This year marks the third time the TGR crew and I headed up to northern Washington for a shred session at North Cascade Heli. This year the conditions were good with a layer of snow pasted nicely to the steeps and piled up on the pillows. After an early start the North West has been getting hit with nice little blast of snow but not their usual hammering of huge storms. This set the terrain up for some heavily featured lines full of interesting pillows, spines and chutes.
This year Erik Roner Joined Seth Morrison and I and created a nice dynamic while looking for lines, cliffs, airs, and pillows. Erik launched off a few 300+ footers with the help of his chute. Seth and I hit some classic chutes, and we all found plenty of powdery pillows to launch off.
I always love the vibe at this heli operation, things are chill in the sleepy town of Mazama and the people are welcoming. Once again the overwhelming feeling of fun skiing was prevalent as we cruised around filming. North Cascade Heli is my top pic, and recommendation if your looking for a heli ski experience in the lower 48. The combination of terrain, snow, people, and flyable weather is the perfect mix for an epic adventure. A big thanks to the crew at North Cascade Heli, and their B3 helicopter.
The terrain that North cascade Heli has to offer is so featured and fun, pillows are everywhere. After shooting some upper pillows I turned on the cam to capture this run down through the trees and pillows.
2010 has been filled with powder and road trips. A mission up Aspen Highlands bowl, a day at Winterpark, an air session at Alta, a week in Jackson, and now a session at North Cascade Heli have all been crammed into this first half of February.
Aspen Colorado X games 14 skiing halfpipe finals
Launching in Jackson Hole, Photo by Seth Morrison
North Cascade Heli in Mazama Wa. we love this place…
Contests are usually held in sub par conditions, or are freestyle events on hard pack, and are therefore usually unappealing. There area few comps that have focused on powder instead, and these have a totally different feel and allow for leading edge skiing to take a forefront. The Red bull line catcher falls in this category. This event was super cool, and truly mixed a big moutian venue with freestyle airs. Every run had big airs, creative lines, and massive tricks. Candide Thovex one with a insane run that started with a big tail grab 720, into a 360, then a huge flat 3. Sean Pettit, and CR Johnson both threw down sick runs with big tricks thrown clean to round out the top three places.
I have been having a blast here, the pow has been sick, and every day has lead to a new adventure, from deep powder tree skiing, to sun lit big faces, to long pow filled coliours, tons of jumps, and good vibes between all the competitors here.
Its a new year and things are rocking along, a time for new beginnings, new gear, and deep powder. I am super stoked to be working with Atomic skis. Atomic has a incredible team that I am honored to be a part of, great product, and a progressive vision for the future. For these reasons I have moved forward with this sick ski company and look forward to shredding with them. For two weeks I have been riding the Bent Chetler, Chris Benchetler’s pro model, and I am so pleased. The ski is light, fat, and fun. Getting on a new ski has ramped up my stoke, I feel like I am skiing better than ever and have a hard time quitting at the end of the day regardless of the snow condition. Skiing rules!!!
After an amazing run, I am no longer working with Rossignol. A big thanks to the all the employees that I have worked with, many great friendships have been built and It has been an honor to work with the brand. Rossignol has been a key part of my mountain experience and this has been a great chapter. I wish them the best.
So… there is still some time to vote for the powder magazine reader poll. I made up this little video straight campaigning! make’n fun of how extreme I get.
peep the vid and vote HERE!!!
Winter turned on early in Utah, too early. Powder skiing was had in early October but storms were too infrequent to hold on for long. Thanksgiving week was approaching and a minimal snowpack and high pressure was on the horizon. meanwhile the Northwest was getting hammered with heavy dumps turning early season into mid winter. I jumped in the truck with Adam Clark and we headed off a bit late for the storm riding but decided that it would be worth it to have mid season base under our feet. Our first stop was Crystal Mountain in Washington. Then spent a few days at Stevens Pass before making our way to Whistler BC.
The week before Halloween some friends and I made an annual trip to southern Utah for one final bike mission. the location was Virgin, and the zone was the old Red Bull Rampage site. We headed down for 5 days of camping, riding, scaring ourselves, catching air, and hiking up cliffs. This was one of the larger moves we hit, the wind was always a battle as gusts were strong enough to push you over as soon as you became airborne. we would wait for a gust, look down the line and drop.
