Freerider Snowmobile Magazine #10 by Freerider Snowmobile Magazine

FREERIDER THE WORLD OF BACKCOUNTRY SLEDDING

#10 | 2016 | freeriderMAGAZINE.NET

RIDER VIDEOS PHOTO GALLERIES AVALANCHE SAFETY WATERCROSS

REVELSTOKE RANDY SHERMAN SNOWY DREAMS COME TRUE

BIG MOUNTAIN PIONEER

JON JEAN ASHLEY chAFямБn THE WILD WEST THE SMOOTH OPERATOR

PROFESSIONAL BIG MOUNTAIN FREERIDER

ROAD TRIP SEARCHING FOR POW

132

INSPIRING PAGES ABOUT

BACKCOUNTRY SLEDDING

SEE

A NEW WAY UP

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CONTENTS

REVELSTOKE

SNOWY DREAMS COME TRUE

CONTENTS FREERIDER #10

84 4

JON JEAN

THE SMOOTH OPERATOR

ROCKING LADIES PHOTO GALLERY

10. MIXED USE FOR THE WIN 12. RECOGNIZE AVALANCHE DANGER 14. DO CELL PHONES INTERFERE WITH TRANSCEIVERS? 16. EMMA LEFT THE BIG CITY FOR LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS 18. EXPLORE PHOTO GALLERY 36. JON JEAN - THE SMOOTH OPERATOR 46. REVELSTOKE - SNOWY DREAMS COME TRUE 58. THE EARLY PIONEERS IN VALDEZ 62. RANDY SHERMAN - BIG MOUNTAIN PIONEER 74. ASHLEY CHAFFIN - PROFESSIONAL BIG MOUNTAIN FREERIDER 84. ROCKING LADIES - PHOTO GALLERY 96. ROAD TRIP IN THE WILD WEST 110. WATERCROSS PHOTO GALLERY

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CONTENTS

ASHLEY CHAFFIN

PROFESSIONAL BIG MOUNTAIN FREERIDER

110 6

WATERCROSS PHOTO GALLERY

RANDY SHERMAN

BIG MOUNTAIN PIONEER

THE SEARCH FOR POW ROAD TRIP IN THE WILD WEST

12 AVALANCHE KNOWLEDGE

NO S H O R TC U T S It’s the moment when everyone’s voices fade away. When you see a line that you’ve never noticed before. That’s the moment when you discover you’re in the right place, at the right time, for the right reasons. That’s the moment when everything makes sense.

SCOTT-SPORTS.COM © SCOTT SPORTS SA 2016 | Photo: Articfilmcrew.com

info@freeridermagazine.net Tel +46 706467368 www.freeridermagazine.net www.freeridertv.com PUBLISHER CREATIVE DIRECTOR Hans Wardell hans@freeridermagazine.net CONTRIBUTORS Johan Hisved Justin Befu Jon Miller Scott Mellor Todd Williams Evelina Ytterbom Brandon Tudizzle Cox Rasmus Dryselius Wärdell Ethan Thayer Devin Ebright Jason Sellars Corey Boston Jeff Davis COVER Rider Randy Sherman Location Alaska Photo Todd Williams ADVERTISING info@rockside.net +46 706467368 ROCKSIDE MEDIA Värmon 424, 83595 Nälden, Sweden info@rockside.net www.rockside.net ABOUT FREERIDER Freerider Snowmobile Magazine is an independent magazine that is produced by Rockside Media and registrated at the Swedish Patent and Registration Office. We have done our best to ensure that all the information is correct and accurate. Opinions, views and content of the magazine are not necessary those of the Publisher, Rockside Media or its employees. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

@freeridermagazine @freeridertv

Photo © Rasmus Dryselius Wärdell

HANS WARDELL

PUBLISHER AND PHOTOGRAPHER

Exploring the world and its amazing wilderness has always been Hans greatest passion. He started with photography in early age and has been into sledding and many other action sports since the ‘80s. In this issue you get to see inspiring photos and videos of awesome riders exploring the epic backcountry in Scandinavia and Canada. You can also see great watercross riders mastering the challenge of the cold deep lakes in northern Sweden.

Photo © Jeff Davis

JOHAN HISVED

JUSTIN BEFU

Our envoy in the northern parts of Sweden is a passionate sledder named Johan Hisved. He’s been around contributing to Freerider Magazine since the very beginning, and is an experienced photographer and writer who likes to find new (and old) locations, and meet new people to tell a story about.

Hailing from Palo Alto, CA, Justin Befu now lives in the small town of Meyers near Lake Tahoe in USA, where he runs a screen printing business with extensive clientele in the snowsports industry. He’s been guiding film and photo crews since 1996, and has spent countless days on both sides of the lens as a sledder, snowboarder, skier and photographer.

WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER

In this issue you can read about Johan and his friends dream trip to Revelstoke in Canada. He has also spent some time with the professional freerider Jon Jean and got some awesome photos of him ripping in the backcountry of British Columbia. Check out the story further back in the magazine.

PHOTOGRAPHER AND WRITER

In this issue you get to follow Justin with friends on a wicked road trip in the search for powder in the wild west. You can also read two inspiring interviews about the early pioneers in Valdez, AK. Inspiring stories by Justin, Jon Miller and great photographers. COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

SUSTAINABLE SLEDDING

MIXED USE FOR THE WIN

Rider Brandon Tudizzle Cox. Photo © Corey Boston.

TEXT BRANDON TUDIZZLE COX

It was a great week riding our snowmobiles in southern Colorado. The warm temps and bluebird skies brought out all kinds of backcountry enthusiasts. We had so many positive interactions I felt the need to share it. The first group of skiers we encountered was a bit hesitant. You could tell they were waiting for someone to take the lead with some sort of reaction. I gave a wholehearted wave and a head nod only to be ignored by the lead skier. I immediately stopped my sled a safe distance and removed my helmet. Revealing one big ol happy grin, who wouldn’t be smiling on this amazing day. I was determined to make this a positive interaction. I asked how their day was going. Commented on the beautiful weather and scenery. And boom, we were having a nice conversation. The lead skier carried on alone but the mass of the group was chit chatting away. Score one for Mixed Use. They carried on and we headed over the next hill. 10

We bumped into several more groups over the next few days. Always taking time to stop, turn off our machines, remove our helmet and connect with them. But it was the final interaction that really made a positive impact on me. We pulled into an untouched draw and prepared to blast through the zone with style. Just then we noticed two skiers skinning their way up. We both stopped and gave a nice wave. The skiers said there were plenty of lines for all of us and to enjoy. But we knew how much effort they had put into getting there and let them know we would move on and they could enjoy the fruits of their labor. Amazing cooperation! We found another untouched draw a few minutes later and those skiers got to enjoy some clean lines in their zone. Mixed use at its finest! It is truly amazing how far a little respect for others will go. Mixed use for the win!

AVALANCHE KNOWLEDGE

Photo © Hans Wardell

RECOGNIZE AVALANCHE DANGER 1. MOTHER NATURE’S RED FLAGS The surest sign of avalanche danger is evidence of recent avalanches, an indication that local conditions are right for more. Another warning is if snow cracks, collapses, or makes a “whumph” sound. That’s a sure sign that the snow is stressed and can’t bear you and your sleds weight. 2. DID IT SNOW OR RAIN IN THE PAST 24 HOURS? Significant snowfall or rain can make the snowpack unstable. 95 percent of avalanches occur during or within 24 hours of heavy rain, snowfall or high winds. 3. THE WIND FACTOR AND WIND-BLOWN SNOW Wind-blown snow loads, leeward slopes, even when it is not snowing out and can make the snowpack unstable. 12

4. SIGNIFICANT WARMING OR RAPIDLY INCREASING TEMPERATURES Any sudden change in temperature can trigger an avalanche. Warm temperatures and gravity can cause the snow to creep downhill and become less stable. If snowballs (rollerballs or sunwheels) are rolling down the slope, this is an indication of temperature increases. 5. RESEARCH THE SNOWPACK AND IT’S LAYERS Take notes of how the weather has been in the area during the winter. Always check the local avalanche advisory before you ride out in the backcountry. Check for persisten weak layers along you go. They can be difficult to identify.

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AVALANCHE KNOWLEDGE

Rider Geoff Kyle. Photo ÂŠ Hans Wardell.

DO CELL PHONES INTERFERE WITH AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVERS? Yes! Several reports from failed or disturbed and delayed avalanche rescue actions in the last years have shown that electronic equipment can have a very unpredictable and severe influence on avalanche transceivers. Especially when the transceiver is in SEARCH mode. All kinds of portable electronics like cell phones, radios, GPS, cameras, music players etc. can cause interference. In SEND (transmit) mode keep items like these at least 20 cm away from your transceiver. Further is better. If your cell phone is on, it should 14

be in Airplane Mode to minimize interference. Better yet, turn off all electronics and put them in your backpack. In SEARCH mode, all electronics should be at least 50 cm away from your transceiver. And all cell phones should be turned off. Most common solid, non-electrical, objects will not cause interference. These objects include snow, trees, rocks, clothing, skis etc. Another common object is RECCO reflectors, which is often built into jackets, and these objects will not cause interference. Source www.utahavalanchecenter.org

RIDER CHRIS BROWN

When going indoors is not an option

RIDER PROFILE

EMMA LEFT THE BIG CITY FOR A LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS TEXT AND PHOTO EVELINA YTTERBOM

Sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone and explore the unknown before you can find peace and settle down. Emma Rothoff is one of the lucky ones who has had the courage to do that. When she was 19 years old she left Åkersberga, her childhood hometown outside of Stockholm in Sweden, and moved to the mountain town Åre where she found the love, the love of snowmobiling. Everyone who have met Emma can agree that she is a bubbly happy girl with energy for two. Her accent reveals that she is born and raised close by Stockholm and her good sense of humor tells that she ain’t afraid of what people think of her. Three years ago, when she was 23, she experienced backcountry riding for the first time when she attended a Amber Holt event in Saxnäs. – When I was younger my dad took me out on the snowmobile but it wasn’t like this. This was the first time I felt like I understood what snowmobiling was about and after that I am totally hooked! After the event she has kept developing her skills and gained a lot of new friends.

– I love the adrenalin rush that it gives me! I’m really stubborn and I keep fighting until I got the right technique. Of course I can feel fear from time to time, but I try not to let it limit me. – To all girls out there who want to get out in the pow: You are never to old to ride snowmobiles and it’s never to late to start! If you would like to develop as a person, overcome your fears and experience some adrenalin rushes, then you should try backcountry riding. Best way to learn is by attending a girl camp or ride with people who know what they’re doing. I would have started way earlier if I’d known about this kind of riding when I was younger! COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

PHOTO GALLERY Click on the photo to see a video.

EXPLORE PHOTO GALLERY

CARL KUSTER

SICAMOUS CANADA

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

PHOTO GALLERY

C Click on the photo to see a video.

EMIL AHRLING

JORM SWEDEN

PHOTO GALLERY

Click on the photo to see a video.

DAN ROGER

REVELSTOKE CANADA PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

KEITH CURTIS SIGNATURE SERIES

Own the Mountain

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“My passion for snowmobiling includes racing and riding diverse terrain, whether its rallying a mountain race course with a 1st place in mind, pounding over bumpy trails, side hilling for miles, or cliff dropping. Working directly with FOX gave me the opportunity to develop the perfect KC711 signature coil over shock! The robust, highly adjustable, dual compression/rebound control, along with the styling graphics and Kashima Coat gives me the confidence I need to dominate all terrain!” –Keith Curtis

PHOTO GALLERY

Click on the photo to see a video.

RENE ST ONGE SICAMOUS BC CANADA PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

PHOTO GALLERY

JAN GRÖNBERG

JORM SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

Click on the photo to see a video.

KRISTIAN STÅLNACKE

LAPPLAND SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

2016 men’s Maverick MONOSUIT

johan February 2015 | Saxnäs Sweden

MOVES THE WAY YOU MOVE

forsberg -10°C with two feet of fresh powder | Perfect riding conditions

The Maverick Monosuit hands down is my go to suit for everyday of the week. It’s comfortable, breathable and most importantly allows me to ride with unrestricted mobility. My riding style is always very active and this suit is guaranteed to move the way I move. @mynameisjohan

PHOTO CREDIT | TONI SUOMEL

PHOTO GALLERY

Click on the photo to see a video.

ANDERS SEMBERG

VUOGGATJÅLME SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

PHOTO GALLERY

ROB ALFORD BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

Click on the photo to see a video.

EDVARD LUNDBERG

SAXNÄS SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

MATHIAS BLIND

KULTSJÖDALEN SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

Click on the photo to see a video.

PHOTO GALLERY

ALLAN SAWCHUCK

SICAMOUS CANADA

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

Click on the photo to see a video.

HANS WARDELL

LAPPLAND SWEDEN

MATHIAS BLIND

HEMAVAN SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

DAN ROGER

HEMAVAN SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

PHOTO GALLERY

JONAS ELIASSON

KULTSJÖDALEN SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

ANDERS SEMBERG

VUOGGATJÅLME SWEDEN

PHOTO © HANS WARDELL

PHOTO JOAKIM KOSTET

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CAPTO UNDERCUFF CHRIS BROWN EDITION

When going indoors is not an option

TERRAIN EVENTS ägen 114 Åsvägen 836 95 ÅS 070-6030021

JON JEAN

THE SMOOTH OPERATOR TEXT AND PHOTO JOHAN HISVED

JON JEAN

With his energetic riding style, big hits and drops, Jon Jean has become a well known name in the sledding industry. Based out of Revelstoke, British Columbia, he has easy access to some of the best backcountry riding on the planet, which gives good fuel for his continued progress. Jon’s actual career in the industry pretty much started in 2012 with West Coast Sledders, a page where he and a friend of his named Tom Cepek shared pictures and videos from their sledding escapades. Within shortly, they had people from all over the world following their backcountry adventures. But nothing lasts forever, and about a year ago they decided to go separate ways, with Jon moving from Vancouver to Revelstoke. West Coast Sledders still lives on though, and is now run by one of their mutuals friends, Mike Ink, with the ambition to share content from riders all across British Columbia. Coming from Baie Comeau, Quebec, he never really had that much experience with snowmobiles from younger age. “My dad had a few, but sold his last one when I was seven or eight”, was the answer given when asked 38

how he first got in contact with snowmobiling. Instead it was snowboarding that led him into buying his first sled in 2007, in order to access more technical terrain and untouched powder. A decision that turned out to be the end of his snowboarding career, but at the same time gave way to a new one. “Since I got my first sled I’ve probably been snowboarding five or six times, I simply have too much fun riding my sled”, he says. However, his riding still carries a lot of influences from snowboarding, with smooth descents through the alpine, technically challenging drops through the trees, and big, stylish airs. Fortunately enough he never had any major injuries, other than a concussion and a broken nose, from doing this. Far more dangerous is the constant risk of avalanches that’s lurking on basically every slope in the backcountry. Before this season Jon had never been caught in any avalanche, but a wet slide in late February caugh both him and his sled. He managed to stay on top of it and walk away unharmed, much thanks to using the proper gear. The outcome for his sled was quite the opposite, as it slid down some 60-70 metres before being smashed into trees. It was a close call, and a reminder of how important it is to always be aware of the forces of nature.

Even though the weather may be poor at times, a stylish whip always gets everyone in good mood. Photo © Johan Hisved.

HIS RIDING STILL CARRIES A LOT OF INFLUENCES FROM SNOWBOARDING, WITH SMOOTH DESCENTS THROUGH THE ALPINE, TECHNICALLY CHALLENGING DROPS THROUGH THE TREES, AND BIG, STYLISH AIRS COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 39 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 39

JON JEAN Taking the fun way back after scoring a bluebird day on the mountain. Photo © Johan Hisved.

“I NEVER BEEN MUCH OF A CITY PERSON. IT WAS A TOUGH CALL BETWEEN WHISTLER AND REVELSTOKE, BUT AFTER GETTING A TASTE OF THAT REVY POWDER I HAD TO MAKE THE MOVE.” 40 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 40 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

JON JEAN

“Technical inruns are my favourites, rather than just going straight for the takeoff. The best thing to find is something hidden behind a tree or other obstacle.” Photo © Johan Hisved.

To stay safe while out riding, Jon recommends everyone to carry a beacon, a shovel and a probe, and to take an avalanche course to know how to use them. Equally important is to not rush things; he means that lots of people get so stoked to be out riding that they forget to pay attention to the terrain and conditions they’re dealing with. Things can change rapidly throughout the day, depending on temperature and wind. Also, Jon is pointing on learning smart travelling habits; never stop in avalanche runout zones for example. During winter, most of his days are spent on the sled. When not guiding for Carl Kuster Mountain Park, Jon is out riding with friends from early morning to late afternoon. In summer he likes to spend his time outdoors, whether it’s mountainbiking, camping, hiking or surfing doesn’t matter.

“I like going downhill way more than uphill, it’s more of a challenge” he says. Well, with drops like this one I definitely see what he’s talking about! COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 43 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 43

JON JEAN Tips up as Jon and his Summit goes inverted. Photo © Johan Hisved.

Life as a professional sledder may seem glamourous, but it takes time and commitment to get there. Anyone into snowmobiling is familiar with the costs, and riding more than 100 days per year means that lots of other things have to be sacrificed to keep that sled running. Also, as a professional sledder, you’re a product of your environment, Jon says. “Make sure to live and ride in a place that can challenge you on a daily basis”, is his best advice for anyone looking at going professional.

QUICK FACTS Name: Age: From: Profession: Current sled: Riding since: Instagram: Facebook:

Jonathan Jean 30 Baie Comeau, Quebec, Canada Professional backcountry sledder and sled guide at Carl Kuster Mountain Park 2016 Summit SP 154 T3 2007/2008 @ijonjean JonJeanFreeriding

“MAKE SURE TO LIVE AND RIDE IN A PLACE THAT CAN CHALLENGE YOU ON A DAILY BASIS”

REVELSTOKE

REVELSTOKE Snowy dreams come true TEXT AND PHOTO JOHAN HISVED

The terrain around Revelstoke has more to offer than you could possibly dream of, whether you prefer treeriding, going big on natural hits, or just cruising the alpine. 46 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 46 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

REVELSTOKE

Being one of the first ones on the mountain after a storm is richly rewarded. For Joakim Hedlund it comes in the shape of deep and fresh powder! Photo © Johan Hisved.

Ever since I started snowmobiling, there has been one particular place on the bucket list, sort of a dream destination me and my riding buddies always been talking about. Until recently I thought it was supposed to stay that way, but a poor pre-season in Sweden gave new fire to that dream. At the same time, snow reports from across the Atlantic states that conditions are all time, and all of a sudden we are five guys boarding the flight towards Revelstoke, British Columbia, for six days of pure sledding! Travelling half way across the globe takes its time. Leaving Umeå of northern Sweden we’re arriving Calgary some 27-28 hours later, only to jump on a bus for the last six hours before we finally reach our destination. Speaking of which, Revelstoke sits beautifully nested in the southeast part of British Columbia surrounded by the snowcapped peaks of the Selkirk and Monashee mountains, with 48

the majestic Columbia River flowing through just outside town. With its approximately 7000 residents it’s a fairly small town which dates back to the 19th century when the Canadian Pacific Railway was built through the area. Among sledders (and skiers for that matter), Revelstoke is well known for its incredible amounts of deep champagne powder, with an accumulated snowfall of 8-12 metres anually, and that is of course the reason we’re here. However, we’re in for a surprise as we get off the bus. There’s hardly any snow at all, and by the looks of it, it’s been raining for days. Some of us are scratching our heads at this moment; how are we going to find any good riding in these conditions? Winters in Scandinavia usually gives us snow from sea level and all the way up to the mountains, with only relatively small variations in snow depth, and to think there is anything rideable within a 30 minute distance is almost beyond our imagination. Overhearing a few conversations around the breakfast table gives us something of an ease, and as morning traffic is picking up there are quite a few sled haulers stopping by at the gas station, that has

“Revelstoke is well known for its incredible amounts of deep champagne powder, with an accumulated snowfall of 8-12 metres anually”

Nipple deep? “No, shoulder deep”, as André Sundström stated after this dive that almost had him disappear. Photo © Johan Hisved. COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 49 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 49

REVELSTOKE

“Lines, lines everywhere”

Even though the snow gets sunbaked at times, Johan Almqvist sure seems to have a good time on the Pro RMK. Photo © Johan Hisved. 50 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 50 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

The snow allows you to basically hit whatever that comes up. Here’s Cody McDonough taking on a re-entry from a large boulder. Photo © Johan Hisved.

to be a good sign! Tired and exhausted we finally get access to our cabin for some much needed rest. We’re renting both cabin and sleds from Fullspeed Rentals, which was a suitable setup for us since they’re basically located on the trail, giving us quick riding access. LINES, LINES EVERYWHERE After a good night’s sleep, everyone is pretty stoked to get out to the mountains, and we head down to the shop to pick our sleds up. They keep both Polaris Pro RMK and Ski-Doo Summit on their fleet, and since all of us are riding Pro RMK back home it was nice to not have to spend the first couple of days getting used to a new sled. A friend from Seattle, Cody McDonough, has come up to ride with us for a few days, so we meet up with him down at the shop before we ride out. Clouds are hanging low and snow is really wet in lower terrain, but it gets better as we gain altitude though, and within 10-15 minutes we’re about to find out why Revelstoke is the name on almost every sledders tongue. Halfway up Frisby ridge the snowpack

reaches over our heads, and any doubts we may have had when we arrived are now completely blown away. The snow is not super soft though and it’s mostly tracked and packed in the alpine, so our plan for the day is to find some decent treeriding. After following the trail all the way out on the ridge we take a sharp left turn down through the jungle, and guess what!? It’s deep! And it’s Wednesday so we’re pretty much all alone out there. After playing in the trees for a while, we take a break on something that looks like a lake. We’re not sure though, it’s just too much snow to tell! At least it’s the only flat surface we can find around here. For a brief moment the sky clears up, and we get to see some true British Columbia backcountry, with sweet lines spotted in almost every direction. Cody breaks the silence with a couple of wicked re-entries while the rest of us just sit back and enjoy the show. It’s amazing to see how some people can handle their sled, no matter if it’s on the ground or in the air! We continue the day travelling further into the sweet terrain on Frisby, finding a few good spots COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

REVELSTOKE

Incredibly deep snow and lots of steep riding, which André Sundström enjoys to it’s fullest!

every now and then. Trees grow sparsely around here, at least compared to what we’re used to back home. That makes treeriding a somewhat different game as it allows you to go faster and with more energy. It takes a little while to get used to, but once acclimatized it sure is a lot of fun! Clouds are now starting to roll in again, not that it bothers us that much as long as we stay from the alpine. What’s worse is that a few sleds are getting low on fuel, and we decide to find our way back to the cabin. Crossing the alpine in a complete whiteout could have been a nightmare, but thanks to that neat little GPS we can pretty much straightline our way home, and once back in the cabin we’re rewarded with an awesome steak from the barbeque. Snow isn’t the only good thing around here! BLUE SKIES, FRESH POWDER The following morning we wake up to a blue sky, and from what we’ve learned so far that doesn’t happen every day. It sure is beautiful to step out on the deck and watch the snow covered peaks rising all around. Today it’s time to check a few items on 52

the “must see”-list, and Boulder Mountain with all its bowls and chutes is the top one for a day like this. Before heading up the trail, we make a quick stop at the trail pass booth to get the mandatory trail pass, but also to make sure our beacons are working properly. That’s by the way a nice safety feature offered by the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club. Just make sure your beacon is on and then step up to the detecting device and it’ll tell you if your beacon is transmitting as it should. Speaking of trails, the snowmobile club is doing a tremendous job with keeping them in shape, and although we don’t actually use them that much, they provide us with fast and easy access to the different riding areas. After some 15-20 minutes of riding we’re up at the Boulder cabin to sign in. From there you can basically continue in any direction and you’ll find good riding. We head on into the alpine, and within another ten minutes we get to see some of the most amazing views you can think of, with the valley floor partly covered in light clouds and the sun gazing on the surrounding mountains. If I weren’t awake I’d be certain I was dreaming.

REVELSTOKE

With a landing spotted somewhere down between the trees, Jon Jean is charging off the wind lip. Photo © Johan Hisved.

Jonathan Nyström switched to riding a Ski-Doo Summit, maybe to be able to pull off wheelies like this one. Somewhere below the clouds lies the town of Revelstoke.

Sugar Bowl, Super Bowl and Turbo Hill; places I’ve only seen in movies, and now I’m passing right through them, one after another, and it feels a bit like walking on historic grounds. The face of Turbo Hill is a steep climb indeed, and I think all of us are tempted to try the fast route to the top. Avalanche conditions make us think twice though, and with the risk of having it slide down on us we decide to go for the detour instead. The terrain up here on Boulder is quite different and diverse compared to Frisby Ridge. There are big, rolling hills and steep chutes, and if you drop down below treeline there’s some great technical riding to be had as well. Combined with and easy access, I can see why this area is so popular among sledders. The downside is that it quickly gets tracked up, and in order to enjoy that alpine powder you see in the movies you need to get up there right after a big storm. Good thing is you typically don’t have to wait that long for it to happen though!

DROPPING IN ON TURTLE After a few great days with Cody we’re suddenly on our own for the last three days of riding. At least now we can find our own way up to the riding areas, even though it’s always good to ride with people who know a few secret spots. Luckily, one of the mechanics down at the shop has a couple of buddys just wanting to ride, and so a couple of us are going for a technical treeriding tour with a local guy named Johnny Hurcot. My friend Jocke and I have an appointment with Jon Jean, another talented local rider who’s taking us up to Turtle Mountain, an incredible area that offers a wide range of possibilities for huge drops and steep treeriding. While I’m more in for the latter, Jon is taking on the gnarliest drop I’ve seen in person when he’s sliding out on a small wind lip, before taking off 10-15 metres down through the trees. For a second I was pretty sure he hit something as the landing looked tighter than a needle’s eye, but COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

REVELSTOKE

Judging by the smile on his face, I’d say that André Sundström just pulled one sweet line.

he came out alright. Snow is starting to come down hard, but we’re totally buzy dangling up and down an awesome creek bed drainage we found. The fun almost comes to an end when my sled is rolling over me, but the deep and soft snow just makes me disappear under it as it passes by. However, weather is getting worse so it looks like it’s about to end anyway, as we need to get down from here before it gets really bad. IT’S A SNOWMOBILE DEAL Basically everything in and around Revelstoke evolves around snowmobiling, at least wintertime. Well, you may see a few skiers and snowboarders here and there, but they are a limited minority. For its size, the town offers a surprizing amount of stores and restaurants, and either you’re out for a quick pizza or something fancier, you shouldn’t have any problem finding it. Same goes for accommodation, although during high season there can be difficulties finding a room on short notice, especially if you need something with ride in/ride out-access, which is quite convenient if you come from overseas. All in all, Revelstoke is a charming 56

and vibrant little town with lots of things going on, probably much thanks to its blooming winter tourism. On our last day here, rain is pouring down while we’re waiting for the bus to take us back to Calgary. Trucks with fully loaded sled decks are rolling by, and given the conditions down here it may seem bizarre, but we know that they know what we’ve come to know - once you go above those clouds, dreams will come true!

SLED RENTALS & GUIDES Fullspeed Rentals www.fullspeedrentals.com SledRent.ca www.sledrent.ca Carl Kuster Mountain Park www.carlkuster.com Revelstoke Sled Rentals www.revelstokesledrentals.com Great Canadian Tours www.www.riderevelstoke.ca

ACCOMMODATION Fullspeed Rentals www.fullspeedrentals.com Carl Kuster Mountain Park www.carlkuster.com Glacier House Resort www.www.glacierhouse.com Peaks Lodge www.peakslodge.com

once you go above those clouds, dreams will come true!

THE EARLY PIONEERS

IN VALDEZ BY JUSTIN BEFU AND JON MILLER PHOTO ETHAN THAYER

Thompson Pass is the snowiest place in Alaska. With an average of 14 meters per year in this almost endless mountain playground, there is no wonder why it attracts skiers and snowboarders from all around the world. The history of heli-accessed shredding has been well documented in most skiing and snowboarding magazines and movie premiers over the last 30 years. But there has been a lesser-known movement happening here too, which is just as ingrained in Valdez history and culture. Being the mecca that this magical kingdom is, it is so easy to get caught up in the real first hand experiences that we find ourselves in, when visiting the area. In fact, we find ourselves so preoccupied with our own experiences, that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to overlook the rich history of our off-piste cultures. Just below the surface of all of that mainstream media coverage, there has been a lesser known movement happening in Alaska and in Thompson Pass, which is just as ingrained in Valdez history and culture. This movement began with a crew of fearless young snowmobile riders from the Glenallen and Valdez areas. With their own style of pushing their limits, they have defined the sport of backcountry freestyle and big mountain snowmobiling which has influenced industry and culture around the world. Two of the most influential riders to note, are Randy Sherman and Ashley Chaffin. We had the awesome opportunity to catch up with these two legendary riders at the annual Tailgate Alaska event. Randy Sherman perfected the art of huge drops, big tailwhips and inverted re-entries with his crew in Thompson Pass. Achieving cult stardom and big sponsors via his filmed segments on Slednecks, Two Stroke Cold Smoke, and locally produced Turnagain Hardcore videos. 58

“RANDY IS SORT OF LIKE THE GODFATHER OF FREERIDE, RE-DEFINING THINGS ON A SLED THAT PIONEERED THE NEW SCHOOL OF BIG MOUNTAIN RIDING.”

THE EARLY PIONEERS

sleds, drove big nice trucks and all packed with five gallon gas jugs. Down in the lower 48, we run all day and never need to refuel. I never really understood the need for extra fuel, until I started riding in Alaska. Sometimes just getting to the zone is many kilometers away. And with deep snow everywhere, the track spins a lot more, and with it, more fuel is burned as a result. Randy is sort of like the godfather of freeride, redefining things on a sled that pioneered the new school of big mountain riding. Because the industry wasn’t building snowmobiles with long-tracks, beefed-up suspension, and other components necessary for freestyle riding, pushing the limits required heavy modifications to the snowmobiles of the day.

Ashley and her crew were the younger generation that looked up to, and tagged along with Randy and his older group of riding partners. Ashley has experienced significant success which started with snocross racing domination, which got her noticed by factory sponsors. Then she started spending more time in the backcountry doing what she does best, and this has blossomed into her current role as a snowmobile athlete and ambassador.

Ashley on the other hand is one of the most progressive female riders on the scene. It is a joy to watch her shred like she was dancing on water. Gracefully riding where most guys can’t ride, willing to huck huge airs, following her life long riding partner and friend Ryan Britt. Growing up together riding and pushing each other landed them all in professional sled sponsorships, and films that put them in front of a worldwide audience. These Valdez locals can ride snowmobiles better than most on this planet. It’s awesome to go out and ride with these shredders in one of the most insane riding meccas on earth. Riding-aside, it’s just as awesome to hear their stories about growing up, how they met and grew as riders, which kept them busy with their sport and clear of the “small town” party scene. In short, snowmobiling saved their lives, and set the stage for a successful future as adults.

The Thompson pass area is a quick 40 minute drive from the small City of Valdez, Alaska. From that access point, on an altitude of 855 meters, the terrain options are endless. Glacier after glacier, mountaintop to mountaintop of the most mindblowing terrain you can imagine. With tons of hazards, terrain traps, avalanche terrain, crevasse laid glaciers, falling seracs, and so on. Once you learn how to be safe amongst all of the danger, the possibilities are endless.

We took the opportunity to ask Ashley and Randy some questions to find out more about the early days and their passion for big mountain riding. When you watch them ride, it’s easy to overlook the years that it took to make it look so effortless. Their stories are just as awesome as their riding, so we took the time to catch up with them to get more background on their lives and learn more about their progression and subsequent contributions to freestyler riders around the world. >>

When we first showed up in the pass I remember seeing the local sled crew. They all had insane

“THEN SHE STARTED SPENDING MORE TIME IN THE BACKCOUNTRY DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST, AND THIS HAS BLOSSOMED INTO HER CURRENT ROLE AS A SNOWMOBILE ATHLETE AND AMBASSADOR”

“Springtime in Alaska is by far my favorite time of year, warm weather, great jumps and non stop daylight.” Photo © Ethan Thayer. COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 61 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 61

RANDY SHERMAN

BIG MOUNTAIN PIONEER BY JUSTIN BEFU AND JON MILLER PHOTO TODD WILLIAMS

Photographer Todd Williams has shot some of the most dramatic photos in powersports, most-notably with the iconic images that the Polaris Snowmobiles brand has established over the last years. COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 63 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 63

RANDY SHERMAN What you can’t see in this re-entry is the 800 vertical foot wheelie he did right up the face of this massive wind lip. After all these years, and with scars to prove it, Randy throws them just as big as he ever could. Photo © Todd Williams.

Growing up in Interior Alaska, Randy Sherman has been around sleds his whole life. One of the early pioneers of freestyle, his fearless approach has made many contributions to the progression of this sport – defining the limits of backcountry freestyle and big mountain sledding with an effortless style. You are one of the riders that have been pioneering the sport. Where did your influences come from? – I was born and raised on a sled so it was just one of those things that other people were doing, why cant I? I think that we got into this industry at the right time, as a big mountain freerider I am glad I got in when I did. I feel like these days its all about the tricks, my hands don’t leave the handlebars. My influences came from the early Slednecks and 2 Stroke Cold Smoke films, and also growing up as a skier I watched TGR and MSP films. 64

“WE STARTED RIDING TURNAGAIN PASS REGULARLY, FINDING ALL THE NATURAL WINDLIPS AND CORNICES AND PUT SOME NICE BOMB HOLES IN THE LANDINGS.”

Did you do most of your riding in Valdez when growing up? – I wouldn’t say most of my riding growing up was in Valdez. I did ride there a lot but that was before sleds could get up into the goods we ride now. So that was a lot of riding around Gulley 123. I rode Thompson Pass, 54 Mile, and Kimball Pass a lot as a kid when we went to the mountains. However there was a lot of ditch banging to school and to buddies houses going on too. It wasn’t till later when sleds got better that we were hucking the roller below Python and the dunes. What does the backcountry mean to you? – That’s a tough thing to describe. People always have these heartfelt descriptions and passions about the backcountry that I have a tough time putting into words. Riding in the backcountry has been a huge part of my life no doubt. It’s just a place where I can clear my mind and burn off some steam.

Do you remember how it felt to get your first sponsor? – My first official sponsor was Western Power Sports, which was Fly helmets/handlebars, Scott goggles and HMK boots. I remember when I got that first box of gear, I couldn’t believe they were giving me all this stuff. After all the years before that, when filming Turnagain Hardcore 2, I was riding in white bunny boots and an orange hoody. Another early sponsor to give credit is Turnagain Hardcore since they were the first film company I shot with. I remember when they put gas in my sled for the first time when we were filming with them. At 19 years old this sport was tough on my wallet so when film companies started filling my tank that was another big deal. I felt like a king getting to ride for free, at least that’s what it felt like then and amazingly enough it only got better.

RANDY SHERMAN

Randy effortlessly wheelies up the edge of the mouth of the Tsaina Gacier. Kids, don’t try this at home. Photo © Todd Williams.

What is your background on becoming a professional? – I think starting from the very beginning will give a good background on how I became a pro snowmobiler. Out of High School we had a crew of buddies that I grew up with in Glennallen that loved to ride. Dan Phillips, Johnny McMahan, Marty Rhett, Wes Stagner were part of the core crew. We had others as well but they weren’t as dedicated as we were. We were all about 18-19 years old at the time and we were into it! We watched all the sled movies and dreamed of being snowmachine stars. When I say watched all the movies at that point it was pretty much just Slednecks and 2 Stroke Cold Smoke videos. So we all moved to Anchorage, not to chase our sled careers, just moved there. We started riding Turnagain Pass regularly, finding all the natural windlips and cornices and put some nice bomb holes in the landings. Well after some of that “The Twins”, the Landry brothers from Turnagain Hardcore, approached us 66

in the parking lot one day and asked if we wanted to ride and film with them. This is where things started to get crazy. The next day we drove down in my 94’ GMC truck with some model year 2000 sleds, and we were so stoked to be “filming” for a sled video, we could hardly believe it. So we showed up, it was a bluebird day with some good snow that was perfect for landings. We had something to prove and were there to ride that day. We pushed ourselves and our equipment to the limit and gave it all we had. We still reminisce with the Twins about that day, as it was a big day in both our careers. I’m sure everyone knows the term Kodak Courage, well there is some truth to that saying. That first day, Dan and I hucked every windlip and cornice further than we have ever done in our lives, probably twice as far to be honest. Twins would say how about that cornice? We would go up and find a line and drive off. How about that one? Ok, no problem! Inside I had some crazy butterflies going on. We had so much adrenaline pumping we just kept finding bigger and

bigger stuff. I remember being so nervous I could have almost puked when walking to the edge of some of them. Then after we started dropping them and the landings were so soft it became addicting… Where is the next one, and the next one after that? A lot of high fives and hooting and hollering went on that day. Not the craziest stuff I have done, but at the time it was hands down. And probably the most memorable day of riding for me. We couldn’t believe what had happened that day. The drive home I bet we relived every jump 10 times. I remember Dan and I having a conversation about BJ Murray, who was hucking some crazy drops in Whistler then in Slednecks. We said I wonder if he still gets scared when he does 40-60 foot drops, after we have seen him huck 80-100 footers in videos. Now years later, we know the answer to that question. From that day on we just kept pushing it for the rest of the season so we could get our first video segments wrapped up in Turnagain Hardcore 2 One-Ten.

There were rumors going around in Turnagain Pass around that time, about these Glennallen boys that were out there killing it. They were leaving these huge bomb holes off all the big cornices and hits, that people couldn’t believe someone would drop. Randy continues… – I remember someone telling me that the cornice in Zero Bowl was undroppable, around a campfire one night. So of course I had to look at it. Then I dropped it. It really wasn’t too bad. So after the next snow when it was fresh I wanted another shot at it to go bigger. So I gave the sign to roll film and I taped it… and you don’t realize how big your gonna go until your off the edge. I remember being so high above my landing I didn’t know what to do. It was probably 90 feet below me so I was kind of froze for a second. I had never been this high in the air before. I thought about bailing, but I knew I was too high for that. I drove off so fast that I was flying nose high, so I knew I had to tap some brake to even out. Then it seemed like all was going well once I COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

RANDY SHERMAN

“SO I GAVE THE SIGN TO ROLL FILM AND I TAPED IT… AND YOU DON’T REALIZE HOW BIG YOUR GONNA GO UNTIL YOUR OFF THE EDGE.”

started getting back closer to earth, so I held on and stuck it. I landed at the end of the trany on that one. Thank goodness I didn’t go a sled length further. But what an amazing feeling that was! I was screaming uncontrollable in my helmet after that one. I think Jesse Cross had the best seat in the house on that one. He was down in the bowl just riding and looked up and saw it go down, and he always says that his view was insane. It was a long way around to climb out of that bowl to get back to the crew and where they were filming. I didn’t let off the whole way, I was so stoked! That jumped echoed through the local sled community, and after that day my helmet barley fit for a week if you know what I mean. That was the season Dan Phillips and I got on the map by just pushing each other day after day. So that’s really the story of the early days filming. From that season I got recognized by 2 Stroke Cold Smoke and Slednecks and started filming with them too. The progression of the snowmobile has really changed in your riding career. Have you felt that you have pushed your machine to its fullest potential? 68

– In the early 2000s we were pushing those sleds to their limits. We had to beef everything up, revalve shocks, put handlebar risers (haven’t had to do that in a while) just to get them to take the beating we would put to them that season. Now these days I can ride a sled out of the box. What role have you played in progressing the technology to meet the demand of your riding? – In 2005 till 2008 we were taking Polaris short tracks and putting 136” tracks on them. The short tracks had the better Walker shocks so we would extend them and toughen up the skid for jumping. We did this for a while and then Polaris came out with the Assault in 2009, which is basically what we had been building. So I feel that is when Polaris embraced the backcountry freerider. The year before that sled came out, I did some beating on it for Polaris and filmed the “Randy Sherman Session” video on the 2009 Polaris Assault. I did all that in Steamboat Springs, and what a great time we had making that video with Clayton Stassart and Chris Brown.

Randy throws whips off every natural lip in sight. Photo © Todd Williams.

Is there anyone that really went out of their way to take you under their wing? – I would give a big thanks to Slednecks for what they have done for me. I got to ride in their films and they ultimately hooked me up with Polaris as well. So being apart the Slednecks Team has been a huge deal for me. It’s a family of like-minded individuals. We only see you flawlessly attacking the terrain... What kind of planning do you go through that people don’t perceive when watching you ride? – Flawlessly I like that… I like to think of it as calculated. It’s more about self control and knowing your limits. As you get into it you know what looks good and what doesn’t. Then sometime you blur the lines and get smacked down back to reality. What is the worst injury you have had during sledding? – I was on a 2010 Polaris Assault (I remember years by what sled I am on) and I hit a jump I have

hit probably a hundred times through the years. It is in Turnagain and called “El Diablo”. I hit it fast because there is a little rock pile you have to clear, then I drops off behind it. It was a sunny day and I don’t know if it was the lenses I was wearing or what, but I couldn’t see my landing. First time that had ever happened on a blue day. So I didn’t know when to get ready to land and my face piled into the handlebars, split open my chins and busted up my teeth. I actually have pieces of my PERC button in my teeth. 25 stitches and some dental work and I was back at it. The stitches in my lip hurt way more than the crash. Not a horrible story compared to some of the guys out there, but that’s what I got. Talking about Alaska... What are some of the scariest moments from your snowmobiling experience? – Alaska is a big place and we have had a lot of scary moments. The biggest were early in my career as I mention earlier because it was all so new. Once you start going big and realize you can do it, you start to get comfortable in the air and it doesn’t get as scary. COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

RANDY SHERMAN

Have you lost anybody you are close to in the sport, and how does their influence carry on? – Yes I lost two close friends in an Avalanche, Christoph Von Alvensleben and Jeremy Starks. Great guys that loved being out in the backcountry. Christoph and I rode a lot together with the Frontier Films crew. We would hit a whip jump or a kicker and he basically would always go just a little further. The only thing I had him on was the drops, he didnt care for those. He came on the scene a couple years after me but Christoph and Dane really pushed our sport. Great guy and I am thankful for the good times we had. We had a lot of good times in the parking lot of Thompson Pass. Is there anyone you have looked up to in the sport? 70 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 70 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

– I think that the guys I looked up to as an up-andcomer are out of the game now. Jay Quinlan was a big influence. He grew up 140 kilometers from me in Valdez, so I would always hear about what he was doing. As a fellow Slednecks team member he did great things for the sport. Do you do anything to give back, or mentor others who look up to you? – I will shoot the breeze with just about anyone I meet up on the hill, go ride for a bit and have some fun with them as well. That’s about it. If guys want to ride with me I am down. What do you envision for the future of the sport? – Just being a bunch of crazy motorheads doing what we have always done. I don’t have a crystal ball…

WE WOULD HIT A WHIP JUMP OR A KICKER AND HE BASICALLY WOULD ALWAYS GO JUST A LITTLE FURTHER

Photo © Todd Williams.

What do think about all the new machines? – I think that the sleds keep getting better and better. Really they make it easy for us guys that have been in the game for a while, to keep on keeping on. If I was still jumping that junk I was back in the early 2000s, I would be too beat up to go on. We know you’re a family man and a business manager. Can you tell us about how your riding schedule has changed, and how you still manage to keep everything going? – I am a busy man no doubt. I have an awesome wife and two great kids that keep life exciting. My boy just started school and hockey, waiting for snow to get the 120 out. My girl is three, which is such a great age, so we are just enjoying every step of the way.

I have always worked hard in the telecommunications industry when I was not out on the snow. I have a great job as a General Manager for a Telecom/Security Contractor. This job keeps me insanely busy at times, however on the flipside I also have flexibility that allows me time to juggle everything. As time goes on I definitely don’t get as much time on the snow as I did 10 years ago, however these days I make every day count. So yeah, life has gotten busy and my riding schedule has changed but riding snowmachines is who I am and that wont ever change.

RANDY SHERMAN

“RIDING SNOWMACHINES IS WHO I AM AND THAT WONT EVER CHANGE”

ASHLEY CHAFFIN

ASHLEY CHAFFIN PROFESSIONAL BIG MOUNTAIN FREERIDER BY JUSTIN BEFU AND JON MILLER PHOTO JUSTIN BEFU, ETHAN THAYER, JASON SELLARS

Ashley Chaffin broke into the industry as a young female who acheived snocross racing domination. Her success in snocross got her noticed by factory sponsors. From there, she started taking her snocross skills to the backcountry. It was a formula for success, which has blossomed into her current role as a snowmobile athlete and ambassador.

“IT’S A TRUE PASSION FOR ME AND THE FEELING IS ALMOST INDESCRIBABLE!”

“Area 51”- My favorite riding spot in Valdez packed with fun features. Photo © Jason Sellars.

ASHLEY CHAFFIN

“FREERIDING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY PASSION AND MY RACING BACKGROUND HAS HELPED ME PROGRESS IN THE BACKCOUNTRY.”

“The scenery in Alaska never gets old. I like to park at the top of the pass after a long days ride and find our tracks. It really puts things into perspective when you can see where we actually went and the obstacles we had to go around.” Photo © Ethan Thayer.

If you ask Ashley how long she has been sledding, she would tell you “it goes back as far as she can remember.” In her family, she was the youngest of three girls. Of the three, she instantly became the “Tomboy” and her dad took her along on whatever motorized vehicle he could. When she was five years old, she got her first snowmobile and the rest was history. What does the backcountry mean to you? – Riding in the backcountry is hard to explain in words. It’s a true passion for me and the feeling is almost indescribable! I get so excited when I ride, even if it’s for a couple of hours. The terrain is always changing and is always giving me a new challenge. The time I get to spend with friends and teaching people is also a lot of fun for me. I’m never bored, because even if I’m taking a break the scenery is gorgeous! Never a dull moment and I love that! Were you the only female rider in the group? – Yes growing up I definitely was. I believe it has helped make me the rider I am today. When I first started out riding my dad and his friends always did

father and son weekend trips riding. My dad always brought me and I never wanted him to feel like he brought his little girl. I was instantly thrown into the mix of riding with the boys and learning things the hard way! Haha! Who was your first sponsor? – My parents. They are always supportive and share my passion. I couldn’t have done it without them! Where do you usually go riding? – Most of my riding is done in Valdez. This place is awesome! The terrain is amazing and it gets a ton of snow. My favorite thing about living here is some of the best riding spots I can see from my living room window. When is gets sunny I can be there in ten minutes! What is your background becoming a professional? – I started out racing a little over 10 years ago. I took three state titles for women’s pro and came in third one year for men’s semi pro. Freeriding has always been my passion and my racing background has helped me progress in the backcountry. The first two films I was in are Turnagain Hardcore 5 and COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

ASHLEY CHAFFIN

“WHEN AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE ADVANCED RIDERS IN CASE SOMEONE IS REALLY HARD TO GET TO ON THE MOUNTAIN.“

This area is called ColdSmoke, a place Ashley has been going to for years. The bowls are wind protected and great for jibs and jumps. Photo © Justin Befu.

Slednecks 8. They really encouraged me to pursue freeriding. How about injuries? – Worst injury would be my dislocated elbow. I overshot a freestyle ramp and landed flat. It took 3-4 hours for the doctors to pop it back in and they had to completely knock me out. Months of rehab and it still clicks. I lost some range of motion and I have to wear a brace when I ride. Do you think there are more women getting into the sport and what do you think is pushing that force? Lighter and more nimble machines? – I definitely think there are more women getting into the sport. I see a lot more ladies ride and also clinics for women. I think that it’s great. Ski-Doo came out with the XM chassis in 2013 and that was a major game changer. The T-motion suspension with flexedge track gives you more control and maneuverability. For a women beginner or an advanced rider this sled is incredible! You were a young girl in a man-sized sport, what did it take to hang with the boys? – Always knowing in the back of my mind that I

had to either keep up or go home. Pushing myself and knowing that I was on the same level as them. I wasn›t out there to prove anything. I was there to have fun!!! Are there any good stories that you remember from that time? – A story that will always stick out in my mind... Haha, about ten years ago when I first started filming with the guys, I was trying to show off. I had my sled pinned and trying to carve on crusty snow. Needless to say I caught an edge, flew over my bars and my sled flew end over end. I was laying face down in the snow and didn’t even want to look up! I tore my pants and broke both my kneepads. I learned two lessons that day. Is there anyone that has influenced you and your progress? – Ryan Britt and I have been riding sleds together since we were about five. Our dads are best friends and we have always been riding together. He has never treated me like a girl and it has helped me progress a lot. He would always say “If I can do it you can”, meaning whatever he landed I had better try it. We tend to get a little competitive almost like sibling rivalry! COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

ASHLEY CHAFFIN Do you do anything to give back, or mentor others who look up to you? – I really like to get involved with the younger crowd when I can. It’s important to teach them about safety in the backcountry as well as giving them tips about riding. I have been involved with some local seminars and classes. During Tailgate Alaska and Valdez Hillclimb I try to take small groups out and teach them about the sleds and proper riding techniques.

Talking about Alaska, what are some of the scariest moments of your snowmobiling experience? – I am pretty fortunate to say that I haven’t had to many crazy moments. It’s important to remember how remote we are. If someone is injured a helicopter takes a little while to get there. I have only had one experience when one of my buddies was injured. It really gives you a whole new perspective on how long it takes, not to mention making sure there is a safe place for the helicopter to land. We also have a lot of glaciers here so knowing the area is important. The snow and weather conditions can change and things can happen fast. So being prepared for anything and always having a plan to keep everyone safe is crucial.

Are you involved in your local community, or the backcountry community in any way? – Yes I am involved with the Valdez Search and Rescue. I am on their call list when something bad happens in the backcountry. When an accident happens it is important to have advanced riders in case someone is really hard to get to on the mountain. Me and some others are put in that category along with a medical team and people advanced in crevasse training. We all work together as a team to make sure the rider or hiker get home safely. I am also involved with the Valdez Snowmachine Club.

Have you lost anyone you are close to in the sport? – Christoph Von Alvensleben. He’s actually the person who motivated me to try re-entries. I still remember him picking out small faced lips for me to try them on. I wasn’t good at them back then and he always kept pushing me to keep trying. He was a positive influence on me and the sport. He will never be forgotten and it’s a constant reminder to all of us on how quickly things can change in the backcountry. We all miss him.

We only see you attacking the terrain flawlessly. What kind of planning and safety protocols do you go through that people don’t perceive when watching you ride? – Everyone in the group picks a time to meet up. Once we are in the parking lot we talk as we are getting our gear on. If we start with five people that means we leave with five people. Everyone stays together and we talk about the riding conditions and what we might need to avoid with a heavy snowpack. We check to make sure everyone has an extra belt and that the sleds are full. Most importantly that everyone has a beacon and that it is turned on in the parking lot. We check that everyone has a backpack and that it’s geared with a shovel, probe, saw and rope. We also make sure someone has a small tool kit. If someone is new to the group and isn’t familiar with the terrain we talk with them about that. Usually have them follow someone for a while to make sure they know what to be aware of.

Are there any riders you look up to in the sport? – Riders who have had a traumatic injury and are still back riding. I have had the privilege of riding with some of them and their determination and skills are crazy! They motivate me to ride harder and I truly look up to them for that reason.

What are your goals with sledding? – To push myself! Have fun and ride every day to the fullest! Learn some left handed whips and work on technique. I want to work on technical maneuvers through the trees and really get myself out of my comfort zone with new terrain.

“I WANT TO WORK ON TECHNICAL MANEUVERS THROUGH THE TREES AND REALLY GET MYSELF OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE WITH NEW TERRAIN.”

ASHLEY CHAFFIN

“AS WE FIRED OUT TO THE “COLD SMOKE” ZONE THE SNOW WAS MAGICAL.”

After meeting and talking to Ashley, we planned a day out in one of her many favorite zones. We met at the Alaska Snowboard Guide’s base and took off toward the Tsaina Glacier, with fellow riders Ryan Brit and Ashley’s cousin Tavis Chaffin. Tavis and Ashley’s fathers are brothers and they all grew up riding together. Tavis can hold his own for sure. Ryan has also been around the sled scene since its fruition, leading the charge on some big airs and whips. He helps out fellow rider Ashley with good pointers how to hit jumps and at what speed. They really look after each other out there. On this particular day the snow gods must have been talking. It had refreshed for a few days and 82

then the sun came out. As we fired out to the “cold smoke” zone the snow was magical. Snow was sparkling as we powered through deep powder. Making over the head turns getting buried every dip of the sled. It was a pleasure to watch these three sledders getting after it. We moved from pocket to pocket of fresh zones destroying them along the way. To experience a day like this in Alaska with some of the most humble and respected riders was insane. And top it off with great snow conditions it couldn’t really get any better. The stars lined up for sure. When we look back we realize that days like these are so valuable in the memory bank. Another We rode this area for three days straight and never “best day ever”. crossed another track. Photo by Justin Befu.

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THE WILD WEST

THE SEARCH FOR POW

ROAD TRIP IN THE WILD WEST

PHOTO SCOTT MELLOR, JUSTIN BEFU, DEVIN EBRIGHT TEXT JUSTIN BEFU

Justin Befu sets his 174” Skidoo Summit on edge above an ocean of clouds. The Wyoming range is visible on the far shore. Photo © Scott Mellor.

THE WILD WEST

Devin Ebrights rig having a rest.

It was a dud of a winter across most of the western USA during the 2015 season. Ski resorts were shutting down in California, record low snow pack was reported in the Cascades of Oregon and Washington. Colorado was not much better off, but northwest Wyoming showed an above average snowpack in the mountains. A road trip to Jackson Hole was in order, in search of winter and more importantly, deep powder and great terrain to match. I was running as fast as I possibly could through the Salt Lake City Airport with my 50-pound Pelican case filled with camera gear. And I thought to myself, there is no way my baggage will make the connector flight back to sunny Lake Tahoe California. We had sat on the runway of the Jackson Airport for a while. It must be that fog bank that had the airport socked in. I had been visiting the Jackson Hole area for the last five days and had to go home unfortunately. Leaving was not by choice, because the snow we were riding in Wyoming was off the hook. I had reached out to fellow FXR team rider Duncan Lee to see what he was up to, because we had no snow in California. We both call California home, and it is now entering its fourth year of a major drought and is in serious trouble when it comes 98 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET 98 COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

down to water and resources. Duncan said he was heading to Jackson Hole in Wyoming. First to go teach an avalanche course, then spend some time with filmer James Cole, to get some time in for Alpine Assassins. But also to shred with local rippers Rob and Tim Hoff, Noah Evans and photographer Scott Mellor in Northwest Wyoming. – Want to go and meet up, Duncan asked. With out any hesitation and with low tide here in Tahoe, it was a no brainer. I told him I’m in. Alpine Assassins was started by Duncan Lee, Randy Sugihara, Ken Evans and Grant Korgan in 2008. They have produced five films in that time, and continue to push the sport through their passion for riding and all aspects involving the sport. Randy Sugihara is now the sole owner of the company and every season turns it up a notch. With more events, more riders, and more Alpine Assassins worldwide. I needed to find a partner in crime right away, so I called my buddy Devin Ebright. He had just gone with me the week before, on another mission in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. – Want to go shred with some insane snowmobilers in Jackson, I asked him. – Yup, he replied, and then it was a frantic day of calling all of my friends in the Jackson Hole area for couch space for us. Everyone I called had an

WE ARRIVED AT THE RIDGE CREST JUST AS THE SUNSET WAS KICKING OFF, AND SAW ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING COLOR SHOWS THAT NATURE CAN GIVE.

First ride in Idaho and Justin Befu is getting the road grime off from the road trip. Photo Devin Ebright.

extra room and space and was more than inviting. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cool to have a great network of friends in all little ski towns to stay with. It works both ways, as my doors are always open for the fellow shredder in Tahoe. Thinking I had spread myself a little thin, the game was on. We left Lake Tahoe on Wednesday eve and drove about 6 hours, spent the night, woke up early and did the rest of the drive. Probably 13 hours total. We were on snow riding deep, dry Teton powder by 2pm. A fast cure for what ails you after not seeing fresh snow in weeks. We met up with fellow guide Dan Pestorisi, and he showed us his backyard area outside of Driggs in Idaho on the west side of Teton Pass. We staged on the county road in the farmland of Teton valley, and rode up a narrow path through

some tight Aspen trees for a while. Just as my hands where getting tired from the lack of free riding, and the long trail in, it opened up to this magical glade of perfectly spaced trees and deep powder. As we ripped all around the zone, Dan pointed out the peaks and the range. And what and where would be good for us, and what to do over the next few days. We arrived at the ridge crest just as the sunset was kicking off, and saw one of the most amazing color shows that nature can give. At that moment, we knew this trip was already special. Riding down the valley with the magical red alpenglow lighting the sky, dipping turns from left to right while getting covered by your own spray is like a dream. And to look over to see your companions doing the same is so awesome. COPYRIGHT ÂŠ FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

THE WILD WEST

“RIDING DOWN THE VALLEY WITH THE MAGICAL RED ALPENGLOW LIGHTING THE SKY, DIPPING TURNS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE GETTING COVERED BY YOUR OWN SPRAY IS LIKE A DREAM.”

Jackson Hole “The last and best of the Old West.” The main ski run visible on Snow King is “Exhibition” and it is the uphill course for the World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb held every year at the end of March. Photo © Scott Mellor.

The next day we found a really fun place to go sled skiing with our host Dorian. He is a local ripping skier, whose passion is surely in the mountains. I decided to bump Dorian up after seeing grass growing through his snowmobile track. We had a great day shredding the Idaho backcountry, both on skis and sleds. Our plan had mainly been to meet up with the sled boys on the trip, so this day was a bonus thrown in. At daybreak the next morning, we saw that the clouds had come in pretty hard, keeping the area socked in. We packed up the truck and said goodbye to Idaho and hello to Wyoming, as we drove over Teton pass to the east side. As I was driving I got a text from Duncan saying that he had blown a part and was out of commission for a few hours. With a cloudy day overhead, we decided to just meet the next day. We made the best of our day though and met up with our town hosts and were shown around the town of Jackson. They live in one of the oldest and

infamous ski bum houses in Jackson, the Simpson house. It owns a lot of history and color in the town. Local mountain legends have come and gone calling it the home in the past decades. It was really cool to hear about the local history of the town. In the afternoon we geared up and went sledding in the mountains west of town. With a short little in, we were once again among open bowls and steep trees that you could play in forever. With good snow and good friends shredding the high, we had another great winters day. We decided to go out for Sushi as a well deserved meal. We had an amazing dinner that was prepared for us at King Sushi, where Jason King, Owner and local sledder, serves up the best Sushi in Jackson Hole. King Sushi resides in the original 100 year old Blacksmith’s cabin in the center of Jackson. The bar was hand crafted, made by a local ski manufacturing company, Igneous. It is essentially an Igneous snowboard core of maple and birch, made large. COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

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“UP AND AWAY WE WENT, AND WORKED OUR WAY THROUGH THE TECHNICAL RAVINE” Tim Hoff and his brother Rob Hoff, moved to Jackson Hole after some time spent in Steamboat Springs, after they had first moved out west from Wisconsin. They were upping their winter game and looking for the goods to match. They found the Duncan Lee, Tim Hoff and next level they were looking for on a road trip from Scott Mellor ready for action. the “Boat” to the “Hole”, and decided to move up to Wyoming. The next morning the plan was to meet up with Scott met Tim and Rob in 2003 soon after they Duncan Lee and crew at 9, at an awesome spot arrived in Jackson Hole, and they started riding outside of Jackson. Pulling into a turn out on the as a crew that winter. They were all on Polaris side of the two lane highway, we had no idea where at that point and they began cutting their teeth and what the plans where for the day except to meet on the deep powder, technical terrain, and the at this obscure parking lot. We drove past the lot at developing technologies of the modern sleds. As first and then turned back. There was only one truck they developed their skill sets, Tim and Rob started there and the only person present, turned out to be sending cliffs and upping the ante, and were soon Scott Mellor. being courted by film crews and acquiring sponsors. Scott is a mountain sports and lifestyle photographer Introductions were made all around, and before we that has made Jackson Hole, Wyoming his home fired up the sleds we talked about the game plan. the past 20 years. As a life long mountain athlete – OK, where are we going, I asked. Everyone just and resident of the region, Scott can be found pointed over and above our heads, saying “Up playing in the mountains year round, with his there”. I looked across the road and saw this terrain camera in tow. From October to June, that means trap of nasty death, with a visible sliver of single you will find him on his snowmobile, freeriding the track punching up the ravine into the clouds. technical terrain and slaying powder stashes all over – OK, let’s go, I said, with a little apprehension. the Yellowstone region of the Rockies. Boom, we were off, and ripped up the approach to Tim Hoff, Duncan Lee and filmer James Cole rolled the climb. Spacing everyone out a good distance, up within minutes. Our crew took up the whole just enough so that if you had to bail during the parking lot with big badass trucks and colorful sleds, sobering climb, and turn around, you could avoid a all wrapped. head on with the next rider pinning it uphill. If you 102

did head down, it was a pinball slide, on a “ain’t no stopping it” sled down the ravine until you came to a rest as the angle flattened out. We all went for it, one by one, and disappeared into the cloudbank that clung to mountain right at the crux of the climb. Up and away we went, and worked our way through the technical ravine, picking a line through the chaos of prior ascents and stuck ‘bomb holes’ of past riders. We all regrouped at the first bench we came to, before we had to keep climbing to get to the alpine zone. Up into the abyss they went, one by one they disappeared. Shit, I’ve got to go or get left behind, I thought as I turned my sled uphill and ripped up into the white out of the clouds hugging the mountain. We all made it to the next ridge line and followed that up into the clouds for a bit before we finally saw a peak pop out of the thinning cloud cover. We got to a bench and stopped to take a look around. We saw a beautiful sight for a second as cobalt blue sky, sunshine and peaks materialized in the

distance. Just then the cloud cover creped back over us and we were socked in again. We continued further along and up the ridge. When we had climbed to the top of the crest, we dropped into a steep treed out zone to snap photos and ride the deep powder. It was endless fun, but I was wishing I could see just a little bit or get enough light enough for a damn shot. We struggled all day with the clouds and lack of good light, but it was still so fun and deep that it didn’t matter about the shots. Watching Duncan and Tim carve the dirtiest of lines through unforgiving steep trees was very impressive. Not to mention the visibility was next to nothing. But boy the powder was deep and the riding was fun! Cruising down the way we came up from our trucks, the ride out was a roller coaster of descending ridgeline. When we came to the steep ravine, the crux of the descent, I was scared of the ‘fast as hell’, rocket ship of a down hill glissade. After I had made it to the bottom and had control over my sled again, with a bit of irony I decided to COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

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call the ravine the “poop chute”, and was stoked to be down in one piece and uninjured, along with the rest of my crew. We said our goodbyes to Duncan and James who were headed in the other direction. We made a plan to meet for beers and grub at “The Bird” just south of Jackson with Tim and Scott. While having a round of beers, and checking the forecast that promised a bluebird day in the morning, Scott told us that he had “the spot” for some epic shots. He said he had found and scoped out the location in the past year and that a sunrise session via a dawn patrol would produce some amazing images. I was flying out the next day at 2pm, so I wasn’t sure if I had the time to pull it off. I hadn’t been planning on riding again before flying home and thought the “poop chute” had been my last bit of riding for the trip. Scott and Tim assured me that we could get up high, have an incredible ride, take some pics, and be back down to 104

the lot by 10 am. They have been doing these early morning sessions before work for years. If I was going to get some bonus riding in and potentially capture some great images on a clear day, dawn patrol it had to be. So we made a plan to meet at 7am the next morning. The next morning we arrived at the gas station in the dark to meet up. With cold fog, clouds and snowing, I was wondering if we had made the right call. We drove out of town to a small pull out, unloaded in the dark and it was still cloudy. Oh well, we were here, so off we went. Within a few minutes we had lifted out of the heavy fog and we were riding above the clouds. We climbed to a crest of ridgeline in a clear sky, above a sea of clouds obscuring the valley floor below. It was light enough to see, but still minutes before the sunrise broke over Jackson Hole. You could see the sun light, building up behind the Gros Ventre Mountains, the eastern border of Jackson Hole.

WITH GOOD SNOW AND GOOD FRIENDS SHREDDING THE HIGH, WE HAD ANOTHER GREAT WINTERS DAY.

THE WILD WEST

Tim Hoff carves a line above Jackson Hole, as the sun crests the Gros Ventre mountain range during a Dawn patrol. Photo © Scott Mellor.

WITH THE MOST BREATHTAKING VIEWS OVER A SEA OF CLOUDS, THE SUN ROSE ABOVE GROS PEAK AND THE MOST MAGICAL DISPLAY OF COLORS AND ALPENGLOW LIGHT BEGAN We had a quick pow wow and Scott told us we were close to “the spot” he had mentioned. We could get there before the sun crested the mountains. I told him you lead, and I’ll follow. Scott took off in front and showed us the way through these real sneaky trees as we ascended to the top of a ridgeline and could go no further. As I looked up to check out “the spot” and the epic promontory we had arrived at, the sun was just starting to rise. With the most breathtaking views over a sea of clouds, the sun rose above Gros Peak and the most magical display of colors and alpenglow light began. We franticly explained the shot to Tim and off he went riding with style and grace. As the shutters snapped away, with Scott and I in different spots for the vantage of the angles, I thought to myself that once again I was fortunate to be in a place 106

that is beyond words. Thank you to the sport of snowmobiling, for sitting us on top of so many magical moments in life. The sun rose higher and that moment of insane alpenglow light were lifted. We put the cameras away, hopped on our sleds and enjoyed the fresh powder under the cobalt blue sky. The last thing I wanted to do was leave now, but with my flight in a few hours, I knew it was time to head down. Devin mentioned to me “better enjoy those powder turns, because you may not feel those again till you get to Alaska a month from now”. Ouch, I replied and dipped into the deep powder for a few more superb bonus turns on my ride out. We were back at the trucks loading up just after 10 as promised.

THE WILD WEST

On our drive out of Jackson to the airport, Devin had one more thing to show me. We turned down a road onto an Elk refuge and right out of our door were thousands of Elk. As we kept driving we saw lots of Big Horn Sheep and Antelopes too. Jackson Hole sure is a magical place. It is Americas Serengeti and I am 100% sure I will be back many times to experience the wildlife, the terrain, the snow and the friends I made here. Barely getting to the gate in Salt Lake City and being the last passenger to get on the flight to California, because my flight from Jackson was late. I dropped into my seat and thought about all the great people I had met on this trip. So grateful for the amazing times I had and the great people I met. Back to sunny Lake Tahoe California, and the best part is my luggage made it to! If you plan a trip to Jackson it’s well worth it!

INFO JACKSON HOLE LODGING Find everything from hotels, cabins, condos to guest ranches on this link: www.jacksonhole.com/lodging.html GUIDES Togwotee Mountain Lodge & Snowmobile Adventures www.togwoteesnowmobile.com RENTALS Leisure Sports Skidoo 800 Summit from $175 a day. SUV’s from $69 daily/$400 weekly. Hook trailer up from $15 a day. www.jacksonholefun.com PHOTOGRAPHER Scott Mellor www.scottmellor.com COPYRIGHT © FREERIDERMAGAZINE.NET

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