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  • Laying Down Lines and Saving L Laying Down Lines and Saving Lives in Cooke City

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:
      Words by Michael Sudmeier
      Images by Sam Pope

      Some things in life are subject to change. And this is especially true for those who spend time in the backcountry. While recently filming near Cooke City, Montana for Way of Life, TGR athletes and filmers had to continually adapt to new challenges—including saving a man’s life. The plans for the trip had been simple enough—film some late spring ski descents at the end of April. The start of the trip, however, was filled with pow days, cold temperatures, and assisting with a rescue.

      Nightmare Camp
      Before heading into the backcountry, the crew convened in Cooke City and geared up for the trip.

      “I thought it was going to be mainly mountaineering missions—skiing couloirs and things like that,” explained Todd Ligare. He was joined by TGR athletes John Spriggs and Griffin Post, as well as a production and support team that included Dan Gibeau, Sam Pope, Hennie van Jaarsveld, Corey Seeman, and Steve Popovich. Despite anticipating spring conditions, “It felt like a mid-winter trip in late April, which was awesome,” offered Spriggs. He and the group named the project Nightmare Camp—a play on TGR’s Fantasy Camp, which had wrapped up a few weeks prior in Alaska.

      After members of the crew skied a few lines on their first day, a snowmobiler approached them, searching for assistance and a means to contact rescue and medical personnel. “You could tell he was dealing with a heavy situation, but he seemed calm and was dealing with it appropriately,” explained Ligare. “He basically asked if we had a way to contact help.”

      The man’s friend had stopped breathing after his vest became tangled in his sled. “Basically, the [patient] had a protective vest on, and he was hill climbing,” explained Post. “Through an unfortunate series of events, his handlebars went through his protective vest and hung him.” The man had rushed to aid his friend, but his response time was delayed due to the steep slope on which the injured snowmobiler was perched. Initially, the snowmobiler was not breathing. Once freed from his sled, however, he resumed breathing but remained unconscious.

      Nightmare Camp
      Whether exploring new zones or assisting with a rescue, the group relied heavily on its sleds.

      Tapping into rescue and medical training they receive at the start of each season, the crew from TGR sprung into action. Ligare sought out the crew’s satellite phone and medical equipment while Pope traveled to the injured sledder. Once at site of the incident, Pope and a snowboarder who was also in the area provided initial care for the patient. According to Pope, they “created a flat spot for [the patient], cleared his airway, stabilized his head, and put some layers under and on him to provide insulation from the snow.”

      After retrieving the group’s satellite phone, Ligare—now joined by Post—sought out higher ground in order to contact Park County Search and Rescue. Post remained in contact with rescuers while Ligare, Gibeau, and Spriggs brought the group’s medical kit and sked, a collapsible rescue stretcher, to the scene. The group helped Pope further stabilize the patient and initiated a high angle rescue to lower him down the slope. They also took turns traveling to Post, relaying updates to rescuers. Seeman, who had been in town servicing a snowmobile, led rescue personnel Ben Zavora and Jan Gaertner, President of the Cooke City EMS, to the patient.

      By the time Gaertner and Zavora arrived, the team had not only lowered the patient down the slope, but also prepared a landing zone for a helicopter. Gaertner and the team provided additional care and readied the patient for transport. “We packaged him, got him on some oxygen, and cleared his airway,” she explained. “I also put an AED on him [in the event his heart stopped]. He had quit breathing twice.” Fortunately, the weather briefly cooperated with rescuers. “We got there and the sky opened up and the sun came out. We got a helicopter in and when the helicopter left, the clouds came over and it started snowing again,” explained Gaertner.

      “I’ll tell you what, it was not his time to die,” offered Gaertner. She credits the team from TGR with ensuring this was the case. “The guys did an awesome job,” she explained. “They were so excited to use their skills and equipment. I would work with those guys any day.”

      Nightmare Camp Thank You Letter to TGR
      In a letter to TGR, Jan Gaertner—President of the Cooke City EMS—thanked the crew for its assistance.

      For the team, the incident provided an opportunity to put into practice the skills they had cultivated through TGR’s annual safety summit, the International Pro Riders Workshop (IPRW). Although the curriculum is continually evolving, IPRW aims to help attendees successfully negotiate the challenges inevitable in backcountry travel. The course typically addresses assessing avalanche terrain, initiating first aid in a wilderness context, and leading rescue efforts.

      According to Cofounder Todd Jones, TGR developed its IPRW program because “we recognized that we’re out in a really dangerous and inhospitable environment that demands high levels of training and expertise. That training can make the difference between a fairly standard rescue and a really bad situation.”

      Nightmare Camp
      IPRW ensures TGR's team is prepared for backcountry emergencies.  Luckily, no emergencies resulted from the crew killing this line.

      The rescue in Cooke City served as a testament to the training’s success. In a thank you letter to TGR, Gaertner wrote, “Your skiers were the first responders on the scene, and because of their training and communications [they] saved this man’s life.” According to Spriggs, the high angle rescue that the team performed was “exactly what we learned at IPRW.” Gaertner noted that the team was especially successful in executing the skills it had developed at the workshop. “It’s one thing to get the training,” she explained. “It’s another thing to be able to act on it—and all those guys were able to act calmly and efficiently and do what they were taught to do.”

      During its time in the Cooke City area, the TGR crew checked in with Gaertner to receive updates on the patient’s status. After several days in a coma, the man was released from the hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery. This, according to Ligare, “is a miracle—or at least not typical.” After all, the man had stopped breathing twice throughout the incident.

      The rescue with which the team assisted provided an unusual prelude to the trip—and the adventures only continued. At the start of their filming, “it snowed two feet so we just skied pow for days,” revealed Post. “It was unseasonably cold for the first four days and we had some of the best snow of the year.” 

      For the ten day trip, the crew established a base camp from which they began sledding and touring each morning. “We basically had a little village out in the woods and camped there and didn’t come back to town,” explained Post. “We were really much more immersed in the mountains than trips where you just go out for the day.” 

      Nightmare Camp
      The crew was better at skiing than cooking, as evidenced by its reliance on precooked dinners.

      Although the group had a large dome tent, plenty of food, and a propane stove and heater, being immersed in the mountains was not especially luxurious. Temperatures one evening hovered near twenty below. For dinner, the crew had “two different options of precooked meals that we would heat up: Mexican or Thai. The big joke every night was ‘what do you guys want for dinner?’” explained Pope. As the days progressed, the crew also established a second camp from which it could access more remote zones.

      TGR Nightmare Camp
      There's nothing like the smell of a campfire--especially one accompanied by the smell of wet socks and boots.

      According to the team, its base camp provided quick access to terrain but was not without its challenges. “The camping adds a whole new layer of logistics to deal with—drying clothes, charging batteries, and dumping footage,” Pope explained. The group’s proximity to its target terrain helped fuel the intensity of the experience. “The trip was probably the most full throttle trip I have ever been on,” revealed Post. “We were just so busy—we would get up at six pretty much every morning, put our ski boots on by seven-thirty or eight, and we’d pretty much be skiing and in our ski boots until eight at night.”

      As the temperatures warmed up towards the end of the trip, the crew was also able to ski several couloirs. After being shut down on one couloir due to rapidly softening snow and wet slides, the team was able to ski the couloir on its final day. “The snow conditions were super variable,” revealed Pope. “But to me, that’s the impressive thing about professional skiers—they make it look easy no matter what the conditions.” But this should come as no surprise. After all, they can even make saving a life look easy.

      Nightmare Camp
      The crew kicked back in Cooke City at the trip's conclusion.
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  • Nightmare Camp Nightmare Camp

  • TGR Nightmare Camp TGR Nightmare Camp

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  • Nightmare Camp Thank You Lette Nightmare Camp Thank You Letter to TGR

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  • Mind’s Eye: Episode 2 - John S Mind’s Eye: Episode 2 - John Spriggs

    • From: TetonGravityResearch
    • Description:

      John Spriggs and his posse rally out to Beehive Basin, set up camp and spend the night. Despite the slightly stormy conditions, they successfully ascend and descend Beehive Peak.

      Music: Jeff Cormack & Play Plus Record

    • 3 weeks ago
    • Views: 45
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  • Epic Sturgis: 5 Athletes, 16 H Epic Sturgis: 5 Athletes, 16 Harleys, Dozens Of GoPros, 1 Hell Of A Ride

    • From: ericseymour
    • Description:

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

      Words by Eric Seymour.

      Photos courtesy Harley Davidson and GoPro.


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

      Riding through Mount Rainier National ParkTGR, GoPro and Harley Davidson rally through Mount Rainier National Park with five elite extreme sports athletes.

      Teton Gravity Research was invited to cover an epic 1,500-mile motorcycle journey from Seattle, Washington, to Sturgis, South Dakota, sponsored by Harley Davidson and GoPro. The trip was in celebration of Harley Davidson’s 110th anniversary. Joining Max Kuszaj, one of the voices of the Freeskiing World Tour, and four other elite GoPro athletes including three-time X Games gold medalist BMX rider Chad Kagy, kayak freestyle champion and Olympian Eric Jackson, mountain bike film star Aaron Chase, and four-time world mountain bike champion Brian Lopes.

      Starting in our hotel parking lot in Seattle, we began getting outfitted with our leathers and checking out our Harley motorcycles. We had 16 big, badass motorcycles that showcased the 2012 line.

      I was anxious as I sat in the hotel parking lot getting ready to begin the ride. The mission encompassed riding 1,466 miles, 29 hours of saddle time, and four days to travel from Seattle to Sturgis. Could I ride a Harley? Could I ride this many miles? Was I crazy to embark on this journey with only dirt biking and commuting in Jackson, Wyoming, on a 650cc duel sport as my experience? All doubts vanished as I twisted the throttle on the1500cc Blackline in Mount Rainier National Park, heard the bike roar, and felt the bike accelerate. Riding the Harley was easy. The bikes are big, but they have a low center of gravity and a predictable clutch that instills confidence. I knew I was going to experience the trip of a lifetime. 

      Entering the Lochsa River CorridorEntering the Lochsa River Corridor.

      The organizers of the journey planned a phenomenal route that took us through national parks, along river drainages, over mountain passes, and the majority of the ride was on two-lane twisty highways. I cannot think of a better way to see the country. Riding by bison in Yellowstone National Park made me feel so small and at the same time very alive. My highlight of the trip was riding over Beartooth Pass in Montana. The road is magnificent with tight turns that zig and zag for a perceived eternity. Huge drop-offs exist on the edge of the road. I was able to release my aggressive nature as I pushed the Harley Sportster in and out of curves with speed and a determination to go faster. At the end of the day, feeling a release of endorphins, I was content knowing that I am going to be a motorcycle rider for life.  

      Max Kuszaj All Smiles Max Kuszaj of the Freeskiing World Tour loves to ride. 

      Riding a motorcycle gives a person a sense of freedom that is very comparable to skiing. The wind is in your face and accelerating through a corner feels like railing a turn.

      “The nicest thing about motorcycles is that it allows me to clear my mind and get on the road,” Max Kuszaj said. “A lot of my ski friends are now getting Harleys. It’s great to get on the road, clear your mind and just ride.”

      Before heading to South America to go skiing, Max has another 2500-mile motorcycle ride planned out with his buddies. Max really likes motorcycles.  

      Wheat field sunset in IdahoRiding through a wheat field as the sun sets in Idaho.

      Getting to Big Sky Resort in MontanaGetting to Big Sky, Montana.

      Trading our Harleys for downhill mountain bikes at Big SkyTrading our Harleys for downhill mountain bikes at Big Sky.

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

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

      The team goes for an early morning bridge jump into the Galliton River in MontanaThe team goes for an early morning bridge jump into the Gallatin River in Montana.

      Up close with Buffalo in YellowstoneWhere the buffalo roam: Yellowstone National Park.

      Riding out of Cooke City, MontanaRiding out of Cooke City, Montana.

      Beartooth Pass. The highlight of my trip.Beartooth Pass. The highlight of my trip.

      Sunset on Beartooth Pass. Life never felt so good.Sunset on Beartooth Pass. Life never felt so good.

      Riding into the sun on Beartooth PassRiding into the sun on Beartooth Pass

      Arriving at Sturgis, I was amazed at the pure magnitude of the festival with over 600,000 bikers the town was packed. We had arrived at the motorcycle version of Burning Man, a biker’s Shangri La. Zip lining over a massive crowd with Journey playing “Don’t Stop Believing,” and bikers revving their loud pipes, I felt like I had entered a new world.

      “Sturgis is wild,” Max Kuszaj said, “I was not mentally prepared for the madness and the amount of people that are here. It’s something that you need to experience at least once in your lifetime. It’s the best people watching that I have ever seen in my life.”

      For me, Sturgis is about seeing the culture and history that has encompassed Harley Davidson for so many years. I appreciated all walks of life. There is a new breed of Harley rider that is young, fit, and wants to ride. As fun as Sturgis was, it was not my highlight of the trip. The winding roads, amazing sunsets, and freedom felt on the bike were my Shangri La. It still is the journey not the destination.

      Arriving at SturgisWelcome to Sturgis.

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

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

      Home sweet home at Buffalo Chip Campground in SturgisShotgun!

      Journey rocks the house at Buffalo ChipDon’t stop believing. Journey rocks the house at Sturgis.

      Get on the road and enjoy the rideGet on the road and enjoy the ride.

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

    • Blog post
    • 9 months ago
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