188 Search Results for "adventure"

• 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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• 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 

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• Sidecountry Adventure In Fiebe Sidecountry Adventure In Fieberbrunn Austria – Almost Live Season 5 Episode 6

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    In season 5 episode 6 of Teton Gravity Research's web series Almost Live Tim Durtschi, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Dylan Hood and Colter Hinchliffe arrive at Fieberbrunn, the last stop of the Austria road trip.  When the clouds break, the boys venture into the sidecountry to find the goods and continue filming for our newest movie Way Of Life. 
    
    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.
    
    Music Courtesy of: Jeff Cormack & Play Plus Record
    www.playplusrecord.com
    
    Watch Almost Live Episodes
    
    Watch TGR Videos

  • 2 months ago
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• Zack Giffin's Tiny House - BD Zack Giffin's Tiny House - BD Crash Pads Episode 2

  • From: blackdiamond
  • Description:

    Here at Black Diamond, our athletes' all-consuming drive to spend as much time in the mountains, at the crags and on the trails as possible tends to make for some interesting living situations. Modded-out cargo vans, backwoods shacks, parents' basements and musty expedition tents-the idiosyncratic places they reside when they're not doing what they do are a defining testament to the Black Diamond team's passion for climbing and skiing. Whether it's just a place to store gear, a comfy base to rest up for the next adventure or a traveling home on wheels, this ongoing series will give you an inside look at the places BD climbers and skiers call home.
    
    This month we caught up with BD skier Zack Giffin, who had his super-unique tiny house on wheels parked in the Alta Ski Area parking lot in the midst of a massive mid-winter storm. In between pow laps, Zack was kind enough to give us the tour of his custom-built rolling ski cabin.
    
    Watch More Black Diamond Videos

     

  • 3 months ago
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• Tiny House Tour - Episode 1 - Tiny House Tour - Episode 1 - Outdoor Research

  • From: outdoorresearch102344
  • Description:

    Everyone wants to be the all-sacrificing powder hound, vagabonding from storm to storm, with no possessions, a bank devoid of money, but full of powder turns. In some places, we know true ski bums. People who don’t have cars, jobs, friends on powder days, or houses (or at least houses that don’t live in trees).
    
    Meet Ben Price.
    
    A true specimen, and maybe one of the last of his kind, Ben lives deep, deep in the Cascade Mountains, living out of his tree house, a map of the peaks engrained in his mind, and more of a dedication to making turns and finding adventure than anyone you’ll meet in the mountains these days. And he does it because of one reason…wait for it…because he wants to.
    
    Before the days of the glory and fame of the vibrant, mowhaked professional skier of the 90’s to the energy drinking XGames youth of today, there were local heroes, people who skied because of the freedom and counter-culture found in the mountains. There was some risk involved in this—giving up everything to find solace in the powder. Comforts were gone, but enlightenment was found by the skiers living in the parking lot on the periphery of what was normal.
    
    As a snow loving community we’ve come full circle and today we’re all looking for that kind of hero. We need to draw inspiration from something unfamiliar, someone not constructed in the minds of a marketing team, but from a genuine icon—a legendary ski bum. We’re looking for Ben Price.
    
    The Outdoor Research team found him in Washington this December and parked their tiny house in his kingdom, following this splitboarding cowboy to the last frontier. Unexplored mountains and unknown pillow lines were found. And they also discovered that in the world of ski bums there’s everyone else and then there’s Ben Price (a true snow loving freak who would hate us if he knew we put him on the Internet).
    
    Watch More Outdoor Research Videos

     

  • 3 months ago
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• News: One Year To The Winter O News: One Year To The Winter Olympics In Sochi

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    
    PARK CITY, UT – One year out from the opening of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, U.S. skiers and snowboarders are scattered across the globe anticipating the opportunities they will face 365 days from now. The opening ceremony for Sochi is Feb. 7, 2014, with the first medal events the next day. The USA is coming off a Best in the World Olympics in Vancouver that saw 17 different skiers and snowboarders win 21 medals.
    
    Venues in Sochi are undergoing final tests this month. Freeskiing and snowboarding athletes will compete in World Cup test events this month with U.S. Ski Team alpine racers conducting on-snow camps.
    
    Successful alpine test events were held a year ago with ski jumping this past December.
    
    Sochi will debut a host of new events including the inaugural appearance of women’s ski jumping, slopestyle snowboarding along with halfpipe and slopestyle skiing.
    
    WHERE THEY ARE NOW?
    
    Freeskiing
    
    Freeskiers are coming off the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix where David Wise and Maddie Bowman swept to halfpipe titles. Athletes are preparing for the mid-February Olympic test events for halfpipe skiing and skicross at Rosa Khutor near Sochi.
    
    Slopestyle stars Tom Wallisch, Bobby Brown and Keri Herman appeared live on NBC’s The Today Show Wednesday morning, Feb. 6.
    
    “It's hard to believe the Olympics are only a year away!” slopestyle skier Tom Wallisch said. “It's really exciting and I hope that I am one of the lucky ones that will have the honor to represent my country. If you would have asked me a couple years ago if I thought our sport would be in the Olympics - it just wasn't on my radar. I am really looking forward to checking out Russia and this next year ahead. I am sure it's going to be a really fun roller coaster.”
    
    Halfpipe skier Maddie Bowman is blown away by to opportunity.
    
    “It's crazy to think that freeskiing is going to be in the Olympics,” Bowman said. “I mean, this is really happening and it's only a year away! Holy cow! The last couple months have been going so well for me and I hope that my skiing continues to improve and I can stay on top of my game. I will be keeping my eye on the countdown. I am looking forward to the next 365 days and the adventure my teammates and I are about to go on.”
    
    David Wise, also a halfpipe skier, is excited represent his sport in the Olympics for the first time.
    
    “The Olympics! Wow, only a year away,” Wise said. “It really is an exciting opportunity and something that I am looking forward to. Not just the potential to compete in the Olympics and all that comes with it, but the journey my teammates and I are about to embark on. It's going to be a lot of work, but this is a really special time in our lives and I am going to enjoy every minute of it - the good, the challenging and whatever comes my way.”
    
    Snowboarding
    
    Top snowboarders were in Laax, Switzerland, for the Burton European Open. Now it’s off to Sochi for halfpipe and SBX test events.
    
    “I love my country and I really hope that I will be able to be on that Olympic team next year,” slopestyle rider Chas Guldemond said. “I have been trying to stay really focused and perfect my run, there are always ups and downs, but I am going to do my best to be there. I've never been to Russia and I hope that I get to be there with my team.”
    
    Halfpipe rider Scotty Lago hopes to return to the Olympics in 2014.
    
    “I had such a great experience in Vancouver - there was so much fun energy around the games,” Lago said. “And here we are, a year away from Sochi and all the guys are riding so well. It's been fun to watch everyone learn new tricks and ride together. The year before Vancouver had a lot of twists and turns and it all worked out well for me. I hope that I can continue to ride solid so that I have the opportunity to go to Sochi in 2014.”

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• VIMFF Ski Mountaineering Night VIMFF Ski Mountaineering Night with Greg Hill

  • From: bcfreerider
  • Description:

    

    Greg Hill and team on Manaslu during their September 2012 attempt. Photo Credit: Greg Hill

     

    Greg Hill, known by many in the ski mountaineering world as the iconic "Two-mil-Hill", held court for an hour in North Vancouver's Centennial Theatre last Saturday. While the show marked skiing's arrival to the 16th annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival and the mood was pleasant, the topic was a heavy one. In September 2012, Hill and his team were first on scene an avalanche that killed 12 people on Manaslu, the eight highest mountain in the world and the fourth deadliest of the 8,000 meter peaks. An eye-opening presentation, it was inspiring to see such an ambassador of the sport completely open about his newfound humility when facing the mountains and the lessons he learned and re-learned from the experience. 
    Hill listed off a number of rules that he tries his hardest to observe any time he's in the backcountry. Paraphrased, they read simply: 
    1. Be afraid
    2. Be prepared
    3. Travel with people who share your risk tolerance
    4. Spend as little time exposed as possible and stop only in safe zones. 
    5. Tackle the smaller objectives first, then the big ones
    While these may seem obvious to the fire-side reader, the lines can quickly blur when chasing the summit of an 8,000 meter peak, or even that fresh foot of powder that fell last night on your back yard hill.
    Greg spent a large part of his stage time taking the audience through a play-by-play account of his team's attack on Mera and Manaslu. He was clear to note both the group's collective misjudgments as well as his own shortcomings in decision-making and the management of gear, people and terrain; it was easy to see his passion for driving home the need to think rationally in the mountain.
    Following a Q&A session and intermission, the evening was concluded with a screening of Further, Jeremy Jones's 2012 feature length chronicle of worldwide backcountry snowboarding, mostly under human power. The presentations were brilliantly juxtaposed, highlighting everything that can go so right and so wrong while chasing those glorious experiences in the mountains. 
    The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival continues through this week, spanning eight days and 25 shows of adventure-laden story telling.
    - Theo Birkner 
    Adventure Travel Collective
    The Adventure Travel Collective will be on hand for VIMFF, taking inspiration and information from these true worldwide adventurers and passing it on to anyone looking to emulate their exploits.
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  • 3 months ago
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• Adventure Travel Collective Adventure Travel Collective

  • From: bcfreerider
  • Description:
  • Set (2 items)
  • 3 months ago
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• Vancouver International Mounta Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival: Greg Hill on Ski Mountaineering

  • From: bcfreerider
  • Description:

    

    Greg Hill and team on Manaslu during their September 2012 attempt. Photo Credit: Greg Hill

    Greg Hill, known by many in the ski mountaineering world as the iconic "Two-mil-Hill", held court for an hour in North Vancouver's Centennial Theatre last Saturday. While the show marked skiing's arrival to the 16th annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival and the mood was pleasant, the topic was a heavy one. In September 2012, Hill and his team were first on scene an avalanche that killed 12 people on Manaslu, the eight highest mountain in the world and the fourth deadliest of the 8,000 meter peaks. An eye-opening presentation, it was inspiring to see such an ambassador of the sport completely open about his newfound humility when facing the mountains and the lessons he learned and re-learned from the experience. 
    Hill listed off a number of rules that he tries his hardest to observe any time he's in the backcountry. Paraphrased, they read simply: 
    1. Be afraid
    2. Be prepared
    3. Travel with people who share your risk tolerance
    4. Spend as little time exposed as possible and stop only in safe zones. 
    5. Tackle the smaller objectives first, then the big ones
    While these may seem obvious to the fire-side reader, the lines can quickly blur when chasing the summit of an 8,000 meter peak, or even that fresh foot of powder that fell last night on your back yard hill.
    Greg spent a large part of his stage time taking the audience through a play-by-play account of his team's attack on Mera and Manaslu. He was clear to note both the group's collective misjudgments as well as his own shortcomings in decision-making and the management of gear, people and terrain; it was easy to see his passion for driving home the need to think rationally in the mountain.
    Following a Q&A session and intermission, the evening was concluded with a screening of Further, Jeremy Jones's 2012 feature length chronicle of worldwide backcountry snowboarding, mostly under human power. The presentations were brilliantly juxtaposed, highlighting everything that can go so right and so wrong while chasing those glorious experiences in the mountains. 
    The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival continues through this week, spanning eight days and 25 shows of adventure-laden story telling.
    - Theo Birkner 
    Adventure Travel Collective
    The Adventure Travel Collective will be on hand for VIMFF, taking inspiration and information from these true worldwide adventurers and passing it on to anyone looking to emulate their exploits.
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  • 3 months ago
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• TGR Begins Filming In Austria TGR Begins Filming In Austria

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Colter Hinchliffe at Ski-Arlberg, Austria.
    
    Well, here we are in St. Anton Austria! But it doesn't stop there. St. Anton is just our base at a network of ski lifts, gondolas, and trams known as Ski-Arlberg. Included in this network are the villages of Lech, Zurz, Stuben, St. Christoph, and St. Anton, just to name a few. We have spent the majority of our days at Stuben, which is a couple lift rides and a few valleys away from our pad. It offers a bit more backcountry than the other areas via its three older chairlifts. In the past two days we have ended up skiing out two different long valleys to the roads, leaving us nowhere near where we started. Pure adventure skiing with a great crew.
    
    I knew no one at the beginning of this trip one week ago, but I already feel comfortable enough to talk with them about things I can't discuss here. Our posse of nine including Dylan Hood, Tim Durtchi, and Sage Cattabriga-Alosa have all really been soaking in Austria. Biers have been drunk, meat has been eaten, lines have been skied and Deutsch has been attempted to be spoken. It's sunny and were headed to the hill! Over and out, stay tuned.
    
    - Colter and crew
    
    Colter shredding zee pulverschnee.
    
    Skiing spine lines.
    
    Hitting booters.
    
    On to the next line.

    Shop for TGR films online at Amazon.com
    

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  • 4 months ago
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• POWDER DAY - January 29, 2013 POWDER DAY - January 29, 2013

  • From: aspensnowmass
  • Description:

    New snow, new video. That's how we roll.
    More snow is in the forecast this week, start making plans to get up to Aspen/Snowmass this weekend - we'll save some pow for you.
    
    Song: Rise And Fall (KEYS N KRATES RMX)
    Artist: Adventure Club
    
    Watch More Aspen/Snowmass Videos

     

  • 4 months ago
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• News: Valle Nevado, Chile, Lau News: Valle Nevado, Chile, Launches Early Bird Deals For Up To 35% Off

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    
    If I was a betting man I would put my money on South America having an outstanding snow season.  To entice those looking for an endless winter Valle Nevado Ski Resort is offering an Early Bird Package for skiers and riders looking to save big, up to 35% off.
    
    Valle Nevado, Chile, January 2013 — Valle Nevado Ski Resort today launches outstanding Early Bird Promo Offers for North American and UK skiers and snowboarders when booking a package before March 15, 2013. The discounts translate into substantial savings with Valle Nevado packages that include lodging, lift tickets, half board, and après ski. Every skier and snowboarder yearning to make 2013 the year they live the South American ski/ride adventure should not wait to book, as space is limited for discounted stays.
    
    Valle Nevado is South America's premier ski resort, offering access to more than 7,000 acres of terrain located high in the breathtaking Andes, just 90 minutes from Santiago. The resort is self-contained, with 3 hotels for all price levels, gourmet and casual dining, shopping, a spa/fitness center, and the continent's most modern lift system, including a new gondola and day visitor service area for 2013. South America's best heli-skiing is here at Valle Nevado, too, with up to 5,000 vertical fee in one run. The resort is open from June 28 to late September, or “summer skiing” for residents of the northern hemisphere. Blue skies, uncrowded slopes, spectacular views, and a warm, friendly atmosphere are the hallmark of a Valle Nevado vacation.
    
    Valle Nevado has also launched its new Facebook page in English for international travelers interested in receiving news about Valle Nevado, and information about discounts, events, contests, and more. “Like” Valle Nevado English at: http://www.facebook.com/ValleNevadoEnglish
    
    EARLY-BIRD PROMOTIONAL DEAL
    
    Save 35% on stays of a minimum of 3 nights during the dates:
    •    June 28 - July 5
    •    July 5 - 12
    •    Sept. 20 – 27
    
    Save 25% on stays of 7 nights during the dates:
    •    July 12 - 19
    •    September 13 – 20
    •   
    Save 20% on stays of a minimum of 3 nights during the dates:
    •    August 2 -16 (Hotel Tres Puntas only)
    •    August 16 - September 13

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• News: Indonesia Offers Year Ro News: Indonesia Offers Year Round Surf Adventures

  • From: mikehardaker
  • Description:

    

    Finding it hard to surf on snow this winter?  A great cure is a surf trip, especially one to Indo! Pulseline Adventure has started offering trips to surfing’s mecca region of Indonesia as a guest of their international surfing program.  Perfect uncrowded waves, pristine waters and the finest accommodations in the region are just a few of the reasons you should check out this location.
    
    Did I mention this wave factory has the most consistent lined up surf in the world?  The secret on Sumatra has finally gotten out, in addition to world-class waves, you can expect the South Pacific's finest food, premier accommodations, and most knowledge surf guides.
    
    Peak Surf Season: March – October: Recommended Board 6”2 Channel Island
    
    Mellower Waves: November – February: Recommended Board 7”0 Fish
    
    To learn more about this program and to check out additional images visit Pulseline Adventures website at: http://www.pulselineadventure.com/indonesia

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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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• Live Stream: Watch The 2013 Po Live Stream: Watch The 2013 Powder Magazine Video Awards Live

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    The 2013 Powder Magazine Video Awards are tonight in Park City, Utah.
    
    Watch the awards live starting at 7:30 p.m. MST.

    Below are the official 2013 Powder Awards presented by Icelandic Glacial nominees:
    
    Best Line
    Pep Fujas – WE – Poor Boyz Productions
    Parker White – Sunny – Level 1 Productions
    Corey Felton and Topher Plimpton - Because – Two Plank Productions
    Erik Hjorleifson – Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    
    Best Powder
    Chatter Creek - Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    Griffin Post and Todd Ligare – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    Jay Peak - No Matter What – Meathead Films
    Erik Roner – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    
    Best Natural Air
    Sean Pettit – WE – Poor Boyz Productions
    Tim Durtschi – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    Parker White – Sunny – Level 1 Productions
    Max Hammer – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    
    Best Manmade Air
    Russ Henshaw – Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    Henrik Harlaut – The Education of Style – Inspired Media Concepts
    Karl Fostvedt – WE – Poor Boyz Productions
    Dana Flahr – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    
    Best Jib
    Clatyon Vila – The Eighty Six – Stept Productions
    Tom Wallisch - Sunny – Level 1 Productions
    Will Wesson – No Matter What – Meathead Films
    Leigh Powis – WE – Poor Boyz Productions
    
    Best P.O.V.
    Dana Flahr – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    Corey Felton and Topher Plimpton – Because – Two Plank Productions
    Mike Henituk – WE - Poor Boyz Productions
    Russ Henshaw – Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    
    Best Cinematography Presented by GoPro
    The Eighty Six – Stept Productions
    Few Words – Process Films
    Sunny – Level 1 Productions
    The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    
    Best Editing
    Act Natural – Toy Soldier Productions
    Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    Sunny – Level 1 Productions
    The Eighty Six – Stept Productions
    
    Best Female Performance
    Michelle Parker – Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    Angel Collinson – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    Elyse Saugstad – Kill Your Boredom – Voleurz
    Ingrid Backstrom – Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    
    Best Male Performance
    Eric Hjorleifson – Superheroes of Stoke – MSP Films
    Candide Thovex – Few Words – Process Films
    Sean Pettit – WE – Poor Boyz Productions
    Dash Longe – The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    
    Best Documentary
    Tempting Fear – Switchback Entertainment
    Choose Your Own Adventure – Powderwhore Productions
    Few Words – Process Films
    
    Movie of the Year
    The Dream Factory – Teton Gravity Research
    The Eighty Six – Stept Productions
    Few Words – Process Films
    Sunny – Level 1 Productions
    
    Awards will also be presented for Full Throttle presented by Icelandic Glacial and Breakthrough Performer and Best Web Series, as well as Reader Poll honors for the top 10 men and five women as voted on by fans and POWDER readers.

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• News: Crested Butte Mountain R News: Crested Butte Mountain Resort Adds A Bagjump For Year Round Training

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

     

    Crested Butte Mountain Resort a place known for hosting the US Extreme Ski Championships each year is one again taking big mountain progression and park riding to the next level by introducing a BagJump for season pass holder and anyone with an adventure park ticket.

     

    With a strong direction to create a more innovative and unique experience for guests, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) has just opened the Coke Zero® Gravity BagJump as its latest amenity in the Adventure Park. The 50 feet by 50 feet by 11 feet deep bag is filled with air and acts as a safe and cushioned landing pad for jumpers, tubers, skiers and snowboarders.
    
    

    BagJump™ is a versatile product that can be used all year round, from beginners to professionals, for Olympic level training or just for recreation; giving the feeling of “landing on a cloud” when jumping into it. In Crested Butte, the BagJump will act as a place for kids and adults to sled into on a tube and for skiers and snowboarders to test their freestyle skills. In the summer months, adrenaline seekers can free fall into the bag off an elevated platform.
    
    

    “Adding the Coke Zero Gravity BagJump continues to fulfill our goal of adding new attractions to the resort for summer and winter months,” says Nick Herrin, the director of resort services for CBMR. “It is a safe, yet exciting experience for any age.”
    
    

    The BagJump will be a part of the Adventure Park ticket for unlimited use and available for Platinum Season Passholders. The BagJump is now open daily from 1 – 5 p.m. Skiers and riders will be required to go through a safety course to receive a stamp of approval in order to utilize the BagJump on their skis and boards.
    
    

    “The Crested Butte facility is one of the best I’ve ever worked with,” adds Elliott Levitt, US Representative for BagJump. “I look forward to BagJump being a part of the operations in Crested Butte for many years to come.”
    
    Heading to Crested Butte this winter? Save on Crested Butte Mountain Resort 3 of 4 day tickets, currently on sale - 35% OFF
    

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• News: Crested Butte Mountain R News: Crested Butte Mountain Resort Adds A Year Round Bagjump For Locals And Tourist To Throw Down!

  • From: sharonbader
  • Description:

     

     

    Crested Butte Mountain Resort a place known for hosting the US Extreme Ski Championships each year is one again taking big mountain progression and park riding to the next level by introducing a BagJump for season pass holder and anyone with an adventure park ticket.

     

    With a strong direction to create a more innovative and unique experience for guests, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) has just opened the Coke Zero® Gravity BagJump as its latest amenity in the Adventure Park. The 50 feet by 50 feet by 11 feet deep bag is filled with air and acts as a safe and cushioned landing pad for jumpers, tubers, skiers and snowboarders.
    
    

    BagJump™ is a versatile product that can be used all year round, from beginners to professionals, for Olympic level training or just for recreation; giving the feeling of “landing on a cloud” when jumping into it. In Crested Butte, the BagJump will act as a place for kids and adults to sled into on a tube and for skiers and snowboarders to test their freestyle skills. In the summer months, adrenaline seekers can free fall into the bag off an elevated platform.
    
    

    “Adding the Coke Zero Gravity BagJump continues to fulfill our goal of adding new attractions to the resort for summer and winter months,” says Nick Herrin, the director of resort services for CBMR. “It is a safe, yet exciting experience for any age.”
    
    

    The BagJump will be a part of the Adventure Park ticket for unlimited use and available for Platinum Season Passholders. The BagJump is now open daily from 1 – 5 p.m. Skiers and riders will be required to go through a safety course to receive a stamp of approval in order to utilize the BagJump on their skis and boards.
    
    

    “The Crested Butte facility is one of the best I’ve ever worked with,” adds Elliott Levitt, US Representative for BagJump. “I look forward to BagJump being a part of the operations in Crested Butte for many years to come.”
    
    Heading to Crested Butte this winter? Save on Crested Butte Mountain Resort 3 of 4 day tickets, currently on sale - 35% OFF
    

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• News: 2013 Ouray Ice Festival News: 2013 Ouray Ice Festival This Weekend in Colorado

  • From: mikehardaker
  • Description:

    
    LOWA Boots is planning a very visible and strong presence at the 2013 Ouray Ice Festival that will take place January 10-13 in Ouray, Colorado.  Earlier this fall, LOWA announced their sponsorship of the Hari Berger Speed Climbing Competition to honor the legendary climber who won three Ice Climbing World Championships while wearing LOWA boots.  In addition, four-time World Ice Climbing Champion and LOWA athlete, Ines Papert, will conduct a clinic on moderate-mixed climbing and host a multi-media show entitled “Rock and Ice.”  Amid the festival-like atmosphere will be the LOWA boot tent, stocked with demo product for ice climbers to test drive.
    
    Friday afternoon Ines will host her clinic in the LOWA tent followed by a session on ice.  She will have posters in hand to autograph. Later that evening, Ouray attendees can enjoy her presentation of “Rock and Ice,” a thrilling journey into her world.  Afterwards will be an autograph session of her book by the same name.  The event will be held in the Main Street Theater (630 Main Street) from 8:30 to 10:00PM.  Admission fee: $15
    
    On Sunday she will award the women’s prizes for the Hari Berger Competition. Ines has worked closely with the LOWA design and product testing teams over the years and was instrumental in the design of the Ice Comp IP. A champion of many climbing competitions, including those at the Ouray festival, she will be competing there again this year.
    
    Hari Berger was an all around champion competition ice climber before he lost his life in 2006 in an accident while climbing in Austria…but his legacy lives on.  LOWA’s sponsorship of the event doubles the Festival’s cash prize opportunities. The Competition will be held on Sunday, January 13. There will be individual men’s and women’s classes, each with $2000 in first place prizes, second place of $1000 and $500 for the third place finishers.
    
    Colorado climber and LOWA ambassador, Jim Davidson, will be on hand periodically throughout the festival. Jim’s book, The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier, was a 2011 best seller for adventurists across the country.
    
    In addition, LOWA invites both male and female festival participants to demo their world-class German climbing and mountaineering boots including the Weisshorn GTX, Mountain Expert GTX and Ice Comp IP GTX models. The boot tent team will be led by Chad Gallwitz, LOWA’s experienced sales representative in the Rocky Mountains. Representing the LOWA factory, Rolf Eberhard, a veteran of numerous summits including one on Mt Everest, will be in the tent and on hand to award the men’s Hari Berger Competition prizes. Assisting Chad and Rolf will be Christian McConnell from LOWA’s U.S. office.

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• Tempting Fear - S6 E07 - Salom Tempting Fear - S6 E07 - Salomon Freeski TV

  • From: salomonfreeski
  • Description:

    Over the past 3 years he's logged first descents in a half-dozen countries, battled back to life from an accident that nearly killed him, and become the most talked about skier in the epicenter of all things extreme — Chamonix, France.
    
    What makes Andreas most intriguing, however, are his thoughtful musings on meaning from a life on the edge - a willingness to enter mental spaces that few have ever experienced.
    
    In Tempting Fear Sweden's soft-spoken Adventurer of the Year explores a place in which fear overwhelms all emotions, playing both friend and enemy in a pas de deux where death lies just one misstep away.
    
    Awards:
    “Best Action Film” - Adventure Film Festival 2012
    “Best Story” - X-Dance 2013
    
    Watch More Salomon Freeski TV Videos

     

  • 4 months ago
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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

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