4 Search Results for "flipflops"

• Sierra Steeps In June — Keepin Sierra Steeps In June — Keepin’ Winter Alive Part 2

  • From: sethlightcap
  • Description:

    Summer backcountry shred missions in the Sierra are all about finding unique adventures that make up for the lack of snow. It’s also a time when ephemeral access windows open up that allow unusual means of getting to your destination. The quest to catch good snow conditions on classic lines using summer time only transportation becomes the game. When you pull it off and score an amazing outside-of-the-box summer shred day it’s a potent memory that motivates you to make it happen every season. Next thing you know, your winter always lasts until at least July, which is bitchin`.
    
    This June I rolled the dice on a couple go-to backcountry tours that both involve such summer oddities. I dare say we won big both days as the tours were thrilling start to finish and the steeps we got to slash were in surprisingly good condition despite the meager Sierra winter. Check out a few pics of the two adventures below and you’ll see why I don’t put my boards away in May.

    Words and Photos by Seth Lightcap

    
    Brennan Lagasse and I hopped on the mountain bikes for this early June mission into the Tahoe backcountry. We pedalled up a still gated but mostly melted out road. Spinning up the mountain weaving in and out of snow patches under a cool canopy of trees made for a very pleasant approach.
    
    A twenty five minute hike from the end of the road brought us to the top of this old school Tahoe chuting gallery. Nothing too crazy, but steep enough to slash some fun turns and feel the pull of the fall line.
    
    The chutes were fairly smooth, very few suncups anyway, and the snow was super rippable, deep corn.
    
    Looking ahead to a long summer I’ll take as much of this view as I can get.
    
    Brennan, my wife Allison and I hopped on a boat taxi with a bunch of fishermen to start our latest snow adventure in the Sierra. We got a few odd looks from the Cabela’s crowd but we were united under a shared vision - no one wanted to walk the horrendously long two miles to the end of the lake.

    Exiting the pontoon boat we hiked up slabs past slowly reawakening high elevation lakes. Allison had forgotten her shoes so she flip-flopped most of the approach. When she finally took off the flops, she put on her crampons. Quite the summer changeover.
    
    Here’s a shot from May 2012 of the couloirs we were going to ride. Couple hours from the boat we were looking down them.
    
    Brennan dropped in the skier’s right couloir and deftly negotiated a little choke to get through the business section. The snow could have been softer, but it was edgeable enough for a clean descent.
    
    Not too much snow left in the Sierra but it’s holding in a few places where it counts.
    
    Allison and I rode the skier’s left couloir which thankfully held softer snow. This left line is a little wider but it’s just as steep and has a spicy double fall line to keep things interesting.
    
    The snow turned to rock a couple hundred feet below the apron of the couloirs. Busting a few downclimbing moves on the gorgeous granite as the spray of a waterfall tickled our faces felt rather super however. It was yet another summer shred moment that made such a mission all worth it.

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 368
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• Hiking in flipflops Hiking in flipflops

  • From: sethlightcap
  • Description:
    Hiking in flipflops
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 220
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• Flipflops to crampons Flipflops to crampons

  • From: sethlightcap
  • Description:
    Flipflops to crampons
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 102
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• CHOPO DIAZ AND JACQUI EDGERLY CHOPO DIAZ AND JACQUI EDGERLY WIN THE NORTH FACE SOUTH AMERICAN FREESKIING CHAMPIONSHIPS PRESENTED BY SMIRNOFF

  • From: media-75233
  • Description:

     
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    September 6th, 2009
    
    
    CHOPO DIAZ AND JACQUI EDGERLY WIN THE NORTH FACE SOUTH AMERICAN FREESKIING CHAMPIONSHIPS PRESENTED BY SMIRNOFF
    
    From flip-flops to powder, world’s best freeskiers pioneer exciting new lines on McConkey’s venue at La Parva, Chile, during the first stop of the 2010 Subaru Freeskiing World Tour
     
     
     
    La Parva, Chile, September 5, 2009—During the First Annual The North Face South American Freeskiing Championships, an international field of the world’s best freeskiers conquered McConkey’s run, South America's finest competition venue. With nearly a foot of fresh snow, athletes from the Untied States, France, Canada, Chile, Argentina, and Switzerland congregated to enjoy a rare opportunity to ski and compete during North America’s summer months for a $10,000 cash purse.
     
    With the top three men’s final scores separated by less than half a point, competition was fierce. But on his home terrain, 26-year-old Chopo Diaz (CHL) rose to the top as the clear winner with 40.88 points. He charged the venue with the fastest line of the day—also earning the coveted Sickbird award with his creative, aggressive blend of two large, stylish airs with stomped landings. On his heels, 2009 FWT Champion Julien Lopez (FRA) skied an equally aggressive fall-line run with his signature massive spread eagle in the crux of the venue, finishing just two-tenths behind Diaz. Rounding out the international podium, Romain Bellon (SWZ) pioneered an original line with fluid style, finishing less than a half point off the lead.
     
    “It was an honor to have the entire international freeskiing community at my home mountain,” said Diaz. “I’m honored to be champion, but I would have loved to ski a second run.”
     
    Due to 100mph winds pummeling the venue on Saturday morning, the second day of the SAFC was unfortunately cancelled.
     
    “I’m really happy for Chopo,” said Lopez. “Second is good, but I like to be first. I was really happy with the venue, but I wanted to ski one more run.”
     
    Female freeskiing veteran Jacqui Edgerly (USA) won her first competition with a fluid, aggressive line with two solid airs. Jess McMillan, 2007 FWT World Champion, returned to competition with intent to win, taking six airs, skiing with energy and aggression, to finish just a half point off the lead. Chopo Diaz’s sister and local ripper Soledad Diaz, followed in her brother’s footsteps to show everyone that she is a legitimate competitor. The local favorite skied the fastest line of the female competitors.
     
    “The freesking movement has truly returned to South America,” said Rodrigo Medina, La Parva’s marketing director who stunt-doubled as the competition’s forerunner. “The international freeskiing community’s presence in Chile was both an honor and a long time coming. We have enjoyed hosting this prestigious event and the first stop of the FWT and look forward to many more in the years to come.”
     
    A live produced HD webcast of the entire competition will be rebroadcast later this week. For broadcast times, video coverage, photos, interviews, athlete profiles and more, visit the official website of competitive big mountain skiing: www.freeskiingworldtour.com
     
     
    **Registration for the remaining 2010 Subaru Freeskiing World Tour events will go live sometime this fall. Please check back for detail

  • Blog post
  • 4 years ago
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