171 Search Results for ""teton pass""

• Connor Field's Backyard Playgr Connor Field's Backyard Playground By KGB Productions

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Connor Field is an up an coming freeride mountain biker from Wilson, Wyoming. Riding on Teton pass near his house is where he trains an develops his skills. In an effort to expand his biking he built his own downhill jump course in his backyard and this is it.

    Watch KGB Productions Videos

     

  • 6 days ago
  • Views: 38
  • Not yet rated

• Third Annual Beartooth Summer Third Annual Beartooth Summer Session Presented by ON3P Ski Company

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

     

    The Third Annual Beartooth Summer Session is set to occur from Wednesday through Sunday, June 5th-June 9th at Beartooth Basin Ski Area, formerly Red Lodge International Summer Ski Camp, and in the surrounding backcountry. 

     

    The little ski area, near the top of Beartooth Pass on the Montana/Wyoming border, features two high-speed poma lifts, steeps,  chutes, cornices, and a terrain  park at the bottom.  The ski area was first opened in the 1960s as a venue for summer  ski race training.  During the late 1990s and early 2000s the ski area saw an influx of newschool skiing. Mickey Price, Tony Gilpin, Glen Plake, and Donovan Power trained and coached alongside Tanner Hall, Wiley Miller, Paul Cotter, and many others.  Prominent film companies such as Teton Gravity Research, Team 13, and Toy Soldier Productions have featured  footage from the Beartooth Basin Ski Area in their films.

     

    The Second Annual Beartooth Summer Session  brought approximately 100 skier visits and 40 competitors from all around North America. Writers from Teton Gravity Research, Sking Magazine, Bomb Snow Magazine, and Explore Big Sky covered the event.

     

    ON3P Ski Company and other sponsors will be working with the ski area to host the session and build a quality terrain park and competition course. The event, terrain park, and ski area will be open to the public as well as to invited riders and photographers. In addition to world-class, lift-accessible summer skiing, the surrounding area has excellent backcountry access, including day-long tours, boot packs, and car shuttle laps.

     

    On Saturday, June 8th, a big-mountain/slopestyle competition will take place at Beartooth Basin. Competitors will take top-to-bottom runs and be judged on style, technique,  amplitude, and consistency.

     

    ON3P will have its fleet of demo skis available free to the public. Tickets to the ski area will be discounted for session attendees to $40 per day. Half day tickets for $35 will also be available.

     

    More details including group lodging options, competition  registration, and a roster of invited riders will be published at www.beartoothsummersession.com . View the rest of the media gallery here. We hope to see you next month in the Beartooths.

     

    Get ready for the summer season with awesome gear deals here.

  • Blog post
  • 6 days ago
  • Views: 76
  • Not yet rated

• Daron Rahlves: Sugar Bowl Amba Daron Rahlves: Sugar Bowl Ambassador

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    "Sugar Bowl Resort is my favorite ski area because of the terrain, snow and overall experience. The Bowl gets dumped on and is an epic playground stacked with terrain. I love the smooth flowing groomed runs any day, but get drawn to the open trees, bowls, tight lines and gullies. Now as a professional free skier the challenging steeps in Palisades is my training ground for big lines in AK. Fun runs and fresh snow, days after a storm are there so find me and lets go. If not, explore or find a local and you'll be fired up. For determined and dedicated youth in the ski world, the Sugar Bowl Academy (SBA) is dedicated to offering an environment to excel in academics and racing / free skiing. It's an amazing life path where I'm more than willing to pass on my knowledge of the sport since I grew up in a similar system. To top it off the resort staff are super friendly giving it that traditional ski experience charm, an important reason for my loyalty to Sugar Bowl. Come check it out and take a run down Rahlves' Run." Banzai!!! Sugar Bowl Ambassador - Daron Rahlves

     

    15 years on the US Ski Team, 4x Olympian and the most decorated male American Downhill and Super G skier in history. Daron won 12 World Cup races, had 28 World Cup podiums, 7 US National Titles, is the 2001 World Champion in Super G, Silver medal at the 2005 Worlds in DH and Bronze medal in GS. He was the winner of the legendary Hahnenkamm Downhill in 2003 and SG in 2004 along with 7 podium finishes in Kitzbuhel over 5 years. Ski cross became his competition of choice in 2007 and in 2008 Daron took Gold in Skier-X at ESPN's Winter X Games 12 and finished 3rd overall on the Jeep Skiing/48 Straight Tour. Currently he's on the Teton Gravity Research (TGR) team skiing big mountain lines and works closely with his sponsors to develop the best quality equipment and experience for those unforgettable days on snow.

     

    Video by Weston Walker
    http://www.westonwalker.com

     

    Stills Courtesy of Sugar Bowl

    http://www.sugarbowl.com; http://www.facebook.com/sugarbowlresort

     

    Race photo courtesy of Deven Hickingbotham

  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 18
  • Not yet rated

• Go: Irwin Cat Skiing Go: Irwin Cat Skiing

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    Words: Pip Hunt

    Photos: Re Wikstrom

    A gloved finger etches a penis on a foggy window, then hastily circles it and slashes a line through the center. It’s almost as if our Tucker snow cat is filled with sixteen year-old boys. Rather than baseball, Alfalfa, and a “no girls allowed” sign, this moving clubhouse is filled tutus, sparkles and a pink wig. Pop music blares through the speakers and an old school ski film skitters across the big screen in front of us—though no one pays attention. Hannah Whitney, Utah Regional Director for SheJumps, gets down in the middle of the spacious cat. Before long, the entire snowcat bounces as seven women dance to “Call Me Maybe”. I’m not even through my first cup of coffee yet. 

    We’re heading up a snowy Kebler Pass, the unpaved summer road that connects Crested Butte to the rest of the Western Slope. Ten miles outside the funky, prayer-flag-draped ski town lies the Movie Cabin, the base for all of Irwin Catskiing’s daily adventures.

    While Crested Butte is known for its low snow pack, steep pitches and rocky terrain, locals have always known that the “donut hole” weather pattern leaves only the Butte bare. Irwin regularly receives two to three times more snow than Mt. Crested Butte every storm. It receives more than 600 inches annually, making it a leader for Colorado ski area snow totals.

    I slurp the dregs of my coffee before stepping out of the cat, taking in the panoramic view of the Elk Mountains and the minuscule movie cabin. We crowd inside the former Hollywood Western film prop and spread out around the fire to boot up for a day of skiing. 

    

    Guides can make or break the catskiing experience; but Megan Poden, CB local, mom, ski patroller, and guide extraordinaire greets us with more flair than we arrived with. Her hot pink wig, black tutu, and sassy ways set the precedent—things are about to get ridiculous. 

    Luckily, these ladies at SheJumps, a 501-c3 non-profit organization aren’t afraid of having fun. SheJumps challenges women to reach their fullest potential through outdoor adventures. This trip wasn’t about luxury lodging, and delicious food though; it was about the terrain and initiating a new SheJumps chapter in the Gunnison Valley. It was about introducing more women to a safe backcountry skiing environment, skiing pow, and challenging each other to break free of our comfort zones. 

    Six inches of fresh waited us at the top, and the cat was stacked with snacks and beverages. Our guides cranked the tunes up between each lap. We chased each other through lines of fresh soft snow on “2D or Not 2D,” sent the “Outer Limits,” and played through the endless, rolling terrain of “Long.” 

    

    “The terrain seemed endless,” Hannah gushed afterwards. “I’ve been out here touring before when I lived in the valley, but all of my surroundings seemed so much more accessible with the cat. I’m going to be dreaming about getting back here to ski more!”

    But the real fun started every time the cat door closed. We laughed, and had a really, really, really good time.

    “I think we just set the precedent for fun,” Kyra Martin, Director of Admin for Irwin stated at the end of the day. “Irwin sees a ton of male clients, but we’ve never had a cat full of women. We wanted to bring in SheJumps to show that women need adventure too!” 

    Details: 

    Website: Irwincolorado.com

    Contact: Info@Irwincolorado.com

    Prices: $500 per day

    1000+ Acres of Terrain 

    10,000-15,000 vertical feet of skiing per day 

  • Blog post
  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 173
  • Not yet rated

• Austin Trimback, over a ravin Austin Trimback, over a ravine, Teton Pass, Photo: Colton Stiffler

  • From: patclayton
  • Description:
    Austin Trimback, over a ravine, Teton Pass, Photo: Colton Stiffler
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 161
  • Not yet rated

• From Start To Finish: Sequence From Start To Finish: Sequences

  • From: patclayton
  • Description:

    Sequences capture the flow and imagination of the riders, a hybrid between filming and stills. These shots capture it from start to finish.
      
    Shane Cottom, Bridger Bowl Photo: Patrick Clayton

    Blair Elliot, Big Sky Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Forrest Cole charging the fouth class like a boss Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Shane Cottom, 4th virtue, Bridger Bowl, Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Austin Trimback, over a ravine, Teton Pass, Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Jed Donnelly cooling off, Gallatin River, Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Ryan Kemp, Moonlight Basin backcountry, Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Chris Bangs, Human Powered Mountaineers, Cleo’s Hyalite Canyon, Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Pete Costanti not letting being in his 30s slow him down.  A check off the bucket list, Baker road gap, Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Shane Cottom, Cream Jeans, The Ridge, Bridger Bowl, Montana  Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Shane Cottom, Slushman’s airtime  Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Kelsey Boleski, Bridger Bowl, Montana, Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    On the deck; p30 Neptune painting houses red in Paradise Valley, Montana.  Calm mind and nerves of steel into 45 mph gusts, one bad mofo pilot sticking his line.  Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Eagle: Colton Stiffler  Osprey: Patrick Clayton
    
    Kyle Taylor hot and fast off the top, winning the Moonlight Basin comp  Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Colin Stemper, Moonlight Basin FWT qualifier.  Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Orion Helms in the crazies.  Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Thomas Brown, front flip 180 Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Long and convoluted, consequential and intense.  These are the lines sequences best do them justice.  Places where the focus must remain as intense 6 or 8 seconds in as it was on the lip.  Things comin’ at mach speed, maybe the place you wanted to be was a few feet over there or the snow wasn’t quite what you expected.  The mind must calm as you slip deeper into the zone or else the last half goes bad at speed.  Anjen Herndon sticks it on Big T falls.  Photo: Patrick Clayton
    
    Shane Cottom above the inversion, Bridger Bowl, Montana Photo: Patrick Clayton

    Jed Donnelly finds the takeoff and landing  Photo: Colton Stiffler
    
    Photography is fun, shop for your next DSLR camera at Amazon.com

    
    Thanks to :  Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, Moonlight Basin, Jed Donnelly, Colin Stemper, Blair Elliot, Thomas Brown, Austin Trimbach, Pete Costanti, Forrest Cole, Kelsey Boleski, Shane Cottom, Anjen Herndon, Orion Helms, Kyle Taylor, Human Powered mountaineers, Chris Bangs, the pilot, and the birds….
    
    Photos by:
    
    Colton Stiffler: www.coltonstifflerphotography.com
    
    And
    
    Patrick Clayton:www.fisheyeguyphotography.com

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 184
  • Not yet rated

• First Look: Black Diamond Equi First Look: Black Diamond Equipment’s Fall 2013 Freeride Skis And Boots

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 468
  • Not yet rated

• News: Grand Targhee Resort Pre News: Grand Targhee Resort Presents Second Annual Fat Bike Race

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

     

    
    The Grand Targhee second annual Fat Bike race is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2013.  The Grand Targhee Snow Bike Race 15K one lap / 30K two laps / 45K three laps race on the Nordic track. Snow bike demos will be available before and after the race. Check the start/finish area about renting a snow bike for the race or just to ride around.

    •   Location: Grand Targhee, Lot 3, Sprung Structure

    •   Date: January 19th 2013

    •   Time: 10:00am start

    •   Category: Snow Bike Race

    •   Event Age Restriction: 16+

    •   Registration: Open : Online Registration Athlete 360

    •   Online Entry Fee: Closes 1/17/2013 - $30/45K, $20/30K & 15K races.

    •   Day of / On Site Registration/ bib pick-up: 8:30am - 9:45am – $40/45K, $25/30K & 15K races

    •   Distances: 15K is one lap / 30K is two laps / 45K will be three laps

    •   Awards: 2:00pm at the finish line
    
    

    Grand Targhee Resort is the first ski resort in the United States to embrace and endorse fat bikes aka snow biking on our Nordic trail system. Bikers who purchase a Nordic ticket for $10 per day or a Nordic season pass for $120 will have access to the Grand Targhee Resort Nordic Trail System.
    
    

    The fat 'snow' bike was created to go where standard “all terrain” bikes flounder. The floatation and traction afforded by large-volume, low-pressure tires can get you over and through otherwise unrideable terrain…sand, mud, wet rocks and roots, ice and many kinds of snow. The fat bike is purpose built for snow and sand with wide, high flotation tires that enable travel on a variety of low pressure surfaces. Huge tires make for a comfy ride and distribute weight for float and traction in the snow.

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 121
  • Not yet rated

• Grand Targhee Resort to Open D Grand Targhee Resort to Open Dreamcatcher and Fred’s Mountain on Opening Day

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

    Alta, WY – Grand Targhee Resort will open for its 44th ski season on Friday, November 23 with top to bottom skiing on Fred’s Mountain and three out of five lifts running; Dreamcatcher, Shoshone and Papoose Magic Carpet, are scheduled to run conditions permitting. Lifts will run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
     
    Grand Targhee has received over 73 inches of snow since the middle of October and additional lifts and terrain will open as soon as Grand Targhee receives additional snowfall and conditions allow.
     
    Opening Weekend Ticket Pricing and Special benefitting the Teton Valley Food Bank:
    Grand Targhee Resort will offer Adult lift tickets at $44 for opening weekend, Friday, November 23 through Sunday, November 25. Additionally, anyone wishing to donate two canned goods or non-perishable food items to the local Teton Valley Food Bank through the resort will receive $10 OFF their individual ticket purchase for opening weekend.
     
    With the $10 OFF Teton Valley Food Bank donation tickets will be:
    ·         Adult and Senior tickets (13 & up) will be $34 for a full day
    ·         Junior tickets (6 – 12) will be $19 for a full day
    ·         Child tickets (5 & under) with paying adult will be FREE
     
    Donations will be accepted at the Activities Center and at the Ticket Booth. The Teton Valley Food Bank will accept and needs the following items, through Grand Targhee Resort.
     
    ·         Canned foods
    ·         Pasta meals
    ·         Dried beans
    ·         Peanut butter
    ·         Chili/soups
    ·         Rice
    ·         Pasta
     
    Season Pass Processing and Pick-up:
    Season passes will be available for pick-up in the Activity Center, with the Activity Center opening at 8:00AM on Friday. All passholders will be receiving new passes this year. All passholders who have not previously picked-up their passes will need to go inside the Activity Center to get their pictures taken and passes processed. You will not be able to access the lifts or mountain without your new pass, make sure you stop-by the Activity Center to get your new pass.
     
    Mountain & Nordic Operations:
    The GTR Terrain Park will open with several features for all freeriders to get their jib on. Ski & Snowboard School, Mini-Moose Ski School and all retail and rental will operated on a normal schedule. Nordic track in Rick's Basin will open partially on Friday. Most of the track has good snow conditions but there will be some occasional thin spots. No classic track will be set, please check-in at the Activities Center or Ski & Snowboard School for the most up-to-date Nordic conditions and map.
     
    Food &Beverage Operations:
    Grand Targhee Resort restaurants will operate on the following schedule until further notice, all times are subject to change:
    ·         Snorkels                  7:00 am to 2:00 pm daily
    
    ·         Wild Bills                  11:00 am to 4:00 pm Friday, Sat. & Sun opening weekend then closed mid-week until Dec 13
    
    ·         Trap Bar                  11:00 am to 7:00 pm Sun – Thurs; 11:00 am to 8:30 pm Fri & Sat
    
    ·         Branding Iron          5:00 pm to 9:00 pm daily, Also, Open Thanksgiving Day from 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
    
    ·         General Store          8:00 am to 5:30 pm daily
    
    Lodging:
    Grand Targhee lodging will be open as early as Thursday night for those ready to get a jump on first chair. Special lodging packages are available for Thanksgiving. Lodging reservations can be made by calling 800-827-4433 or on-line at GrandTarghee.com.
     
    Targhee-Driggs Local Shuttle:
    The Shuttle between Driggs and Grand Targhee will begin operations on Friday, November 23, for full shuttle schedule and rates visit GrandTarghee.com.
     
    Additional Events for Opening Weekend:
    Branding Iron Grill:
    ·         November 22 - Traditional Turkey Dinner. 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Reservations suggested.
    
    Habitat:
    ·         The Black Friday sale at Habitat. We're turning Black Friday into the White Room Sale with the doors opening here at 7:00 am!  Door prizes, Free wax all day with any purchase and get a Oakley or Smith goggle with any ski, board or boot purchase.  Come on into the “White Room” this Black Friday and save!
    
    

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 190
  • Not yet rated

• News: Utah Snow And Avalanche News: Utah Snow And Avalanche Workshop Pro Session Nov. 3

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Utah Snow And Avalanche Workshop Pro Session This Saturday, November 3

    Location: SouthTowne Exposition Center, 9575 South State Street, Sandy, UT
    See map: Google Maps
    Time: Saturday, November 3, 2012 - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    Cost: $41.00
    
    Join the Utah Snow and Avalanche Center on Saturday, Nov 3, 2012, at the South Towne Center in Sandy for the 4th annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop. 

    Avalanche professionals from around the west will gather to talk about avalanche issues and share knowledge, including latest information from the International Snow Science Workshop in Anchorage.  As in previous years, they will begin the day with a morning pro-only session to discuss the issues we work with.  Lunch will be provided and the afternoon will be open to the public, with more focus on backcountry and recreationist issues. The day will end with a happy hour social.  Once again, sponsors have provided a swag bag filled with goodies and discounts for those who preregister. 

    Buy your tickets online to save a few bucks and some time getting in.  Tickets at the door will be $45.
    
    Note:  The morning session is for those working in the avalanche field only.  Please be prepared to show a business card, pay stub, note from your patrol director, or some other proof of professional status.  If you are a recreational user, please join us for the open afternoon session.
    
    Agenda:
    
    08:00-08:05 Welcome
    
    08:05-08:25 ISSW Update- Bruce Tremper
    The Cliff’s Notes version of ISSW
    
    08:30-08:50 In Area Close Call- Kellie Hunsaker/Eric Murakami
    Insight to a close call through the eyes of a veteran patroller
    
    08:55-09:15 The Effectiveness of Boot Packing for Snowpack Stabilization- Matt Wieland
    This project compares a boot packed study area vs. a non boot packed study area for changes in layer density, hand hardness and ECT scores over the course of a winter in south west Montana.
    
    09:20-09:30 - Avalanche Warning on a Sunny Day- Drew Hardesty
    Case study of Sunday March 4, 2011. All the natural and human triggered slides that stemmed from Heat/Solar Radiation induced deformation on a conditionally unstable snowpack
    
    09:35-09:55 Bridger Bowl Wet Slab Cycle- Pete Maleski, Bridger Bowl Snow Safety
    
    10:00-10:20 Comparing Stream Flow and Wet Slab Activity- Mark Saurer
    An update from ISSW and lessons learned from past events
    
    10:20-10:35 Break
    
    10:40-11:00 Guiding in Terrain With Persistent and Deep Slab Instabilities- Johnathon Spitzer
    An overview of Ruby Mountain Heli-Ski Operations
    
    11:05-11:25 Idaho Transportation Dept. Avalanche Mitigation Program- Chantel Astorga
    A history and overview of the Avalanche Mitigation Program on SH21 and US12
    
    11:30-11:50 Little Cottonwood Canyon Gaz Ex Project- UDOT
    Project update on Gaz-Ex installation in LCC and future sites
    
    11:50-13:00 Lunch
    
    13:00-16:00 Public Session
    
    13:00-13:05 Welcome
    
    13:10-13:20 Utah Winter Review 2011-12
    A look back at the events that shaped the winter of 2011-12
    
    13:25-13:45 Nov. 13th in Upper Little Cottonwood Canyon- Gabe Garcia, Brett Kobernik
    Review of how things went haywire
    
    13:50-14:10 Taylor Mountain Wyoming- Bob Comey
    A Close Call in the Tetons with the potential for multiple deaths… what did we learn?
    
    14:15-14:35 Jan. 29th Accident on Kessler Peak- Josh Anderson
    A rescuers viewpoint
    
    14:40-15:00 Information Overload- Jake Hutchinson
    More than ever before, today's backcountry user has a wealth of info at their fingertips. How to filter out the noise and focus on the important stuff influencing your go/no go decision.
    
    15:00-15:15 Break
    
    15:20-15:40 Send Lawyers, Guns, and Money-Rich Mrazik
    Backcountry Litigation Issues
    
    15:45-16:55 Backcountry Roundtable-UAC, UDOT, Teton Pass, Red Mtn. Pass, Galena Summit
    An open discussion focusing on how the professional avalanche and backcountry communities can communicate more effectively
    
    17:00-17:30 Mistakes Revisited- 18 Years Later - Doug Richmond
    Common mistakes made by avy professionals
    
    17:30-18:30 Social in the main foyer of the South Town Expo Center… woohoo!

  • Blog post
  • 7 months ago
  • Views: 198
  • Not yet rated

• Epic Sturgis: 5 Athletes, 16 H Epic Sturgis: 5 Athletes, 16 Harleys, Dozens Of GoPros, 1 Hell Of A Ride

  • From: ericseymour
  • Description:

    The author, Eric Seymour, rides a Harley Davidson Softtail Blackline toward Mount Rainier and, ultimately, to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  

    Words by Eric Seymour.

    Photos courtesy Harley Davidson and GoPro.

    
    Passing a semi-truck, 100 miles from Sturgis, South Dakota, our 16 motorcycles were in a tight-staggered formation drafting one another at less than one car length. I looked down at my speedometer and the gauge read 120 mph. I was surprised at my speed. The Harley I was riding was ready to pull ahead even faster. Everyone always says, “it’s the journey, not the destination,” but pulling into the motorcycle rally, I thought it might be the destination in this circumstance.

    TGR, GoPro and Harley Davidson rally through Mount Rainier National Park with five elite extreme sports athletes.
    
    Teton Gravity Research was invited to cover an epic 1,500-mile motorcycle journey from Seattle, Washington, to Sturgis, South Dakota, sponsored by Harley Davidson and GoPro. The trip was in celebration of Harley Davidson’s 110th anniversary. Joining Max Kuszaj, one of the voices of the Freeskiing World Tour, and four other elite GoPro athletes including three-time X Games gold medalist BMX rider Chad Kagy, kayak freestyle champion and Olympian Eric Jackson, mountain bike film star Aaron Chase, and four-time world mountain bike champion Brian Lopes.
    
    Starting in our hotel parking lot in Seattle, we began getting outfitted with our leathers and checking out our Harley motorcycles. We had 16 big, badass motorcycles that showcased the 2012 line.
    
    I was anxious as I sat in the hotel parking lot getting ready to begin the ride. The mission encompassed riding 1,466 miles, 29 hours of saddle time, and four days to travel from Seattle to Sturgis. Could I ride a Harley? Could I ride this many miles? Was I crazy to embark on this journey with only dirt biking and commuting in Jackson, Wyoming, on a 650cc duel sport as my experience? All doubts vanished as I twisted the throttle on the1500cc Blackline in Mount Rainier National Park, heard the bike roar, and felt the bike accelerate. Riding the Harley was easy. The bikes are big, but they have a low center of gravity and a predictable clutch that instills confidence. I knew I was going to experience the trip of a lifetime. 

    Entering the Lochsa River Corridor.
    
    The organizers of the journey planned a phenomenal route that took us through national parks, along river drainages, over mountain passes, and the majority of the ride was on two-lane twisty highways. I cannot think of a better way to see the country. Riding by bison in Yellowstone National Park made me feel so small and at the same time very alive. My highlight of the trip was riding over Beartooth Pass in Montana. The road is magnificent with tight turns that zig and zag for a perceived eternity. Huge drop-offs exist on the edge of the road. I was able to release my aggressive nature as I pushed the Harley Sportster in and out of curves with speed and a determination to go faster. At the end of the day, feeling a release of endorphins, I was content knowing that I am going to be a motorcycle rider for life.  
    
    Max Kuszaj of the Freeskiing World Tour loves to ride. 
    
    Riding a motorcycle gives a person a sense of freedom that is very comparable to skiing. The wind is in your face and accelerating through a corner feels like railing a turn.
    
    “The nicest thing about motorcycles is that it allows me to clear my mind and get on the road,” Max Kuszaj said. “A lot of my ski friends are now getting Harleys. It’s great to get on the road, clear your mind and just ride.”
    
    Before heading to South America to go skiing, Max has another 2500-mile motorcycle ride planned out with his buddies. Max really likes motorcycles.  

    Riding through a wheat field as the sun sets in Idaho.

    Getting to Big Sky, Montana.
    
    Trading our Harleys for downhill mountain bikes at Big Sky.

    Four-time world mountain bike champion Brian Lopes sending at Big Sky.

    Wind in the face never felt so good. Riding the Sporster Seventy-Two.

    The team goes for an early morning bridge jump into the Gallatin River in Montana.
    
    Where the buffalo roam: Yellowstone National Park.

    Riding out of Cooke City, Montana.

    Beartooth Pass. The highlight of my trip.

    Sunset on Beartooth Pass. Life never felt so good.

    Riding into the sun on Beartooth Pass

    Arriving at Sturgis, I was amazed at the pure magnitude of the festival with over 600,000 bikers the town was packed. We had arrived at the motorcycle version of Burning Man, a biker’s Shangri La. Zip lining over a massive crowd with Journey playing “Don’t Stop Believing,” and bikers revving their loud pipes, I felt like I had entered a new world.
    
    “Sturgis is wild,” Max Kuszaj said, “I was not mentally prepared for the madness and the amount of people that are here. It’s something that you need to experience at least once in your lifetime. It’s the best people watching that I have ever seen in my life.”
    
    For me, Sturgis is about seeing the culture and history that has encompassed Harley Davidson for so many years. I appreciated all walks of life. There is a new breed of Harley rider that is young, fit, and wants to ride. As fun as Sturgis was, it was not my highlight of the trip. The winding roads, amazing sunsets, and freedom felt on the bike were my Shangri La. It still is the journey not the destination.

    Welcome to Sturgis.

    The streets are lined with bikes in Sturgis, South Dakota.

    X Games gold medalist Chad Kagy and pro mountain bike freerider, Aaron Chase check out the bikes in Sturgis.

    Shotgun!

    Don’t stop believing. Journey rocks the house at Sturgis.

    Get on the road and enjoy the ride.

    "The top of the pinnacle is a Harley. It’s the American horse, the American legend.” - Max Kuszaj.
    

  • Blog post
  • 9 months ago
  • Views: 613
  • Not yet rated

• Grom Contest Interview: Sam Wi Grom Contest Interview: Sam Winship, Age 16

  • From: adambroderick
  • Description:

    

    Jackson Hole local and this year's Overall Grom Contest winning skier Sam Winship may be a young gun, but he's at the heels of the top dogs. Winship has won the opportunity to film with the TGR production team during the 2012-13 season. Winship also gets to attend the world premiere of TGR’s newest ski and snowboard film, The Dream Factory, and have his video edit play before every showing of The Dream Factory during the film's tour. On top of that, Winship gets a GoPro package and a pile of TGR swag. Take a gander through Sam's goggles, and get a view of the future he sees in skiing.

    
    When did you start skiing?

    At the fine age of 3 years old.

    What aspect of skiing do you most enjoy?

    I definitely enjoy skiing powder and taking park-style to natural features. I like to learn tricks in the park and be able to throw them down on any feature.

    Who do you look up to in the skiing world?

    I really respect people that can do it all. Jossi Wells has placed in both slopestlye and halfpipe and has impeccable stlye. I also really enjoy skiers like Sean Pettit, Dane Tudor, and Sammy Carlson, who can take technical tricks to powder jumps. It's hard to make a list because there are aspects in almost every pro skier that I look up to.

    Who are your favorite people to ride with?

    My brother, Owen. We've always had a common interest in skiing, and he taught me a lot of the basics. He's taken some time off to pursue filming and a serious career, so I didn't get to ski with him as much as I wanted to last year. However, the days that we do get in together are some of the funnest, biggest, and scariest, and produce some of the best shots. 
     

    

    How do you balance school and skiing?

    It's always hard. Especially going to a private school that doesn't have early-release as an option. I'm the only one who leaves to ski during the week. It's resulted in cab rides, taking multiple courses during my free blocks, and almost having to sleep at the Stilson Bus Station…twice. I always tell myself, "School first", but sometimes that's hard to follow. I need to thank my parents and teachers for helping me figure that all out.

    Who do you think is the best skier in your local scene?

    It seems that every time you ride up the lift it's with someone who just went to do backcountry lines or who just hucked a backflip off of Nightmare. Matt Philippi and Tony Seibert were two skiers that really impressed me. I saw tons of crazy shots of Matt going HAM in the stash parks, and I got to ski with Tony on a weekly basis and he never ceased to blow me away with huge tricks, airs, and some classic stlye. There are tons of others, but these are the ones that i consistently see at the resort going hard.
     

    
    What does it mean to you to have your video selected by TGR?

    When I got the call from TGR and they told me I'd won the overall contest I was pumped. For youth riders who want to get noticed in the freesking world, this is one of the best ways. To be selected amongst the likes of Willie Borm and Daniel Tisi makes it feel even more surreal. I've seen Willie do double flips at Windells, and Daniel throw down one of the sickest park runs Jackson Hole's park saw last year: misty-7 to cork-9 to blind-270 off the rail. This year was probably the biggest year for the contest, and I was up against kids who had landed doubles off of pow jumps, flat-spins off of 30-foot cliffs, and mind-blowing rail tricks. It just showed that the hard work and the money my parents have put in over the years has payed off, and gives me an option to get my name recognized and to show the TGR crew what I'm made of next winter!

    Do you edit your own videos? Who do you edit with?

    My brother Owen does it for me. I've done a few by myself but by brother has experience editing videos. I generally give him my footage and he shows it to me at a few points along the editing process to get my input, but I rarely have any negative feedback. The end-product never ceases to blow my mind and make me look like a better skier that i probably am. 

    Can you describe your best day, or series of days, during this last season?

    Yep. There was a saturday after a fresh dump and Crags was opening for the first time in a few weeks. I had never been up there, but my coach Matt Lancaster brought me with a few other homies, and we basically built four or five jibs off of cliffs and natural features. I did a few 360s off of cliffs and a switch rodeo-7 that I didn't quite stomp, but it felt great. In the days that followed, I had a sick day at Grand Targhee, filming with my old bud Sam Dery. We also had another sick jump session on a step-down that we built, which was awesome, until I over rotated a misty-7 and ended up with four stitches in my face.

    What are your plans for winter?

    Try to improve my riding and get some clean shots with the TGR filmers. I'd like to take my skiing to more powder jumps, and work on cork-720s and some more technical tricks that we see in the park. I will probably compete in a few USSA slopestlye competitions in Park City, Utah, and Sun Valley, Idaho. I'd like to compete in a few more big-mountain events than I did last year. There are some secret spots up on Teton Pass that I'd like to get after, but not before a few avalanche courses. I guess I'd like to get better, go bigger, send harder, and get more footage than I have in the past.
     

    
    Have you found a way to train for winter during these summer months?

    Summer ski camps are the best, but also the most expensive option. I've been lucky enough to go to them for the past four summers, and with airbags and foam pits, its the best way to improve. Other than that, bouncing on the trampoline and getting a good sense of air-awareness is very beneficial. For park skiers, tramp as much as you can, and for big-mountain riders, try to fill your days with fun activities that will help with your balance and strength. 

    How do you plan on using your video selection with TGR to help further your ski career?

    I think that this will be beneficial on a resume. It also gives me confidence [knowing] that professional filmers and skiers picked me out of a crowd of riders. To know that my skiing impressed some of the riders I look up to makes me want to send it harder, to hopefully continue to impress all of them. This is like an extra boost that I think will send me up higher and hopefully to the top, or at least part of the way. Also, having my video play at the premieres of the TGR movie will hopefully let people across America see who I am and expose me to a larger audience.

    Any shoutouts to your homies, family or sponsors?

    For sure. To my brother and family, first off. They've been the biggest help with getting me gear, getting me to the mountain, feeding me, and all that necessary stuff. Kuborra is an up-and-coming company with sick swag for the lowest prices around. Habitat ski shop is located in Driggs, Idaho, and have a plethora of products. And then to all of my homies, Lyons, Matt, Jake, Sam, Cole, AT, and Kathleen.

     

     

     Sam's winning Grom Contest entry: 

     

    
    Here's some bonus footage of Sam, shot a while back at Windell's:

     

    Sam's portrait photo via kuborra.com

  • Blog post
  • 10 months ago
  • Views: 301
  • Not yet rated

• Interview: TGR Skier Erik Rone Interview: TGR Skier Erik Roner Stars In Nitro Circus 3D Movie

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    Erik Roner has starred in Teton Gravity Research movies for almost a decade. For the past few years he’s been known in the ski world for his stand-out ski-BASE jumping segments in our films. His current web series Roner Vision is one of the best ski-athlete series out there. But mainstream America knows Roner for being on the MTV show Nitro Circus with Travis Pastrana. For the past two years Roner and the Nitro crew have been creating a feature-length 3D film to share with the world. On Wednesday, August 8, the movie hits 1000 theaters across the country. We caught up with Roner before the premiere to find out more about the movie and what it’s like to film with the Nitro Circus crew.

     
    
    

    TGR: How did Nitro Circus 3D come about? What did it take to make this happen?
    

    Erik Roner: We did two seasons with MTV, then more or less took the last two years to focus on doing this movie. And in doing this movie we came across a lot of hardships and a lot of learning curves, dealing with Hollywood, dealing with insurance, dealing with the studios, and we've kind of just had to force feed this the whole way. We ended up financing it ourselves, because at first a lot of the studios, when they heard about all the stunts we wanted to do, they said "There's no way we're going to be able to insure this." We kind of did it under the radar and then sold it back to the studios after we had done it. So, fortunately, it worked out and we're hoping everyone likes it.

     

    TGR: How did Nitro Circus begin? To me, it kind of comes out of the Jackass realm of things. Is anyone from Jackass involved in Nitro Circus, or is it a completely different crew?
    

    Erik Roner: It started out with Travis Pastrana filming stuff in his backyard with the neighbors, cousins, whomever he could get over there. And then he started making DVDs to help pay for everything they were wrecking and destroying. 

    Greg Godfrey was in Hollywood trying to be filmer/director guy. He saw Crusty Demons III, and he said "That's what I want to do." He moved to Utah, did one film-shoot with Travis, and saw how gnarly Travis is and how motivating he is to people around him, and said "Hey, do you what to go into business together?" So sure enough, they started Nitro Circus and started shooting DVDs for awhile.

    Then Johnny Knoxville and Dickhouse Productions did an Evil Knievel tribute with Travis' Nitro Circus crew. After that, those guys said "We need to do a TV show with them." And they were an instrumental part of lining up the MTV show we did for two seasons. After that, when we started doing this movie, this movie was all Godfrey Entertainment. So the Jackass guys helped, like Knoxville and Jermaine from Jackass have good interviews in the movie, kind of talking about who we are and what we do. So they're definitely a part of the movie, but as far as directing and putting the movie together, they didn't have any part in it.

     

    TGR: Tell me about the movie. Have you watched the movie yet? Have you seen a final cut?
    

    Erik Roner: Yeah, we had a screening at X Games at that Mann's Chinese Theatre down on Sunset Boulevard, which kind of felt like a premiere. You know, over a thousand people, kind of key industry people, and all the Jackass guys were there. The feedback was really good. I was really impressed with the movie. I was questioning it at first: If we, on our own, could pull off a theatrical movie. Of course we could do the DVD stunts, stunt reels for the ADD crowd that we're so accustomed to. But actually putting together a theatrical movie, that mom and pops and the kids are going to want to see, as well as our hardcore fan base is going to want to see. And I surely think we did. There's a nice storyline throughout it that kind of shows where we've come from and the type of people we are. And there's a lot of insane stunts that we do where people are laying their lives on the line. There were definitely some accidents that happen along the way, and some hardships, but all-in-all we all came out in one piece and I think everyone's super proud of what they did for the movie, and everyone's really excited to share it with the world.

     

    TGR: Who's in the Nitro Circus crew?
    

    Erik Roner: The main cast is Travis Pastrana, Street Bike Tommy, Jolene Van Vugt, Me, Special Greg and Jim Dechamp. And we've included a couple new people in this movie, Aaron "Wheels" Fotheringham. He's the kid who's in our live show, he's in a wheel chair, he has spina bifida and the kid's nuts. He tries all kinds…he tried the loop, he does the mega-ramp. He's truly inspiring for the stuff he does and the situation he's at. And another guy we introduced is Dusty Wygel. He's just another kind of Special Greg-type kid that's pretty much good at everything and fun to have around. We use him as stunt-feed. "You're the new guy, you try this first." For us older guys that have been through the ranks.

     

    TGR: Who comes up with the stunt concepts? Do you come up with your own or do you all talk about it together?
    

    Erik Roner: A little bit of both. Some of the stunt ideas in the movie definitely were mine, and everyone tries to come up with a unique stunt for themselves, especially in this movie-type environment. We all get together and have big brainstorming sessions. We call it nitro-physics. Someone comes up with an idea, and then someone else chimes in, "Oh, well you could do that, but if you put this on top of it…or you put a little twist on it, and the stunt's this much better, or gnarlier, or this much more dramatic." So there's definitely a lot of brainstorming sessions that go down, but for the most part we all try to come up with individual stunts.

     

    TGR: What do you do in the movie? What parts are you in and what was the gnarliest thing you did for the flick?
    

    Erik Roner: I have a few different things that I'm proud of. Without giving away too much of the movie, one involves a blob, a large building and base-jumping. Another one involves kind of a human-version of Angry Birds. And another involves a building-to-building gap jump with tricycles. It's like a 40-foot gap and the buildings are 400 feet high.  It's real intimidating. There's no safety nets. In real stunt movies, the details that go into every stunt are crazy. We're a little looser, we're a little more fly by the seam of your pants. We try to do things smart, we're not dumb, But at the same time, we don't have the budget or the time to spend to create these huge stunts. That's who we are and that’s the way we roll and that’s kind of always how we've been. We stay true to that in this movie, even though we were doing way bigger stunts, shooting them in 3D, and [it's] a lot bigger production.

     

    TGR: I'm excited for the 3D aspect. 

    Erik Roner: I've never really been to a lot of 3D movies and I've heard a lot of people say they give them headaches. They really did a great job capturing 3D. There's a few scenes in there where we heard people say it was the best 3D they've seen. There's a big crossover scene where there's trophy trucks and dirt bikes and helicopters and monster trucks, and everyone's jumping at the same time. And the 3D had it so layered that you really feel like you’re right there, it's so neat. 

     

    TGR: What's it like filming with those guys compared with filming a ski movie?
    

    Erik Roner: There're similarities and there're differences. There's still the nerves the night before a big day, and you've got a lot of things you're laying on the line, and it's an intense situation. But you're with your friends, it's a scramble, you're having the time of your life, you're traveling around, it's so much fun. It's normally not as intense as skiing because when you'e out skiing you're always trying to get the best shot and film the most perfect line you can do. And we have an environment with Nitro where we kind of live by the ethic pass that there're a lot of failures. Still, you're out there trying new things, pushing things outside the comfort zone, and you're inventing stuff, straight up. You're doing things people have never done before, and whenever you're doing that you get footage, even if you lace it, or you completely wad up. So in that regard you're a little more lax, but at the same time you're always doing gnarly stuff.

     

    TGR: What was the most memorable day shooting for you?
    

    Erik Roner: My best shoot was when we went to Panama City. There're a lot of illegal things that are tough to do in the States, that either cost a fortune or everyone just says "no." You go to Panama and get someone a six-pack of beer and they let you on top of their roof, and you can do whatever you want. I personally had a lot of fun there. I always like when I get out of the States because the rules are easy to bend and it allows me to do the things that I want to do. Like I said, in this movie we've had some great successes, we had some some pretty big failures and some seriously close calls. Jim had a pretty bad car crash and was in a coma for a few days, but he's doing alright. But those things are serious, they're really real and it puts things into perspective. Everything we're doing and everything we believe in, and we're trying to push ourselves through, and to showcase to people that you can do. But some of the feedback we got from the movie was pretty inspirational, which kind of surprised us, because this is what we do, this is what we want to do. But people kind of look at it and say, "Wow, these guys are really pushing outside the limits, they're creating this job. They're creating this whole world where they travel with their friends, and it becomes a job." People were seeing it as inspirational, and that was really cool to hear.

    
    

    TGR: What's the whole message behind Nitro Circus?
    

    Erik Roner: Motorsports is where it began, but it's become so much more than that. It's basically a competitive spirit among friends, pushing each other and pushing the limits of what's possible. In anything, you know? Whatever we can come up with, whatever we can do. It's just us having a great time, you know? Sometimes we come away inventing or creating something amazing, and sometimes we come away with broken bones. It's kind of the nature of the beast.

     

     

    

     

    

     

    

     

    

     

    

     

    

     

     

    Click Here To Watch An Episode Of Roner Vision

  • Blog post
  • 10 months ago
  • Views: 422
  • Not yet rated

• Mountain Tactics - Almost Live Mountain Tactics - Almost Live Season 4 Episode 12

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    In season 4 episode 12 of Teton Gravity Research's web series Almost Live, snowboarder Ralph Backstrom joins skiers Griffin Post and Todd Ligare at Valdez Heli Ski Guides on Thompson Pass in Alaska. Based out of the new Tsaina Lodge, the boys come up with a tactical plan that allows them to be more productive while filming in the Chugach Mountains. Because it takes time to scope and evaluate terrain, the boys uses sleds to check the zone first and then bring in a heli with the production team to get the aerial shots. They get the system dialed and become unstoppable while shooting for TGR's newest movie, The Dream Factory.
    
    Teton Gravity Research’s Almost Live series takes you around the globe with the TGR production team and athletes. Get an inside look at what goes into first descents, building and hitting massive backcountry jumps, traveling throughout the most exotic locales on the planet, and the lives of the world's top riders. Almost Live plants you on location with the TGR crew. You will be able to track the crew’s progress throughout the season, and watch the drama unfold.
    
    Watch More Almost Live Episodes
    
    Watch The Dream Factory Trailer
    
    Valdez Heli Ski Guides

    Tsaina Lodge

    Song: “Twenty Armed Men” by The Weekenders

    www.theweekendersmusic.com

  • 10 months ago
  • Views: 523
  • Not yet rated

• Griffin Post, Todd Ligare And Griffin Post, Todd Ligare And Ralph Backstrom Kill It At Ski-Camping

  • From: sampope
  • Description:

    The Teton Gravity Research crew blasts through the mud in their Ford Explorer on the way to go ski-camping for 12 days in Alaska's Chugach Mountains.

    In April, I spent 12 days camped between Cordova and Valdez, Alaska, on the Woodsworth Glacier at the base of the famed Pontoon peak, in the Chugach, filming Ralph Backstrom, Todd Ligare, and Griffin Post for Teton Gravity Research’s newest film, The Dream Factory.

    Todd Ligare, Griffin Post, Ralph Backstrom took sleds from Valdez almost all the way to Cordova, Alaska — a 25-mile trip through the Chugach.
    
    We used snowmobiles to cover the 25 miles from Thompson Pass, and though we started in Valdez, our camp was actually closer to the town of Cordova. While camped, we used some of our limited SAT phone time to get snow and weather reports from the guys at Points North Heli, who are based out of that town.

    Todd Ligare, Griffin Post and Raph Backstrom hike for their turns.
    
    Though everyone knows Alaska for its heli-skiing, it’s a little-known-fact that many of the same zones that are accessed by high-dollar heli clients can also be accessed by snowmobiles. To our knowledge, we were the first group to use sleds to get that deep into the range. There’s some sweat equity involved, but unlike heli skiing, you won’t be panhandling on the streets of Anchorage to buy a plane ticket back to the Lower 48. Unless you wreck your snowmobile, which is easier to do than you might think.
    
    The sun sets on the TGR campsite.

    Of our 12 days out there, probably 10 of them were sunny, but we did have a couple down days. Anyone who’s spent any time filming up there knows about the Alaska Slow Roast; sitting around in a lodge or hotel waiting for something that is completely and utterly beyond your control — the weather. Roast time can be anywhere from a couple hours, to a day or even weeks, but there are always distractions: the Internet, movies, trips to town. One might even occasionally indulge in an adult beverage.
    
    But the glacier takes the Roast to a whole new level. When the weather is bad, there is literally, NOTHING TO DO. You can sit in the tent and stair at the walls, you can walk outside and stare at the mountains. You can contemplate your wasted college degree, lack of a 401k, or any kind of long term plan. If your iPhone has any battery power left, you can play Tiny Wings. The options are pretty limited.

    Ralph Backstrom is a damn good snowboarder, but his true talent lies in fireworks.

    Anyone who knows Griffin Post, knows that he’s a motivated guy. To my knowledge, he’s the only professional skier with an M.B.A. In fact, while we were roasting in the tent, he was outside making real estate transactions on the SAT phone. No joke.
    
    On the second day of our Glacier Roast, Josh Swierk, owner of the Robe Lake Lodge, showed up to help us pass the time. And being a true AK local, he showed up with several, semi automatic weapons. We were all excited, don’t get me wrong, but for Griffin this was a totally different thing — it was the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream. You see, Griffin skis big lines, takes big air and he dreams big. And Griffin’s dream was to fire a semiautomatic weapon, off of a moving snowmobile. And it just so happened that we had a snowmobile AND a semiautomatic weapon. Actually, a few.

    Ralph Backstrom blows off some steam.

    And so for most people, while the AK Slow Roast is an opportunity to sleep, waste time and complain a lot, for Griffin, it was the opportunity to fulfill lifelong dreams and you don’t get to do that every day. 

    Alright, let's go snowboarding.
    

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 308
  • Not yet rated

• Occupy! Alaska With TGR Occupy! Alaska With TGR

  • From: PeteObrien
  • Description:

    Are ski movies scripted?  There is a ton of planning and pre-production that goes into every ski film. At the beginning of the winter, a theme and a title are created, but as the peak of the season arrives, it becomes clear that Mother Nature is directing the film.
    
    This year, as it became obvious that the Lower 48 was going to have a drier than average winter and Alaska was on track to have a record snow year. TGR decided to head north and set up shop in AK to film The Dream Factory.

    Words and Photos by Pete O'Brien.

    Toward the end of our second trip to Girdwood, Sage Cattabriga-alosa sessioned this cornice. Here he is bringing around a huge 720 a few days before heading off to Colorado and taking third place at the 2012 Red Bull Cold Rush.

    
    TGR Founder Todd Jones has been on dozens of filming trips to Alaska over the years.  Here's Todd, getting some establishing shots at night in downtown Anchorage.

    TGR Cinematographer Dustin Handley shoots at one of the many different snowmobile trailheads we visited this winter in AK.

    Alaskans are a different breed.  It seems like everyone up there owns a snowmachine, a bush plane, or both.

    Seth Morrison's AK season pass.

    Tim Durtschi was a welcome addition to the TGR crew this year.  His laid-back attitude with an element of "disturbed artist" was a perfect match to the rest of the team. Not to mention he's a beast when it comes to getting shots.
    
    Thompson Pass, Valdez.  So much has changed since heli skiing was adopted in Alaska.  This place continues to be the ultimate spot to get the best run of your life. A visit to Valdez should be on every rider's bucket list.

    Driving around AK with sleds and hitting a bunch of different heli zones this winter wasn't all fun and games.

    We have to give props to all of the behind the scene's characters who made it possible for the TGR crew to spend the winter in Alaska. It's never easy to split up a dinner check after you're done eating.

    Next fall when we're all jonesing to ride powder, everyone will have a stand out memory of a day or a zone or a storm cycle from last winter.  Our time exploring the area overlooking Seward, Alaska on snowmobiles will be my stand out memory.  Sage cranking through some blower pow a couple of miles outside of Resurrection Bay.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 219
  • Not yet rated

• Thompson Pass Valdez Alaska Te Thompson Pass Valdez Alaska Teton Gravity Research Films The Dream Factory

  • From: PeteObrien
  • Description:
    Thompson Pass Valdez Alaska Teton Gravity Research Films The Dream Factory
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 192
  • Not yet rated

• Seth Morrison Holds Up His Cre Seth Morrison Holds Up His Credit Card In Alaksa - His Season Pass

  • From: PeteObrien
  • Description:
    Seth Morrison Holds Up His Credit Card In Alaksa - His Season Pass
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 199
  • Not yet rated

• Getting Sick In Knik - TGR Exp Getting Sick In Knik - TGR Explores The Northern Chugach

  • From: ToddJones
  • Description:

    Two years ago, Aaron Brill from Silverton Mountain Guides sent us six photos of big rowdy Alaskan spines. He had been diverted from the Tordrillo Mountains when Mount Redoubt began spewing ash all over the range. His diversion led him down a long winding road to the Knik River Lodge, where he spent that spring. I immediately forwarded the shots to the TGR athletes and crew and asked them what they thought. In a matter of minutes my inbox was filling up with responses indicating everyone’s excitement to go explore a new area. We immediately began planning a trip there the next winter with the help of Brill. The plan was to spend the spring of 2011 at the Knik River Lodge and ride a bunch of unridden lines deep in the Northern Chugach.
    
    The winter of 2010-2011 was one of the worst recorded snowfalls in the history of Alaska.  Almost ninety days of high pressure left the Chugach high and dry and we ended up shifting our spring trip to Juneau.
    
    The winter of 2012 has been a whole different story. This year Alaska has been smashing all of its historical snowfall records. We put the Knik / Northern Chugach trip back on the table. We drove up the long winding dirt road to the Knik River Lodge, which sits at the end of the road. The lodge is made up of fifteen nice cabins and a European-style dinner Yurt. Our heli sits fifty yards from our cabins.  The riders on the first half of the trip are Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Dash Longe, Seth Morrison, and Daron Rahlves. We are truly in The Dream Factory.
    
    We hooked up with Chugach legend Chuck McMahon for a recon flight to start mapping out our goals for the spring. Chuck was the first person to land skiers on Thompson Pass in the late 1980s. Chuck is a true Alaskan bush pilot and one of the best snow plane pilots we have ever met. Sage and Chuck went for a long recon and brought home a plethora of incredible photos that would become our focus over the next five weeks.
    
    After a few days of snow assessment things have begun to come together. We have been getting into some big classic AK spines. Dash and Sage have been bringing the freestyle game into the mix, while Rahlves and Morrison bring a ferocious style of charging to these big peaks. The weather forecast looks good for a while. We will check back in a week or so with updates from this magical place.
    
    silvertonmountainguides.com
    knikriverlodge.com

    Nice to be running the Alaska plates again.

    The Knik River Lodge sits at the end of a long winding road up the Knik River Valley.

    Daron Rahlves and Dash Longe arrive at the Knik River Lodge, our home for the next five weeks.

    The lodge is located right in the thick of the Northern Chugach. We stay in these cool little cabins.

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa meets up with Chuck McMahon. Chuck was the first ski plane pilot to land skiers in Valdez in the late 80s. He was looking to get back to his roots, so he flew in to scout new terrain in the Northern Chugach.

    Once the scout was done, it was time to get in the heli and get some riding in.

    The boys scoping lines. There is endless possibility up here.

    Sage belays our lead guide Kent Scheler onto the slope for some snow assesement.

    Seth Morrison and Sage standing on a big unridden peak.

    Seth Morrison getting in the mix with a nice spine run.

    Dash Longe bringing the freestyle into the big mountains.

    Sage Cattabriga-Alosa drops into some deep Chugach powder. The snow has been deep and blower.

    Daron Rahlves gets into the thick of it on a big Chugach face with rowdy spines.

    Rahlves in the land of the ice and snow. This place has some of the biggest glaciers we have seen in a long time.

    Seth Morrison stoked to be in Alaska for five weeks.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 266
  • Not yet rated

• Where It All Began - TGR Revis Where It All Began - TGR Revisits The Tsaina Lodge In Valdez

  • From: ericdaft
  • Description:

    

    Words and photos by Eric Daft.

    The Valdez, Alaska, heli-ski season is in full swing, and the TGR crew has found themselves at the Tsaina Lodge on Thompson Pass, following in the footsteps of founders Todd and Steve Jones. This is how it all began, with a ragtag team of skiers and boarders shredding endless unnamed and untamed peaks at Valdez Heli-Ski Guides. And this is where it goes on today.

    The Tsaina Lodge was recently rebuilt, so of course, we showed up for the grand opening. Everybody came out to support what was, in the past, a legendary lodge. When you walk in, you are greeted by a warm fire and a friendly staff. A lot of the old lodge was used in the new construction, so you also get that nostalgic feeling. If you were here in the ’90s, you will recognize the bar is almost identical to the old one, with the same stove, bar stools and pool table.

    Todd Ligare, Griffin Post, and Ralph Backstrom met up with Scott Raynor, owner-operator of Valdez Heli-Ski Guides, which is based out of the new lodge. Our guide Dylan Freed showed us photos of what the Chugach had to offer. It had us drooling. The hit list was big and the weather looked to be cooperative. We were ready to go deep into the range to charge big lines, spines, and ramps. What we found did not disappoint.

    On Day 1 Griffin and Todd shralped the gun barrels on Mt. Dimond simultaneously, then skied right down to the lodge. The next day was the best day for filming of the trip so far, with perfect light on Python and Pyramid. We hit it hard the first week without a day off, ticking off zones and finding even more objectives.

    Right now, the Chugach is as deep as it gets, and conditions could not be better for the filming of TGR's next film, The Dream Factory.

    Griffin Post at the heli pad.

    Griffin finds some classic flutes.

    TGR flies with VHSG.

    The crew gets dropped off on top of their lines.

    The new Tsaina Lodge.

    Griffin Post, Ralph Backstrom, and Todd Ligare scope some lines.

    Ralph Backstrom sends some air.

    Todd Ligare looks down from Mt. Dimond.

    Our VHSG guide Dylan Freed drops into the gun barrels on Mt. Dimond.

    Classic AK.

    Todd Ligare gets deep in the Chugach pow.

    Python Peak and Cherry Couloir.

    And oil truck drives Thompson Pass under the northern lights.

    Our pilot Mike fuels up the heli.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 335
  • Not yet rated