and some might be small, but at least we’ll have [storms] every couple of days, which is the most important part when considering good powder skiing.”
    
    So, here’s to hoping that all of our communal patience pays off this winter just like it did for us in Tahoe last weekend, because my body can’t handle much more waiting-game whiskey and my wallet definitely cannot take one more hand of “maybe-tomorrow-will-be-blower” blackjack.
    
    It was a bluebird pow day at Mt. Rose on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012.
    
    Is that a Soul Pole?
    
    Cutting a rug at Mt. Rose.
    
    Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffttt.

    Vapor trails.

    What it's all about.
    
    Pretty much crushing it at Squaw Valley early December 2012.

    This is what winter looks like.

    Straighten up and fly right.
    
    Time to track the living shit out of this.
    
    And now we can all breathe a sigh of relief, winter is here.
    
    Don't Miss Out On Another Storm, Stay Up To Date On Snowfall In The TGR SnowLab

     

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
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• December 3, 2012 - Aspen Mount December 3, 2012 - Aspen Mountain

  • From: aspensnowmass
  • Description:

    We got a couple inches of snow overnight, so the #ContentCrew decided to break out their fancy new GoPro cameras for a couple casual runs on Aspen Mountain.
    
    Song: “Chronicles Of A Fallen Love” Feat Greta Svabo Bech
    Artist: The Bloody Beetroots
    
    Click To Watch More Aspen/Snowmass Videos

     

  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 16
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