April 2021 - Vol. 15 | Issue 02

SOCIAL DISTANCING BEFORE IT WAS COOL.

(wecappedourdailyticketsalesat1,500like5yearsago)

Photo: Chris Morgan

| Rider: Chase Burch

PHOTO: Stephan Jende

RIDER: Nora Beck

CAMERA: Canon 1Dx Mark II

LENS: Canon 70 - 200mm f/2.8L II USM

IN THIS ISSUE

ARTIST PROFILE: MIKE

SOUND CHECK

FINAL DESTINATION: MOUSE

END CREDITS

OPENING ACT

“Any… death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind”

This bell tolls for all of us. RIP all those whom we’ve lost.

Paul White - The FL Project Shop / Haus of Print owner

Mike McKelvey - Jackson Park Crew / Natural Selection Builder

Luca Pandolfi - Jones Rider / Instructor / Splitboard Guide

Tony Chiuchiolo - Sugarbush Parks Manager / Father

Julie Pomagalski - Former Olympic Snowboarder

- John Donne

Photo: Bob Plumb

Words by R. C. Llewelyn

Camera: Canon 5D Mark IV

Rider: Jared Elston

WE DIDN’T SET OUT TO REINVENT THE BINDING— WE SET OUT TO PERFECT IT.

Introducing the all-new aluminum A-Series & composite C-Series RIDE binding collections.

COVER STORY

Griff hit me up late one afternoon saying a storm was lining up and he felt like the conditions to ride Terminal Cancer were going to be perfect. With that we packed up my truck and drove through the night. The roads were gnarly, it snowed nearly the entire drive. At times driving 15 miles an hour on the freeway because the visibility was so low. We woke up early the next morning and headed out. Lucky for us the gate was open and we drove straight to the couloir. I sat on my tailgate and sipped coffee while they hiked to the top. I readied the gear and got the bird in the air ready to make some magic. Griffin Siebert dropped first with Jared Elston right behind him. The go pro clips can be seen in Backyard Boogie too, they are pretty insane. The result of my tailgate hang is the photo you see on the cover. Moral of the story is don’t work harder, work smarter.

PHOTO: Bob Plumb

RIDERS: Griffin Siebert, Jared Elston

CAMERA: Hasselblad L1D-20c

LOCATION: Terminal Cancer Couloir

Words by Bob Plumb

SHOOTING GALLERY

PHOTO: Stephan Jende

RIDER: Joe Sexton

CAMERA: Canon 1Dx Mark II

LENS: Canon 24 - 70mm f/2.8

SHOOTING GALLERY

PHOTO: Weston Colton

SKATER: Miguel Lopez CAMERA: Canon 1Dx Mark II LOCATION: Provo, UT

PHOTO: Stephan Jende

RIDER: Nora Beck

CAMERA: Canon 1Dx Mark II

LENS: Canon 70 - 200mm f/2.8L II USM

PHOTO: Trevor Slattery

RIDER: Peter Limberg

CAMERA: Canon 6D, 70 - 200L

PHOTO: Stephan Jende

FILMER: Riley Erickson

CAMERA: Canon 1Dx

LENS: Canon 24 - 70mm f/2.8

SHOOTING GALLERY

PHOTO: Stephan Jende

RIDER: Nirvana Ortanez

CAMERA: Canon 1Dx Mark II

LENS: Canon 24 - 70mm f/2.8

YEAR IV

T he sun sets on Dresser, WI as 64 of the midwest’s most notable snowboarders make their way to Trollhaugen for year four of Lord Of The Ropes. The brainchild of Pete Harvieux, creator of the Interior Plain Project amongst many other things, LOTR is one of the most unique & beloved snowboard competitions out there. It embodies the midwest community in a way that is hard to put into words. Hometown heroes, big name pros, the hungry up and comers, all battle side by side on the rope tows that they were raised on, that have made them into the machines that they are. The best part of it all, it’s truly anyone’s game.

I n case you’ve never heard of Lord Of The Ropes. We’re going to break down the nitty gritty details, so you can fully appreciate the newly crowned Lord, and what he went through to grab his crown.

THE RIDERS

Pete thinks long and hard about each invitation. Who’s been filming all season, who’s been gettin’ after it at their local resort, who’s been keeping the stoke alive, who’s new and noteworthy, etc. Eventually, a list of 60 midwest riders is decided upon, and they prepare for battle. A secondary list of names titled “The Chalice of Souls” holds 24 wild card names. From this group, the final four spots are chosen, pulled out of the chalice, and thrown into the ring. 64 total riders, men and women, some 20 years apart in age, get ready for the battle of a lifetime.

Words by Marsha Hovey Photos by Stephan Jende Shot on Canon 1Dx Mark II

O ne week prior to the event, the bracket is seeded live for all to witness. It’s possibly one of the most exciting days of the season. Names are drawn at random, and the suspense of it all never disappoints. This year, first matchup of the first round was none other than Benny Milam vs Blake Lamb. Boom. Just like that, bracket excellence by the luck of the draw.

A ll 64 riders are chosen for their first round matchups, and then, the rest is up to them. Round 1 = 64 riders, 32 matchups. Round 2 = 32 riders, 16 matchups. Round 3 = 16 riders, 8 matchups. Round 4 = 8 riders, 4 match ups. Round 5 = 4 riders, 2 match ups. Round 6 = 2 riders, one final matchup. One person walks away victorious. One person is crowned Lord Of The Ropes. One person is $2,000 richer.

THE BRACKET

THE JUDGING

O ne of the most unique aspects of LOTR is the judging system. Before each matchup, riders roshambo to decide who drops first, and then it’s a blur of trying to keep up with the level of riding that happens battle after battle after battle. There are no amplitude markers, no rule book of points to tally, none of that. LOTR is peer judged and community driven at its core.

T hree judges decide the victor of each matchup. One invited guest judge stands strong the entirety of the event, providing a steady eye and that crucial tie breaking vote if need be. After each battle, the two riders who just duked it out, immediately become the judges for the next matchup, standing side by side, regardless of who won and who got knocked out.

E ach judge is equipped with two colored paddles; Blue for the 1st person that dropped, Yellow for the 2nd person. One line, one chance, one winner, voted on by your fellow riders until only one remains. The Lord of The Ropes title is literally decided on by those that failed to earn it.

L ord Of The Ropes is a chess match on snowboards that leaves both riders and spectators surprised at every turn. The riders have an endless menu of options. Do they pick their tricks based on the people judging them that round? Do they plan their line based on their opponent? Do they say, screw a strategy, I’m here to have fun with my friends? Predicting the winner and betting on brackets is not an easy task. Sure, riding rails and lapping the rope is like breathing for these people, but a competition atmosphere is quite foreign to most. It adds an element of mystery that leaves prediction almost impossible. Who can conquer their opponents, the eyes of the crowd, and the features in front of them?

I n 2018, Kyle Kennedy, Trollhaugen local, took the crown, and returned in 2019 to do the same. In 2020, Danny Sokol, Alpine Valley local, earned the title and proved that there really might be something in the water (or the cheese) of Wisconsin snowboarders. This year, on February 19th, 2021, Pete Croasdale, Buck Hill local and Panic Order young gun, became the newest Lord Of The Ropes, defeating Kyle Kennedy in the final round, and stealing away his chances for a threepeat. Needless to say, it was an exciting way to end another chapter in the story of LOTR.

T hanks to The Interior Plain Project, Indeed Brewing, and Trollhaugen, this homegrown event continues to be a reality. Lord Of The Ropes is special. It’s an event that represents the heart of the midwest community in a way that makes everyone feel like they are a part of it, no matter where they actually live. Cheers to LOTR Year IV, and we can’t wait for Year V.

PHOTO: Evan Pierce

CAMERA: Canon 70D

LOCATION: Loring Park, MN

THE BROTHERS KIRKLAND

Growing up in the comforts of the suburbs with a sound family unit consisting of two highly supportive and available parents, the brothers Kirkland formed a unique relationship to snowboarding, one that may seem semi-normal in the Twin Cities, a place with 8 small resorts in an hour radius. Being 10 mins from one of the tow-rope meccas of our culture in Hyland Hills, these brothers had an indoctrination from an era of massive Midwest visibility. With two high-speed ropes, park features galore, am/pro riders highly visible, a decade of out of town film crew visits, and a region of city streets full of snow, it was a stew which brought to boil a pair of motivated street filming riders. Life hands us circumstances which we must navigate and these two who shared so much for so long have been tasked with changes that have led to different paths. I started this interview as Brandon had just been bumped up to the AM team for Rome SDS following a heavy ender part in “Onlookers”. Alex was still a sophomore in high school coming off his second year of filming as well. A few years of water under the bridge, we are reconnecting to sift through some of the sands of time to see what golden nuggets of life on and off boards these brothers have to share with us from their path.

- Peter Harvieux

AN INTERVIEW IN THE MAKING SINCE 2018

PHOTO: Evan Pierce

RIDER: Brandon Kirkland

CAMERA: Canon 70D

LOCATION: St. Paul, MN

When did you first encounter snowboarding?

My first encounter with snowboarding was when I was super young. I was probably six or seven and my dad was a snowboard instructor at the Spirit Mountain in Duluth at the time. Me and my brother had been begging him to take us with him for a while and over Christmas that year he finally thought we were old enough to give it a go. That first year we only went a few times but after a few years we started to get more into it, after about two years of being weekend warriors at Spirit we were introduced to Hyland and me and my brother Alex have been hooked ever since.

Spirit was family sessions and once you started going to Hyland did you guys immediately start meeting other kids or were you two on your own developing a shared excitement?

Spirit was a full family deal, my Mom had grown up skiing and when me and my brother were learning to board, she decided to jump in on it so that she wasn’t the only one not boarding. But once we started riding at Hyland it was just me and my brother. At first it was just me and him taking on this crazy new place and trying to learn how to ride the rope tow even though many of the older kids held the rope way above our heads, haha. But we started to make friends really fast as Hyland is such a tight group of people and snowboarding isn't as popular here in the twin cities as it is in a place like a mountain town. So those of us who did snowboard felt really connected and bonded super quickly.

Snowboarding wasn’t popular at Hyland? What era was this?

Haha, no just like snowboarding as an activity in the Twin Cities. Most of the kids at my school played hockey or just thought that snowboarding/skiing was more of an out west thing.

Who were the people you started bonding with on the fast ropes of Hyland?

Eli Lamm was one of the first older kids I remember showing us how to ride the rope. A lot of the kids I first started riding Hyland with don’t really snowboard too much anymore but to name a few of the first friends I started riding with would be Adam Tastad, Will Taylor, Nick Belbas and many others. But as we continued to ride there, we became friends with lots of the people I still snowboard with today like Billy Cotie, Nick Roerick, Chaney Gilmore, Collin Maynard, Dyland Cook and many more.

What was it about snowboarding that had you hold on to it as some of your earlier friends fell off or didn’t embrace it to the same extent?

I’m not 100% sure to be honest, ever since I started, I’ve always just had this extreme passion for riding sideways down a hill. I was always snowboarding with friends and that was one of my favorite parts about it. The only difference I can see is that I had my brother. We were always pushing each other and would have this brother rivalry to push each other into learning new stuff and we always had each other to ride with, so that was an added bonus as well.

Yea I think that’s a different drive than some others. How do you feel this relationship impacts your drive to ride more or progress? Is it different than with your friends and peers?

I think it can be a little different being brothers and all. It definitely helped both of us progress to an ability I don't think either of us would’ve without each other. But growing up riding with friends too, I also found that we also progressed off of just riding with each other. The only difference was that me and Alex were always riding together because we were both getting dropped of by our parents.

The parent drop off is the big connector… Bet they love the roundabout these days. What sparked you to leave the nest of Hyland and start to hit the streets?

Haha, yup that new roundabout is something else. Honestly what inspired me the most was just watching full length videos. One of the first DVD’s I got was cheers, and then I got super into all the Videograss movies. I became the biggest nerd about them and tried to figure out where all the spots were even before we started hitting any of them. Filming video parts just kind of came naturally after that because I wanted to go to all these spots and check them out. Eventually Eli and Billy took me out filming with them because I knew where a bunch of the spots they wanted to hit were at.

I like you’re going in on full length video, times have changed to the full part. Interesting that other riders were like you know where stuff is so you can come with. Did you start filming clips? What did that amount too?

I don’t know if that was the only reason, they let me start filming with them, but it definitely helped. The first year I filmed a part I was 14, so I didn't even have my license yet. Either Eli or Walker would pick me up and we would go from there. That year we filmed “The Feast” with Billy and it was just so cool to collectively film a video and watch what you and your friends did all winter turn into something. I’ve been hooked on that feeling ever since. Since then, I haven't gone a winter without filming in the streets with my friends just about every chance we get.

How did it advance from there, were you hyped on seeing that effort become a video. Where did that first taste lead you next?

Yeah, it was really cool to see all that effort become a video and a lot of it to me was just about being out snowboarding and hanging with friends and doing what we think is the coolest thing in the world. Each video has kind of just lead us to our next. Like every year I watch whatever we put together and it inspires me to go out and try and film an even heavier part than I did last year.

Billy moved on to school, how did you keep pushing trying to get stuff filmed and edited?

I’m not 100% sure, at that point Alex and I bought a camera and that's when our friends and I just started filming each other. It was just for fun and we’ve just been riding that wave ever sense.

Where did the wave take you too? Did you make a video?

That year we started filming with our buddies Eli, Casey and Walker and that year we made a homie video called Clockwork. The year after that we met our buddy Dan, we actually met him at the clockwork premiere at Cal Surf, anyways that was next and current wave that has led to our last two movies.

How did the vibes evolve with Dan starting to ride with the crew?

We became good friends with Dan and he quickly became our filmer, as he rarely butchered shots like we all did. He was definitely pretty artistic and we were all super down with his vision and what he wanted to do. The first year he boarded and filmed and had a heavy part as well as filmed most of the movie. This year he focused just on filming and editing the video and we were all really hyped on what he created.

Me too. Looks like you guys really focused and was a product of Dan’s role change or just a natural elevation of comfort in the streets after multiple projects?

Definitely a little of both, we all just really enjoy snowboarding and filming in the streets. We look at spots all the time living in Minneapolis. When it snows here it usually just happens.

How has Alex’s presence influenced your riding and filming parts?

Alex has always pushed me to be a better boarder and to film harder. Obviously, that dynamic has changed now as my health and brain health has become my main priority over filming a part. But when I was filming, having a younger brother definitely influenced my riding and filming. Even though it wasn't spoken, it felt like we were always competing for who had the most clips in a given year or who would do the heaviest tricks at spots. I think we both pushed each other riding and I know for sure Alex's presence as my little brother force me to be a better snowboarder.

PHOTO: Evan Pierce

CAMERA: Canon 70D LOCATION: Apple Valley, MN

PHOTO: Peter Limberg

RIDER: Alex Kirkland

CAMERA: Noritsu Koki EZ Controller LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN

PHOTO: Trevor Slattery

RIDER: Alex Kirkland

LOCATION: St. Paul, MN

What happened at Hood that changed it all?

Oof that’s a doozy. It is a really long story but basically over the years snowboarding I had lots of concussions much like most people involved in snowboarding and action sports. The first concussion I got was when I was like 11. I fell really hard, knocked myself out and definitely scared my parents. But at that age you don’t realize the severity of things or how injuries can have lasting effects later in life. I knew concussions were serious, but I never had symptoms last for more than a week or two before I was back to normal. All in all I probably had at least 10 concussions that I can remember, but again nothing that lasted for more than a week or two. That all changed when I got a concussion at Mt. Hood. It was my first summer working there and I was so excited, it had been my dream for so long. The summer was freaking awesome and probably some of the best times of life, but during my last week there I had an injury that changed everything. I fell snowboarding one day and felt dizzy and dazed and knew it was a concussion, but in all honesty it wasn’t really that bad, I would classify it as a mild concussion, even though that isn’t a real thing when it comes to brain injuries. The night after that concussion I had something happen with a camper where I had to stay up all night and I didn’t tell my supervisors about the concussion earlier that day because I knew they would have taken it more seriously and made me stop snowboarding for the rest of the summer. Looking back at it they were definitely right and I was just a naive 18 year old who was hyped to be working my dream job. I maybe got 30 minutes of sleep that night which is super bad post concussion because that initial sleep is extremely important. I woke up from what was essentially a nap, instead of a night of sleep, feeling sick, but I figured it was mostly just the lack of sleep and that it would go away after a night or two of good sleep, boy was I wrong. The next day was our weekend off and I really wanted to get all I could out of my last weekend off so I decided eh, I’ll just heal my head after the 2 days off. The next two days we camped on the beach, stayed up late both nights and decided to go surfing on our last day off. My head was starting to feel like I had a dagger stabbed into the back of my head, but I still figured it was just from the lack of sleep and being sleep deprived. I was iffy on whether I should go surfing at all because I felt so shitty, but I went anyway because I really just didn’t understand how serious brain injuries were. I went surfing that day extremely dizzy and like my second wave out I got smacked on the back of the head by the large surfboard with all the power off the wave. I got knocked out and honestly it probably could have been a lot worse. I was only out for a few seconds but when I came back to I was really confused and super scared. I paddled back to shore and found my friends but I was too out of it so I just said hi very weirdly and fell asleep on the beach for like 5 hours. When I woke up my head hurt so bad and I felt so sick and disoriented on our drive back. When we got back from our break I had to tell my supervisor, leaving out a few things of course. It’s fucked up, but I had migraines almost daily for over a year and I dealt with a lot of nausea, vertigo, fatigue and a bunch of other super shitty symptoms I hope no one ever has to experience. To this day I still have a lot of negative symptoms that trigger if I overstimulate my brain.

Whoa that’s super scary. What has the recovery looked like since then?

It’s been a really long journey that if I’m being 100% honest, I’m still on. There have been a lot of ups and downs, but I am currently at a place that I didn’t think I’d be at even a year and a half ago. For over a year after that I had a constant migraine that I could only describe as the feeling of feeling like someone was stabbing me with a knife in the back of the head or as if my brain was trying to leave my skull. I had vertigo whenever I would do too much and my vision was also all fucked up. It made it really hard to do too much and triggered really bad depression and anxiety. Whenever I would close my eyes to go to bed, I would replay that week of bad decisions over and over in my head blaming myself and thinking about how none of this would have been happening if I hadn’t been so dumb and naive. That on top of that nausea made it feel like I was on a boat swaying back and forth and the bed didn't feel stationary. The two of those things combined made it tough to sleep which I’m sure didn't help. It was hard because snowboarding had always been my escape when I was dealing with things. But I would try to go snowboarding very chill just to help with my anxiety, but it would make me feel really sick and make my head hurt more increasing my anxiety worse than if I just hadn’t gone. It was super hard having the thing that normally made me feel better make me feel worse. I was also dealing with the mental game of realizing that I probably would never get back to a place mentally to snowboard at the same level. Snowboarding had always been my identity and I really struggled with the fact that I was going to have to find other things that I enjoyed. Long story short it has been a really hard recovery and I have learned a lot about the brain, the impacts of brain injuries and how serious they really are. I’m probably at 80% of where I was before, but it continues to improve. At the end of the day, I have become a better person for it. It forced me to find things I enjoy outside of snowboarding, start focusing on school and I have a lot more empathy for people dealing with things, especially mental health. I wouldn’t say “everything happens for a reason” because I dislike that sentiment, but I will say I have found a way to make the most of the situation and become a better person because of it. Lastly, I just want to thank my friends and family for helping me through the recovery process, I really couldn’t have done it without them.

How long did it take for you to realize that this lifestyle was changing for you, additional Alex and the crew?

Probably about 6 months post injury. At that point the convo went from “You’ll be back filming in no time Brando” to “Filming is just something we do for fun”. It was about the 6 month point where I hadn't seen hardly any improvements that I started to realize I probably wouldn't be going back to filming. I was thinking that even if I could heal 100% and get back to normal, I knew that I never wanted to have to go through that process ever again.

Alex how did this major change impact you and influence your riding at the time?

It was a lot because when Brandon first got hurt, he was living at home. So, to see my older brother in pain everyday really took it out of me. It made everything feel very weird because I would feel bad leaving the house because I could tell that is all Brandon wanted to do. At first especially it seemed like he would just bounce back and it would go back to normal. I hoped every day that he would just one day wake up and feel fine. I had always figured that by the time winter rolled around he would be fine, and we would be boarding at Hyland again. But once it snowed and he was still dealing with symptoms it became clear that I would not be snowboarding with Brandon very much that winter. It was super weird at first and didn’t feel normal. Hyland felt empty because Brandon was the person I snowboarded with every day. Each time I went snowboarding I would feel bad because Brandon would be at home wishing he could go. Around that time, I started riding Hyland differently because I couldn’t recreate following Brandon through the park. So that is when I started to go really slow into things. That winter going snowboarding was super weird because my escape from whatever was going on didn’t feel like because what I wanted to escape from was the thought of my brother in pain, but snowboarding was the activity we always did together, so it felt very weird.

Not

having the

big brother there must have been different. How did you feel pushing forward?

It definitely did because Brandon and I had always talked about how cool it would be travelling the world together filming parts. But without Brandon there it felt weird to pursue that dream. In the sense of that was our dream together and so now the dream could only partly be true. Also, at spots Brandon had always been the guide for me on what was a good idea and what wasn’t. So, by Brandon not being at spots I was doing stuff that typically Brandon would have talked me out of so I wouldn’t get hurt.

Did the crew dynamic evolve?

The crew dynamic shifted a lot that year. Brandon was the biggest part of the crew I would say. He knew where every spot was and probably had a list of 100+ tricks he wanted to film. So, when Brandon was filming, we always had a plan where to go. After not having Brandon, Dan and I stepped up to make plans. That was the winter of Retrograde, so we really had to not only have stuff I wanted to film, but also spots for everyone else on the IPP team. It was definitely super weird; Dan and I still talk about how much we miss hitting stuff with Brandon.

PHOTOS: Peter Limberg

RIDER: Alex Kirkland

CAMERA: Noritsu Koki EZ Controller

LOCATION: St. Paul, MN

It always seemed like Brandon was involved still, was that natural or something you were conscious of?

I think a little of both, Brandon definitely stayed a part of it because by the time he had gotten hurt we are good friends so he would continue to hang out at Evan’s house, but he just wasn’t going to spots. I also definitely wanted to keep Brandon a part of it, because Brandon and I met everyone in the crew at the same time. I also think for me snowboarding would not be the same if Brandon wasn’t involved so I really wanted him to be.

Filming 4 years of parts while in High School, was filming full street parts a big juggle with school and postsecondary as well?

In high school it wasn’t really a problem. My freshmen year Brandon had just gotten his license so he could drive me to all of the spots. Also, all of my classes in high school were pretty easy so I had plenty of free time to snowboard. The only thing was that I had classes Monday through Friday so I couldn’t really get out during the week. I did PSEO my senior year of high school, so I took all of my classes at a local community college. So that winter I had more free time to snowboard and film then when I was in high school.

Did you feel any part of stepping up for Brandon as he sorted through his injury and the fall out that seemed to happen over time?

I definitely did try to step up for Brandon in whatever way I could think of. Whether that was trying to help him get into new hobbies to take up his time or just hang out and do puzzles with him or whatever wouldn’t cause him to get a migraine. But I think for the most part Brandon’s injury was something he needed to work through himself.

Brandon, how did you feel about Alex’s growth and stacking of heavy clips?

I was super hyped for Alex, but that first year I will admit it was hard. I had always been so involved in the process and it was tough wanting to be out there doing that but knowing it was best to stay home and recover. It has gotten a lot easier since then and now I am just super hyped and proud to see Alex killing it. I also go out and help film when I’m not busy with school. Going out always helps because I get to be part of the crew again and hang with my friends, which is the part that I missed the most.

PHOTO: Evan Pierce RIDER: Brandon Kirkland CAMERA: Canon 70D LOCATION: Plymouth, MN

Brandon, what ways are you able to fill in the gaps that this has presented in your life?

I’ve always been really into fishing so I would say that I definitely got way more into that. I also had the opportunity to ride powder last year visiting a friend in Austria which was an awesome experience and a way more mellow version of boarding, I definitely want to do more of that in the future. Outside of past times I have become a better student and actually started going to the University of Minnesota. When I started at the U of M my migraines were really bad, but they have been improving which is something that I am extremely grateful for. Overall, it has been a really hard experience but one that has made me appreciate things more and have more empathy for people going through things, especially mental health and TBI.

Alex, what if anything has changed in Brandon and your brotherly relationship?

Brandon and I have always been really close, by Brandon getting injured I lost what we spent the majority of our time doing together. Luckily, Brandon was living at home when he was recovering so I was still able to spend a lot of time together. Brandon’s interests have changed a bit and he isn’t as focused on snowboarding anymore so that changed our relationship. Through Brandon’s injury he has gotten more into fishing which I have followed to remain close with him. Brandon and mine relationship has definitely shifted but we are still very close.

Being there for each other has held true to form, it's a relationship any of us would be lucky to have. Thanks for sharing this portion of your brotherly snowboard story. Any last words or shout outs?

Brandon: “100%, our relationship as brothers has definitely shaped the person I am and I am extremely grateful for it. A huge shout out to my Mom and Dad, the rest of my family, the Onlookers homies, and all my other friends that have been there for me. Also, thank you to Pete for setting up this interview and for everything he's done for me and Alex over the years.”

Alex: “Thank you Pete for making this interview happen and everything else. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all of the support over the years. Thank you, Dan Pergrin, Trevor Slattery and anyone who has pointed a camera at me. Thank you, Evan Pierce, Peter Limberg and any else who has taken photos of me. Thank you, Emmet Klocker, for the support from Volcom and Capita. Thank you to anyone who has helped shovel at a spot. Finally thank you to all the homies that I’ve boarded with at Hyland over the years.”

PHOTO: Evan Pierce CAMERA: Canon 5Dmk4 LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN

PHOTO: Evan Pierce

RIDER: Brandon Kirkland

CAMERA: Canon 70D

LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN

PHOTOS: Peter Limberg

RIDER: Alex Kirkland

CAMERA: Noritsu Koki EZ Controller

LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN

PHOTO: Evan Pierce

CAMERA: Canon 5Dmk4 LOCATION: Minneapolis, MN

CAMERA: Nikon D850

LOCATION: Daisetsuzan National Park, Hokkaido, Japan

EVAN WILCOX

At surface level, this is the story of our friend Evan Wilcox, Oregon native, summer camp hustler, SLC/Brighton local, snow chaser, all-around great guy, and now international industry marketer. On a deeper level, this is the story about not just following your heart and your passion but ACTIVELY doing so. Evan's story is standard in many aspects. He was introduced to snowboarding at a young age. He became obsessed, and eventually began making major life decisions with the end goal of riding as much as possible. It's a path many have taken, and many more have aspired to take. This story is here as motivation for anyone out there, especially those sitting on the fence or perennially offering up the "hopefully next season" to take that next step and pursue their dreams.

Words by Daniel Cochrane Photos by Toshi Pander

A fter finishing his studies at Oregon State, Evan relocated to Salt Lake to revel in some of the different experiences the Wasatch Mountains have to offer. Evan enjoyed Salt Lake's readily available mix of park laps, pow turns, and street sessions while toiling away at evening jobs to pay the bills. In the summer, he would return to Mt Hood and work with Windell's and We Camp. During this time, Evan picked up a handful of sponsors, including RomeSDS, VonZipper, and Bonfire, each of which he is still affiliated with to this day. The opportunity presented itself for Evan to attend the industry tradeshow, Denver's SIA, to support these brands as an ambassador, which is really just fluffy speak for "worked at their booth" but opportunity is opportunity. The experience proved valuable as he learned more about the business side of snowboarding and met many influential industry personnel. To many, this alone would be an end goal, but Evan found himself wanting a deeper pursuit of snowboarding. This is a constant in Evan's journey, appreciating where he has landed but always looking for the next step to level up and become more. His story is about seeking and creating growth in every sense of the word.

A fter a couple of seasons in Salt Lake, Evan realized that the deep days and accompanying pow turns were the aspects of snowboarding that most spoke to him. While Salt Lake is a prime destination for excellent snow, it has its good years and bad, and during Evan's tenure, the bad years were winning out. Evan began to eye the Holy Grail of powder Hokkaido, Japan. As he worked through the summer managing the demo shop at camp Evan would spend each evening relentlessly applying for any job that would get him to Japan. It is not an easy endeavor convincing someone 5000 miles away to hire you sight unseen. Coupled with the need to find an employer willing to sponsor an international work visa and the odds of success seemed low. Eventually, Evan's persistence paid off, and he landed a shop job turning screws at Niseko Sports, and a new chapter began.

N othing is ever perfect, even when you've achieved many of your goals. Success comes with sacrifice, and many times these barriers prohibit many from taking chances. Safe is easy, but it may not always be fulfilling. Evan wasn’t concerned with safe or easy. He spent most of his meager savings on a one-way ticket to Japan leaving little room for failure. There were times where paying off student loans while living abroad on a shop kid's earnings were tough, but the experience proved more than worth it. Far exceeding his expectations Hokkaido, and the power it offered, proved to be life changing. Evan's next goal was to figure out a way to stay. The opportunity came via working within the Niseko Resort family itself. Utilizing much of his earlier experiences, Evan has become the digital marketer for Niseko United, representing all four Niseko Resorts. He has now been in Niseko for six seasons and sees himself putting down some pretty firm roots. He is not only continuing to pursue his current career but has also recently begun to hatch a business plan to help guide visitors and give them a thorough “local” experience in Niseko both on the hill and off. For Evan, the future is filled with opportunity, hard work, and most importantly, reward.

CAMERA: Nikon D850

LOCATION: Asahidake, Hokkaido, Japan

F or everyone out there, he offers these few but powerful words of wisdom; "As for life advice, I think my best word would be to follow your heart and don't wait! Time is the most precious resource, and we don't have much of it. If you love something, pursue it. It might be tough for a while, but if you are resourceful and keep your eyes open for opportunity, things will work out".

A s we end another snow year, there are many out there yearning for more. Hopefully, Evan's story can serve as a catalyst for anyone wishing to take that next big step. As snowboarders, we are made for this. We've all been there in some form: above a park jump, staring down an urban rail, or atop a backcountry peak waiting to drop but scared to death. We've measured and managed the fear and the risk, and we've dropped in. Take the chance to be proactive. The world is out there waiting for you to pursue your dreams. Nothing beats that feeling of riding away successful and fulfilled. Those moments of courage on the hill can translate to bigger and better experiences your entire life if you decide to create your own story as Evan has.

CAMERA: Nikon D850

LOCATION: Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

CAMERA: Nikon D850

LOCATION: Niseko Grand Hirafu Resort, Hokkaido, Japan

CAMERA: Nikon D850

LOCATION: Hanazono Niseko Resort, Hokkaido, Japan

FLUX GX BINDING PHOTO: JOSHUA POEHLEIN

In retail the only constant is change; on the floor, with the customers, brands, shop heads, staff, and product. It’s a full on effort from top to bottom, to manage all these rolling waves and not be swept out to sea with the crushing rocks of business that are so far removed from the passion of our “jobs”. Shawn Solem’s journey took him from MN to OR to CO and back to MN where he started off as a shop kid, soon transitioning into a shop owner. Taking over a space in the basement and branding it Zombie Boardshop. From the dead of one store, a new shop was born, with youth and excitement. His shop, based on honest sales and quality service grew at a manageable pace a block away from the slopes of Buckhill. With community support and resort visibility, Zombie created a decade-long running preseason event, “Shred Til You’re Dead”. Hosting parking lot jam sessions in the summer, and helping the Core Values Tour get off the ground. All while supporting a strong team of skate and snowboarders for a decade plus. Cultivation of a suburban scene is interesting, it changes as your youngest grow up to feel like they need to escape their local hills and look outside at different places as “cool”, sometimes not realizing how awesome and exceptional the place they already have is. Zombie is to the core a passionate skateboard shop that sells snowboards. With Adam and Ellie as the backbone for 15 years, Shawn captains that ship towards calm waters. It’s a place to get sound advice on products, repairs, where to skate or ride, and share stories of it all with a menacing smile. It’s the kind of place that allows you to be at ease with your questions, and know that there are no dumb questions. A group of shop heads, down to get down with the proper service, knowledge, and experience.

EXTERIOR: Ali Sanouvong

INTERIOR: Ellie Augustine

ASHLEY ROSEMEYER

I t seems like cosmic destiny that Pennsylvania born Thrashley, aka, Ashley Rosemeyer, found herself in the world of snow and skateboard photography. Her mother’s passion for photography was certainly the reason she’s had a camera at her side from as young as she can remember. Beyond that, it wasn’t as though she grew up in a family with a past time of weekend skiing at the local mountain, nor did she have a sibling that uncovered this snow and skate world for her at a young age. It turns out it was that mind-numbing, brainwashing, television that we were all warned about specifically the Fuel TV network, that would be the catalyst for Thrashley’s deviation off the “normal path” in life. Magazines were another lure, and where she found herself trying to understand how angles were captured and lighting was used. Her formative years found her shooting skateboarding first, but not in a skatepark as you might imagine, instead it was at street spots, soaking up the gritty beauty that has become synonymous with east coast skateboarding. It’s in this setting, as she was spending countless hours searching for those angles that the ‘Thrashley’ moniker was bestowed upon her.

From street spots to the mountains; living in a state where seasons still exist, winter activities were a must for kids looking to burn energy during the cold months. It was only a matter of time before Thrashley would tempt her fate with snowboarding. At the age of 16 while on a school trip to 7 Springs, she would strap into a board for her first time and inevitably fall in love with the thing she had admired from the other side of the television screen for so long.

With little interest in the academics that high school had presented, it was her desire for a career combining her love of photography with skateboarding and snowboarding that motivated her to pursue a post-secondary degree in photography. This of course didn’t guarantee her a job, so once she graduated college, it was a random email to Sugarbush that in her words, “was a miracle in hindsight that it somehow made it to the right person” and resulted in her first “industry” job. That also hinged on being a part-time dig crew member as well, which taught her a crucial skill set that no schooling could have. This was the beginning of Sugarbush’s big push with their park program and presented the opportunity for Thrashley’s photos to be seen weekly on Snowboarder Magazine’s ‘Feature Presentation’ online column. Which then led to an invite to shoot Ms. Superpark, then Snowboy’s Down Town Throw Down in Boston, and with the Jet Pack / Too Hard crews during their east coast trips.

Photos shot on Canon 5D Mk IV

Words by Sean Genovese

The following seasons were quickly filled with Sugarbush photoshoots, Snowboy events spanning from coast to coast, and shooting with The Uninvited crew for their projects. During all of this, word had gotten out about her skills and she was approached by Driven Studios to fill a staff photography position shooting commercial products in-house. This ended up being a perfect balance because the crew at Driven consists of avid snowboarders and skateboarders, including past east coast pro, Seth Neary. Their mutual understanding for the source that drives Thrashley’s passion to shoot snow and skate helps when she’s scheduling trips for her freelance work.

In 2020, Thrashley and her family were faced with the horror of her Dad contracting COVID-19, his then hospitalization and untimely his passing in October of the same year. This new reality that stole her Dad left her grieving and struggling to find a reason to pick up her camera. Although this void can never be filled, she’s been able to find some solace in recent months while spending time outdoors in the side-country and shooting street riding more than ever. She’s driven to do what would make her Dad proud and push forward on the path in which her nose to the grindstone effort has paved her destiny.

MIKE EGAN

I

nside his suburban bedroom outside of Pittsburg, PA, a middle school-aged Mike Egan began his art journey by drawing in sketchbooks. These early sketches primarily replicated pop culture that he'd found appealing. Notable influences were horror motifs, Halloween, skateboarding graphics (exceptionally fertile ground for skulls in the late-80's), music, and MAD magazine. The introverted Mike used his art to push boundaries and produce a bit of shock value to his relatively stereotypical all-American family household. Despite this young start, it would not be until college that Mike fully embraced art as a study focusing on printmaking.

U nfortunately, after college, Mike found printmaking to be economically unsustainable from a production standpoint and slowly began to shift his artistic direction. During this period, many factors came into play, most notably the need to find a steady income and the previously mentioned desire to continue creative pursuits, albeit in a more economically viable medium. It was a period of life where everything seems chaotic at the moment. Still, when viewed with the luxury of the passing of time, it seems, if not well planned, at least well navigated. Within a few short years, Mike began exploring paint as an art medium while also starting a career as an embalmer. The initial allure of mortuary school came in the form of a short one-year schooling period and reliable work. However, Mike does readily admit, especially in hindsight, that perhaps there was the ever-present allure of death and the macabre also subconsciously in play.

L ike many artists, Mike is naturally his own worst critic. Transferring from printmaking to painting proved to be a process fraught with self-doubt exacerbated by a long learning curve producing what Mike labels "bad art." However, in a stroke of luck, his career selection afforded him many hours to hone his skills. The life of a mortician is filled with downtime, lots and lots of downtimes, spent awaiting the call that someone had passed away. Death, as you know, works on no one's schedule but its own, and as Mike sat in his apartment, he painted. Eventually, he found both his creative voice and the process that worked best for him. Mike recalls, "the one thing I remember during the early years was that I was rigid in what I expected my paintings to be. I just had this preconceived notion that the paintings had to look a certain way, dictated by other people's styles rather than my own style. Looking back to those times when I thought I made 'bad art,'; I mostly felt that way because I knew nothing I was making was really my own voice for a while. Obviously, keep in mind, I went to school for printmaking and took one painting class, so I was also teaching myself how to paint as well, so my skills weren't all that strong either. The biggest lessons I learned were to work through the process of 1) what art do I WANT to be making (vs. worrying about what I should be making) and 2) acknowledging I had to learn new skills and practice those skills like crazy to get better. I painted every day, and I feel like, if anything, that's why I had a breakthrough eventually."

Words by Daniel Cochrane

O nce Mike found his style and process, he was unleashed creatively and began to produce art that was his in the truest sense of the word. There are many common themes throughout Mike's body of work. The most common of which is the use of skeletons/bones (what he refers to as his version of self-portraiture), devils, religious iconography, and animals (specifically cats of late). There are also recurring numeric themes, primarily 7's and 13's, which are not only his favorite numbers ('77 is his birth year) but also two numbers heavily pronounced in western religious doctrine. Process wise Mike is spontaneous, which seems to come from being comfortable in one's artistic skin. His method is primarily organic, creating works as he sits in front of a panel with little to no pre-work.

N ow "established," Mike's work has given him the chance to collaborate with multiple brands and even diversified into other product lines outside of painting. Notable of these are a collab with Resin Toy manufacturer DKE Toys with two characters based on his images, Bones the Skeleton and Lucky the Devil. A third character, Boo the Cat, is in the planning stages. Other projects include working with Dave Catching from The Eagles of Death Metal and his Rancho Del La Luna Mezcal brand and the recent launch of a clothing brand, 1977 Apparel. As a personal aside, Mike mentioned in our correspondence that he also did some deck designs for local skate shops. To be absolutely honest, if you're an artist and your local shop asks you to create some skate deck art, there is no better sign that your shit is rad. The skaters know.

T hroughout it all, the collaborations and diversifications have been about one thing for Mike, making art for any type of collector. He explains, "A lot of the collabs/apparel/other mediums came to life as I'm really trying to focus on accessibility. As an artist, I want to make sure I'm creating things that all people can participate in. These other projects/mediums allow me to offer things that meet potential collectors wherever they may be in their art collection journey. some people only want a tee, and others want a big painting." This is where the line of artist and business begins to blur. Although it can sometimes be a double-edged sword, if you want to live off your work as an artist, it is necessary. In my personal opinion, it's not about selling out. It is about creating a product that makes others buy-in. Mike has been able to navigate those waters exceptionally well. He offers three bits of advice for anyone artist beginning their journey. "In today's day and age, you have zero roadblocks in getting your work out into the world. Create social media accounts, build a website, and just share your work with anyone willing to look at it. Just remember, though, you want to find ways for people to CONNECT with your art, so don't use these platforms as a way to try and sell. People want to know you and the context behind your art. That's what sells it, not the website/social media itself. For artists that are just starting out, I always recommend not to lose sight of connecting at the local level. You'd be surprised how much your home town with rally behind you and help get the word out. Plus, it helps you get to know local gallery owners and other artists and build a community. Practice and keep pushing yourself. Find ways to learn new skills, use new colors, or implement new mediums so you can grow as an artist. And as important as your art is, don't worry, it's also a business, so set aside time to learn these skills as well."

E xplore and support Mike's works on Instagram as @mikeeganart and @1977clothing as well as his desktop site mikeeganart.com

SOUND CHECK

by Daniel Cochrane

Pearl Charles is an L.A.-based musician that crafts throwback feel-good pop songs landing somewhere between AltCountry and 70's era California Rock (think Eagles, Jackson Browne, Carly Simon, Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, The Doobie Brothers, et al.). Perhaps it comes as no surprise given the Yacht Rock craze that is just vanishing in pop culture’s rearview mirror, as well as the recurring prevalence of Fleetwood Mac viral videos that a new era of performers embracing this sound would become more visible. While Pearl Charles is an example of this phenomenon however, it is important to note she is not fresh off the boat. The thirty-year-old singersongwriter first appeared in her late teens as part of the country duo The Driftwood Singers and later joined L.A.-based garage rockers The Blank Tapes on drums. She has been producing solo material since her eponymous 2015 debut E.P. (also very much recommended). With Magic Mirror, her third release, Charles presents a much sleeker, smoothed-out record reminiscent of the previously mentioned California Sound. I described it to friends as Carly Simon impersonating Joni Mitchell with Graham Parsons and The Carpenters sharing musical writing duties and occasionally ABBA drops by. The evolution pays off in spades. Magic Mirror was the first album of 2021 that had me instantly hooked. The opener "Only for tonight" is awash in biggerthan-life pop production reminiscent of a vintage ABBA immediately grabbing the listener's attention and making them want more. The "more" comes time and time again throughout the record. It is an album where each successive song becomes "one of your favorites" at some point or another. One particular note about Magic Mirror is that the album is upbeat and positive, even when the subject matter may not be idyllic. Coming out of 2020, a year in which very few can tally more wins than losses, Pearl Charles still manages to craft an album that lifts the spirit and makes you sing. Even the final apocalyptic tinged "It doesn't matter" is a gentle nod to being at peace with the end of the world as long as it comes in the arms of the one you love. Magic Mirror is highly recommended.

Pynch began as a bedroom project for Spencer Enock eventually blossoming into a full-fledged band once he relocated to London to further pursue his musical studies. The two 2020 singles, the band's second and third releases, were bookends for the 2020 pandemic. "Somebody Else" was released in July of last year as pandemic reality settled in, and "The Whole World" followed in October as vaccine hopes began to rise. The two songs are up-tempo and catchy while also simultaneously being nihilistic musings for the generation that are doomed to exist at the very end of what the viral/meme culture refers to as the "fuck around" era and the inevitable rise of the "find out" dystopia. Fun stuff!

Somebody Else is reminiscent of a vintage LCD Soundsystem track with tongue firmly planted in cheek and awash in self-effacing lyrics, a cry for help from a person going through an existential crisis way before their time is due. Half hopelessness, half a plea for normalcy despite not knowing what normalcy even is supposed to be, Enock screams in the singles final moments, "I wanna feel everything at once. I wanna quit my job and move to Japan. I wanna die doing something I love. I wanna feel like I'm doing enough. I just want to feel something real." It's a plea from the generation that knows we can't sustain our current predatory culture yet is bowed from the pressures of doing just that. October's The Whole World is a companion single focusing the inward lens of Somebody Else outward to the world at large. It's an acknowledgment of all the troubles the global community faces and how many times they seem bigger than life. The Whole World inevitably concedes that maybe we are beyond the tipping point of repair (the previously mentioned "find out" era). Instead of wallowing in despair, Enock seems to wax poetic, musing on all the beautiful things he's experienced and seen. Explaining that the world is burning, and for his generation, the only course may be to embrace one another for support knowing their motives were at least pure of heart. It's an emotional take from the generation charged with inheriting all of the world's problems, both created and ignored by those before them but given very few tools to solve any of them.

In February, hyper prolific Australian rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard released their first album of 2021 entitled L.W. It is the second half of a "double album" that includes the November 2020 release; K.G. King Gizzard is widely known for two things; pushing out albums within exceptionally shorts periods (L.W. is their 20th in ten years) and stylistically jumping around from Prog Rock, Heavy Psyche, Thrash/Death Metal, Acoustic Microtonal experiments, Space Jams, Blues, Acoustic jams and pretty much any other sound as they desire. The latter has made their catalog daunting for newcomers due to sheer volume and frequent genre changes. If you are one of those intrigued with King Gizzard but always wondered where to start, then L.W. is the album you have been waiting for. It's a poppy and accessible romp that touches on many of the previously mentioned genres without going too deep down the rabbit hole of anyone in particular. You want space synth lasers and Necromancers? It's in there (Ataraxia). Looking for those chill North Africaninspired vibes? It's in there (Static Electricity). Scathing political takes? It's in there (Supreme Ascendency/EastWest Link/ If Not Now). You want to get trippy; it's in there (See Me). You just want your face melted; it's in there (Pleura/KGLW). When artists have deep catalogs, fans can usually point to a few critical albums for newcomers to explore. However, in the case of King Gizzard, one can quickly receive six different responses to "best" album queries from six different fans. L.W., ten years into the band's existence, is an album that unifies the many genres the band has explored. Through out the album’s nine songs and brief 42 minutes one can hear reflections of most of King Gizzards catalog from Murder the Universe’s Sci-Fi Prog Rock, the acoustic balladry of Paper Mache Dream Balloon all the way to the death metal of Infest the Rats Nest. As such, it is an excellent starting point for those ready to join the cult.

Idi Et Amin is the SLC based shoegaze/experimental project of Rocky Maldonado and Catalina

Gallegos. The duo has previously released an L.P., Texas Rose, in 2019 and a two-song E.P., A Phone in Kyoto, in 2020. The Remedies for Violations is their newest two-song E.P. released this year as they move closer to releasing their sophomore LP, Candy Suck. In the original days of the late 80's when the shoegaze phenomenon exploded in the U.K. and found its way to U.S. shores via the underground indie and college radio communities, there was a large swath of styles assigned the moniker. In fact, looking through “top shoegaze albums of all time” type listicles, it seems anything released in the U.K. with some distortion in the late '80s or early 90's got lumped in the genre. One thing almost every fan, critic, admirer, and revivalist can agree on, however, is the supremacy of My Bloody Valentine's 1991 release, Loveless as the pinnacle of the genre. When I listen to Idi Et Amin, I know I'm listening to a band that gets that in the best possible way. Rocky and Catalina have taken that sound and made it their own while simultaneously giving full acknowledgement the bands that laid the foundation thirty years ago. More importantly they also pull from the sounds that inspired those first wave bands, a critical step that many revivalist bands fail to deliver. "Rainbow Brunette" is quite easily the best "shoegaze" song that I have heard in years, and the accompanying “Porcelain Boy” crawls its way into your brain as well despite its slower more measured approach.

The Remedies for Violations EP is absolutely essential listening for anyone that loves the genre. Homage to late 80’s shoegaze wrapped in a package of 60’s era psyche and garage that leaves you desperately awaiting their next full release. Support Idi Et Amin best through Bandcamp and their YouTube page.

Pearl Charles Magic Mirror

2021 Kanine Records

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard L.W. 2021 KGLW

Pynch Somebody Else/The Whole World's Going Crazy (singles) 2020 Self-Released

Idi Et Amin The Remedies for Violations E.P.

2021 Library Group Records

Cheers to Mouse, terrain park designer and head digger par excellence; the man who brought 110 plus rails and weekly features to Brighton, providing endless days of hitting the park with all our homies and building a super killer park for honing our skills. All our best to you! Thanks man!

" Mouse, his mustache and his craftsmanship, have influenced parks and facial hair all over the country."

- Arkade

- The Brighton Diggers

PHOTO: Andrew Kooyman

CAMERA: iPhone 7 Plus

LOCATION: Brighton Resort, UT

PHOTO: Stephan Jende

CAMERA: Canon 1Dx

LENS: Canon 24 - 70mm f/2.8

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Editor & Adversiting Daniel Cochrane daniel@arkademagazine.com

Cory Llewelyn cory@arkademagazine.com Editor Peter Harvieux theipproject@yahoo.com

Editor

Layout & Design Editor Jake Kenobi jake@springbreakjake.com

Contributing Photographers

Bob Plumb, Stephan Jende, Trevor Slattery, Weston Colton, Evan Pierce, Peter Limberg, Toshi Pander, Ali Sanouvong, Ellie Augustine, Andrew Kooyman

Contributing Writers

Marsha Hovey, Bob Plumb, Sean Genovese