Lots of hype in this pov edit. The classic formula, guy gets in helli/waves to friends/ ridge thumbs up/ click in/ drop in/ shred some turns/ fade out …. to some dub-step! 
Enjoy!!
While filming for TGRs new movie One For The Road, we found a awesome zone full of spines. The first day we saw it it was in the shade already so we took pictures, scoped it and put it on our hit list. this is a zone that the suns rays only hit with a glancing blow just after sunrise. by 10am the whole cirque is shaded, so things have to move efficient in the morning to make it happen.
Peru. What an amazing place. Ancient, scared, magical.
In 1999 my friend and Housemate from bend Oregon took me along in is old VW pop top van to Burning man for the first time. I had read one article about it, and seen a few photos but nothing could have prepared me for the expereince. Our crew then was just about six or seven people, a few tents, a Janky camo net strung between the van and a few cars. Burning man is a place where there is no commerce, its about radical self reliance, and radical self expression. You bring what you need to survive living in a harsh desert climate for a week, and beyond that, you bring what you need to be comfortable, and to be free. That is was is so powerful about the experience, its a place that anything goes relating to self expression, no one judges, and you are encouraged to participate in the experience by being your self. Living in an environment, a city, where interactions between people isnt about selling or buying, creates a vibrant energy, that really embraces the roots of human nature, and community. Of corse it can get weird too. while one persons self expression may not be for all, you feel open to understanding that it is a place for that but maybe not for you.
Since 1999 I have been 11 times, missing one year in 2003 because I was on a ski trip. After that I realized that Black rock City (as it is known) was a place that fed my soul, my creativity, and inspired me so greatly that it was something that I wanted , I needed to be a part of. Our crew now consists of 50-60 people, and over the years has gained new faces each year, some bounce in and out balancing the experience of burning man with other adventures, and many friendships, and relationships have formed with this rotating cast. Portland, Bend, Salt Lake, Reno,San Francisco, San Diego, Jackson, are some of the towns where our inhabitants call home most of the time, but the stark Nevada desert is were we come together to live for one week each year.
Three years ago It was where I met my girlfriend Annie. Burning man is the type of place where powerful sparks can be ignited and in the case of our meeting this was true. She was new to our camp, brought by a mutual friend, and a flame started there that has changed my life. We have such a strong bond fueled by our creative passions, and inspired by our outlook on life. I am grateful for a place like Burning man that can cultivate that sort of relationship.
The center piece of our camp is our art car, a double decker, party barge, made on the platform of a bio-diesel flat bed truck. It has a large scale sound system, and dj booth, and is a community staple, cruising around the open playa bumping amazing music. Much like the pied piper, as we troll around, people come running, bobbing there heads from their camps eager to climb aboard regardless of where we are headed.
The city is full of car camping styles of many variety. some have tents, some RVs some igloos made of reflective insulating blocks. For Annie and I our home is a solar powered, tipi, equipped with lights, and a swamp cooler. A North Face Dome houses our kitchen and area to chill and with that set up we easily live out our time in the desert despite the potentially harsh enviroment. The tipi is such a great place to spend time, its grounding, comfortable and is truly a sacred space.
I am not the only skier to hang in Black rock city, it is a place that has attracted snow people for years. Its no surprise, not batting an eye to harsh environments, in fact enjoying them, while playing is a huge aspect of skiing. And being prepared, yet thats the name of the game while storm riding, skiers are all aware that by having the right gear will allow you to enjoy the otherwise gnarly climate with glee. I hung out with Cody Barhill a bunch this year, saw Jacqui Edgerly all over, Nick DeVore was there, as well as countless others Im sure. Mconkey had been there a few times, Gafney is a regular, and Ingrid, while she didnt make it this year has been going for as long as I have. There is even a huge Apre ski party held every year, complete with fake snow, and full of goggle clad, stretch pant wearing, ski pole toting burners!
Space men
Blue ice cave...
Daron Rhalves amongst hanger cornices
Very big...
...to very small, snow forms in amazing ways
down the rapids...
“You know, you cant reinvent the wheel..” commented a Haines loving friend upon hearing we were off exploring new terrain near Juneau. Alaska was having a reported worst snow year in 40 years, and the prospect of finding new un-skied terrain seemed daunting to say the least. Luckily with a team of eager, seasoned explorers in our crew we weren’t deterred from the challenge.
At the helm, Ian McIntosh was our point man. With countless hours scouring topo maps, virtually flying goolge earth terrain, and scanning the backgrounds of climbing photos, he demonstrated how he earned his nickname, Mapintosh. Ian showed up in Alaska two weeks before our trip started and began doing recon in between Anchorage and Valdez. He booked fixed wing aircraft flights, and logged terrian with a GPS and a digital camera in hand. Ian’s report was grim, in a email he noted that it would take a seasons worth of snowfall to ski the type of lines we were looking for. Reports were that south east AK had been getting the most snow, but thoughts of retreating to Haines were unappealing.
With new beta on hand we made arrangements to check out Juneau, Ian booked more recon flights, and hundreds of miles were covered with eagle eyes. Scoping terrain between Haines and Petersburg we slowly developed a hit list confirming that we were in one of the only places holding good snow, and new terrain.
Scale is always so tricky in alpine terrain, this glacial toung is five miles wide
The “why?” question started creeping up in our minds and certainly in others, begging for an answer to what motivates us to go through so much trouble. We could easily roll in to Haines, where terrain is well established, and pick the low hanging fruit. While our mission, our job, is to ” get shots” that goal is overshadowed by the desire, and need to go beyond. To feel the excitement and awe that a new experience provides is not only what makes life interesting, but also makes it so fun.
Views like this keep us searching for more...
Ashley Montague a amazing artist, curator, and visionary from Portland OR who put together an all digital art show at Backspace gallery in downtown showcasing six artists including myself. I am super stoked to be a part of this show. All art is printed on canvas, and is a stunning collection. I was lucky to get to pop in for the opening of the show last Thursday with some friends and was a great experience. Big thanks to Ashley for setting this shit off!!
Below is a showing of the pieces I have on display.
and a flyer for the event!
In Alaska, totems are everywhere, at the airport, the hotel, in peoples yards, outside of stores, and in parks to name a few. I love the look, the style and the meaning behind these pieces of art.
Above is a carving from our hotel, this image is of a “eye in hand” symbol of protection and good health.
above image is from the airport in Sitka.
What a strange place to ski, you never know what the day will bring. After hanging out for over a week in weather that pulses in and out leaving blue skies over the valley and clagg over the mountains, this morning brings promise.
Yesterday the forecast for today seemed spotty, now suddenly its time to head to the hanger, who knows what will happen next, no one knows, we just go.
