140 Search Results for ""ski industry""

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

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

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

     

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

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• 2013 Beartooth Summer Session 2013 Beartooth Summer Session

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

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

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

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

    

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

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

     

    TGR: What makes the summer session worth coming to?

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

    

    TGR: What was special about camping?

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



     

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

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

    

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

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

     

    TGR: Do you compete in other big mountain events?

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

     

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

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

    

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

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

    

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


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


     

    TGR: That's going in for sure.

    SH: Hahahah gahd damn journalists.

    

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

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

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

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

    

    Jason Prigge (Photo by Adam Clark)

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

    

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

    Who has inspired you the most in the ski world?

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

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

    

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

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

    

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

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

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

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

    MFD's new 20L ABS compatible pack

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

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

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

    

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

    Why ABS?

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

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

    

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

    What’s next for you and MFD? 

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

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

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

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

    

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

    Anything else you’d like to share?

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

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

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• Life in Focus E03 - Scott Serf Life in Focus E03 - Scott Serfas

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    f-stop's collaborative effort with our team of photographers and filmers is an essential part of who we are and what we do. Working with industry leading professionals to help design and build the ultimate camera packs and bags is an ongoing endeavor that has shaped the brand and company we are today.
    
    In an effort to give back to the f-stop Pro Team and photo/film community, we've set out to tell the story of our team photographers and filmers. Episode 3 of 'Life in Focus' features f-stop Pro and action/sports Photographer, Scott Serfas.
    
    Scott’s photography goes deeper than simply shooting photos. His involvement with snowboarding and the athletes that surround it, is often reflected in his work. Devun Walsh, Kevin Sansalone and Rob Dow were a few kids on the block that Scott grew up with and documented in his earlier days of snowboard photography. Since then, he's become widely known as one of the top photography names in the industry. Scott’s photos have been featured in various publications and have graced the covers of Transworld over twenty times.
    
    A more recent side project for Scott has been the development of Endeavor Snowboards, which he co founded with Max Jenke and Rob Dow six years ago. Since then the brand has become a well established and recognized brand in snowboarding around the world.
    
    In this episode, Scott’s photography takes us to an urban rail shoot in Whistler, B.C with a small crew and pro snowboarder, Jess Kimura.
    
    Life in Focus brought to you by f-stop - fstopgear.com/product

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• Life in Focus E02 - Brian Mati Life in Focus E02 - Brian Matiash

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    f-stop's collaborative effort with our team of photographers and filmers is an essential cog in product research and development. Working with industry leading professionals to help design and build the ultimate camera packs and bags is an ongoing endeavor that has shaped the brand and company we are today.
    
    In an effort to give back to the f-stop Pro Team and photo/film community, we've set out to tell the story of a few of our team photographers and filmers. Episode 2 of 'Life in Focus' features f-stop Pro Photographer, Brian Matiash.
    
    If you follow the world of HDR photography, you've likely come across Brian’s work before. The writer, blogger and photographer is widely known for his love for UrbEx and abandonment photography. It comes as no surprise that Brian's influence in photography and social media has led to his position as Community Manager for Google+. The Brooklyn native has journeyed a long way and has quite the story to share. We were fortunate to capture him in his element doing what he does best, in this episode of Life in Focus.
    
    Life in Focus brought to you by f-stop - fstopgear.com/product

     

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• Hit List: Julian Carr Hit List: Julian Carr

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

     

    Welcome to Hit List, a new interview series that gives athletes, industry peeps and folks you secretly idolize the chance to reveal all their dirty little secrets to the untamed terrain of the world wide web. The premise is simple, ask a few probing—and perhaps inappropriate–questions, and release the reigns for the interviewee to go buck wild with whatever they wish to divulge.

     

    To get this party started, we hit up Julian Carr, aka the Flying Yeti, because he's the king of crazy cliff drops, the founder of Discrete Headwear and an all around deep dude. We asked him a motley mix of questions, from his stance on jorts to head banging, which produced more intuitive morsels than we had bargained for. Buckle up.

     

    Take it away Jules!

     

    Which TGR athlete would you most like to make-out with and why?  

    I've lived with Rachael Burks and Dash Longe and didn't make out with either of them. What a rip off. 

     

    What gets your adrenaline going more, grocery shopping or getting the mail?

    Hmmm that's tough.  I think mail.  Grocery store you kinda know what you're getting into, but with the mail, you never know what goodies are showing up.  Exhilarating. 

     

    What's the best head-banging song of all time?

    Metallica  #Fourhorsemen or LaidbackLuke & Steve Aoki  #Turbulence

     

    Speaking of head-banging, how many times a day do you brush your luscious locks?

    Once or twice daily.  Morning before I tie it back, and if I'm feeling a bit of a breeze it might get a second brushing.

     

     

    You're dating Sierra Quitiquit. Who has longer hair?

    Same length exactly—I shit you not.  Sometimes I look at her mane and I'm like, damn you got some long ass hair… Then quickly realize that I, too, have some long ass hair. Quite trippy.

     

    We heard you're training for the Olympricks, what does your training regimen look like?

    Secret.  But, lots of smoothies and juicing.  And almond butter.

     

    What are the top seven pieces of gear you have to have for summer? 

    Tent.  

    Skateboard. 

    Trail running shoes.  

    Smith Shades.  

    Discrete limited #5Panel or #Floral snapback.  

    Goal Zero transportable solar panel.  

    My GoPro.  

     

    What are your thoughts on Jorts?

    I'm way into them.  Anyone that isn't, clearly is misappropriated chemically.

     

    Would you rather throw spread eagles or stickmans for the rest of your life?

    Stickmans!  Right Todd Ligare?!.. Haha.  Ligare has the sickest "hanging man" in the game FYI.

     

    You're poolside, what's better-- Bud Light Lime, Tropical Flavored Twisted Tea, or a Coronita?

    A "Red Light" which is Bud Light, Red Bull, and Vodka.

     

    What are the best and worst trends in skiing?

    Best is people loving to connect in their own way with the mountain that is authentic to them.  Like hooting from the chairlift at someone shredding, that's good style.  Or if you're all by yourself, getting it and hooting yourself on—that's sick style!  The worst trend is people connecting to the mountain in a way that is not authentic to them.  

     

    Name three places in the world you'd never want to visit?

    I can't say there are any places I never want to go. But three I want to go to the least? Hmmm, Kansas. DC. Tijuana.  

     

    We heard you're deep. Blow our minds with something deep.

    I believe in the infinite possibilities of higher comprehensions.  

     

    What was your favorite part of last season?

    I was stoked I got to shred some quality Utah powder, travel in Iceland, and work with a film company I admire, Sherpas Cinemas.  

     

    So you’ve been getting after it, but aren't you a little young to be having a comeback season?

    Haha.  Keep the knees chopping, head on a swivel and the chest up!  Keep up the good fight!  Always.  When you hit 80 or so is when you are classified as old. 'Til then stay hungry! 

     

    Best make-out song?

    Aaron Neville, "How could I help but love you."  Or Duck Sauce, "Barbara Streisand."

     

    Craziest thing you've witnessed at a snow industry party?

    Someone not drinking.  Haha.  And that's actually me!  Haven't in 5 months, loving the new energy.

     

    Worst job you could ever imagine having?

    I think you can find beauty in any engagement. 

     

    Who are your sponsors these days?

    Icelantic, Spyder, GoPro, Discrete, Backcountry.com, Suunto, Level, Smith, Goal Zero.

     

    5 Random Facts about Julian Carr

    1.  I listen to EDM everyday working.

    2.  I have had one out of body experience and want more

    3.  I am left and right brained

    4.  I have a doggy named Lexie; she rules

    5.  For closing follow my adventures in skiing and business: @juliancarr @discreteclothing

     

    Photos courtesy of Matty Richard, Adam Clark, Sherpas Cinema, and Discrete.  

    Interview by: Heather Hendricks

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• Sony Eye of the Condor 3 Previ Sony Eye of the Condor 3 Preview

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    EYE OF THE CONDOR 3 from La Parva on Vimeo.

    The final chapter of the saga comes to fruition for its third and final year. Ski La Parva is thrilled to announce that it will once again be host to the annual Sony Eye of the Condor – a weeklong film and photo competition set high in the heart of the Andes.

     

    This year’s event will showcase teams of skiers and snowboarders hailing from around the world August 2 - August 9. Discrete Headwear, and Icelantic Skis are among some of the teams returning but the competition will also feature some exciting new faces that will be making a first time appearance for the events third and final year. With all-star alumni featuring icons such as Andy Mahre, Pep Fujas, Sean Pettit, Tanner Rainville, Ingrid Backstrom, Rachael Burks, Seth Morrison, Chris Davenport, and more, you never know who will show up this year.

     

    “Sony Eye of the Condor has been such an important event to us the past several years, and we would love to see more events with this format, but all good things must come to an end and we have decided to put this trilogy to rest and look forward to what is next. To those teams out there thinking about making the trip this year, I am going to make you an offer you can’t refuse!” says La Parva Director of Marketing and Sales Rodrigo Medina.

     

    In addition to the competition, which will award cash prizes to the best video and photography portfolios, Sony Eye Of The Condor will present its annual forum discussions led by industry leaders examining the role action sports and media play in our society at large.

     

    The week of festivities will culminate in the booming metropolis of Santiago Chile for the second annual iF3 La Parva/Chile (International Freeskiing Film Festival). The film festival will play host to the Sony Eye of The Condor awards and will include a celebration of the global Freeskiing film community, complete with athlete autograph sessions, film screenings, vendors, and live music.

     

    The winning films and photos from Sony Eye of The Condor will be showcased not only in Santiago but also around the globe at the other iF3 events, including Montreal, Quebec; Annecy France; and Innsbruck, Austria.

     

    Eye of the Condor is presented with the support of Sony. Please address press and other inquiries to La Parva Team eotc3@laparva.cl

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  • 4 weeks ago
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• Through the Lens: Jason Thomps Through the Lens: Jason Thompson

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

  • From: fstopgear
  • Description:

    Life in Focus takes us behind the scenes with the F-Stop Staff Pro Team to capture them in their element, and to show the world their story of how they became the pro's they are. The series will present a different f-stop Staff Pro in each episode exploring their world along with the techniques and skills that distinguish them from the rest.
    
    F-Stop's collaborative effort with the team is an essential cog in the product development process. Working with industry leading professionals to design and build the ultimate camera packs and bags is an ongoing endeavor that has helped them to become the brand and company that they are today.
    
    For more on Life in Focus and F-stop

     

  • 2 months ago
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• Harlem Shake Meme Infiltrates Harlem Shake Meme Infiltrates Ski Culture

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    In case you’ve been without the Internet all month, there is a meme on YouTube where people make 30-second clips of themselves dancing to the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer.
    
    In brief, it all started when Baauer sampled a lyric from Philadelphia party rap crew Plastic Little and dropped his song "Harlem Shake" last spring. Baauer sampled the 2001 Plastic Little song titled “Miller Time” that ends with Jayson Musson's lyric “And if you bring a 40 bottle to battle me/ I’ll just punch you in the face/ then do the Harlem Shake.” The lyric references an actual fight Musson got in and how Musson ended it: by doing the dance from the late 1990s / early 2000s.
    
    Then Filthy Frank, a 19-year-old from New York, heard the song and made the first “Harlem Shake” video.
    
    
    
    “I was in a room with a few people. One of my friends was just playing the song on the speakers and I asked what [it was], and it just happened to be ‘Harlem Shake,’” Filthy Frank told The Fader music magazine. “As soon as the drop of the song came, we just started going crazy. We thought, well, we could turn this in to something good.”
    
    Now, as many as 4,000 Harlem Shake videos have been uploaded in a single day, and in two weeks more than 12,000 videos have been created, generating more than 44 million total views, The Fader reports.
    
    Of course, the ski industry got a hold of it, including us. Below is our Harlem shake video and a few others from the ski world.
    
    Now do the Harlem Shake.

    
    The Jackson Hole version was filmed on a GoPro HD Hero3 Black Edition, available at online at the Official GoPro® Store
    
    
    
    Harlem Shake Aspen style.
    
    
    Jay Peak's Harlem Shake.
    
    
    Whistler does the Harlem Shake.
    
    What's you're favorite Harlem Shake video? Post it in the comments below.

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• Carving Through History With C Carving Through History With Chuck Barfoot Part One: The Old Days

  • From: jakedesroches
  • Description:

    

    With each year that passes, the opportunity for seeing, meeting, and speaking with a snowboarding legend diminishes. The passing of Tom Sims last September is a stark reminder of this. The ranks of the original riders, the guys who took what we would consider simple wooden or fiberglass planks to the snow, are fading fast. On Friday February 1st at the SIA Snow Show, I was fortunate enough to come across one of the original riders. I was lucky enough to meet Chuck Barfoot.
    
    After speaking to Chuck and his board-building partner Ernie Delost, I was nearly at a loss of words. I had never met a stranger who had lived through so much snowboarding history, let alone helped to create it. I knew I needed to learn more about this man. Before he parted to meet with old friends on the snow show floor, I asked if he would be willing to do a brief interview with me the next day.
     
    Being simply a down to earth guy, he agreed to come back the next morning and speak with me for fifteen minutes. This fifteen-minute meeting turned into a thirteen-minute interview plus another twenty minutes of great conversation, just talking, laughing, and enjoying the snow show vibe.
    
    Chuck Barfoot is a humble, inspiring, and truly good man. We should be thankful he loves snowboarding so much, because without him we might still be riding wooden boards with black grip tape and skyhooks for bindings (ok, it probably wouldn’t be that bad).
    
    This is Chuck’s story.
    
    The Old Days
    
    Chuck Barfoot started surfing in Beach Haven, New Jersey in 1961. Nine years later, in 1970, he moved to Santa Barbara, California and was living with Tom Sims. Chuck was well positioned to help craft the snowboarding industry that we know today, but he didn’t know it.
    
    It was 1977; he was working for Tom Sims, building prototypes and doing research and development on the classic skateboards and surfboards that Sims produced. At this point, he had never even touched his feet on a board and placed that board on the snow. He was a surfer and a skater. He had no idea how much his life would change.
    
    One day, Tom Sims approached Barfoot with a project Bob Webber and Tom had worked on. According to Barfoot, it was a “yellow plastic ski board with a skateboard deck on it.” It had black grip tape, and skyhooks for the riders’ feet. The board worked, but it had some problems.
    
    The grip tape would pack with snow, and the skyhooks were permanently mounted regular or goofy. There was no switching the skyhooks from regular to goofy, or vice versa. At the time, these snowboards were a rare thing (the word “snowboard” wasn’t even used yet). If you had a board, you wanted to share it with all your friends. With the skyhooks mounted only in one direction, if your friend was regular and you were goofy one of you was simply out of luck.
    
    Tom Sims approached Barfoot with the crude snowboard device and said, “What can we do to fix these problems?” Barfoot gave the board a quick look up and down and replied, “Well first, get rid of the black grip tape.” He replaced the standard black tape with a sheet of clear plastic grip tape, and then sprayed the board with a coat of silicon to help relieve the skate deck from packing with snow. Thinking about how to fix the skyhook problem, Barfoot took rubber bungee cord and bolted it to the top of the skate deck, running from tip to tail. Instead of having a set mounted position, a regular-footed rider could now stand on it, set his feet underneath the bungee, ride down a hill, and then hand the deck over to his goofy-footed friend.
    
    Snowboarding could now be shared.
    Sims knew Barfoot was onto something. Shortly after this, Sims approached Barfoot again and asked, “How about building me a fiberglass prototype of a board I built like in 1963?“ Always the tinkerer, Barfoot began working on what he described as, “a little four foot bullet with a v-bottom.”
    
    At this point, it was 1978 and Chuck Barfoot had still never ridden a snowboard, a snurfer, or even one of those plastic ski boards. Barfoot finished his fiberglass copy and knew he could do better. He took the board back to Tom Sims and immediately said; “I can build something way better.”
    
    Sims told Barfoot to go for it, and go for it Barfoot did. He wanted to craft a board that would let surfers and skaters like him carve through snow just like they were surfing or skating.
    Barfoot began designing his first snowboard in his head; “The idea was like putting two skis together, with camber and channels.” The channels ran along the sidecut of the board, allowing loose snow to flow (at this point, boards were only made for riding powder). He started by building a mold, “a solid rectangular fiberglass shape, with camber, v-shape, nose and tail lift, and sidecut.” After the mold was complete, Barfoot built his first snowboard.
    
    It was time for him and Bob Webber to begin the nearly thousand-mile journey from the Southern California Coast to entry three between the Snowbird and Alta ski resorts. At the time, entry three was a series of switchbacks winding up the mountain. He had no idea that his life was about to change forever.
    
    We aren’t all lucky enough to first experience snowboarding riding in 18 inches of champagne Utah powder on Christmas day, but lucky for us, Barfoot was.
    
    “I remember taking off, taking my very first toe and heel turns, 15 yard beautiful carves all the way down the freaking mountain.” Chuck reminisced. He wore a red, white, and blue jersey, and after getting to the bottom he grabbed his board, held it high above his head, and screamed. “YEAHHH!”
    
    Chuck Barfoot and Bob Webber weren’t the only ones enjoying a miraculous Christmas. By some stroke of luck, fate, or both, they spotted another rider, sporting a snurfer-like board with a rope on the nose, coming down the mountain. It ended up being Jeff Grell’s older brother, Jay (Jeff was one of the designers of the highback binding).
    
    Barfoot was amazed. “We were like ‘Oh my god!’ So we snowboarded together all day long.” The three pioneers enjoyed a day of powder, laughter, and camaraderie that truly created history. To this day, riders across the world unknowingly seek to emulate those three young men as they search for that perfect day of freedom, riding, and friendship.
    
    Barfoot continued to work for Sims for the next several years. But that day was the real beginning of Barfoot Boards. His mind and more importantly his heart were in it. He worked hard, building one of a kind snowboards. Each new board was a little bit different from the last, a little lighter, just a bit more flex, a new shape.
    
    “I did about fifteen different models until I had boards that worked, really-really well.” He described his motivation for building boards. “It was basically just to surf snow.”
    With such a simple goal in mind, Chuck lovingly built boards for Sims until the 1980 – 1981 season, when he left Sims Snowboards and founded Barfoot Boards. He continued to build individually crafted snowboards and skateboards for the next twenty odd years. Until, around the 2003 – 2004 season, his company had grown too large. It was out of control and unfocused. It became such a problem, that he decided to stop producing snowboards (he continued to craft surf-style longboard skateboards under the Barfoot brand).
    
    Chuck didn’t sound happy as he said this. “Things were being done for not the right reasons. It was more about money and all that stuff.” Chuck was fed up with the corporatism that had invaded his, and so many other good companies.
    
    “My philosophy has always been, build something really good, that works. Take care of someone and they'll be back, and your company will grow and the money will come with that. And that's not the corporate world. And I am so far away from the corporate world.”
    
    Fast-forward ten years, and lucky for us, those same snowboard corporations, the mass media, and most importantly, the internet, created a huge market for snowboarding. The market was so big, that people wanted something smaller, something personal. People began demanding a product made just for them.
    “The internet got so many people getting ahold of me saying, ‘You need to be building boards again. My fifteen year old Barfoot is at the end of its road, I need a new board.’ So my old partner, Ernie Delost, him and I got back together again. So him and I, we are hand building the boards in his factory.
    
    We design them together. We hand build them in house, and that’s just what I love doing. So that’s why I'm building boards again. It’s for the right reasons.” As Chuck said this, the grin on his face widened to remind me of a child’s first visit to a toy store, his mind hungry for the possibility of building even greater adventures.
    
    What really amazed me about my meeting with Chuck Barfoot was his willingness to become my friend after just speaking a few words with me. I never once caught a rude tone come out of his mouth, and it was hard to catch him without a smile. The word that kept coming up was “personable.” With his business, Chuck wanted to, and still wants to create a personal connection with every single one of his customers (and many more lucky people, like me). He was also very humble. It never once seemed like he was boasting, or trying to make what he did out for more than it was. Long after our interview was over, and just before we said our goodbyes, Chuck Barfoot left me with one last history lesson.
    
    “All credit really goes to Dimitrije Milovich, Winterstick founder. He was the one that set the right direction. P-tex base, sidecut, steel edges, swallowtails — it was straight up surfing on powder-no rope attached.”
    
    Remember to check back later this week for part two, “Barfoot is Back,” a sneak peek at the new Barfoot Boards.
    
    Save big on 2012-2013 Snowboards when you buy online through Dogfunk.com, while giving back to TGR

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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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• Guide To Late Night SIA Partie Guide To Late Night SIA Parties

  • From: mikehardaker
  • Description:

    

    For some, SIA is about going to meetings, talking to buyers, sales reps, and looking at next seasons' ski and snowboard gear.  The other half of the convention rolls into Denver with one thing on the mind: partying! As important as figuring out next year's editorial calendar and what items will sell in your shop, the real SIA veterans come to town for one reason: free beer, concerts and exclusive industry parties.
    
    The following is a list of parties open to the public.
    
    Wednesday Night:
    
    SIA/SOS Hockey Shootout
    Never Summer, 686, Snowboard Colorado, Zeal Optics, PBR and Monster Energy are hosting the fourth annual SIA/SOS Hockey Shootout. Come watch as industry heads battle former NHL players on the ice.  The event will kick off the SIA tradeshow with a competitive full contact hockey game benefiting SOS Outreach.  This is a beer league event, PBR is sponsoring the refreshments and rowdiness is encouraged!
    
    Tickets: Free Admission
    8:45 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    http://bit.ly/127CzY6
    
    Thursday Night:
    
    InkMonster “Free 4 All” Party
    Thursday night kicks off the 2013 SIA late night weekend with the 3rd annual InkMonster “Free 4 All” Party featuring Naughty By Nature and Rome (from Sublime) taking place at the EXDO Events Center. Who’s down with OPP? Entry to the event is Free and includes all the pizza you can eat, and booze you can drink.  Remember Denver is a mile high in the air, SIA is a marathon not a sprint, pace yourself. 
    
    Tickets: Free Admission
    9:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M.
    http://bit.ly/14sT2pk
    
    Ana Sia Dance Party
    Ana Sia one of the hottest DJ’s on the west coast is bringing her dance party to the Bluebird Theatre in Denver.  Known for dancing as hard if not harder then her fans this will be a high energy show not to miss!  Make sure to pack your dancing shoes, and good luck making your 9:00am appointments on Friday.
    
    Tickets: $25.00
    9:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.
    http://bit.ly/XeV9rr
    
    Friday Night:
    
    Winter on the Rocks
    Winter on the Rocks returns to the best concert venue in North America, Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  The 2nd annual Winter on the Rocks is once again being presented by Icelantic Skis featuring live performances by Maclemore  & Ryan Lewis along with openers Major Lazer, The Grouch & Eli, Neelais.  Wear your layers as you will be sitting outside, under the stars with 10,000 of your closest friends.
    
    Tickets: $50.00 + Fees
    7:30 P.M. – 12:00 A.M.
    http://bit.ly/VlXYWj
    
    
    Transworld Riders Poll
    The 14th Annual Transworld Riders Poll presented by New Era is once taking place at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium.  Pro riders, industry bro’s and a few lucky random joes will all get together for what is hands down “the biggest night in snowboarding”. Unlike other industry award shows the Transworld Riders Poll was voted on by the top 100 snowboarders in the world, this is not a pay to play awards ceremony..
    
    Tickets: $50.00
    8:00 P.M. – 12:00 A.M.
    http://bit.ly/14sTAeZ
    
    Saturday Night:
    
    Snowdown
    Snowdown presented by Neff will feature performances by hip hop artist Machine Gun Kelly, Bauer and Just Blaze is once again take over City Hall Amphitheatre.  This is a true club like party.  For the ballers in town bottle service for up to 8 people will be available for $1,000.00
    
    Tickets: $22.50
    8:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.
    http://bit.ly/VShoEb
    
    

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• Video: Tele Duo Starts Grassro Video: Tele Duo Starts Grassroots Media Outfit - Beans And Rice Freeride

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Jake Sakson and Paul Kimbrough traded victories on the telemark freeskiing circuit for years and their fluid big mountain skiing is a cornerstone of the Powderwhore films.  They moved to Driggs, ID in November, 2012 to build on synergy they found in the backcountry and explore the vast Teton range.  The result, Beans and Rice Freeride is a grassroots media outfit sprouted from their collaboration.
    
    Beans and Rice Freeride is about skiing for fun; from powder to boilerplate, leather boots to plastic, Jake and Paul want to share this passion.  They spent all their money on a nice camera, so they live in a basement and eat rice and beans.  In a mainstream ski industry powered by jet fuel and crab, Jake and Paul demonstrate that with hard work and a bit of pain tolerance anyone can ski the lines of their dreams.
    
    

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• Through The Lens Of Jim Harris Through The Lens Of Jim Harris

  • From: kimhavell
  • Description:

    Chris Davenport skis a chute in Antarctica. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    “Through The Lens” is a regular column on TetonGravity.com that highlights the work of a photographer in the ski and snowboard industries. The series exists to celebrate the photographers who bring us extraordinary imagery, to get to know who they are, and to understand their process.
    
    Jim Harris is a TGR success story. An athlete with an artistic eye and a photographer of great strength and perseverance, Jim hit the big time from an unlikely start. Through honest and thoughtful posts on the TGR web forums, Jim unwittingly developed a huge following and grabbed the attention of industry players. Proving himself time and time again in the field and at the computer, Jim has photographs, stories, and drawings featured across varied media spots, print and online, in the world of adventure sport. He is humble, adventurous, and bright, and gets things done.
    
    Jim has been behind the lens for Sweetgrass Productions, Powderwhore Productions, Camp4Collective, First Ascent, Powder Magazine and more. From scaling 20,000-foot peaks in Bolivia to descending steep couloirs in Antarctica to negotiating a pack raft down Alaskan rivers, this motivated talent keeps at it as he proves that with heart and hard work, success will be a reality.
    
    Jim’s sincere and straight-up approach resonates with his audiences. Follow his creative journeys as “GnarWhale” on TGR and as Perpetual Weekend online at his Blog, Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter sites. www.perpetualweekend.com
    
    Forrest McCarthy melts water at a ridge line campsite as a storm rolls in. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    The Start.
    
    I was first interested in photography when I was a kid playing with this all-metal Nikormat that my dad had brought back from Japan a decade or two before I was born. I didn’t develop a twitchy shutter button finger until I was around 16 and started documenting the graffiti scene where I grew up. Looking back at those boxes of prints, I was pretty much just mechanically recording ephemeral art. A few years later I extracted myself from that scene by moving to Montana where I enrolled in Wildlife Biology and Fine Art courses. The blend of planning, creativity, daring, and community that made the street art scene compelling also runs through mountain culture. It didn’t take but a few weeks in Montana before I began pointing my camera at people on mountains.
    
    Studying Wildlife Biology seemed like a good route to finding a job that combined adventure with critical thinking, plus I was good at plant and animal identification. An empirical science education has proved to be a good framework for learning about the world, even though I never took up wearing one of those flat-brim Smokey hats. The fine art courses were just for kicks, but I regret missing the memo that my university had a Photo Journalism school.
    
    Andrew McLean skis the Chugach Mountains in Alaska. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    TGR.
    
    While I’d been registered on TetonGravity.com’s message board for years, I rarely visited until I moved to the Wasatch Mountains in 2007 and discovered it offered a way to meet backcountry touring partners. Then I began posting photos of ski tours and that led to invites on more missions. One of those photo essays prompted Gordy Peifer to offer me a spot on one of his Straightline Advenutures Ski Camps, and another trip report garnered an invite to shoot with Powderewhore Productions in Alaska. That AK trip, in turn, resulted in my first print-published words and photos (Powder Magazine 40.1 “Beast out of the Earth”). Then I won a TGR and Smith Optics photo contest where the prize was an Ice Axe Expeditions ski cruise to Antarctica.
    
    I was sharing just for the sake of sharing and that idealism struck a chord with people. If I suddenly couldn’t sell photos and stories about the sort of trips I like to take, I’d be okay going right back to doing them just for the intrinsic rewards.
    
    Hi-fives with Andrew McLean after discovering and skiing a rad chute in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    Inspiration.
    
    Media-makers who also are high-performance athletes hold a role I admire. Photographers who can climb and ski alongside top athletes are the ones who, most often I think, bring back something insightful to share.
    
    Galen Rowell about tops my list of “photographers I wish had reincarnated as me.”
    
    Christian Pondella has crafted a career shooting photos with skis on his pack, an ice axe in one hand and that shines through in his photos.
    
    The Camp 4 Collective team brings boots-on-the-ledge perspective to their productions and it’s apparent in the art and illustrations of Renan Ozturk, Jeremy Collins and Adam Haynes.
    
    Leslie Anthony writes with legitimacy in his words and Fitz Cahall’s Dirtbag Diaries carry that too.
    
    What all of them have in common is this gonzo journalism approach where, because they can hang athletically, they’re able to convey a first-person narrative that offers candid, humanizing insights into the lives of super-human athletes.
    
    On the business side, I admire the people who help others to create content in our ski media ecosystem. When done well, enabling other peoples’ creativity is good for one’s own income. The TGR Forums empowered me and I hope the web ad revenue more than pays for the server space.
    
    Photographers Adam Barker and Chase Jarvis both open source some of their knowledge via web interviews and tutorials. They’re investing their knowledge in aspirant photographers while legitimizing their expertise at the same time. It’s both altruistic and shrewd.
    
    Sunrise on Illimani, Bolivia, while the city of La Paz still sleeps. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    The Challenge.
    
    I want to be a really good storyteller. Sometimes when I speak, my thoughts branch into a tangent, then a tangent of that, until I’m caught in a spiraling fractal of storylines and everyone has stopped listening. So it takes some intention for me to spin a story well. Photo essays keep me on point and the narrative jogging along.
    
    At some heady level, wilderness adventure stories like the ones I want to tell are another variant of Joe Campbell’s monomyth: the hero marches off into the wild, conquers something untamable, perhaps then realizes that the real conquest happened inside his or her head, and then returns home to share the new wisdom.
    
    My challenge is that I don’t want to just tell those stories but want to actually watch them unfold too. Going up and down difficult mountains with interesting people carves as close to living that myth as I know how to get.
    
    Alan Schwer hops down a steep ski line at 19,000 feet on Volcan Pomarape, Bolivia. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    The Business.
    
    The business-side of working as a self-employed creative is a murky learning curve. There’s no roadmap to “making it” and even things as dry as sending photos for an editor to review turn out to involve diplomatic maneuvering. Many working photographers will tell you that your photos are only valuable if you keep ‘em squirreled away, unseen by anyone but the editor, right until they appear in print. While I see the wisdom in that approach, the only reason I’m paid to take photos now is because I’ve enjoyed sharing pictures in the past. So, I’ve continued to post photos on TGR, though I’ve become more strategic about sharing.
    
    The ski photo world is a tough one to find recognition in, in part because much of it has fallen prey to this syndrome of collaborative competition where somebody says “Oh! Look at what they’re doing.  We should be doing that too.” Photo buyers, photo makers, and athletes all push one another to converge. One outcome is that photographers face an uphill battle when it comes to creating marketable work that also conveys individual style.
    
    On the other hand, who wants to feel like they’re leaving money on the table because they’re too elitist to take routine photos? Faced with that question, I’m no strict idealist. I’m not exactly shooting decorative cupcakes, but I’ve dug into commercial projects, studio opportunities, and jobs outside the ski industry. Sometimes they feel like art school assignments where students replicate some Old Master’s painting. Even if it’s not an approach that I’m particularly interested in, it’s impossible not to glean something useful. Those Elinchrom-lit sets are great for learning technique but they’re not where my aspirations lie.
    
    Tyler Jones leads a climb in the Waddington Range while Seth and Solveig Waterfall follow. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    Being Diverse.
    
    When I was about ten I was way into these Redwall books about mice doing medieval things. My parents took me to a reading by the author, Brian Jacques, at the neighborhood bookstore and he described to us kids around him that he’d worked as a sailor, and a truck driver, and a milkman, and some jobs that I’ve forgotten before he eventually became a writer too. The notion that one could do a lot of things in a lifetime, rather than be stuck with just one profession, took root in my ten-year-old cortex that day.
    
    Photography has been my main focus for the last year or two, but it’s not my only outlet. I still dabble in woodcut printmaking, painting, shooting video, writing, and teaching. If this photo gig stops working out, I’ll always have the latitude to sidestep into one of these other roles.
    
    Solveig Waterfall skiing from the summit of Mt Waddington, BC over a cavernous crevasse. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    Expedition Style.
    
    One thing that distinguishes me from the pack is that I like unstaged, one-take, expedition shooting. Long and difficult trips are full of little victories and disappointments and they make for great photographic moments. As a member of an expedition team, I share credit and blame for the ups and downs I’m chronicling. Every bit of the process from planning, traveling, climbing, skiing, cooking, laughing and just surviving together is rewarding.
    
    There are a couple big hurdles to being an expedition shooter. One is keeping one’s gear alive in the cold, wet, sandy, camera-killing places. That takes diligence but isn’t rocket surgery. Another is that one has to learn to suffer with grace. That takes practice and some balanced brain chemistry.
    
    The biggest hurdle, however, is managing the dual loyalties of being both a weight-pulling team member while also caring enough about one’s audience to stop helping your buddies and grab the camera. Jabbing a camera in someone’s face in a cruxy moment can be a bridge-burning move. It takes a pretty keen awareness of the group dynamic plus articulate communication to balance photographic and team needs.
    
    Before leaving for our first trip together, ski mountaineer Andrew McLean told me he was willing to ski for the camera but that he didn’t intend to re-hike anything for a missed shot. If you’ve skied with Andrew, you know that he zips uphill then right back down. Either I had to bully him into slowing down or learn to be quick on the draw, get the shot the first time, and not sulk when I misfired. I went with the second approach and haven’t regretted it.
    
    One-take shooting is an ethos I’ve embraced. Shooting actual skiing down actual lines, as opposed to the ubiquitous one-turn-wonder approach, feels truthy. As a bonus, there’s a lot more skiing involved in a “work” day.
    
    Chris Davenport skiing in Antarctica. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    Turning Point.
    
    Three years ago, three friends and I spent a month backpacking and then rafting across Wrangell St Elias National Park. That trip changed my view of what’s achievable by a small, unsponsored team. I felt empowered by our success and humbled by the times I faltered.
    
    Back at home, I tried to summarize the story via a long column of captioned photos. The resulting trip report garnered a lot of attention that I never expected. Something about our mix of ambition, unique route, and amateur status really resonated with people, and not just the outdoorsy ones. Traffic poured in from Digg, Reddit and other link-sharing sites.
    
    Years later, I’m still feeling the reverberations of that trip. I’ve been back to the Wrangells once and have plans for another trip this year. I’m also packing today for a crazy Mexico adventure that I’ve been invited on because a couple of Alaska’s most-audacious wilderness travelers saw my photo essay and thought I’d be a good fit for their team. Looking back, it is comical how many doors have opened for me based on something that I never guessed would have much impact.
    
    Forrest McCarthy midway through a 120 mile traverse of the Abaroka Beartooth Mountains. Photo by Jim Harris.
    
    Future Direction.
    
    There’s been this recent uptick in the ski industry’s acknowledgment that what we do is risky. At a fundamental level, action sports culture pushes the idea that “advancing the sport” or “pushing the envelope” is the loftiest goal an athlete can strive for. I think that presumption deserves some scrutiny because it is steering our risk-taking. We’re not going to revert to blue-square level skiing in movies but it’s worth acknowledging that there are perhaps less death-defying ways to “advance the sport.”
    
    For me, that means looking for trips that are challenging because they’re remote, or because they require an endurance component, or because they offer a quirky perspective on the norm. Both writers and photographers search for unique angles. As someone with a growing grasp of both pursuits, I’m positioned to connect interesting story ideas with smart photos.
    
    Jim Harris' Powder Magazine cover photo. Skier unknown.
    
    Game Changers.
    
    A few years ago, I watched an acquaintance trigger and then swept by an avalanche. It was formative.  It changed how I communicate with partners, how I plan for a tour, and is a continual reminder to make conservative choices.
    
    Soon after that incident, I began teaching avalanche classes. Now that I’ve shifted to proselytizing wilderness skiing for a living, teaching the prophylactic aspect of it feels essential. Not only does it feel like righteous work but teaching avy classes also helps keep my skills honed.
    
    At the other end of the spectrum, one of my photos is running on the cover of the new Powder Magazine Photo Annual. For someone who’s only been making a living as a photographer for just over a year, it’s like putting boots on at 9:30 and somehow still catching first chair. That cover isn’t recognition I’d expected to have so soon in my photo career, but I’m grateful for it.
    
    Want to shoot like Jim, start with some high end DSLR camera gear available at Amazon.com

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• The Pit Viper Venom Is Strong The Pit Viper Venom Is Strong

  • From: julieweinberger
  • Description:

    
    
    Hailing from Alta/Snowbird, Chuck Mumford skis naked and travels in his van. Last spring on a ski touring trip in the Tetons, Chuck broke his pricey, top-of-the-line sunglasses and his search for the indestructible began.
    
    He found what he was looking for in these military grade, adjustable, protective glasses made right here in the U.S.A. Oh, and in case you were wondering, they also happen to be bullet proof. Chuck bought thousands of these glasses, hand paints each pair and transforms them into his own brand of shades that demands respect and authority: Pit Viper.
    
    “Pit Viper is an organic movement,” Chuck said. “The stars aligned the day Pit Viper was born. The glasses met my hands and the alliance was formed.”
    
    The 1993.
    
    In its young life, existing only since the spring of 2012, Pit Viper has caught on fast with a rogue following around the ski industry with its powerful, retro look.
    
    “Pit Viper tickles an era that everyone in snow sports can relate too,” said Chuck. “Pointy tipped skis and snowboards were the jam, and everyone was having a really radical time. It’s very important to keep the fun alive and Pit Viper is dedicated to doing its part.”
    
    Whether he and his team are mobbing the streets of Aspen or getting new product on the website, Pit Viper has arrived. As Chuck puts it, “Pit Viper is hatched but it is still juvenile. This means the venom is very strong.”
    
    Want to get rad with a pair? Check out the different designs and purchase online at pitvipersunglasses.com. If you and your buddies want to custom order, you can do so with a purchase of 10 or more. Look out for Chuck, his van and his Pit Vipers this winter.
    
    

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• News: Two for One Airline Tick News: Two for One Airline Tickets to Crested Butte and Telluride

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    MT. CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. – Jan. 3 – Skiers and riders in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area can now take advantage of the best travel deals imaginable in ski country, two-for-one airline tickets straight to the slopes of Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
    
    The Telluride Montrose Regional Air Organization (TMRAO), Telluride Ski Resort (TSG) and Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) put the deal together with Allegiant Air to offer two-for-one airline tickets from Phoenix-Mesa airport (IWA) and Oakland International Airport (OAK) non-stop to the Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ). This is a special that brings incredible value to a skiing vacation.
    
    “To my knowledge, there is no program in the industry where travelers can get two for one airline tickets and skiing opportunities at two of the country’s top resorts,” said Michael Martelon, President & CEO of the Telluride Tourism Board. “It’s unheard of to have this kind of option, and we’re excited to be able to offer it.”
    
    This winter, Allegiant is offering fares from Phoenix starting as low as $46.99 one-way ($93.98 round-trip)*. Flights from Oakland start at $49.99 one-way ($99.98 round-trip)*. The flights into MTJ began December 15 and conclude April 3. Two-for-one tickets must be purchased on or before January 31, 2013 for travel by April 3, 2013. This offer is based upon availability. For a complete flight schedule, visit www.allegiantair.com.
    
    With the collaboration of Telluride Ski Resort and Crested Butte Mountain Resort launching the Ultimate 6 Pass, a 6-day pass that is good for 3 days of skiing and riding at each resort, guests can now use the centrally located airport for their travel arrangements and have the opportunity to ski both areas in one vacation. The T-CB Ultimate 6 Pass is available at Liftopia.com at the unbeatable rate of $439 through January 31.
    
    "With the Allegiant Two-for-One offer, and the new Telluride-Crested Butte Ultimate 6 Pass lift ticket option, skiers and winter enthusiasts living in Phoenix and in the San Francisco Bay Area now have a very compelling reason to discover Crested Butte and Telluride mountain resorts,” adds Scott Clarkson, vice president of sales and marketing for CBMR.
    
    For more information and to book Two-for-One airline winter vacations, please call 866-237-5341.
    
    FLIGHT SCHEDULE
    Wednesdays
    Depart Oakland 8 a.m. arrive Montrose 11 a.m.
    Depart Montrose 11:45 a.m. arrive Oakland 1:15 p.m.
    Depart Phoenix-Mesa 8 a.m. arrive Montrose 9:20 a.m.
    Depart Montrose 10 a.m. arrive Phoenix-Mesa 11:30 a.m.
    
    Saturdays
    Depart Oakland 7 a.m. arrive Montrose 10 a.m.
    Depart Montrose 10:45 a.m. arrive Oakland 12:15 p.m.
    Depart Phoenix-Mesa 1 p.m. arrive Montrose 2:20 p.m.
    Depart Montrose 3:05 p.m. arrive Phoenix- Mesa 4:15 p.m.

     

     

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• Through The Lens Of Tristan Gr Through The Lens Of Tristan Greszko

  • From: kimhavell
  • Description:

    “Through The lens” is a regular column on TetonGravity.com that highlights the work of a photographer in the ski and snowboard industries. The series exists to celebrate the photographers who bring us extraordinary imagery, to get to know who they are, and to understand their process.
    
    Tristan Greszko, a gifted athlete and photographer based in Jackson, Wyo., is known for his creation and adaptation of unique angles in photo and art imagery. Greszko enjoys working in various artistic mediums including alternate photo processes, screen-printing projects, film, and other creative outlets. His work on projects like the Tiny Jackson Hole video in 2011 catapulted him overnight into the public realm. And, as local lore goes, he is one of a handful of skiers to straight-line “Once is Enough,” a serious and steep line in the JHMR backcountry.
    
    Greszko took art classes in high school and later began to develop his photo skills through on-snow work in Vermont. After moving to Jackson in 2006, Tristan co-created the Teton Artlab, developing this multi-purpose, non-profit venue to provide affordable workspace for local artists. The lab maintains a quirky and creative atmosphere in which artists congregate and collaborate.
    
    Keep an eye out: With his distinctive captures and creativity, Greszko explores new ways to share his world of photo and art from a deep well of talent.
    
    
    1. The Start.
    
    In 2005, I moved from Atlanta to Vermont for a job snow reporting at Okemo and was in charge of shooting “Photo of the Day.” I also bought my first camera and shot the now-defunct Vermont Freeskiing Open. The years between 2005 and 2010, I spent almost every waking hour immersing myself in photography, learning, failing a lot, and collecting a few decent images here and there.
    
    In 2010, after 4 years working in the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort marketing department, I left my job to devote more time and energy to being a professional photographer. By that spring, I felt I had a strong portfolio and a skill set competent enough to finally, truly call myself a photographer. And now, two years later, I feel like I'm starting to produce some great images. So, I feel like, in many ways, I'm just getting going.
    
    
    2. The Inspiration.
    
    The most obvious choice is my dad, though it comes with a big footnote. The older I get the more I realize how similar we are in so many ways. He had a rare, boundless curiosity about the world, a mischievous sense of adventure, and was obsessive about his interests, which I very clearly inherited. He was a technically perfect, beautiful skier, had a dark sense of humor, tinkered with art and photography, and had a passion for the mountains that bordered on religious fanaticism.
    
    The footnote is that both of my parents died when I was 14. I was just a naive little kid in 9th grade when it happened, so I say all this after many years of reflection, coming to terms with it all, and you know, building up a bit of a mythology about who he was.  It's hard to say if I'd be as driven or independent as I am today if I had a more normal, happy childhood, but his influence is undeniable and I couldn't imagine a better life in spite of it all. 
    
    There are a few industry people that inspire me, too, right now.
    
    Steve Casimiro of Adventure Journal has a wonderfully articulate way with words and images that explain this eternal search and the insatiable lust for adventure that we're all seeking. He does it casually and poetically, and very well.
    
    Curt Morgan of Brain Farm Cinema … Well, there's no one like Curt out there.  We went to the same high school back in New York. He has accomplished some very big things to say the least.
    
    Tahoe photographer Andy Bardon is a good friend of mine who shares a similar aesthetic and work ethic, and is a machine in the mountains. It's been awesome seeing him start to blow up.
    
    
    3. The Future.
    
    I think my goals are pretty simple. I'd like to sustain a lifetime of exploring, adventuring, and being curious about the world, and working really hard and dreaming big. I'd like to think that my work inspires people to live better, and seek out richer, more rewarding experiences too.  Hopefully, I can continue to find amazing people along the way to share the adventure with — finding and keeping interesting, passionate people around me is always an important necessity.  And, as for my dreams, well, I'll just keep those to myself for now. I like it better that way.
    
    I'm at a point where I'm confident, have some momentum, and feel like I can do some big things if I start pushing and putting my work out there.  I like to fly under the radar and evade unnecessary attention but when I think about where I've come from in the past few years — and what I'm capable of now — I'm really excited for the future. I'd like to step up into a much bigger arena and work with bigger clients: The North Faces, Patagonias, Red Bulls and National Geographics of the outdoor/adventure world.
    
    
    4. The Business.
    
    I like this quote by artist Chuck Close:
    
    “The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who’ll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you. If you’re sitting around trying to dream up a great art idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens. But if you just get to work, something will occur to you and something else will occur to you and something else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I find that’s almost never the case.”
    
    The most important thing I've learned is to get out and actually DO what you want to do. It’s important to go out and TAKE it instead of sitting around waffling about it.  If you pursue something long enough, you'll find an audience, and you'll definitely find a way to get by, and probably thrive.  A lot of people think giving it all up and moving to the mountains is crazy but I think the opposite is true. It’s crazy how most people live —working in an anonymous job in an anonymous city.  I work hard to stay afloat but it rarely feels like I'm truly working, at least not in the way it felt before I moved to Jackson.
    
    
    5.  The Source.
    
    I like shooting with the unknowns — the people who you've never heard of and who ski harder than most and keep their mouth shut about it.  Skier Andrew Whiteford and I shot a lot when we moved to Jackson and he's done really well for himself. Good friend and ripper AJ Puccia has been another favorite athlete. There are a few other shots of people you've probably never heard of that are some of my favorite photos ever. These are all athletes that can do anything you ask, happy to shoot, look good while doing it, and are super humble at the same time.
    
    I crave frequent change, stimulation, and novelty. Lately, I've been shooting a lot of random personal projects like some short videos of this summer's crazy wild fires (in Big Piney, WY and Jackson) and photos of the Northern Lights that were going off in Jackson in the early fall. I've also been road tripping all over the West for the past two years shooting a whole range of weird, amazing locations. And, I just completed an exciting Teton aerial shoot that I've wanted to do forever.
    
    
    6. The Industry.
    
    Remote control/drone platforms are definitely next in line to blow up big time.  Where the military goes, so goes civilian technology. I bought a Cinestar 8 multi-rotor helicopter this past spring. It's already allowed me to shoot some stunning photos and video, but I'm basically still operating with training wheels. When it all comes together, the cinematography and unique perspectives are really stunning.
    
    
    7. Career Highlights.
    
    -Construction of the JH Tram - I have thousands of shots of every step of building the new JH tram over the two-year construction period.  No idea what I'll ever do with them but it's awesome to have been the sole photographer on such a piece of history that's so close to the community.
    
    -Tiny Jackson Hole - I spent a ton of time, 400-plus hours making that video and the response blew me away.  It was a labor of love for sure and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.
    
    -Alpinist Spread - Alpinist 33 featured the Grand Teton as that issue's mountain profile. One of my favorite shots ever run was a double-page spread on the opening page of the article, Grand Teton: A Map of the Wild by Renny Jackson.  Given the Grand's influence on American alpinism, it was an honor to be in such legendary company.
    
    -JH Tram Heli Shoot, 2009 - We did a sunrise shoot of the new tram with Corey Gavitt of TGR. It was my first time shooting out the door of a helicopter, with patrollers throwing bombs below us, patrollers dropping into Corbet's, and the new Tram in perfect morning light.
     
    -TGR/Erik Roner ski-BASE of Cajun Couloir - Erik Roner is an amazing guy and completely nuts. So, seeing him ski base Cajun while perched up above in the old tram was a really special thing though the anxious anticipation beforehand was really intense.
    
    -Aerials in Indian Creek - the first time I shot climbing with the “Octokopter “- also completely terrifying flying the helicopter off the top of a giant boulder and trying to ease up next to a climber 80 feet off the deck but overall it was a great success and learning experience. It took me another three months before my first epic crash!
    
    
    To follow Tristan:
    
    http://www.tristangreszko.com
    http://instagram.com/tgreszko
    http://blog.tetonartlab.com

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
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• Rachael Burks Is Forming A Wol Rachael Burks Is Forming A Wolfpack

  • From: brigidmander
  • Description:

    
    
    For the last two years pro skier Rachael Burks, one of free skiing’s most visible female personalities, has been laying relatively low. Burks has not been resting, however, instead she has been busy creating a new action sports website, femalewolfpack.com.
    
    The website will feature video content of female action sports athletes, ranging from dirt-biking, surfing, slack-lining, to BASE and mountaineering. The goal, according to an announcement from the website, is to “specifically increase female visibility in action sports.”
    
    A soft launch, which will have about ten videos on it, will be followed by an official launch on January 1, 2013, and a video of the week moving forward.
    
    Burks’ ability to out-ski, and out-party, and out-backflip many men in the industry has earned her magazine appearances, profiles, and film segments ranging from Warren Miller Films, TGR, and the Levitation Project, and Powder Magazine reader’s polls, among others. 
    
    Burks says she decided to create the website after recognizing that to gain recognition in action sports is tough, but it is often even tougher for females.
    
    “I got to a point in my ski career where it felt like my progress depended on how much money I could get together, which didn’t make sense to me. So I decided to give women a platform where they can get visibility without being reliant on financial alliances,” Burks said.
    
    “In action sports, it is difficult to have progression for anyone. Hopefully this will give girls from all over the world an opportunity to showcase their skills, maybe pick up a sponsor, and pursue being a pro athlete,” she said.
    
    
    
    One of the website’s goals is to collect female content in one easy-to-find viewing location. Burks also hopes that a consolidated arena where female athletes are showcased pushing the limits will influence women’s action sports as a whole.
    
    “The best way is to lead by example. Sometimes all it takes is one person showing everyone else what is possible,” she said. “The idea is to let women be inspired once they are able to see what other women are doing, what is possible, and to up the ante.”
    
    The target audience of the site is everyone ranging for sponsors looking for new talent, to people sitting at a desk looking for a cool way to kill some time.
    
    “I don’t want this to be only for women, either. I think guys are interested in what the girls are doing, too,” Burks said.
    
    Burks will personally select the videos chosen to go up on the site. Edits sent for submission can be new or existing video, pro or amateur, and should be sent to femalewolfpack@gmail.com for the rest of the month. After the January launch, videos submitted for consideration can be uploaded directly to the site. According to Burks, there will be no commentary, no editorials, no thumbs up or thumbs down, just visual content.
    
    
    
    
    Athletes are already getting on board with the project.
    
    “I think it is awesome! It’ll be a cool place to express ourselves, have fun, and put up rad content,” said Nat Segal, a Jackson Hole-based pro skier and competitor on the Freeride World Tour. “It’s going to give up and comers a place to showcase their abilities and get exposure, which sometimes girls really have to fight for. And it will give younger girls a place to see what other women are doing. I’m stoked. I already sent her some edits.”
    
    

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
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• News: Super Sally Celebration News: Super Sally Celebration Kicks Off Saturday In Jackson, Wyoming

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Last March, ski industry media maven Sally Francklyn suffered a tragic, life-altering head injury after falling while skiing “Once Is Enough” in the Jackson Hole backcountry. The hardworking professionals of Teton County Search and Rescue and the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol saved her life. Today, she continues to make huge leaps toward recovery — a testament to her inner strength and the support of loving family and friends.
    
    The Super Sally Celebration fundraising party is taking place Saturday, December 8, at 6 p.m. at the Pink Garter Theatre in Jackson, Wyoming. This event is an opportunity for Sally’s supporters to get together, celebrate Sally’s determination and perseverance, show our appreciation for TCSAR and JHSP, and kick off winter among friends and fellow skiers.
    
    There will be food, silent and live auctions, guest speakers, a special film edit by Warren Miller Entertainment, ski-community camaraderie, and more. Come show your support!
    
    More On This Event
    
    Join This Event On Facebook
    
    Support Sally On Facebook
    
    More On Sally's Accident And Recovery
    
    If you would like to donate something to this event, please ship to:
    
    Denny, ink,
    ATT: Eric Henderson,
    155 West Gill Ave.
    Jackson, WY, 83002
    
    For more information contact Chris Denny: chrisdenny@me.com | 307-200-6001
    
    

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 141
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