154 Search Results for "beer"

• Bomb Snow TV Goes to AK: Episo Bomb Snow TV Goes to AK: Episode 4 Shallower, Closer, Shorter

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Words: The Bomb Snow 

     

    After a rowdy eviction party, we hit the road early on April 1st with Alaska segments from old MSP and TGR movies burned in our brains. With 2500 miles in front of us, we knew we were in for a long ride, but the prospects of skiing steep blower spines kept our spirits high. Loaded with five snowmobiles on an old rusty trailer, we were clueless as to the hardships that would be brought on by the rough roads of Northern Alberta and the Yukon.

     

    Bomb Snow TV Episode 4, the last of the season produced by the Bridger Brigade, is a brief account of our adventures to Alaska. From Montana, to Valdez, to Haines, and back to Montana, our journey was filled with highlights and disasters. We have gained a new understanding and appreciation for the Alaskan skiing journey. After 7 days and 6 nights in the truck, 4 blown trailer tires, and 2 broken trailer arms, our hardships were outweighed by a plane drop and an unreal 4 days spent on a glacier in Haines.

     

    Needless to say, the Alaskan experience was humbling. The sick terrain and incredible challenges have revamped our ambition toward skiing. With new determination and new goals, nothing will stop us from spending our Spring's in Alaska.

     

    Created By: The Bridger Brigade

    Directed and Produced by: Axel Peterson, Rob Raymond, Randy Evans, Henry Worobec

     

    Videography: Axel Peterson, Henry Worobec, Randy Evans, Rob Raymond, Tyler Morton, Mark Rainery

     

    Shredders: Randy Evans, Kyle Taylor, Henry Worobec, Axel Peterson, Rob Raymond, Mark Rainery, Tyler Morton

     

    Edited by: Axel Peterson and the Bridger Brigade

     

    Photography: Travis Andersen

     

    Special Thanks: Voke Tab, Caravan Skis, Smith Optics, Drake Olson @Fly Drake, Bill Buchbauer, Fort Seward Lodge, Mike @Mikes Bikes and Boards, The Radbots, Alaska Backcountry Outfitter, Tailgate Alaska, Alaska Brewing, Kyle Christenson and his piece of S***T trailer, Bozone Brewery, Beer and Pow, Tecnica Blizzard, Orage

  • 2 weeks ago
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• Postcards from Fantasy Camp Postcards from Fantasy Camp

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:
    Words by Dana Flahr
    Photos by Dutch Simpson
    
    
    Camp life is a multi-dimensional reality—a temporary town established to facilitate exploration in unfamiliar territory. And all the while snowskate course maintenance and games of beer spear escalate.
    You see, when we got here, we were greeted with high fives and the pure excitement that you love to feel after your very best ski sessions with your best ski buds. Then we watched them fly off the frozen lake and we moved into their tents. I also remember hearing a “This is the coolest thing we've ever done. Later!”
    So now we are posted up in paradise, skiing lines we've never skied before—on mountains none of us have ever seen before. Without a cloud in the sky like we've never dreamed before. Here we are—Fantasy Camp. Time to put on the boots.
    
    The Northern Lights glow over Fantasy Camp.
    
    Our Fantasy Camp canvas wall tents were custom built by snowtrekertents.com
    
    These sleeper tents are the perfect place to crash after a long day.
    
    The bird waits patiently in the front yard.
    
    The Neacola Mountains are as good as they look.
    
    The crew loads up for another line.
    
    A quick glimpse of the Neacola's topography can quickly stir the imagination.
    
    Ian MacIntosh is ready to charge. 
    
    Sage, Marc, and Angel gear up for take off.
    
    Angel scopes out lines in every direction.
    
    The Neacola Mountains offer no shortage of zones to explore.
    
    Camp Cook Hailey frys up some tasty Tender Belly from Dash Longe and the folks at www.tenderbelly.com
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  • 4 weeks ago
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• Go: North Cascade Heli Go: North Cascade Heli

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    North Cascade Heli from Joey mara on Vimeo.

     

    Words And Video By Joseph Mara

    In a cut-off corner of north-central Washington State, a little known heli-skiing operation has been flying under the radar for nearly thirty years. North Cascade Heli (NCH), located in the town of Mazama, operates in a 300,000 acre permit area just south of North Cascades National Park. Pioneered by Harris Sanford in the early 80’s and then named Liberty Bell Alpine Tours, the outfit is now run by owners and guides Paul Butler and Ken Brooks. Their multifaceted operation now offers several different experiences ranging from a single heli-day (seven guaranteed runs or money back) and private flight time charters, all the way to extended guided touring trips at their two-story backcountry yurt. Planning a longer trip is recommended because weather conditions in the North Cascades vary drastically from day to day. The operating season is short, only seventy days from mid-January through March. Space fills up quickly so plan months in advance if you can.

    NCH offers a wide variety of terrain for all ability levels. Their longest run is 3,800 vertical feet, touring through high alpine peaks, glades, and trees. Bowls, couloirs, and slide paths are also on the menu. Snow? Yeah, they have plenty of that. The Cascades receive huge deposits of white gold every year and boast some impressive totals, including the single season world record snowfall of 1,140 inches held by Mt. Baker, situated just west of the helicopter permit area. The Cascades are the most glaciated mountains in the lower forty eight and are one of the few mountain ranges in North America with active volcanoes, including Mt. Rainier rising to over 14,000 feet. This makes the Cascades one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the world, and there is no better way to experience them than by helicopter. 

    You will be in good hands at NCH with some of the most experienced guides in the business. Pilot Seamus O’Daimhin, a Vietnam Veteran who flies for logging and fire-fighting operations in the summer, has eyes in the back of his head. You will buzz low over mountain peaks and watch the bottom drop out as you cross ridges between runs. With such a large permit area and a max elevation of 9,000 feet, NCH can always find the good snow, even after a big warm up. conditions. If you get lucky, your guide just might take you to Stair Step, and Seamus will drop you off on a tiny mountain peak landing that may test your faith in him. 

    The typical one day trip begins in the heli-barn at 7:30 AM with a review of the day’s schedule and backcountry safety protocol, followed by weigh-ins and outfitting of all guests with the necessary safety equipment. Afterwards, a short review of proper beacon, shovel, and probe use takes place outside. Once everyone has completed the safety training, the pilot will go over the dos and don’ts of riding on board the A-Star B2 helicopter. Around 9:00 AM, up to three groups of four guests each will take turns loading the bird and flying out to their first run. Seven runs with lunch provided is a typical day, and additional runs can be purchased on the spot with time and weather permitting. Expect to arrive back at the heli-barn by mid-afternoon with a huge grin and a hankering for cold beer (BYOB). If you will be enjoying an extended stay with NCH, you will be shuttled to the Barron Yurt to begin your multi-day backcountry tour. The touring packages can often include an extra “heli-bump” or two. 

    NCH’s location in Mazama is why it’s one of Washington’s best-kept secrets.  Mazama is relatively isolated during winter months due to the closure of the west side of the North Cascades Highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation cannot maintain the road because of the massive amounts of snowfall. Most guests come from the Seattle area and make the four and a half hour drive around. Lodging can be found in Mazama at the Freestone Inn, or The Rolling Huts if you are looking for a more rustic experience (outhouses and no sink). Nearby Winthrop is a charming old western town which is well worth a stop for lodging, hot air balloons, the oldest legal saloon in Washington State, city girls on vacation, or the rusty old cowhands and their classic cars. Make sure to check out Kelly’s restaurant at The Rolling Huts outside of town for the best Irish food around, not to mention Steve’s signature cocktails which may or may not include real absinthe (ask for the “Aviation”). For anglers, this is prime steelhead country as well. The nearby Methow River offers excellent fishing and the latter half of NCH’s operating season coincides with the start of the fishing season. The cross-country skiing is also world class possibly more popular here than alpine skiing (if you happen to know someone who is into that). This seldom seen corner of the country is more than worth a visit. Combine the skiing, the natural beauty of the North Cascades, the uniqueness of Mazama and Winthrop, and NCH’s nearly three decades of heli-operation experience and you might just leave with a new annual tradition. 

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  • 1 month ago
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• Chaos Ensues at the Orage Mast Chaos Ensues at the Orage Masters

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    

     

    A heap of burlap bags and pink lawn flamingos lay smoldering, Ronald McDonald is on all fours vomiting, and a what appears to be a gang of bikers is grabbing every girl they can lay their hands on and carrying them away.

     

    

     

    No, it’s not the set of a post apocalyptic horror movie, it’s the eighth edition of the Orage Masters. After a two-year hiatus from the freeskiing scene, and on the eve of freeskiing’s Olympic debut, the Orage Masters is a gasoline-soaked breath of fresh air.  The competiton brought together eight film crews, pitted them head to head in a single elimination format, and let the other teams determine who won each match up.

     

    

     

    Instead of scoring on trick difficulty, amplitude, style, and speed, teams were judged on overall impression, antics, and fun. Or something like that. At one point the Level 1 team got a perfect ten score that was reduced for egg-throwing antics from the night before. There weren’t any appeals to the International Olympic Committee though, just loud cheers from the crowd.

    The day started with theatrical skiing antics from Traveling Circus, Toy Soldier Productions, Inspired Media’s, 4bi9 Media, Level 1, Stept Productions, The Kids, and a wild card crew named Me Gustan Aviones.

     

    

     

    Skiing prowess weighed in just as heavily as antics while competing however, as teams like The Kids—short Sean Pettit due to an injury—made it to the semi-finals thanks to big moves and gasoline. They were ejected after being warned not to light anything else on fire. Their response, as well as the crowds was a big “F-You!” The Masters isn’t winning, but having fun.

     

     

    And fun was had. When finals came around the entire scene was in full party mode.  Level 1 and 4bi9 each dropped more doubles than an In-N-Out over a 20-minute jam session that was complete with a party going on right in the middle of the course. Whiskey flowed like beer flowed like wine. The landing of the final jump was littered with costume parts. Ronald couldn’t stop puking. Little John Strenio tossed a triple back flip through the middle of it all and helped seal the win for team Level 1.

     

    

     

    The awards ceremony was short lived, and all the oversized victory checks wound up on fire. Who needs pageantry when there is a party going on in the parking lot?

     

     

    Events like the Orage Masters are important. Freeskiing has reached a level of competitiveness, professionalism, and maturity that warrants Olympic recognition, but at the end of the day, it’s only skiing. Mike Nick and Orage brought that to our fullest attention at this year’s Masters. Sure skiing might get cast into the mainstream public eye next year in Sochi, but for those of us who are lucky enough to know skiing already, this is a firm reminder of why we keep doing it. You know, fun with friends, the freedom of the mountains, and of gallons and gallons of gasoline. Right?

     

    

     

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  • 1 month ago
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• Ski Paradise In Valdez - TGR B Ski Paradise In Valdez - TGR Bar Stories Episode 2

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Pull up a chair, crack a beer, sit back and listen to a Teton Gravity Research Bar Story. In this episode, Jim Sweeney tells us how he was a part of the emerging ski scene on Thompson Pass.  Sweeney and friends headed to Valdez and discovered a ski paradise, but in the late 80’s, he was involved in a bad backcounty incident.  One of the most horrific ski accidents you will ever hear about.
    
    Bar Stories is a web series by Teton Gravity Research. With interview footage taken from TGR’s newest ski and snowboard movie, The Dream Factory, let the legends of skiing tell you how epic it really was.
    
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  • 1 month ago
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• 5 Awesome Apres Skiing Bars in 5 Awesome Apres Skiing Bars in North America

  • From: kenholden
  • Description:

    
    No day on the slopes is complete without a little after-party. Apres skiing is by no means a new concept, but it’s something that can turn even the worst conditions into an epic day. Every now and again, we’ll come across gems, some hidden and some not-so-hidden, that were simply meant to complete your trip to a specific resort.
    
    Homewood Resort - Big Blue View
    Sometimes, simplicity does it best. This small resort on the west side of Lake Tahoe offers one of the finest views in California and Nevada. New to the resort is the Big Blue View bar. Head up the Madden Chair on the northern portion of the resort, and look for the bright blue chairs and listen for the reggae beats. It might not be the greatest spot when the snow is dumping, but it’s going to be perfect for the blue bird and spring snow days. As most visitors will claim, the view overlooking Lake Tahoe from the Big Blue View is probably the best one of any Tahoe resort.
    
    
    
    Mammoth Lakes – Clocktower Cellar Pub
    Whiskey and skiing go together like peanut butter and jelly. While it’s not the easiest venue to find among the vast Mammoth Lakes village, it’s worth taking the time to look for it. The Clocktower Cellar Pub is a small basement bar, a far cry from the usual large restaurants and nightclubs that surround the world-famous ski resort. What attracts us to this specific bar is the exhaustive list of more than 100 whiskies from around the world. A few samplings and you’ll love the feel of this smaller bar, complete with a juke box for your après skiing entertainment. Make sure to ask the bartender about their personal favorites, you might get a taste of a secret stash not available on the menu.
    
    
    
    Mont Tremblant – Microbrasserie La Diable
    For the microbrew lover, good beer is hard to come by. As ski resorts grow and streamline their operations, the microbrew always seems to take a backseat. Fortunately, for the lovers of the Tremblant Ski Resort, you’ll never have to worry about that with the Microbrewery La Diable. Whether you’re just grabbing an après ski beer, or want the 20-minute tour, free samples of each beer are readily available. They usually have six or seven beers readily on tap for your eclectic pleasure, and the lounge-style jazz music makes it one of the most relaxing joints in the area.
    
    Still look at Apres ski when your vacation is over?  Check out this amazing Apres Ski wall art from Amazon.com
    
    
    
    Vail, Colorado – Garfinkel’s Restaurant & Bar
    When you’re done on these epic slopes, head down the Eagle Bahn Gondola and into the Lionshead to find Garfinkel’s. Trust us, you can’t miss it. This bar and restaurant is enormous, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. This place isn’t for the quiet-time après skiing, but for those who want to party well into the evening. With more than 20 different bottles and drafts, a full lineup of signature cocktails, and a menu spread that’s sure to please any palette, there are no bad days here. If you’re in the area, their New Year’s Eve party is one of the finest of any ski resort in North America.
    
    
     
    Killington, Vermont – McGrath’s Irish Pub
    For the lovers of Guiness out there, perhaps your ski priorities should be on the bars in the area. While the Wobbly Bar in Killington always seems to take the mainstream cake, the Irish lovers out there should detour to McGrath’s Irish Pub. This small Irish joint takes pride in serving Guiness the way it was meant to be…perfect. The owner is always out and about making sure that everyone is enjoying their selection from one of the best Irish menus on the east coast. In the summertime, McGrath’s only gets better. The parking lot is also a lot for some of the best trailheads, making it the perfect place to start and end your visit to Killington.
    
    Plenty of skiing and riding left in the season, in fact March is the best time to Apre and shred pow.  Save big when you book your lift tickets online through Liftopia.com

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  • 2 months ago
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• Resort Review: Silverton Mount Resort Review: Silverton Mountain Colorado An Exhilarating, Unforgettable Experience

  • From: benkoelker
  • Description:

    

    You've heard of it.  If you haven't been for a visit and you finally smarten up and go there, these are a few things that may happen.  A four hour drive may turn into a seven hour drive.  The roads out there during a dump are no joke with AWD or even 4WD.  If you don't have either, find a friend who does.  You don't want to die on the way in…  On the way back home you may be OK with it…  $139 gets you a guided tour of the mountain.  With one chairlift Silverton Mountain is all hiker access off top.  After you park, you are directed to a yurt where you sign in.  First thing in the morning you will smell spilled carpet beer as you sign your life away and employees bellow simple instructions. If you don't own a beacon, a shovel and an avalanche probe, this is where you rent them. Behind this cozy little yurt they hide a helicopter in the woods.  It's just sitting there in the snow. 
    
    This is not Vail.  They offer guided trips as well as unguided depending on the day.  Check their website for all the updated information, They also offer heli-trips at $999/ day or $159 for a single lap.  A guide is highly recommended, and necessary during most of the season, to access all of the 1,819 acres of Silvertons terrain..  Outside the check-in yurt you will be herded into groups of eight plus a guide.  Most members of this group will have duct tape on some part of there gear.  Most likely they will all rip.  Your guide will also rip. This is not likely, this is a fact.  Your guide may say in a loud voice to your group, even before he or she introduces him or herself, “This mountain may kill you today.”  You will agree and immediately understand that this mountain is much more likely to kill you if you do not listen to your guide.  Your guide will make sure everyone can at the very least turn on their beacons and put a probe together, then assess the groups ability as far ask hiking speed and which terrain everyone is comfortable riding in.  Once at the top of the lift your hike may take ten to forty-five minutes.  You want people who can keep up with your group, the group being only as strong as its weakest hiker.
    
    Expect random explosions throughout the valley as the helicopter bombs for avalanches.  Expect the hike to have some scary in it.  Sometimes you will use a guide rope so that you don't fall to your death.  Your guide goes first.  Every single time, employee benefits.  On most runs you drop one at a time for safety.  The guide will say, for example, “count to ten after I disappear over that ridge and then the first person can drop.”  First?  Did he say whoevers first?  Who's first on the first run of the day??  Nervous shuffling...  No worries if you are courteous, there will be plenty of snow.  Runs at Silverton include wide open powder fields, cliff and cornice drops, tighter tree runs, chutes, gullies and pretty much anything your group can handle. 
    
    Your group, your guide and the snow conditions dictate what is skiable.  Avalanches are common, but to date no one has ever been fully buried.  We spoke to a skier in the lot who was partially buried that day.  He apparently didn't listen to his guide.  Listen to your guide.  It's possible some skier in your group may break out a bottle of breakfast champagne to pass around on the traverse back to the base, where Silverton's bus will shuttle you back to the lift.
    
    At another point you may find yourself in Two Smokes and use a rope to slowly side slip down rocks and logs jammed into a choke in an avy path.  With the right group expect four to six of the best runs of your life.  Regardless of how much you hike at your home mountain, this mountain eats up your legs.  Back at the yurt at the end of the day you will find all sorts of characters who feel the same way.  Tired, thirsty and satisfied.  You realize the employee who laughed about 'herding cats' as he tried to get your group set up in the morning is having a beer and laughing with friends next to you.  Your guide may slap you on the back as he rolls up to take a seat with your group (did i mention you're all fast friends at this point?) and have a beer or five.  Our guide on this trip, Pedro, was getting in his beers and veggies together with PBRV8's.  After the day you've just had, you'd probably be willing to give your guide a lift to middle-of-nowhere Montana if they asked you, pay for the gas yourself, and thank them when you got there.  
    
    Silverton Mountain is a truly a different, exhilarating, intimidating and most importantly, unforgettable experience.  According to Skyler Holgate, one of Silverton Mountain's guides, who's a guy who can be found guiding/ shredding the gnar from Silverton to Bariloche to Alaska, the best thing about Silverton Mountain is that with tons of terrain available, and only about 80 people a day there is never a threat, or crazy powder rush like you get at any other ski area.  You can just chill and enjoy the day and shred fresh lines alllll day.  On a side note, check out the Bonnie Belle cabin (www.bonniebellecabin.com).  It is the only backcountry cabin in CO or in the lower 48 that offers private heli skiing/ shuttles into the cabin, located at 12,000 feet above sea level in Picayune Gulch, overlooking the Animas River headwaters and the historic ghost town of Animas Forks.  It's 15 miles outside of the town of Silverton, and is owned by Skyler, mentioned above.  You can ride some of the San Juan's sweetest mountains with the best guides in the business! 
    
    Just book it, then you have to go.
    
    Written by Shane Santana and Ben Koelker
    Photo by Ben Koelker

    Book Silverton Mountain Discount Lift Tickets and Silverton Mountain Ski Deals Online

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  • 3 months ago
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• Shit Jobs Part 6: Miniskirt-ed Shit Jobs Part 6: Miniskirt-ed Cocktail Waitress

  • From: brigidmander
  • Description:

    This series attempts to profile some of the best and worst shit jobs in a ski town. Don’t get us wrong, in no way do we intend to bash professions like these, they are a means to an end, the axis upon which our mountain lives spin. Without jobs like these, how would you ski over 100 days a season and still be employed?
    
    
    
    It sounds wrong, and it more or less is, according to the current, accepted norms of our society.
    
    “You can wear whatever you want, as long as it is a skirt. A short one.” The manager states this, and then gauges your reaction. You might look around, fairly unenthused, as a potential co-worker - with a tiny circle of fabric passing as a skirt - ferries a tray of beer past you. Yes, when the manager of a job tells you this, you should probably run away, unless you are pursuing a career path unrelated to skiing. 
    
    But, in this case, it is already December, this place is somehow still hiring, and you just moved to this mountain town for one and only one reason: ski all the time. And this job, cocktail waitress at a busy base-area apres-ski spot, starts at 3:00 p.m.
    
    Sure, you may have tried to be more upstanding. But everything good (i.e, night) is gone, and the local paper has options like: barista (serving coffee on powder mornings? Hahahaha!), hotel concierge (calmly assisting guests on powder mornings? I really don’t think so), retail clerk (standing forlornly among trinkets/tee shirts on powder morning? Sorry. Can’t. Do. That.), or babysitting (watch tiny non-verbal people at hotel while parents ski? No.). These are all the very definition of blowing it. Even if starvation is a concern, keep your eye on the ball: no day jobs. 
    
    So while the short skirts rule may seem wrong, all you can think about is the start time and base area location. What’s the big deal, really? You might get a little cranky for a minute thinking of your guy ski friends and their cool, night ski-tech, beer-drinking, no skirt wearing jobs, but you find yourself wondering if you still have that really cute little plaid skirt.  And that little black V-neck? And there it is: This is the only remotely acceptable schedule for skiing, and priorities are priorities. No commuting, very little ski day disruption? Ciao, standards! Miniskirt it is! 
    
    There are some interesting scenes to be immediately discovered on both the patron and co-worker sides. You may learn that only some of your co-workers view this as the only way to get an amazing ski schedule and pay bills. A few of the other waitresses will always take the cocktailing, mini-skirting scene rather seriously. They will look at the helmet-haired crew disapprovingly, but no one will care (we skied pow all day!). If the others skied, they’ve gone home on time, showered, curled hair, and some, you come to find out, have little trick like stuff their bras.  (According to some sources, it can get your five extra dollars a table. This skier did not test that one out. The line really did have to be drawn somewhere.)
    
    What I did test is that you can come skiing up to the door with five minutes to spare, run to the locker room, strip to ski socks (yes, unknowing drunk guys will totally see these as sexy knee socks!), tight ski shirt (a deep zip necks work well, actually) throw on said cute mini-skirt, madly fluff helmet hair, grab a little makeup, and clock in. Woo! I made about $150 on average an afternoon this way. Would it have been $200 if I went home and showered and curled my hair? Who cares! For another hour and half or so of skiing every day, $150 works great!
    
    Of course, you will also learn the finer points of serving hundreds of beers in an afternoon to hundreds of drunk guys who think they are all pros or are on ‘boy’s trips’ from fill-in-the-blank city. They may point out your abundantly visible quads (thanks, mini-skirt) say, “Woah, looks you ski a lot!” You might be tempted to say something sarcastic, but better yet is to just act all enthused about how rad their ski trip must be:  ‘Oh yeah, whatever, but what did you guys ski today?! You don’t have to listen to them because you’ve already brought them six pitchers and they have no idea what is going on now, or earlier in the day.  “We were over at, uh, what was it, hey Jeff, what was the name of that lift we skied today?”  “Oh yes, that lift is cool. I am sure you guys skied some amazing blues –er, super rad lines.”
    
    You will be asked to do a lot of shots, because every group you wait on will have decided that the boy’s trip actually sucks without girls. They will want to flirt with you, even though you are clearly in the weeds, have spilled beer on yourself, are possibly on the verge of tears, and have nine other tables of drunk guys who all want you to hang out at their table and do shots with them. The trick, if you want to oblige –  and you probably should, as people get stoked and leave bigger tips when they think they’re expanding the party - is to have the bartenders, who are always on your side, give you something non-alcoholic.
    
    Skirt and leering guys or not, the bottom line is that you ski all day, and since apres peters out around 6 or 7, you get to go home early, so you can be up early. Sure, it at least four hours of rushing drinks through extremely maniacal, chaotic celebrating, and you feel like you’ve run a very confused marathon everyday.  But when you stuff the skirt back in the locker, pocket your cash, and leave the feeling of being a stereotype hustling beers at the bar and head home, things don’t look so bad anymore.  Because it’s dumping outside, and you don’t have to be back at work until three.
    
    Chase waterfalls this spring, women's clothing is on sale at Backcountry.com
    
    Read Shit Jobs Part 5: Beginner Ski Instructor
    
    Read Shit Jobs Part 4: Waiter

    Read Shit Jobs Part 3: Unemployment Collecting Seasonal Worker

    Read Shit Jobs Part 2: Ski Tech

    Read Shit Jobs Part 1: Line Cook

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  • 3 months ago
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• Pontoon Peak – TGR Bar Stories Pontoon Peak – TGR Bar Stories Episode 1

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

    Pull up a chair, crack a beer, sit back and listen to a Teton Gravity Research Bar Story. In this episode, learn about the historic first descent of Pontoon Peak in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains. Located between Cordova and Valdez, Pontoon Peak is one of the prized ski descents in the range. While an iconic photo has lead many skiers to believe Trevor Petersen and Eric Pehota skied it first, let Jerry Hance and Michael Cozad tell you the real story.
    
    Bar Stories is a web series by Teton Gravity Research. With interview footage taken from TGR’s newest ski and snowboard movie, The Dream Factory, let the legends of skiing tell you how epic it really was.
    
    Order The Dream Factory
    
    Watch More TGR Videos

  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 9
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• News: Arapahoe Basin Ski Area News: Arapahoe Basin Ski Area Backcountry Avalanche Training And Annual Beacon Bowl

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    
    (A-Basin) will host two days of backcountry and avalanche rescue training and education. A-Basin’s Backcountry Preparedness Days will take place February 8 and 9, 2013, and feature the Companion Rescue Workshop and the 11th Annual Beacon Bowl. All proceeds from both days benefit the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC).
     
    “Although our daily focus is on our in-bounds terrain, we’re aware of the growing popularity of backcountry touring,” said Alan Henceroth, A-Basin’s Chief Operating Officer. “We want to provide our guests with the resources to ski and ride safely. It is important for people to understand the differences between in-bounds and backcountry skiing.”
    
    
    Save big on A-Basin lift tickets through Liftopia.com
    The Companion Rescue Workshop, a day-long seminar on search and rescue techniques, will be held Friday, February 8, 2013 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Facilitated by local experts from the CAIC, Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol and patrollers from neighboring ski areas, the workshop features both classroom instruction and on-mountain scenarios including tutorials on modern search and rescue technologies, emergency care, and extraction and evacuation. The workshop costs $50 and is limited to 50 participants with previous backcountry experience.
     
    Following the workshop, A-Basin will host a spaghetti dinner starting at 5:00 p.m. with beer courtesy of New Belgium. The cost is $15 and the dinner is open to the public.
     
    On Saturday, February 9, 2013, A-Basin will host the 11th Annual Beacon Bowl and Après Ski Party to benefit the CAIC. During the Beacon Bowl, participants race on-mountain to find beacons buried in the snow, simulating an avalanche search and rescue. The contest is divided into two divisions – recreational and professional – and features prizes from Spyder. Registration and check-in begin at 8:00 a.m. in the A-Frame. The $25 Beacon Bowl registration fee includes entry to the competition, a raffle entry, a slice of pizza and a beer during the Après Ski Party. There is a discounted Beacon Bowl entry fee for those who participate in the Companion Rescue Workshop.
     
    Open to both the public as well as Beacon Bowl competitors is the Après Ski Party, starting at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Après Ski Party includes a raffle, silent auction and live auction with prizes from brands like Black Diamond, BCA, Dakine, SkiLogik and more, with all proceeds going toward the CAIC.
     
    Online registration for all events is recommended; you can also register by calling 888-ARAPAHOE (272-7246) or onsite, day-of if spaces remain. Further information about the Companion Rescue Workshop and the Beacon Bowl can be found at ArapahoeBasin.com.
    
    Save big on A-Basin lift tickets through Liftopia.com

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

  • From: mikehardaker
  • Description:

    

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

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• So, You Want To Go To A Backco So, You Want To Go To A Backcountry Lodge In BC, Eh?

  • From: jeremybenson
  • Description:

    If you were at a lodge in BC, you would be crushing it.
    
    “All you focus on is waking up, skiing all day and getting ready to do it again the next day,” says James Heim, “With the skiing being so close to the lodge you literally roll out the door and can be skiing amazing lines in no time.” Heim, a BC resident and star of numerous films by MSP and Sherpa’s Cinema, has been on three film trips and numerous personal trips to backcountry lodges around BC. Matchstick Productions has filmed several segments at Golden Alpine Holidays’ Meadow Lodge with the likes of Heim, Eric Hjorleifson, and Mark Abma. Other film companies have followed suit, Candide Thovex and Sweetgrass Productions both made trips to Icefall Lodge to film last winter. Filming at a backcountry lodge is great because, “The whole crew is already out in the mountains and so close to great filming terrain,” says Heim, “You can't get caught up in day to day life, instead you focus solely on getting out there and shooting.”
    
    Sure, backcountry lodges are a great place to film a sick segment, but they are an equally great place to go shred with your friends for exactly the same reason. Here’s the basic idea: Get a group of like-minded friends together and rent a lodge for a week. Jump in a helicopter, get dropped off at the lodge. Wake up, eat, go skiing, eat, go skiing, eat, sauna, drink beer, sleep, repeat for one week (in roughly that order). Stephane Reindeau, a Revelstoke resident and owner of Tough Guy Productions, has spent time at various lodges around BC and says, “The backcountry lodge environment allows you to enjoy gourmet cuisine and fine camaraderie, in the middle of beautiful mountains, and the powder skiing is unparalleled. This is the dream, and the experience is unprecedented.” That’s weird, I’m pretty sure I’ve had that same dream…
    
    Look, it's BC powder!
    
    The Canadian Province of British Columbia is home to some of the most dramatic and remote mountains in North America. In addition to countless cat and heli-skiing operations, BC is home to roughly 30 commercial backcountry lodges. Backcountry lodges have played a part in BC’s rich mountain history and they continue to evolve with our modern backcountry skiing boom. From the Coast Range to the Rockies, there are lodges and huts littered throughout western Canada’s mountains.
    
    The Backcountry Lodges of British Columbia Association’s (BLBCA) website lists 27 commercial lodges that offer skiing. Most are privately owned and operated while the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) manages some. Countless other hike-to or sled-to lodges exist throughout the mountains of BC, but that’s another story entirely. Generally situated at or near treeline, these lodges provide an ideal base for mountain exploration. When it’s storming you can ski the trees and lower elevation terrain around the lodge. If it’s clear you can head up high and access alpine peaks, chutes, and glaciers. Most lodges are so remote that they are accessed exclusively by helicopter. Icefall Lodge, for example, is a 20-minute heli-ride away from the nearest heli-staging near Golden, BC. Twenty minutes in a helicopter is a damn long time, prohibitively far to walk, so you can rest assured that no one else will be out in your zone.
    
    The Icefall Lodge in British Columbia.
    
    Larry Dolecki, owner and head-guide of Icefall, started his lodge because, “there is so much terrain in BC, but you are limited by road access. The helicopter gets you out there, then there is no one else around.” With groups ranging between 12-16 people, depending on the lodge, there is plenty of snow and terrain for everyone. “You show up and ski right out the door, no driving, no racing for first tracks,” says Dolecki, “Atmosphere is a big reason lodges are becoming more popular, sharing powder with a group of friends.”
    
    Lodges are typically rustic, they are located in the middle of nowhere after all, but they do offer many of the creature comforts we’ve all become used to. Electricity is standard at pretty much every backcountry lodge, and in BC style this is usually from some sort of “green” energy source. Most lodges use hydroelectric or solar power to charge their batteries and when all else fails, they have a gas powered back-up generator. Wood stoves provide heat for the living areas and drying out skins, boots, and other soggy ski gear. Some lodges also feature a designated drying room where all the stinky ski gear can dry by propane heat and fester in its’ own stench. A few modern backcountry lodges have indoor toilets, but many still utilize the good ol’ frosty outhouse. Most lodges pull their drinking water from nearby fresh water sources, many have holding tanks and running water, while others rely on human power to bring water in buckets, either way it’s some of the best tasting water you’ll ever have. Wood fired saunas are common, and when coupled with a watering-can hot shower is the perfect way to wind down after a long day hiking for face shots. Some lodges even have satellite internet so you can maintain your status and give your friends the F.O.M.O.
    
    You could be skiing powder in Canada right now.
    
    All lodges are different, but most offer both guided and self-guided skiing. Some lodges require you to have a guide, and with avalanche paths longer than most ski areas it can be nice to have someone with terrain familiarity showing you around. Guides are often included in the price, or they typically run around 300-400 bucks a day, when divided among a group ends up being pretty cheap to have someone break trail for you all week. Depending on your group’s level of backcountry savvy you may be able to opt for guiding yourselves, a slightly less expensive option.
    
    As for food, the full spectrum of options is generally available, from catered gourmet to do-it-yourself. I love eating mac-n-cheese and quesadillas all week with my bros, but having someone cook for you is undoubtedly easier and way better, albeit slightly more expensive. Waking up to hot coffee and breakfast, and coming home to soup and snacks before a delicious dinner everyday is worth a couple hundred bucks in my book. There are catering companies in BC who specialize in lodge trips and will prepare your week’s worth of food, boxed up and with recipes, to take with you on a self-catered trip to save you the hassle of figuring it out for yourself.
    
    Skinning with your friends is the best.
    
    Plan ahead, lodges tend to book out early nowadays, so making your reservation up to a year in advance may be necessary. In fact, a couple of the ACC lodges, like Fairy Meadows and Kokanee Galcier, are so popular that they work on a lottery program for reservations. Group leaders can usually book an entire lodge, then fill it with their favorite shredding partners. Booking the whole lodge is the most cost effective approach and brings the price per person down significantly. You can often book just part of the lodge, or help to fill a partially booked week, in which case you’ll be sharing with other folks who are there for the same reasons you are, so they’re probably pretty damn cool. Expect a catered and guided week to cost around $1,800-$2,200, far cheaper than a week of heli skiing, and arguably as much or more fun.
    
    If you’re planning a trip to a backcountry lodge in BC, here’s a few helpful tips. Canada is not part of the United States, you’ll need identification to enter, I suggest a passport. Flying to Canada is expensive, and getting around once you’ve landed can be a pain. I recommend driving whenever possible, this saves on airport transfers, car rentals, baggage fees, and you can bring groceries and a small amount of alcoholic beverages with you.
    
    Things are more expensive in Canada, so bring the maximum amount of alcohol allowed, a case of beer, or 3 bottles of wine, or a 750 ml of liquor per person, they will probably check at the border. If you’ve had a DUI in the last 5 years, don’t even try to cross the border.
    
    Bring earplugs, one loud snorer can keep you up all night, every night, and the better you sleep the harder you can charge.
    
    Avalanche training and experience traveling and skiing in avalanche terrain are a must; hire a guide if you are the least bit uncertain of your skills. Know your gear and how to use it. A backcountry lodge trip isn’t the right place to try out your new backcountry boots for the first time because, as James Heim says, “There’s nothing worse than being in an amazing location for a short time and spending most of that time either fixing your gear or practicing avalanche rescue when you could have done that before hand.”
    
    Do some online research or talk with friends who’ve been to a lodge to find the one that best suits your needs, there are lots of options. Lodge operators are extremely helpful for planning and can assist with finding guides, catering, and details like lodging before and after and your trip.
    
    My backcountry lodge experiences have resulted in the best ski trips that I’ve ever been on. The stress free environment, comfortable lodging, and access to incredible terrain are without equal. In my opinion, there isn’t a better a way to spend your money on skiing and spend time in the backcountry.
    
    A few helpful online resources:
    http://www.backcountrylodgesofbc.com
    http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca
    
    Catering:
    http://www.mosmountaincuisine.com
    

    Going on a backcountry hut trip, be sure to load up on Avalanche Safety gear available at: backcountry.com

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• News: 1st Annual ‘Beer & Gear’ News: 1st Annual ‘Beer & Gear’ Festival At Brundage Mountain, Idaho

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    

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

     

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

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• News: Aspen/Snowmass Free Conc News: Aspen/Snowmass Free Concert Series Dates Announced Sponsored By Bud Light

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

     

     

    Aspen/Snowmass is once again bringing music to the mountains this winter with major acts heading to the valley including The Easy Star All-Stars, Brett Dennen, Grouplove, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donavan Frankenreiter and the Toubab Crewe.

    
    Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., January 9, 2013 – Aspen/Snowmass is celebrating the 10^th season of the Bud Light Hi-Fi concert series with a top-notch line-up including Mutemath, Easy Star All-Stars, Brett Dennen, MarchFourth Marching Band and Grouplove. These acts will rock various locations around Aspen/Snowmass this winter as a part of the ongoing free Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series and CORE Party concert, now expanded into two-nights. The Bud Light Hi-Fi concert series kicked off with a performance by Reverend Horton Heat on November 24. Aspen/Snowmass has presented over 60 free outdoor concerts since the Bud Light Hi-Fi Series began in 2003 with a different band taking the stage for each event. The bands have been booked in partnership with Belly Up Aspen since 2006.

    
    “Live music is a vital component of the Aspen/Snowmass event calendar and this year’s Bud Light Hi-Fi Series line-up raises the bar on providing a fun, entertaining experience for guests and locals of Aspen/Snowmass," says John Rigney, VP of Sales & Events for Aspen Skiing Company.

    
    X GAMES ASPEN WEEKEND

    Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series featuring Mutemath – Friday, January, 25, 5:30 p.m. – Gondola Plaza, Aspen Mountain

    
    Mutemath makes their Aspen debut reigning from New Orleans as an American alternative rock band that formed in 2003. The band melds hip-hop, moments of grandeur, and vocals that are reminiscent of classic rock to create a sound that is inherently their own.

    
    X Games week kicks off at Belly Up Aspen with electro-fusion act Kung Fu on Monday, January 21.  Tuesday, January 22 Belly Up is headlining California roots-reggae act Tribal Seeds. Wednesday, January 23 the club kicks into high gear with British indie rock band Bloc Party, presented by X Games Music.  Friday, January 25, X Games Music Presents Odd Future's lead rapper, Tyler The Creator performing at 7 p.m. and a late night show with Scottish producer-DJ Calvin Harris (this show is SOLD OUT).  Sunday, January 27, Belly Up Aspen closes out X Games weekend with dup-step artist Datsik with special guest Sex Panther.

    
    PRESIDENT'S DAY WEEKEND

    Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series featuring Easy Star All-Stars: Dub Side Of The Moon – Saturday, February 16, 3:00 p.m. – Snowmass Base Village

    
    Internationally renowned reggae act, Easy Star All-Stars brings their superb rhythm with the Dub Side Of The Moon to Snowmass Base Village on Saturday, February 16 for the third free Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert of the season. The show will begin at 3:00 p.m. with a soon to be announced act and Easy Star All-Stars will take the stage at 4:00 p.m. Since their debut in 2003 with their cover album of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon entitled "Dub Side of the Moon," the reggae collective has built an ever-growing, international fan base.

    
    For President's Day weekend, the Belly Up Aspen brings Grammy nominated Bluegrass band The Infamous Stringdusters on February 14 and New Orleans funk jam band Galactic on President's Day, February 18.

    
    SPRING EVENT
    13^th Annual Bud Light Spring Jam – March 21-3 1
    The 13^th annual Bud Light Spring Jam – the premier spring festival in the Rocky Mountains – brings two weekends of competitions, concerts and parties to Aspen/Snowmass.  Brett Dennen kicks off the live music on Friday, March 22 in Snowmass Base Village to celebrate the NASTAR National Championships. This youthful folk/pop singer first won the heart of his loyal fans in 2004 with his soulful lyrics, easy groove and the hit single "Desert Sunrise." The show will begin at 3:00 p.m. with a soon to be announced act and Brett Dennen will take the stage at 5:00 p.m.

    
    The eagerly anticipated Bud Light Spring Jam Core Party is expanded into two nights for the first time and will feature a beer garden. The event will kick off with MarchFourth Marching Band playing a street concert in downtown Aspen on Friday, March 29. M4, as their devotees call them, throws itself and the audience into a swirling volcano of high-energy music and spectacle. Grouplove will take to the same downtown Aspen stage on Saturday, March 30. Their live shows sweep up the audience with an energetic blend of upbeat indie-pop, rock and folk. Their shows are kinetic and engaging. DJ Naka G will be performing at 8:00 p.m. each night while the crowd enjoys giveaways from sponsors. MarchFourth Marching Band and Grouplove will take the stage at 9:00 p.m. on their respective nights.

    
    At Belly Up, Hunky surfer, singer-songwriter Donavan Frankenreiter will take the stage March 23.  On March 24, See-I & Toubab Crewe will co-headline a fun night of worldly sounds. Music festival darlings, The Dunwells also return to the Belly Up on March 26. The Colorado based folk group Elephant Revival will perform on March 29. On March 31, Belly Up brings back their favorite Talking Heads tribute act, THIS MUST BE THE BAND. This show will include a full band performing the album Stop Making Sense in its entirety.

    
    Click Here for Aspen/Snowmass slopeside lodging deals.

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• One Day at Jackson One Day at Jackson

  • From: johnwellsma
  • Description:

    March 19, 2012 was a day to remember at JH.  With 19” of new snow at the resort and more like 2-3 feet outside the gates it was an “all time” day to hook up with some of Jackson’s best locals, insert the Lovely Brothers.  With the same intentions to slay pow, send cliffs, and have fun, we got along instantly resorting back to our east coast roots and relishing in the light Teton smoke.
    Just 5 weeks after fracturing my tibia I headed to Jackson Hole to ski and relax with family and get my turn back.  I never imagined it would turn into such an incredible 10 hours of skiing and that it would change my life forever.  Being a little off point and in pain my style was loose and tentative but I was happy to be skiing again.  Mowing nachos, wings and beer at the Moose at the end of the day the pain slipped away and was replaced by new friends, memories, and powder dreams. 
    One day at Jackson is all you need to change your season or your life forever.  See ya next year!

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

  • From: jeremybenson
  • Description:

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

    Shit Jobs Part 1: Line Cook

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• beer can angel beer can angel

  • From: dtrey28
  • Description:
  • 5 months ago
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• Opening Day Jitters Opening Day Jitters

  • From: johnwellsma
  • Description:

    Coffee, beer, cashews, gum, and gas - that’s all I need. That, and about 2.5 hours of sleep, and I’m set for opening day. The night before, all energies flow into one as I obsessively prepare for the sickest day of skiing ever.

    Straight-lining Crystal Bowl at Kicking Horse, and making GS pow turns on the opener never gets old. Being the first person to ski lift line on Blackcomb’s Jersey Cream is fun, if you can handle the eyes on you. Getting white-walled at Baker on your first step into the slackcountry and having a buddy to help you up is the essence of skiing, and the reason you prepare.
    
    Speeding down Baker HWY 542 toward Mt. Baker, all the memories of the past 900 times I have been down this road over the last nine years come flooding back. I end up being so early, few people are there besides the employees and a handful of hardcores. I walk over to Chair 1, I drop my skis next to a pair that I know all too well. Killing time, drinking coffee, and chatting to fellow shredders, the excitement builds. We wait another hour bouncing around, stretching, adjusting loose Dukes, and chewing gum. What’s another couple hours when it has been over 225 days since my last powder day? I’m ready to pop off.
    
    Most people watch ski videos to get pumped to shred, but the night before, while waxing my skis, turning my DIN up to 14, and putting rain-x on my top sheets and poles, I pop on Dust to Glory and marvel at Johnny Campbell flooring it across the beach. Or I watch GoPros Monsters of Motocross edit along with some raw POV footage of my buddy’s Russian Yak plane doing acrobatics and I am stoked, it’s kind of weird. But hey, whatever gets you revved up. Don’t get me wrong, I still love ski vids, I just like taking it up a notch and throwing in an engine sometimes.  I chirp myself into the night cleaning goggles, charging GoPros, and preparing my protein smoothie for the onslaught that I know will happen if only I can get there first.
    
    I haven’t missed an opening day in the last 10 years except for a relative’s funeral, but that goes without saying. It can be the most important day of the year, or the most insignificant. It can be a baller, high-fiving pow day with renewed friends, or an icy downhill hockey event like Red Bull Crashed Ice. Luckily the latter rarely happens at the powder capital of North America, Mt. Baker.
    
    With a 67-inch base that accumulated over a four- to five-day storm cycle, Mt. Baker opened its lifts to the public with limited trails, but loads of snow beyond the ropes. On opening day, all was good in the land of winter.
    
    A few days later, on Friday November 23, Blackcomb Mountain received 10-inches of new snow and had a clearing trend for the rest of the weekend. It was a good start to the season, launching me right back into the ether. With another couple of successful opening days to add to my growing list of memories, I am happy settling back into the frantic pace we call skiing.

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  • 6 months ago
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• Shit Jobs Part 3: Unemployment Shit Jobs Part 3: Unemployment Collecting Seasonal Worker

  • From: jeremybenson
  • Description:

    I never thought I’d be so obsessed with skiing that I would base my entire life around having the freedom to ski absolutely everyday, but that’s what happened. I never would have thought I’d be a waiter, caterer, part-time landscaper, and half-assed freelance writer all at the same time, but that’s what I do. My college degree isn’t doing me much good, but I haven’t missed a powder day for 11 years and counting. Shit jobs have given me the freedom to ski as much as I can, live in an incredible place, and still make a living, sort of.
    
    This series will attempt to profile some of the best and worst shit jobs in a ski town. Don’t get me wrong, in no way do I intend to bash professions like these, they are a means to an end, the axis upon which our mountain lives spin. Without jobs like these, how would you ski over 100 days a season and still be employed?
    
    
    
    Part 3: Unemployment Collecting Seasonal Worker

    Collecting unemployment may not sound like much of a job, but if you work a shit seasonal job for the purpose of getting laid off so you can collect unemployment all winter, then you know it can be damn hard work. Mountain towns offer myriad seasonal summer employment opportunities. Carpentry, landscaping, window washing, roofing, painting, excavation, asphalt maintenance, you name it and it’s probably a job that you can find a way to get laid off from. These types of positions are ideal for ski bums because this type of work typically takes place during the warmer months of the year, lets say from sometime in April ‘til around the beginning of November.
    
    The hardest part of collecting unemployment all winter is busting your ass working a job that probably involves physical labor and is monotonous as hell all summer. Sure the manual labor is great to keep you buffed during the summer months, but most of the jobs listed above involve pretty much the same thing day in and day out, except for carpentry, maybe.
    
    Worried about ski and snowboard gear, don't..  Backcountry.com offers great sales in the spring and fall!
    
    The key to being able to collect unemployment all winter is having a boss who will lay you off. In California, where I live, you can’t collect unemployment if you quit a job or get fired, you need to be laid off to be eligible. Generally, if you’re getting laid off for the winter, that means you are likely to be rehired the following summer, so finding work at the end of the season shouldn’t be a worry.
    
    Applying for your unemployment benefits is pretty simple and can generally be taken care of online in about 30 minutes. You might have to wait a couple weeks for the first check to arrive, but once it does you are effectively getting paid to go skiing. The maximum benefit amount per week in the state of California is $400, which adds up to around $1600 a month for doing absolutely nothing. The process has been made even easier now that they issue you a debit card and automatically deposit the payments into the account. You don’t even have to pick up a check or put it the bank!
    
    Once your unemployment payments are rolling in, you’ve got nothing to do but ski and hang out afterwards. You can ski all day, every day; you’ve got nowhere to be and nothing to worry about. The mental agony of mowing the same 80 lawns every week all summer just melts away. When you’re done shredding you don’t have to go to some shit job and spend the whole night on your feet, you can go home and rest up for the next day, sip some beers, pull some tubes, maybe watch a little TV.
    
    Your stress level is at an all-time low. Other than keeping your fridge stocked with beer and frozen pizzas, all you need to worry about is running out of weed or which one of bros has your lighter again, but you put a sticker on it, so you’ll probably find it. Sure, your parents think you’re a “drain on the system,” but it’s your money and you’re crushing it this winter, right?
    
    Life on easy street is pretty easy, but don’t get me wrong, collecting unemployment all winter can be fraught with peril if you don’t play your cards right. Every two weeks you’ve got to check your mail, then fill out and send back the form to the unemployment office. In a haze of powder days, bingers, and beers, this can actually pose a bit of a problem. You’ve got no reason to go to the post office other than to pick up the most recent issue of Powder, and that only comes once a month and the last issue is sometime in February.
    
    You’ve also got to use your imagination to keep coming up with places that you were “looking for work.” You may end up going through every one of your friends that manages something to get them to pretend you looked for work at their place of employment.
    
    When you leave town to chase a storm or go to that backcountry lodge in BC, you’ve got to convince one of your stoner friends to check your mail, forge your signature, and send the form back in for you. Who knows if that’ll actually happen when your friends can’t even remember to give you back your lighter? A single missed unemployment form and all of the sudden you’re cut off for not being “available to accept work.”
    
    The potential for boredom is also very real. Believe it or not, you could find the end of the Internet, and it won’t take long to realize how much TV actually sucks, except for the Daily Show. You might also need to buy some new slippers and maybe a nice pair of “house pants” for the hardcore lounging that will ensue. Luckily, you’ll have plenty of time to work on your POV edits. …
    
    All of that free time in the evenings could really open up your schedule for extracurricular activities like drinking, video games, and recreational drug use. This usually isn’t a problem, until you start missing powder days because you were up all night playing Halo with your roommates, or you’re “too hung over.” Next thing you know the bar in town has a stool with your name on it, or you achieve true local status with your first DUI.
    
    All that said, working a shit job all summer so you can collect unemployment all winter might just be the golden ticket, that is, if you can handle the responsibility.

    Read Part 2: Ski Tech
    
    Read Part 1: Line Cook

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  • 6 months ago
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• Shit Jobs Part 2: Ski Tech Shit Jobs Part 2: Ski Tech

  • From: jeremybenson
  • Description:

    I never thought I’d be so obsessed with skiing that I would base my entire life around having the freedom to ski absolutely everyday, but that’s what happened. I never would have thought I’d be a waiter, caterer, part-time landscaper, and half-assed freelance writer all at the same time, but that’s what I do. My college degree isn’t doing me much good, but I haven’t missed a powder day for 11 years and counting. Shit jobs have given me the freedom to ski as much as I can, live in an incredible place, and still make a living, sort of.
    
    This series will attempt to profile some of the best and worst shit jobs in a ski town. Don’t get me wrong, in no way do I intend to bash professions like these, they are a means to an end, the axis upon which our mountain lives spin. Without jobs like these, how would you ski over 100 days a season and still be employed?
    
    

    Part 2: Ski Tech
    
    When I moved out west in 2001, I was a fresh-faced college graduate with stars in my eyes. I moved to Tahoe for “a year to ski before I get a real job.” I had a pickup truck full of everything I owned, no job lined up, hell, we didn’t even have a place to live. Fortunately, I had some experience mounting and tuning skis at a shop in my hometown in Connecticut and my connection in the Tahoe area recommended me for a job at a local ski shop working as a night ski tech.
    
    In hindsight, I realize it was a pretty coveted position that I was lucky to just waltz right into. I was working in a high volume ski shop, my shift didn’t start until 4 p.m., and I didn’t have to work retail or rentals. As a mountain town newbie, this job helped define my experience as I started merrily down the path of ski-bumhood.

    Ski shops offer a plethora of shit jobs for mountain town residents. Working the night tuning shift is ideal because you can ski all day, everyday, and still get to work on time. Many ski shops offer flexible hours or ski breaks for their daytime employees, working retail or rentals, however, puts you into close and frequent contact with the general public. Gapers, Joeys, Beaters, Cods, call them what you will, but families on ski vacations can be frightening beasts. Working in the back shop of most ski shops allows you very limited contact with these crazed and confused vacationing animals, especially when you work at night since the shop is closed half the time you’re there.
    
    Working in the back is also nice because you can show up looking like you just skied all day, because you did, and nobody is likely to notice how you smell over the stench of ski boots, p-tex, and wax.
    
    Taking care of your equipment is a no-brainer, and your skis should generally be running faster than your bros’. Everyone in town will eventually ask you for favors, mounting, basework, tuning, you name it, people in ski towns need your services and are willing to trade for them. A nearly unlimited supply of beer will be available, which is nice since you only make around 11 bucks an hour. When you already have so much beer you don’t know what to do with it, you can arrange for other things you need like food or weed. In some cases you might even get to help out local pros. Eleven years ago I got to work on prototype Spatulas and a number of other ridiculous projects for my hero, the late, great, Shane McConkey.
    
    As a shop employee you’re entitled to discounts and deals on equipment. The “shop deal” is generally the highest level of discount, besides getting something for free, and helps a broke-ass ski bum look pro out on the hill. You may also have the opportunity to get to know local ski reps, maybe wrench for them at demos in trade for some hot new gear. Not to mention the nearly unlimited random skis that are left behind at the shop, you’ll have rock skis for life, or be able to build that ski fence or Adirondack chair you’ve always dreamed of.
    
    Check out TGR's Deal's section of the website: http://tetongravity.com/deals
    
    So, you’re everyone’s friend, you’ve got all the beer you can drink, you’ve got the perfect ski schedule, and your skis are in excellent condition all the time, best job ever, right? Well, the story doesn’t end there. The obvious awesomeness of being a night ski tech is balanced pretty equally by some not so awesome stuff, like acids to bases.
    
    First, being a ski tech doesn’t pay incredibly well. Back in ‘01, I made 9 bucks an hour for an entire winter, my boss didn’t even consider giving me a raise even though the back shop made him many tens of thousands of dollars of profit. Years of experience later, and I was nearly topping out the ski tech pay scale at 14 bucks an hour, better, but still barely getting by. The likelihood of working 40 hours a week is pretty low, except for holiday weeks when you’d pay to get out by midnight.
    
    You may also find yourself working with jaded, crusty locals. The kind of guy who’s pissed at everything for no reason, doesn’t go more than a minute without a chew in his mouth, and has a breathalizer in his car because he’s had so many DUI’s. The kind of person who’ll bring you down no matter how good of a day you had on the hill, or throw a ski across a room because his base-weld didn’t hold.
    
    Potential for injury is pretty darn high while working with grinding machines and sharp metal edges. The slightest mistake while working with a belt or stone grinder could permanently disfigure your hand, one slip while hand-edging that “race tune” and you’re on your way to the hospital. Even if you never seriously injure yourself while tuning you’ll probably be plucking metal shavings from your fingertips almost everyday. On the bright side, your thumbs will never be stronger from the constant scraping of p-tex and wax. The ventilation system in your shop is also probably terribly inadequate. Sure there’s a vent hood, but you’re still breathing noxious wax, p-tex, and epoxy fumes on the daily.
    
    The generally low-stress environment of the back shop will occasionally be shattered by the retail guy who promises his customers everything to be done immediately. You’ll show up to work to find five “now mounts” that have to be done in the first hour of work, or have your Zen tuning flow interrupted by something that needs to be done “right now.”
    
    All the free beer in the world is great, until you find yourself on the fast track to becoming yet another ski town alcoholic. Three to six beers a day is one thing, but that’s before you leave work, the last thing you need is a DUI to end up like the jaded local that you hate working with.
    
    Oh, and did I mention the monotony. Believe it or not, doing exactly the same mind-numbing work day after day could drive you a little crazy. It’s exactly the kind of work that could drive a person to drink, at least you’ve already got all that beer. …
    
    Low pay and monotony aside, being a ski tech is among the more enjoyable ski town jobs I’ve had. Starting my time in a mountain town with a night job, however, is likely one of the main factors that doomed me to a life of working shit jobs just to ski pow. Once you get used to skiing everyday, there may be no going back. So, consider yourself warned, and if you’ve got an unquenchable thirst for skiing and beer, then this might just be the shit job for you.
    
    Click Here For Part 1: Line Cook

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  • 6 months ago
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