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Aspen Obscene Aspen Obscene
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
Photos: Digi Dave
Nobody is concerned that Than is missing. We haven’t been in Aspen for 12 hours, and we’re already a man down. Breakfast at Aspen’s Jour de Fete is just too damn good. The genuine Frenchman in charge of whipping up espresso drinks and croissant concoctions could make me forget my grandmother going missing in Chicago’s Southside with a bag full of cash and a slow pace. The sun is shining, and Than’s empty seat at the table makes it easy for us to spread out—keeping our hangovers from combining into the perfect storm… For now.
The plan was simple enough—get to Aspen for the extra bonus closing at Highlands. Late winter in the Southern Rockies is making up for a lackluster early season. Colorado’s inbounds terrain is the best it’s been all year, and the lifts at Jackson Hole hadn’t been spinning for nearly a month.
Aspen, contrary to the Bogner and Bentley façade, is a dirtbag’s delight. So, to get in touch with Aspen’s seedier side, Than, Cook, and myself jumped into a car and decided to see for ourselves.
We arrive late Friday night after a whirlwind of snus tins and malt beverages. The Limelight hotel is surprisingly cheap during the off-season and their breakfast is way above average. They also allow dogs, so pick up a puppy on the way over as a conversation starter.
After stocking the fridge and then promptly trying to empty it, we wander over to Little Annie’s. Seventeen dollars later we have a pitcher of Budweiser and five shots of Early Times whiskey. Repeat. Repeat. Everything begins to taste like band-aid and herpes. Repeat. Two repeats later and I’m drinking out of a shoe.
By the time breakfast rolls around, Than is missing. We’re not worried. You will meet the girl/guy of your dreams in Aspen. It’s what happens when the entire population of the town, and all of its visitors are there for the soul purpose of having fun. You might even throw up on said dream girl’s porch. Than shows up as we wrap up our meal with a smirk.
After a few more breakfast beers, it’s ski time. We arrive greeted by none other than Klaus Obermeyer. He yodels for us and announces the skiing is “Eleven out of ten!”
He’s right. All of Aspen Highlands’ 3,635 vertical feet have achieved a miraculously good corn cycle and the snow is nothing short of heroic. Snow fuels celebration, which in turn fuels skiing. Somehow we don’t get removed from the ski area, the bus ride home, or the hotel.
As Aspen becomes a blur of laughter, empty glasses, and haphazard street crossings, I start learning all sorts of lessons. The most important ones are these:
1.Tables comprised of the same sex are always looking for trouble.
2.Colorado’s new views on certain controlled substances don’t suck.
3.Getting forcibly removed from the staff bathroom at Escobar with a new friend is totally worth it.
4.If you’re trying to get away with skinny-dipping after-hours, claim that you’re a lifeguard.
5.If all else fails, go to New York Pizza. If everything is failing, you probably need to eat anyways.
Suddenly the sun is out again and we’re hiking up to the top of Highlands Bowl for the last run of the season. A crowd of locals is gathered to take in the Maroon Bells, sip champagne, and shred the shit out of an incredible late season snowpack one last time. For all the glamour associated with Aspen, the group taking the season’s last run down the bowl shows none of it. It’s just skiers and smiles. Every turn puts us further from the season. Despite the fact that I haven’t slept in two days the snow is so good and the runs are so steep I have one of my best runs of the season.
I slide sideways into the base area in a spray of snow, thoroughly used up, totally worn out. Ski season—what a ride.
- Blog post
- 3 weeks ago
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Loveland Pass Slide Claims Fiv Loveland Pass Slide Claims Five Lives
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
Five people passed away in a slide Saturday on Colorado’s Loveland Pass. The victims—which included one skier and four snowboarders—were taking part in the Rocky Mountain High Backcountry Bash. As guides, sales reps, and experienced backcountry travelers, the victims had especially deep roots in the ski and snowboard industry. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.
For additional details, please follow the link to The Denver Post.
Members of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center measure the crown of Saturday's slide.
Image Courtesy of The Denver Post/Helen H. Richardson
- Blog post
- 4 weeks ago
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Measuring the Crown of the Lov Measuring the Crown of the Loveland Pass Slide
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
- 4 weeks ago
- Views: 297
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Loveland Pass Slide Claims Fiv Loveland Pass Slide Claims Five Lives
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:Saturday's avalanche at Loveland Pass claimed the lives of five backcountry travelers.
- 4 weeks ago
- Views: 41
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Go: North Cascade Heli Go: North Cascade Heli
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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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.
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
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Filming for TGR's HIGHER Begin Filming for TGR's HIGHER Begins
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
On Monday, March 18th, after a two-day approach and five years of scouting, Jeremy Jones dropped in on the Grand Teton in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, kicking off the final leg of a snowboard odyssey that has captivated the world since the premiere of TGR’s Deeper.Joined by legendary snowboarder Brian Iguchi, and Exum mountain guides Zahan Billimora and Brendan O’Neill, Jones descended the Grand’s Otterbody face, a high hanging snowfield with hundreds of
feet of exposure below it. A massive storm cycle yielded 27 inches of new snow only a few days before the descent, making the line a very touch-and-go operation.
Just getting to the line was a massive effort. “We broke it up over two days, It’s about 5,000 feet to where we camped on the lower saddle. We spent a day getting to that point.” Says Jeremy Jones. “The next morning it took about five hours for the last 2,100 feet.”
Most of the route was hazardous, not just because of the exposure, but because of the new snow as well. “It was really questionable whether the snow bonded to the previous melt/freeze cycle,” says TGR’s Steve Jones who was onsite directing the shoot. “They went up Sunday night with the notion just to look at it on Monday. The whole decent is a no fall zone. If anything were to slough or slide, it’s game over.”
Conditions were stable and the group made the descent, but not without a few incredibly tense moments. At one point, Jones, Iguchi, and Billamora had all made an initial repel onto the Otterbody face while O’Neill skied toward them and triggered a large amount of slough. The three below were sheltered as the snow passed over them, but there was no way to tell that from the camera angles.
“It was pretty emotional in the sense that at a point I wasn’t sure if I was going to watch my brother and two friends get sloughed off the mountain,” says Steve Jones. “From our perspective it looked like the slough was bearing down on them. It was a really tense moment for everyone.”
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The tension didn’t end there. When the group arrived at a mandatory 400-foot rappel, there was so much snow accumulation that the anchor was nowhere to be found. Instead of using a set anchor, they had to make a new one. Testing out a new anchor with a 400-foot drop isn’t exactly ideal.
These trials are typical for a descent in Grand Teton National Park according to Jeremy Jones. “I’ve tried to have the Tetons in my last two films,” says Jeremy Jones. “[They] are a tricky range, and probably the toughest place that we’ve tried to shoot in the last five years. Two of the last five years I’ve wrote it off right from the get go.”
Jones says that Grand Teton National Park was one of his main motivations for going to terrain that was only accessed by foot. “I was running out of terrain, but I realized that there is so much terrain in the park.”
When asked where Higher will take him next, Jones’s reply echoed his never-ending sense of adventure. “Higher is an evolution of everything I’ve done in snowboarding. Where that shakes out, I don’t know. We’ll know in a couple of years when it’s done.”
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
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Kirkwood Hosts Stop No. 4 Of F Kirkwood Hosts Stop No. 4 Of Freeride World Tour
- From: gregfitzsimmons
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Description:
CLICK HERE to watch today’s event live. The action gets underway at 9 a.m. PST as the ski women drop in.
The FWT comes stateside to kickoff the second half of the season
By Greg FitzsimmonsThe fourth stop of the newly unified Swatch Freeride World Tour by The North Face goes down stateside today at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. We’re halfway through the FWT, with stops in Revelstoke, Courmayeur, and Chamonix in the rearview mirror, and Fieberbrunn and Verbier coming up after the sole comp of the season in the United States.
Today’s action will take place on Kirkwood’s famed Cirque, a permanently closed rock-littered zone that introduces a new type of terrain into the FWT mix this season. The Cirque is almost 1,500 vertical feet of exposed terrain, with tight chutes, big cliffs, scattered trees, and open bowls for arching turns. Unlike Mac Face in Revy and the venues on the Italian and French sides of the Mont Blanc, Kirkwood’s Cirque is a wide, venue with a mix of steep aspects and bench-like sections that will require some navigation from the competitors if they’re going to ski the Cirque fluidly from top to bottom.
Per usual, the athletes are working off of a visual inspection only, and the consensus is divided amongst athletes. Fall-line chargers will be tasked with finding terrain that suits their style, while freestyle jibbers might have an advantage with the abundance of natural features that are primed for a playful approach.
“The Cirque at Kirkwood is a powerful place in the history of freeride, and I take riding it very seriously. It’s a pretty big face, so solid runs definitely have to be high speed and powerful so you don't spend multiple minutes up there,” said current tour leader Drew Tabke. “But there are lots of airs with good takeoffs and steep landings, so there is definitely a place for freestyle as well.”
Tabke’s blend of full-tilt and playful charging has earned him the overall tear leader spot going into the fourth stop of the FWT. With wins in Revelstoke and Chamonix, Tabke’s approach has been rewarded so far on the tour, and rightly so.
Other athletes, like last year’s overall FWT Champion Reine Barkered, aren’t super psyched on the Cirque’s prospects. “I don’t believe [the venue] suits me that well,” said Sweden’s Barkered. “On the top part you can go pretty fast, but in the middle and bottom sections you will have to slow down since there are a lot of airs to flat landings. I like to send my cliffs with speed so it might be better for the more freestyle influenced riding as there are a few transfers and kickers.”
It’s ladies first on the venue today, with the ski women kicking things off. There was a storm last week that dropped a few inches of fresh snow on the venue, but temps have gotten warm the last few days and there’s a spring break vibe in the Sierra Nevadas.
“The venue is in rough shape, but still has a ton of fun potential,” said Jackson Hole’s Crystal Wright, who has had solid showings in Kirkwood in the past. “I am looking at the same line as last year but hoping to ski it better if I can. It is fast and fluid and it makes me happy! [That line] is the only thing that is jumping out at me when I look at the venue.”
With Kirkwood’s Cirque possibly favoring a more playful approach to skiing and riding, there are a few names in the start list to take note of. Last year’s North American-based Freeskiing World Tour Champion Josh Diaek is a longtime Kirkwood local, and Diaek has won the last two comps on his home turf. Look for Diaek to blast a fast, creative line through the Cirque that mixes trickery with fall-line skiing. If big-mountain jibbing is the predicted approach for Kirkwood, Euros Fabio Studer and Markus Eder and Americans Johnny Collinson and Colter Hinchliffe are names to watch, too. But, don’t sleep on Tabke, Barkered, Oakley White-Allen, and Jérémie Heitz—who is sitting in second place overall behind Tabke—to put on full-throttle show.
On the women’s ski side, Sweden’s Christine Hargin is riding a lot of momentum into today’s comp after sweeping the first two stops of the FWT in Revy and Cham. Jess McMillan and Crystal Wright, both from Jackson Hole, have a lot of experience on the Cirque and are due for strong showings.Save Big on Kirkwood Mountain Resort discount lift tickets through Liftopia.com
The men’s snowboard field should be interesting to watch as Squaw Valley’s Ralph Backstrom will don the yellow bib, which denotes the overall tour leader. Another Squaw rider, Ryland Bell, who has been sending it on Jeremy Jones’s Further project, will slide into the FWT start gate for the first time this season. Frenchmen Jonathan Charlet got his 2013 season going in the right direction with a win in Chamonix, and Sammy Luebke always brings a fresh approach to riding; both will be throwing down in Kirkwood.
Tahoe locals Casey Lucas (from Kirkwood) and Iris Lazzareschi (from Squaw) will be looking to represent in front of their hometown fans as they take on overall tour leader Margot Rozies, Snowbird’s Laura Dewey, and the rest of the snowboard women field.
Some competitors are in good shape going into the Kirkwood stop of the Swatch Freeride World Tour by The North Face. Tabke and Hargin sit atop the men’s and women’s ski fields thanks to two wins by each athlete so far this year. Ralph Backstrom has ridden consistently en route to being the tour leader of the snowboard men at the halfway point of the FTW, and French rider Margot Rozies is on top of snowboard women after her win in front of her home crowd in Chamonix.
Other competitors are feeling the pressure, however. There are no guaranteed spots for the final in Verbier, and everyone is vying for a bib to compete on the renowned Bec de Roses venue in Switzerland. So, look for a high level of skiing and riding today in Kirkwood, and at the subsequent stop in Fieberbrunn, Austria in early March, as competitors are working to solidify invites to Verbier.
CLICK HERE to watch today’s event live. The action gets underway at 9 a.m. PST as the ski women drop in. - Blog post
- 3 months ago
- Views: 113
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Video: Fragile Italian Glass S Video: Fragile Italian Glass Snowboard - Every Third Thursday
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
For this month's episode, Signal Snowboards' Founder Dave Lee leaves the factory to travel across the sea to an Italian glass factory to create a handmade glass snowboard—the most delicate build to date! The glass snowboard is cut, pressed, tempered, and ever so carefully transported to the slopes. Signal Snowboards Italian team rider Giorgio “Iannino” Morell takes it for the all important test ride at Abetone ski resort in Tuscany. See how this glass artwork performs under pressure—will it slide or shatter?
Check back every third Thursday of the month for another custom snowboard build from Signal Snowboards. - Blog post
- 3 months ago
- Views: 111
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News: Team Europe Leads Swatch News: Team Europe Leads Swatch Skiers Cup 2013 After Big Mountain Competition
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
Zermatt, Switzerland - After the first day of competition at the SWATCH SKIERS CUP, Team Europe emerged with a commanding 11 – 5 lead over Team Americas, with Sunday’s Big Mountain event held on a heli-accessed face high in the peaks above Zermatt, Switzerland.
The 2012-2013 winter has been full of snow in this part of the Alps, and deep, fresh snow coated the impressive venue. Organizers have just confirmed that the second day of competition will be held on Thursday, February 14, at Breitboden (Zermatt ski area) at 9 a.m. for the Backcountry slopestyle. Contest is accessible for the public from the slopes.
“The venue we have for Backcountry Slopestyle is ideal – really good terrain for a variety of jumps and the incredible backdrop of Zermatt,” said head jump shaper and event judge Julien Regnier.
Big mountain contest recap:
The competitors had two runs each, one on each half of the venue. The conditions resulted in descents not typically seen in big mountain freeride competitions. The snow was so deep some competitors struggled to find enough speed to hit features and jumps as planned.
Standout runs came from riders who took a higher speed, less technical approach, like Chamonix local Sam Favret. His runs had few airs – instead he shredded the snow spines and walls at full bore.
“I’m influenced by snowboarding and skating, and I was really inspired by today’s venue to bring that surf style to the big mountain,” said Favret.
Other highlights included Team America’s Tim Dutton nearly landing a huge double backflip, coming up the slightest bit short for the landing. Sverre Liliequist triggered a small windslab avalanche near the end of his run yet went on to stomp a backflip off his final air, skiing away with the slide at the tails of his skis.
“I haven’t done a backflip since the first SKIERS CUP in Chile in 2011,” laughed Liliequist, “that felt so good!”Shop for Swatch watches while supporting TGR at http://amazon.com
- Blog post
- 3 months ago
- Views: 73
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Dylan Siggers - Pillow Smash - Dylan Siggers - Pillow Smash - CMH Gothics
- From: line_skis
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Description:
This January Dylan Siggers was lucky enough to have Matador Network (dot com) to invite him up to Revelstoke and fly around smashing pillows for 3 and a half days. All the while staying in the luxurious Gothics lodge, a chapter of the Canadian Mountain Holidays heli skiing operation. Definitely some of the most incredible terrain and snow he has gotten to slide down, ever.
Shot on a GoPro1 and a bit of a Gopro2 and a T2i.
Song By Justice — “Civilization” [lazrtag bootleg mix], mixed by dacops
Watch More Videos By Line Skis - 3 months ago
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Resort Review: Mt. Baker, Wash Resort Review: Mt. Baker, Washington Home To The Legendary Banked Slalom Snowboard Race
- From: mikehardaker
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Description:
The Mt. Baker Ski Area is a tiny ski resort located in the USA near Canada, known for having the most snow in North America averaging an impressive 641 inches of snow annually. The resort even broke the record for total snowfall during the 98-99 season with a whopping 1,140 inches of snow. Located within the Mt. Baker-Snowqualmie National Forrest the Mt. Baker Ski Area was created in 1940 as a recreational destination for Washington residents. Fast forward almost 75 years and the terrain and base area still look almost exactly the same. You won’t find any real estate for sale or overpriced ski shops here.
The nearest lodging to the ski resort is located 30 miles down the road in the town of Glacier, Washington where to the locals the lack of internet and cell service is a welcome relief. For travelers you truly have to adapt while stepping back in time. If your sole focus is riding powder and ripping it fall line you’d be hard pressed to find better terrain in North America. Short vertical runs average around 1,000 feet with access to some of the rowdiest terrain around, combined with a lack of crowds and non–existent lift lines and you have the breeding grounds for some of the best riders in the world to test their skills. Its no wonder people like Carter Turk, Craig Kelly, Jamie Lynn, Jeff Fulton, George St. James, Tex Davenport, Mike Ranquet, Lucas DeBari, Forrest Burki, and every other ripper in the snowboard industry has called this mountain home.
Baker’s roots in snowboarding go way back, this was the first resort in the United States to truly embrace snowboarding and has been home to the Legendary Baked Slalom snowboard race, the longest running snowboarding competition in the world for the last 27 years. The resort is family run and operated which is extremely rare these days, maybe that’s why parking is free and lift tickets are only $50 a day.
If you like to hike, or just access life changing terrain it happens quick at Baker. The resort’s backcountry policy allows for skiers and riders to duck ropes if the following conditions are met, you must have a partner, avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe and backpack along with an understanding of the terrain. Ropes here are meant to be ducked, just not the ones with 2 sets of ropes as those lines lead to un-survivable cliffs, which are numerous within the resorts boundaries. If you’re smart and a strong rider you can shred some of the best lift accessed terrain in North America, if you blow it you may end up seriously hurt or even worse.
Each year 100 lucky snowboarders are chosen by lottery to compete in the Legendary Banked Slalom (LBS) snowboard race. Getting a spot is truly an honor especially when you’re an unknown rider like myself. Looking at the start list for this years race names like Travis Rice, Terje Haakonsen, Temple Cummins and Blair Habenicht certainly stand out!
The LBS course is dug by hand each year in a natural half pipe with banked slalom gates running from top to bottom. The start shack is legendary in itself with the words “stay low, say your prayers” painted across the entrance, good advise indeed. Unlike other snowboard contest the vibe at the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom is all about having fun, maybe it’s due to the fact there is no prize money to win, instead the best snowboarders in the world hurl themselves down an icy course for the chance to win a roll of duct tape and a Carhartt jacket.
Snowboarders from all over the world come to the event annually driving up the Mt. Baker Highway to see old friends, rip powder in an effort to cement their names in the history books. Just being selected to race is an honor in itself. The LBS is regarded as the predecessor to boardercross races.
The LBS takes place over 3 days giving each rider 2 days to qualify for a shot to ride in the finals. Plenty of high fives, hoots and hollers will follow each run, as the course is lined by locals, media, competitors and visiting riders all looking to see fast and flawless runs.
Wondering what the secret is to win, so am I. To win a roll of duct tape your wax must be dialed for the Northwest snow that tends to be warmer than most places in the country. Sharp edges seem to help too especially when 100 riders slide down the same line creating an extremely fast course. Racers times tend to get faster as the day progresses.
Guys like Blair Habenicht, Terje Haakonsen and Temple Cummins seem un-phased by the icy conditions each year. However this year just may be a bit different as the resort is calling for between 2-4 feet of snow the week leading up to the start of the race.
Stay tuned for TGR’s updates throughout the week from the 2013 Legendary Banked Slalom race at Mt. Baker! - Blog post
- 3 months ago
- Views: 153
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News: Avalanches Kill Two Skie News: Avalanches Kill Two Skiers In Wyoming
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
Story via the Jackson Hole Daily
Jackson Hole, Wyo. - A pair of unrelated avalanches near Jackson killed two backcountry skiers Sunday.
Elizabeth “Liza” Benson, 28, and Nick Gillespie, 30, died from trauma in two separate slides, officials reported. The fatalities were the first of the winter and came after fresh snowfall over the weekend broke a prolonged dry spell in Jackson Hole.
Benson was skiing in the Cliff Creek drainage, off Hoback Canyon in Sublette County, in a group of five people. The party, including her boyfriend and a physician, were skiing in the Clause Creek area, commonly reached by snowmobile.
A slide with an 8-inch crown swept her into a tree at about 9,200 feet elevation, according to reports from the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center and the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office. The Sublette Sheriff’s Office received a call from the group at about 3:25 p.m.
The initial report was that a skier had been injured. The doctor in the group pronounced Benson dead during the phone call, the sheriff’s department said.............
Gillespie, a seasonal trail crew worker in Grand Teton National Park, was the second valley resident to be killed Sunday. He was descending the southeast slopes of Survey Peak, near the park’s north boundary, when he got caught in an avalanche around 5 p.m.
Gillespie was skiing in a group of four that had been staying at the Upper Berry Creek patrol cabin since Thursday, park officials said.
The group climbed and skied the 9,277-foot peak that day. Two remained near the base of the mountain while Gillespie and a partner made a second lap, park deputy chief of interpretation Mike Nicklas said.
Gillespie descended first and apparently triggered the avalanche.
Read The Rest Of The Story
Ream More On Wyoming Snowpack - Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Views: 152
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Interview: Hayden Price's Alta Interview: Hayden Price's Alta Life
- From: brodyleven
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Description:
Hayden Price crushing in Alta. Photo by Adam Clark.
Skiing around Alta with Hayden Price is like riding with the best skier you know, your best friend, and the best tour guide ever. Except he’s the guide skiing up to a cliff zone, throwing a huge 180 into pow, and only waiting for you because he wants to watch and give you a high five. You don't actually ski with Hayden at Alta as much as you follow him, graciously. The 26-year-old has had an Alta season pass for 24 seasons. He has a distinct style on skis—seemingly disinterested with passing trends, though invariably on the cutting edge. Hayden was the first skier I remember really watching—like, taking notes and emulating—when I moved to SLC seven years ago. He can't ski Alta without people following him, and you'd be intimidated by that fact if he weren’t the happiest, mellowest, and friendliest icon on the mountain. Everyone knows him and he knows the mountain from behind a set of powder-surfing eyes like none other. He's that popular local shredder at your little hometown hill…except he’s that guy at freaking Alta.
BRODY: Hey dude. Where are you and what's been happening?
HAYDEN: Hey Brody! I have been enjoying a better snow year here in Utah’s Wasatch mountains and am currently packing up my gear to head to Canada on a film trip.
BRODY: Where did you grow up? How often did you ski?
HAYDEN: I grew up at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I skied mainly on the weekends.
BRODY: Although you were frequently at Alta, your home was actually down Little Cottonwood Canyon’s Highway 210, in Salt Lake City. What differentiates you from a skier who has grown up living right in the Town of Alta?
HAYDEN: Growing up in Salt Lake City was a true blessing. I had the oasis of Alta only a stone’s throw away and yet grew up in a metropolitan city. I believe this kept me open to the diversity that may not otherwise be found if I grew up in the bubble that is Alta. Seriously, it is a different world up there, and you feel it the moment you arrive. SLC has a great music, art, and food scene that I really enjoy. Variety is the spice of life.
BRODY: Speaking of variety, please describe your ski style and what influences it.
HAYDEN: My style is a cornucopia. I spent years dedicated to the idea that I if I can ski it forward, I should be able to ski it backward. As that motivation evolved, I looked to other sports for inspiration because I felt skiing was a little dried up. I saw the way other action sports were using their apparatuses and wanted to emulate the moves they were doing on my skis. Skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing and mountain biking had a lot to offer my thirst for different skiing. Growing up at Alta, surrounded by loads of “classic” skiers, I strived to differentiate myself from the masses. I skied a whole season of resort riding without poles in hopes of cultivating a unique relationship with my edges and the way my skis flexed. Watching all the possibilities a skater has for doing tricks, I felt there must be more I can do on my skis. I am currently focused on butters, presses, scrapes and strange transitions. If there is snow, I’ll slide on it and find something that makes it interesting to me.
BRODY: You ski huge cliffs, backcountry tours, park, natural jumps, and super deep pow. People don't understand what kind of equipment you use for such an array of pursuits. Do you have an arsenal of gear, or what? What is one piece of gear you couldn't live without?
Hayden Price dropping into a line. Photo by Brody Leven.HAYDEN: I definitely have an arsenal. Skiing is so particular now that I choose my skis specifically for what I’m doing that day. I have a lightweight tech binding setup for long tours and soul pow turns, and multiple sidecountry setups consisting of Marker Dukes or Alpine Trekkers for hitting jumps and drops out of the resort. My inbounds bindings are Rossignol FKS. All of my skis are 110mm under foot or wider, and all have some type of rocker technology. I couldn’t live without my Full Tilt boots.
BRODY: Surface employed your snow-snorkel expertise in designing a new ski. Please explain.
HAYDEN: The Lab001. I look to other sports for inspiration not only for ski sliding techniques but also for the technologies they are using. The new Lab ski has a front-to-back “3 stage rocker” as well as “Deep Dish” technology. This idea comes from our desire to have a really surfy powder ski that has a catch-free feeling. The “Deep Dish” is a left-to-right convexity on the base of the skis. Essentially, the ski is base-high by a few centimeters. This really allows the ski to be tossed around at will and opens up the world of trickery in powder snow.
BRODY: Do you film with anyone? Where can people see and follow you (besides as fast as they can at Alta)?
HAYDEN: I filmed with Sweetgrass Productions last year in Nelson, BC. This season I have been focused on working with local [Little Cottonwood Canyon] boys, Dubsatch Collective. We have a great season lined up with some really fun ideas. Stay tuned, as webisodes are dropping frequently on dubsatch.com
BRODY: Why Alta?
HAYDEN: It is the birthplace of powder skiing. The quality and quantity of powder that falls at the end of Little Cottonwood Canyon is unmatched worldwide. You can’t beat the access, the people, and the terrain. Alta and the surrounding areas are pure magic!
BRODY: Your skillset is not only strong but also uniquely diverse, how did it develop?
HAYDEN: I watched my home hill heroes, like Sage, and wanted to do what they were doing while adding my own flavor to the mix. [As a teenager,] I would ride Chip’s Run at Snowbird with all of my snowboard homies, copying the style of tricks they were doing off the cat tracks and gaps. I ran a terrain park at Alta with my friend Jordan for a few years. We always pushed each other to do more creative tricks and to be able to do them in many ways and on different terrain. I am really into climbing and mountaineering, too. Combine the jib aspects and long distance pursuits for fresh snow and you get me, HP.
BRODY: Who do you love to ski with? Do you like everyone following you?
HAYDEN: I love to ski with friends and family. Skiing with any of the Dubsatch crew is always great and I don’t mind anyone following us around. Join in on the fun!
Regardless of whether he grew up in the Town of Alta or twenty minutes down the road, Hayden is most at home on that mountain. His skillset reaches from one end of skiing’s spectrum to the other while being one of those skiers who you recognize through unique skiing style, not through his outerwear or the bottom half of his face in the liftline. Since that season seven years ago, when I first realized how capable he was in the mountains, I’ve watched Hayden’s mentorships and friendships develop within the Little Cottonwood Canyon ski community. Not only does everyone know HP, but they only have compliments to offer. Forthcoming video parts will finally expose HP to the world, showcasing his talents as not a park skier, backcountry skier or Alta skier, but as a mountain skier.
Hayden Price on cover of Backcountry Magazine.Want to ski like Hayden, book your next Alta ski vacation online through http://mountainreservations.com
- Blog post
- 4 months ago
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Freeride World Tour Goes Off I Freeride World Tour Goes Off In Revelstoke
- From: gregfitzsimmons
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Description:
Ski and snowboard athletes put on a show on Mackenzine Face at Revelstoke Mountain Resort during stop No. 1 of the Freeride World Tour. Photo by B. Long.Words by Greg Fitzsimmons
The first stop of the newly structured Swatch Freeride World Tour by The North Face went down last Friday in a serious way. After waiting four days on a weather hold because of slow-moving storm that dropped 3 feet of snow on Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s 1,600-foot “Mac Daddy” face, 60-plus athletes from all over the world competed in men’s and women’s skiing and snowboarding.
With it all said and done, TGR’s Ralph Backstrom made a statement in men’s snowboarding, perennial podium-finisher Drew Tabke posted the day’s highest score en route to winning the men’s skiing title, Sweden’s Christine Hargin built on the momentum from last year’s overall FWT title with a win in women’s skiing, and Snowbird-based ripper Shannon Yates took home the hardware in women’s snowboarding.
It was clear from the first few men’s snowboarders to drop in on “Mac Daddy” that the conditions were no joke. Rider-triggered sluff exposed pepper on the skier’s right and skier’s left sides of the venue. But, creative competitors were able to find blower snow in zones unaffected by the slide activity.
Ralph Backstrom rages down "Mac Daddy" face on his way to win the first stop of the Freeride World Tour. Photo by B. Long.
Backstrom’s line perfectly exemplifies the creative approach to riding that had fans of “The Dream Factory” lauding his TGR segment and talking about his aggressive, full-on style. Being the penultimate snowboarder to drop in, Backstrom was able to observe a bit of the action before sliding into the start gate. Backstrom opted for a line on the skier’s left portion of the venue, and laced a high-speed triple drop before arching fast pow-turns through the trees on the bottom half of “Mac Daddy.” From the airs to the carefully dissected tree-line, Backstrom’s line was fluid, fast, and looked fun.
“I was a little nervous we wouldn’t have good light conditions after the past few days but was so excited to have bluebird skies,” explained Ralph Backstrom. “The super steep pitch of ‘Mac Daddy’ makes it difficult not to go over the handle bars when landing jumps. I really like the big features that exist on this terrain.”
Backstrom’s line earned him a score of 89.33, 10 points higher than runner-up Ludovic Guillot-Diat. La Grave’s Aurelien Routens rounded out the podium.
The field of men’s skiers dropped in next and the level of skiing on display in British Columbia was full-on. A lot of the chatter leading up to the comp centered around the “two dramatically different options” for line choices with the skier’s left lines described as “playful and flowy” and the skier’s right being “more gnarly and exposed, it’s traditional big-mountain skiing,” said longtime competitor Griffin Post prior to the event. No one took into account the direct fall-line approach that eventually earned Drew Tabke a mind-blowing score of 91 and a spot atop the podium.
The entire field of men’s skiers headed either right—runner-up Jeremie Heitz blasted through huge double at mock-speed in the exposed skier’s right zone—or left—third place finisher Julien Lopez skied a clean and controlled version of the triple that Backstrom rode on the skier’s left side of “Mac Daddy.” However, Tabke prospected an untouched line close to the gut of the venue, en route to posting the day’s highest score.
“When you look at the full image of ‘Mac Daddy’ face you see that if you go left your options for features ends pretty early and if you go right you have to traverse out,” says Tabke. “So, skiing the middle caught my eye. The line where I went was the most pure fall-line approach to the venue that still holds pow [and doesn’t slide].”
Along with the pow that Tabke was able to track up, his winning line included four distinct airs. “That exit air was the missing piece to my line,” says Tabke. “Once I found that air I moved uphill to connect the rest of the line. You can’t hit the first feature I hit and still get far left or far right. I think that top air is the best feature on the venue, but no one can hit it if you’re heading to the left or right. So, by choosing to do the last section I was able to get the top feature, too.”
Johnny Collinson spins a 360 at Revelstoke. Photo by J.ANTONIUK.
Aside from the top three men (Tabke, Heitz, and Lopex, respectively), Johnny Collinson’s line had everyone buzzing—in Revy and online. Collinson found a massive air on the skier’s right side of “Mac Daddy” and spun a sleepy three off of the downward takeoff. Despite augering in the landing, Collinson’s blend of big-mountain and freestyle skiing warrants mention.
On the women’s side, the female skiers and riders inherited a beat-up, sluffed-out, and debris-riddled venue after the men hammered “Mac Daddy.” The scores on the women’s side reflected the difficult conditions, with four of the 10 female skiers earning 40+ points. Defending FWT Champion, Christine Hargin, of Sweden, earned the win with a 65, followed by Norwegian Nadine Wallner and Aussie Nat Segal, respectively.
Shannon Yates stomped two airs and stayed on her feet to win the women’s snowboarding title, with French riders Margot Rozies in second and Elodie Mouthon in third.
Now, athletes are headed to the Alps for the second and third stops of the Freeride World Tour, with stops on the Italian and French sides of the Mont Blanc in Courmayeur and Chamonix. Italy’s Courmayeur hosts the second comp of the year on January 19th. CLICK HERE for the complete FWT schedule, and check back with TGR throughout the season for full coverage of the Swatch Freeride World Tour by The North Face.
Men's ski podium. Photo by R. SIHLIS.
Men's Ski Results
1. Drew Tabke, 91.00
2. Jeremie Heitz, 79.67
3. Julien Lopez, 73.00
4. Laurent Gauthier, 72.00
5. Charlie Lyons, 70.33
6. Griffin Post, 68.33
7. Sam Smoothy, 66.33
8. Nicolas Salencon, 62.33
9. Markus Eder, 59.00
10. Wille Lindberg, 56.33
Men's snowboard podium. Photo by R. SIHLIS.
Men's Snowboard Results
1. Ralph Backstrom, 89.33
2. Ludovic Guillot-Diat, 79.33
3. Aurelien Routens, 74.33
4. Tim Carlson, 70.33
5. Emilien Badoux, 63.67
6. Matt Annetts, 59.00
7. Joel Rouge, 54.67
8. John Rodosky, 53.67
9. Irian Van Helfteren, 44.67
10. Sammy Luebke, 41.67
Women's ski podium. Photo by B. Long.
Women's Ski Results
1. Christine Hargin, 65.00
2. Nadine Wallner, 58.00
3. Natalie Segal, 53.33
4. Pia Nic Gundersen, 40.33
5. Ashley Maxfield, 12.00
Women's snowboard podium. Photo by R. SIHLIS.
Women's Snowboard Results
1. Shannan Yates, 63.33
2. Margot Rozies, 58.00
3. Elodie Mouthon, 54.67
4. Casey Lucas, 50.33
5. Iris Lazzereschi, 43.00
6. Aline Bock, 40.67
7. Laura Dewey, 35.67
8. Anouck Mouthon, 33.33 - Blog post
- 4 months ago
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Dynafit Debuts DIN 16 Tech Bin Dynafit Debuts DIN 16 Tech Binding - The Beast
- From: leelau
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Description:
The rumors have been flying fast and furious. It might not be one of the worst kept secrets of next year's ski gear, but it has to rank among the top failed skunkworks. A tip of the hat first to Marius Schwager for pictures that fed Internet frenzy and piqued interest of drooling Eric Hjorleifson wannabes worldwide.
Perhaps Dynafit doesn't keep secrets particularly well, but they sure design pretty stuff. The Beast 16 binding is designed for aggressive downhill performance, yet still has a reasonable weight at 935 grams per binding; which compares favorably to other bindings of its class and intended use. The Beast 16 is also frameless and is supposed to retain Dynafit's touring characteristics.
It's worth noting that in a pique of marketing gobbledygook consistent with with the Free Touring moniker coined for boots, the Beast 16 is targeted to “Free Tourers.” Its attractive black and green colors are sure to complement your snazzy Dynafit Vulcan boots and Huascaran skis.
The full set-up: Dynafit Huascaran skis, Vulcan boots, and The Beast 16 binding. 
The Beast 16 toepiece. Note that the toe pincers pivot out and in to clamp the boot from the side.
A closer look at the toe piece. Note that the hole patterns will be different.
The center piece in this shot is what you step on with your boot to engage the toe.
First, I'll present some general features of the binding, then follow up with details courtesy of Drew Saunders, director of operations at Dynafit.
General
Some of this general information is further outlined in Dynafit's press release, while some is courtesy of Dynafit.
Sales and accessories details
- Expected price is $1000. Release date is Oct 2013
- Brakes are provided in 105 mm, 120 mm, and 135 mm sizes
- Crampons are in the works
- Limited initial production run of 2,500 units
General gear nerd talk
- The binding mount pattern is unfortunately totally new. Basically, the binding pattern is designed to be wider underfoot. This makes sense given the intended target market that will be mounting this binding on wide skis (the minimum central width for the mount pattern is 80 mm).
- The rear heel fitting is different. Boot retrofit kits can be purchased for any boot where the heel fitting is affixed with screws (I believe this means BD boots are SOL, feel free to point out in the comments any other boots that can't be retrofitted)
- Frameless system – that means no frame is attached to the boot as it lifts in tour mode. This is worth mentioning, as it is a product differentiator from the competition.
- Beast 16 will have 6 mm ramp angle (compared with Vertical/Comfort/Radical ST/FT 17mm ramp, Speed Radical 15mm and Speed Superlight 3mm). At 23 mm (heel) and 17 mm (toe) above the ski, the Beast is designed to have a low binding height.
The Beast 16 heel piece in ski mode, brakes deployed and binding forward on track. 
The Beast with heel in tour mode. Such a chunk of metal should impress all the gnar bros.
Close up of the boot-binding engagement point. The metal fangs should contact the boot bail (unknown if that improves retention).
Closeup of the teardrop shaped heel pins.
Closeup of the new heel fittings. Unknown how this will work as a retrofit. Sure hope no dremelling of fancy carbon/Grilamid is involved.
Detailed gear nerd discussion:
Thank you to Dynafit for patience and time answering all these questions.
DIN:- The Beast is DIN 16. While all Dynafit binders are developed to ISO 11088 there is not an actual DIN standard for bindings past DIN 12, so that 16 measurement is from Dynafit.
- DIN Adjustment is only via the heel. The toe release is not adjustable. As with the previous generation tech bindings, vertical and lateral release is adjusted via different screws (see picture 11 and picture above).
Step-In System:
Dynafit touts in the marketing material that the Beast is step-in. It's not quite what one would expect, as one might commonly view as step-in (think Marker, Fritschi or Salomon mechanisms, to cite some examples). You will step into the Beast's toe piece the same way as you step into the previous generation’s toe piece. In other words, there will still be the marrying toe fitting to toe pins fiddle factor, especially in deep snow. Where there is some purported improvement is in the heel, where less entry force is required for the heel. (see picture 5 below). The boot will contact the grey metal jaw and as it does so, depressing the gray metal jaw causes the entire heel unit to slide back on a binding track away from the boot. Once you clear the gray metal jaw, the heel unit slides back into place.
Toe:
The toe is on a spring mechanism, with a return to centre and rotates/pivots approx 10 -15 deg (see picture 2). While this mechanism lends to elasticity (in the sense of theoretically having some small bump absorption and return-to-center character), there is no adjustment mechanism for the toe.
The toe pin attachment point is angled from the side in contrast to the previous generation Dynafits, where the toe pincers come at the boot tech fittings from the bottom and side. As you step into the center of the toe piece, the toe fittings are on two levers that swing in and engage the boot pins from the side. Theoretically, that side-loaded attachment point, coupled with the fact that the toe can rotate, should add to binding elasticity characteristics.
Heel:
There is forward pressure in the heel. I couldn't see if there was an adjustment mechanism to dial in forward pressure (perhaps that's inherent to the mechanism to adjust for boot sole length?) This should aid elasticity.
Heel and toe attachment points are the same as in previous generation bindings. The heel pins are spring loaded and are guided into the heel insert track, then the spring load forces them back in to the center of the heel insert track (see picture 9). The heel slots are quite a bit wider than the previous generation of Dynafit bindings. Perhaps that, too, aids elasticity in that there is more latitude for the heel to move from side to side — but that's speculation on my part.
One big issue with the previous generation of bindings was over reliance on heel pin strength, in that the entire boot rested on the binding with only incidental contact on the brake pad. With the Beast, the boot now rests on both the pins, plus the brake pad (see picture 8).
Another change is the ovalization of the heel pins (see pictures 3 and 4). Previous generations of Dynafits had round pins, which by their nature only contacted the heel insert at one point. The ovalized pins contact the heel inserts with more surface areas. Better mechanical contact theoretically should result in more solid contact, which should then improve strength and retention, all things being equal.
At this point in time, there are only a few athletes on the binding in BC including Hoji, Trevor Hunt and a few of Dynafits reps and marketing people. Skiing and performance impressions accordingly will have to wait.
Shop for you next pair of Dynafit bindings at Backcountry.com - Blog post
- 4 months ago
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Side Slide Session By Nimbus I Side Slide Session By Nimbus Independent
- From: nimbusindependent
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Description:
2012 Dirksen Dirby fastest time of the day holder Ben Connors and skier in disguise Eric Pollard session a wave on Mt Hood for a couple hours Jan 3rd 2013.
Watch More Videos By Nimbus Independent - 4 months ago
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Tahoe Sees First Avalanche Dea Tahoe Sees First Avalanche Deaths Of 2012-13 Season
- From: jeremybenson
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Description:
A large avalanche crown is seen in the Tahoe backcountry on Dec. 27, 2012. In late Decemeber, as the area saw new snow, it also saw many avalanches, including two that caused fatalities at Alpine Meadows and Donner Ski Ranch.
Sunday, Dec. 23, was yet another stormy powder day in a string of many at Squaw Valley, Calif. Ski patrol and mountain operations teams had been doing battle with harsh weather and copious snowfall for days on end. Midway through the morning they managed to open the KT-22 chair to the public. Shortly after opening, a powerful avalanche was triggered above The Fingers, directly beneath the chairlift. The avalanche swept up one skier, a 39-year-old female, and was so powerful that chunks of the avalanching snow deflected up in the air, knocking a 16-year-old male skier from the chairlift and into the avalanche. Both skiers were conscious, and neither completely buried in the slide. The woman was treated and released from the medical clinic, and the young man was taken to the local hospital to be treated for a shoulder injury. This post-control inbounds avalanche was an unfortunate accident, but the outcome could certainly have been much worse.
Earlier in December, the Tahoe region experienced above-average temperatures, resulting in rain that created a distinct crust layer in our snowpack. Since then, faceted snow crystals developed both above and below this crust creating some especially weak layers. Significant amounts of new snow piled up above these persistent weak layers resulting in an uncharacteristically unpredictable snowpack for the area. With an advisory rating of “considerable,” a 3 on a scale of 1-5 (low, moderate, considerable, high, extreme), the Sierra Avalanche Center’s advisory for the days before Christmas said, “Overall the data indicates a snowpack teetering on the edge of failure.”
The following day, Dec. 24, 2012, broke clear and cold in Tahoe. The blue skies were a welcome respite from the relentless storm that dropped 4-6 feet in four days on the west side of the lake. The holiday crowds were out in force at resorts around the region, eager to ski all the new powder, and I was among them. I went to Alpine Meadows that morning, the “considerable” avalanche danger rating, recent large avalanches, and persistent weak layers in our snowpack kept me from venturing into the backcountry. Summit chair opened shortly after 9 a.m. as patrol finished avalanche control on the front side of the mountain. For my first run I headed out to Art’s Knob, my friends and I shocked to find a 4 foot crown on the convex roll at the top and large cracks in the snow stretching in both directions along the ridge. The entirety of the storm snow had slid down to the rain crust, one of many large intentional avalanches at the resort that day.
About an hour later, the distinct blue and white colored Care Flight helicopter flew overhead toward the Sherwood chairlift. I thought it odd due to the fact that Sherwood wasn’t open, nor had it been yet this season. I hoped they were doing some sort of training exercise, not realizing that patrol was doing avalanche control work back there at the time. Later that day, I was saddened to hear the news that Bill Foster, a 28-year veteran of the Alpine Meadows Patrol, was caught in an avalanche while doing control work.
According to a press release from Amelia Richmond, the Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows public relations representative, “The avalanche was triggered by an explosive charge that had been thrown by a senior member of the ski patrol team. The patrol team members were positioned in an area that was, based on historical experience, believed to have been a protected area. The charge triggered the avalanche, which broke much higher and wider on the slope than previously observed in past snow safety missions.” With nearly 3 decades of experience on the Alpine Meadows patrol, Foster had routinely performed avalanche mitigation work in this area. “The patroller was found within one minute and uncovered within eight minutes from the time of the avalanche,” wrote Richmond, “After uncovering the buried patroller, members of the ski patrol team immediately began CPR.” Foster was flown via Care Flight Helicopter to Renown Hospital in Reno where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The site of the in-bounds avalanche at Donner Ski Ranch.
That same day at Donner Ski Ranch, a small ski area at the top of Highway 40 on Donner Summit, an avalanche occurred around 9:30 a.m. According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a man around noon on Monday saying that a member of his group was overdue and was feared to have been caught in an avalanche that occurred sometime around 9:30 a.m. The search was assisted by neighboring ski resorts and a body was found in the debris, buried under 2-3 feet of snow, nearly five hours after the slide happened. Truckee resident, 49-year-old Steven “Rocker” Anderson was snowboarding that morning when he was caught up in the inbounds slide. According to reports, Anderson had just moved back to the area and was enjoying his first day snowboarding for the season.
Since that tragic day last week, the Tahoe region has received roughly two more feet of snow, burying our weak layers in as much as 7 to 8 feet of snow. As our snow depth increases, triggering avalanches on our persistent weak layers is becoming less and less likely, but remains far from impossible. Any avalanches that propagate along the facets by the buried rain crust are likely to be massive and catastrophic. Our typical “more stable than most” snowpack is clearly different than usual, and it takes some getting used to. Our current weak layers and recent events have reminded me that there is no room for error or complacency when it comes to avalanche safety. Skiing is the best thing in the world, but it’s not worth dying for. Have a happy and safe New Year. - Blog post
- 5 months ago
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News: Eric Beauchemin Wins Ina News: Eric Beauchemin Wins Inaugural Snowboard Streetstyle
- From: TetonGravityResearch
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Description:
The Dew Tour iON Mountain Championships has broken ground on many levels this week in Breckenridge, Colorado. From hosting a film night in the town to putting on a Big Air competition under bright lights in front of a giant crowd at night, but what is quite possibly the most innovative addition to the lineup is the new Snowboard Streetstyle event hosted in the town at night.
Complete with a trailer truck drop-in, a Toyota van to jib on and off of and multiple dumpsters to grind, wallrides to hit, cement street barriers to slide and kickers to launch off around each obstacle – the new Snowboarding Streetstyle event offered a new style of riding that represents true riding in the streets.
The streetstyle event format consisted of a 30-minute organized jam with thirteen riders taking turns on the unique course being judged on their overall impression.
Eric Beauchemin ultimately scored the highest from the thirteen-man jam with tricks like a half cab 360 onto the down barrier, back 270 to 270 out on the barrier as well as a variety of grinds across the long dumpester at the end of the course.
“I’ve never done anything like this, features in the streets of Breckenridge… it was fun. My favorite feature was the wallride,” said Beauchemin still taking in his win.
If crowd turnout and overall atmosphere are any indicator of an events success, this new streetstyle discipline will be remembered and return to the Dew Tour as a flagship competition for fun and creativity!
Results
1st Place – Eric Beauchemin
2nd Place – Jamie Nichols
3rd Place – Sam Hulbert
4th Place – Dash Kemp
5th Place – Austin Hein
- Blog post
- 5 months ago
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Check Yourself Before You Bury Check Yourself Before You Bury Yourself
- From: ermecatino
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Description:
Avalanches and the mountains don’t care about your Facebook status, how many followers you have on Twitter, or if you used a filter on that photo from the ridge. They couldn’t care less.
And the avalanche problem isn’t new. Last year's melancholy has forced many within the ski community to confront the issue. Last season 34 people passed away in avalanches within the U.S., just two short of the record. Equipment manufacturers and the industry as a whole are pushing the “backcountry market;" an increasing ammount of ski and snowboard video content and a constant fuel for stoke have spawned the GoPro generation of recreation skiers, and the relentless stream of media have created new social factors that we all face today. As a collective of skiers, we have better equipment, it’s as if we are golfers with new clubs that reach the green in one swing, but when we walk to the green we have to confront lions.
An avalanche in November broke off on Sunset Peak in Utah. Photo by Bruce Tremper of the Utah Avalanche Center.
“A lot of avalanches can be prevented with knowledge,” said Bruce Tremper of the Utah Avalanche Center. “We [avalanche centers] don't have a lot of money, and we can’t keep up with an industry that is pushing people into the backcountry.”
In turn, Bruce and others within the snow-science field are working on ways they can prevent avalanche deaths with a shoestring budget.
The UAC and other avalanche organizations advise skiers to make decisions based on evidence, but Tremper said people don’t, and are rolling the dice, learning their lessons the hard way.
“People need to be humble, especially early in their avalanche career,” Tremper said. “Our perceptions are almost always wrong. … I just cringe when I hear ‘I just trust my gut,’ because they don’t know anything. Avalanches are hard to teach, what we’re doing works, but maybe not as well as we would like it to. … What we really need to do is get a virtual reality experience to see and feel things so when you guess wrong, you get hit with baseball bats or something like that. We don’t have a machine like that right now.”
For skiers, getting educated is key, but that isn’t the final step. As Tremper notes getting your Avalanche Level 1 certification is misleading, as the level one course gives you enough information to start learning.
“I call it your learners permit. It is where your education begins not ends,” Tremper said.
This season whether you are an experienced skier or newbie, staying current is integral to your survival in the backcountry.
“What I suggest is after people take a Level 1, every time it snows get out on safe or low consequence terrain and see what is happening — that’s where you really learn,” Tremper said.
Tremper, a professional avalanche forecaster since 1978 and in his 27th season as director of UAC has seen enough mountainsides shatter like a glass.
“People always assume they have better skills than they really do. It takes quite a few years. You really know hardly anything,” Tremper said.
For Tremper, it took about 15 years as a professional before he felt he was skillful at traveling within avalanche terrain.
“I was pretty lucky — luck has a lot to do with it, and we just don’t realize sometimes how close we are,” he said.
Tremper, author of Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, is one of the most respected avalanche experts within the Utah skiing community.
According to Tremper, this season Utah has started out with a relatively good snowpack — as long it keeps snowing. However, he notes that they missed some close calls.
“The October storm was really faceted on the ground of northern aspects. When we received the November four-foot-storm, we had a lot of activity and there were close calls that could of easily been several deaths. Several people triggered slides, but no one took any serious rides — we were really lucky,” he said.
In addition to the facets, the early season snowpack holds increased risk in avalanche terrain.
“Early season avalanches are more dangerous because a small slide can send you bouncing through stumps and rocks, the incident of trauma is higher,” Tremper said.
There is no denying that equipment upgrades have allowed skiers to get into the backcountry with ease, however, Tremper and other avalanche professionals are noticing an alarming trend.
“People used to be a lot more cautious right after a snowstorm, today people are running to the steepest terrain and jumping right into it, you just can’t do that,” Tremper said.
Shaun Raskin, pro-skier, guide, and avalanche course instructor has noted a similar trend, explaining how media could be influencing people’s personal risk assessment.
“Previously there was no media of other skiers’ endeavors,” Raskin said. “You were stepping into a void.”
This year at the UAC workshop, social media was said to play a role in peoples’ decision-making and plans for the day.
Currently Raskin is seeing her “office” becoming a dangerous place as not everyone is taking the appropriate courses, yet are on avalanche terrain. Just two weeks ago she and her fiancé saw skiers descending upon a group skinning up for turns near the Cardiff backcountry zone, Utah.
For Tremper, “it is total chaos, as no one is practicing any system.”
Tremper is hoping to create better tools for connecting the right terrain (slope steepness) with danger rating.
“We have to have some sort of system to allow us to make better decisions,” he said. “We need better avalanche eye balls, right now everyone is jumping in.”
As the season kicks off across the country, avalanche centers such as the UAC and others across the west and east are holding avalanche courses, free workshops, and lectures, trying their earnest to educate skiers. For skiers and riders knowledge is power. So take a class, see what the mountains have to say, and be safe this winter.
Below is a list of avalanche forecast websites for major mountain communities. Always check the avalanche report before heading out to the backcountry.
Utah Avalanche Center
Bridger Teton Avalanche Center
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Mount Washington, NH Avalanche Center
Sierra Avalanche Center
Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, MT
Stay on top of the snowfall in your area with the TGR Snow Lab - Blog post
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Sunset Peak Slide in November, Sunset Peak Slide in November, By Bruce Tremper
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Description:Sunset Peak Slide in November, By Bruce Tremper
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