JH Snowboarder Magazine Issue 6 by Kristen Joy Design

ackson Hole JSNOWBOARDER MAGAZINE

COMMITMENT DEFINED. Trusted by Xavier De Le Rue, Summit Series gear from The North Face represents over 40 years of experience in the mountains. thenorthface.com

The North Face速 Snow Report

Valdez, AK // Photo: Tero Repo

04/14/10, 7:41AM Valdez, AK Photo: Jeff Curley

02/05/10, 8:02AM Silverton, CO Photo: Adam Clark

02/03/10, 3:13PM Jackson Hole, WY Photo: Jeff Curley

02/05/10, 6:14AM Silverton, CO Photo: Adam Clark

MARK CARTER CARTER COUNTRY CRYPTIC COLLECTION : : 速

Photographers Publisher/Senior Photographer Jesse Brown Art Director Kristen Joy Advertising Sales Michael “Fudge” Bills Copy Editor Pamela Periconi Cover Artist Bryan Iguchi

a.farm Elliott R. Alston Eric Balog Gus Booth Dave Cleeland Aaron Dodds Jeff Curley Wade Dunstan Chris Figenshau Ben Girardi Taylor Glenn Jeff Hawe Seth Herr Mike Jackson

Writers Stephen Koch Court Leve Willie McMillon Dave Meador Max Mogren Reid Morth Jeff Palmer Brandon Parrish Richiebeats Stephanie Peterka Terry Ratzlaff Angel Rodri Greg Von Doersten

a.farm Elliott R. Alston Owen Ashley Michael “Fudge” Bills Mark Carter Shawn Patrick Cooper Robert Cocuzzo Dani DeRuyter Nate Deschenes Adam Dowell Jason Elms Jim Evanhoe Wren Fialka Cam Fitzpatrick Jen Fox Jonah Fuechsel

Artists Steven Glass Jeff Hawe Bryan Iguchi Patricia Ireland Kevin Jones Jolene Keller Rob Kingwill Stephen Koch Jeff Kramer Melissa Larsen Brigid Mander Darrell Miller Jeff Moran Curt Morgan Reid Morth Willie McMillon

Duane Nardi Brandon Parrish Blake Paul Mike Parillo Sam Petri Dan Rodosky Shane Rothman Meagan Schmoll Ratty Sheidow Brody Thompson Dustin Varga Aaron Wallis Cam Walters Rafael Williams

a.farm Linsay Alexander Mark Dunstan Steven Glass Kelly Halpin Halee Heermann Bryan Iguchi Mike Parillo Emily Paul Kevin Peterson Meagan Schmoll

Photo: Jesse Brown

Table Of Contents Features

95 alaska Progression through the eyes of Dowell, Kinger & Jones. 101 the only way out is up The evolution of a renegade industry thriving in the Great Recession.

8 Behind the lens: Aaron Dodds Dodds is the man. 14 Scrubfest Wyoming’s finest festival for dirtbags. 18 first descent Dani DeRuyter stakes her claim as the first woman to snowboard the Grand. 22 living art In a house of lies, how do You define YOUR ART OF LIVING? 24 Pillow talk My objective is pillows, and it will be for years to come.

116 funblock films Four diverse kids brought together by snowboarding.

31 art of the pow slash Patience leads to rewards.

38 work release There’s something to be said for first impressions. 42 on nostalgia A look back into the sketchbook of Mike Parillo.

76 85

66 shredettes Ten Things A Girl Should Never Hit The Hill Without, a.k.a. The Shredettes’ Survival Guide. 76 queen of alaska Julie Zell hands over the reins to a new wave of women who are pushing the boundaries in big mountain riding.

85 positive vibrations The annual JHSM party sheds light on a dim winter. 91 chump bumps All work and no play in Silverton, Colorado.

136 Full Circle Stephen Koch reflects on his pursuits over the past 20 years.

144 10 years of storm show studios Darrell Miller celebrates 10 years of his ski and snowboard film production company.

52 You gotta get here The terrain, the wildlife, the people and the energy ... it’s a place you will drive hundreds of miles to get to.

82 NOWinka Words of wisdom from the fragile evening flower.

134 Just did it Everybody find an icon, study his or her techniques, and maybe achieve some goals you never thought possible.

139 Plywood and firewood A.farm’s annual dopeness.

50 Napkin Diaries Late-night confessions with Curt Morgan.

59 sleeping giant A fitting name for the little community-run ski area located just a few miles from the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

132 the lowdown JHMR becomes the 6th resort in the world to feature one of Burton Snowboards’ exclusive Stash Parks.

44 dobre hombres Bluebird’s latest flick. It’s all about the team.

54 “tails” of vanlanen RVL is 100% elk and salmon.

124 The Landing Pad Check out Montana’s first indoor ski/ snowboard ramp and foam pit. 130 what if the mayans were wrong? A story is only as good as the number of people who “like” it on Facebook.

28 Another Powder morning Comic by Kelly Halpin.

36 country music sucks If there is any chance in hell to save country music and change people’s minds, the Sumner Brothers are our saviors.

120 chronicled moments Implementation of new ideas is an alluring hurdle for all park and pipe crews to jump over every season.

114 122 DIVISIONs

local entrepreneurs 26 Dropping Next: Rainey Pogue 104 teton artlab An open exchange of contemporary ideas.

40 On The Front Line: Cover Artist Bryan Iguchi

106 raskol ink. Once upon a time, there was a girl who had a dream for hoodies. Those hoodies came into being under the name Raskol Ink.

64 Behind the Artist: MarK Dunstan 68 Semblance: Image Gallery

116

108 kp clothing Illuminating visions of the universe and beautiful women to create art.

114 Behind the Artist: Emily Paul

110 the spanky story How the lens cloth trail map was born.

122 Dropping Next: Jack Hessler

112 burgess Custom Making a statement with originality.

148 Thank you

Behind the Lens

Words By Mark Carter I was lucky enough to meet Aaron Dodds, a.k.a. Professor Daggs, a few years back through our bud, Drago. I mean, what do I say about a dude that has a mustache tattooed on his finger other than he has a hair-trigger finger? That thing is productive — from hanging on his upper lip to snapping some of the best pics published these days, he is a rad guy. Being responsible for my first cover, along with other editorial, he has helped me a ton along the way. He’s always a pleasure to be in the backcountry with, and he always has his shit dialed in. Just yell “drop” and he is ready. He’s mainly a soft-spoken guy, so when he talks, it’s usually something you should listen to. The only things I have ever seen him get pissed at are hippies and his flash. Dodds is the man.

Aaron Dodds

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Rider: Forrest Shearer

Rider: Adam Dowell

Rider: Scotty Lago

ScrubFest

Words & Photos By Reid Morth ScrubFest — Wyoming’s finest festival for dirtbags. “This sounds greasy already,” I thought to myself as I envisioned charging bootpacks on steep, snowcovered pitches, working up fresh batches of “fumunda” and digging deep in Teton wilderness pow on the long descents down. Last year, I was invited to tag along with Will Ritter, owner of Spark R&D Splitboard bindings, to attend ScrubFest 2010. ScrubFest was described to me as a gathering of dedicated splitboarders who have found a different and very fulfilling way to get fresh, untracked turns without the use of helicopters or snowmobiles. Here, seasoned backcountry splitters can access some of the best lines the greater Teton area has to offer, and Willie Nelson could very well be a serious presidential candidate. At the end of the day, riders retire to a cozy log cabin to sit around in all that seasoning they worked up, tell backcountry war stories and down enough Jack to singe nose hairs.

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Overall, ScrubFest was a great experience for everyone involved: good snow, good company, and a great place for young splitters and veteran peak baggers alike. Big thanks to Jeramie Prine for being a chief motivator for ScrubFest. With the number of splitboarders growing fast, the festival is here to stay, and I am grateful to have been turned onto it when I was. I can’t wait to watch it evolve in the years to come. This year, ScrubFest was made possible thanks to Prine, Spark R&D, Bomb Snow Magazine, Splitboarding.com, TREW Gear, Venture Snowboards, Pieps Avalanche Beacons, Voile-USA and Sentury Snowboards.

Sims© is a registered trademark of Collective Licensing International, LLC.

ScrubFest logged some memorable experiences — from a Radio Ron awareness breakfast with John and Tripp from TREW Gear to hanging with no-skin Glen and great riding. This was my first time doing any serious splitboarding and it was eye-opening: Laying lines through 3,600 vertical feet of untracked powder in spaced trees

landed smiles, hoots and hollers from everyone that partook. The freedom to ride anywhere and the adventurous uncertainty of backcountry riding are the backbone of ScrubFest. The lack of “powder panic” was refreshing, to say the least. No one had to stand his or her ground in a packed lift line, watching out for someone trying to snake “their chair,” nor at the end of the day did I have some powder jock claiming he just rode the sickest line of his life, and his turns were so epic, so gnarly, brah. Anyone with a splitboard got quality turns. With only a small handful of people for miles, it was easy to keep the turns steep, deep and untracked.

SIMSNOW.COM

PHOTO: AARON DODDS CRESTED BUTTE, CO

T R AV I S

RIC E

Over the past 15 years, I’ve witnessed my love for snowboarding expand from building booters on golf courses and backyards to the never-ending search for adventure within even the coldest, harshest days of winter. To start from the beginning, I’ve been a skier since the age of two, growing up in New England shredding groomers, tight trees and icy halfpipes. At 14, despite the reluctance of my parents, I made the inevitable switch to snowboarding. Alienated by my family as the only snowboarder, I felt blessed and knew I had found a lifelong passion — though I never would have imagined how snowboarding was going to impact my life!

become a stronger human being. I’ve also realized that part of my “fix” has transitioned in earning the turn, the tour to purity and fresh lines — it has become the search for EUPHORIA. Scorning moments of post-holing or slipping in a steep skin track, I still feel satisfied at the summit even before strapping on my board. Whether these mountains take my life or not, they have a piece of my soul. Once one of the rat-pack resort riders hunting fresh “inbound” lines, I’ve now taken it a step further by boycotting resorts altogether. I’ve found solitude in the quiet mountains that lie distant from town. Now my days are spent in search of satisfying this “thirst” for exploring the land less traveled, avoiding other tracks, all the while avoiding death, which might just be over the next open face. Call me a hermit, call me whatever you want, because I won’t hear it … I’ll be listening to trees creaking, wind howling through canyons, snow settling and the sound of my skins breaking trail in the fresh snow — not to mention my iPod jamming out to whatever bizarre mix I’ve concocted!

First Descent Words By Dani DeRuyter Photos By Max Mogren

Without realizing it, my life has revolved around the winter season. Storm chasing, searching for the “perfect” ski town, I’ve never not had snow in my life. Summers are spent climbing, enjoying bare feet and drinking beers in the grass with friends. Fortunately, here in Jackson, we are lucky to have the liberty to make turns in the Tetons all year-round for a mid-summer ski “fix.” Yet I’ll admit I’ve had fleeting moments of turning in my snowboard for a surfboard for more than the average off-season trip and, with friends laughing in confusion, I was left with them saying, “I told you so” … I haven’t been able to give up winter yet! There’s something about the mountains that consumes me, where all logic of being warm and cozy next to a roaring fire flies out the door. The desire to create an experience gets the better of me — and the experience of reaching a summit overcomes all comfort. The mountains hold a quiet, surreal beauty that is simultaneously chaotic. Away from civilization, safety and a steady paycheck, I have

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This has been a crazy road so far, but now that I no longer feel I have to “fight” for making turns, I’m at liberty to seek a more profound worth in doing what I do. The deeper I explore the mountains, the more I evolve as an individual. How can you not feel lucky when we are surrounded by some of the most beautiful terrain in the country? 3/11/10 is a day that separates itself from all other days I’ve snowboarded. It was on that Thursday that I unexpectedly made a little bit of history.

The Grand Teton had been on my hit list, and frankly, at the bottom … something to aspire to someday. I never thought that day would arrive so soon. I would catch myself staring at her snowy peak. My determination grew, and with that, my fascination. So my ski partner, Max Mogren, and I researched and studied the route as well as the weather. As we did, we kept coming across info on first ascents and a question mark following the first female snowboarder. Well, I thought, “It must be done!”

I was set for a long day, so my focus was on keeping my mind positive and making it a successful adventure. We attempted it on Tuesday, and at the top of Teepee Glacier, about seven hours in, the weather wasn’t exactly what we wanted, so we decided to bail, leaving most of the heavy gear for the second attempt. One day of rest and a very early morning start Thursday, we were even more pumped to head out. We had perfect weather and, 16 hours later when we reached the car, all I wanted was a bacon/avocado burger, a DQ Blizzard and maybe a couple of beers before passing out! I was so stoked to have bagged the peak on a personal level; it has become the catalyst in what is now a “laundry list” of peaks that I want to snowboard. Ski mountaineer Andrew McLean said it best in Backcountry Magazine: “If there was a drug that made people feel like they were drifting over a sea of unbroken powder on a clear sunny day with their best friends, it would be the most powerful stimulant on Earth.” Limping around work at Lowrider Boardshop the next day, I was just smiling away, daydreaming of doing it again! Throughout my time in Jackson, I’ve realized that this is one of the meccas for colossal thinkers and doers, where dreams breed, grow,

morph and, in most instances, become a reality. Over the past few years, I’ve met some incredible, life-inspiring folks. Not only has this place changed my whole way of thinking, but also being surrounded by extremely talented and motivating people has led me to become the romantic idealist I was meant to be. Here in Jackson, we are all kids who love to play. If you can be comfortable living simply, life is very easy. You don’t need it all — you don’t need new gear every year, a fancy car and all that junk mainstream society advertises. If you have a board, a couch to crash on and a fresh foot of snow on the ground, not much else matters, although I admit that I’m spoiled. But let’s define spoiled: I’m not rich, and I’ve recently given away or sold many of my belongings. I’ve been living in/out of my car for the past six months. My career has digressed from a salaried desk job to a waitress. But I have an amazing, supportive family and unbelievable friends that would be by my side in any emergency and a job that at times gets in the way of my life, but a job nonetheless in our dwindling economy.

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” —Henry David Thoreau To top it all off, I’m blessed to have found Jackson. Some have only read about and still can’t seem to fathom the winters we have had. Let them bask in their 4” days while proclaiming face shots; they don’t need to really know how good we have it! I haven’t lost the desire to explore and realize that I may never see all of the world’s beauty. That leaves me determined to experience as much as I can while I can. This land is here for us, and we need to RESPECT IT. So please be careful in the backcountry, be conscious of the conditions, know where you’re going, understand what and why you’re doing it, know your partners, and take care of the land we love. Be humble, because humility in the mountains will save your life. Playing in the mountains has allowed me to realize that we all have the ability to reach beyond what we think we can do, and in the end, actually conquer something we want to do!

What motivates The Artist to create? What will The Artist do when the portrait is complete? Will The Artist appreciate the creation or the creator? The portrait is not easy; it takes time and energy to build and create. At times, The Artist questions the very existence of the portrait and the power to create it.

ski • snowboard • skate • hike • snowshoe

There is an Artist who spends a lifetime working on a portrait. The Artist has learned that what is being created is permanent and will never be perfect. The Artist continually defines the portrait through circumstance and experience. The Artist has earned the culmination of the work on the portrait up to this point. The work of The Artist is never done.

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Through the growing pains, The Artist has found that what has been created is not for his or her pleasure alone. Overcoming fears and insecurities will define the portrait. The Artist has surrounded the portrait with a wall of righteousness, with the integrity to withstand forever. Wisdom and understanding are the tools learned to edify and strengthen, because for The Artist, the foundation is love and truth. The portrait shows layers of overcoming adversity. The power to create is destiny. When The Artist finds the meaning and the value of the portrait, the journey will be complete. The signature marks the legacy code that personalizes the portrait. The Artist is Living Art and the portrait of time is the masterpiece. Time: A portion of duration of a human’s life considered as having some quality or experience of its own. How do we spend our time perfecting our Art? What will be the pieces that affirm the portrait’s existence? Will the reflection of time have any regret? In a house of lies, how do You define YOUR ART OF LIVING?

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Pillow Talk

Words By Duane Nardi Photo By Dave Meador

I’m at the trailhead for another alpine start. There is one other truck in the turnout. The day’s objective is the subject of their conversation. It sounds grueling and worthy of admiration. I’m not sure they’d feel the same about mine. My objective is pillows, and it has been for some time now. I was born and raised in Montana, where I learned to ride at Bridger Bowl. My mom drove me to the hill every weekend in a Geo Prizm. We moved to the far northwest corner of Montana at the start of high school, and this is where my pillow obsession began. My local hill was Turner Mountain. At the time, Turner Mountain had one lift … the longest T-bar in North America, I swear. If memory serves me right, it was a 1,200-foot tow that dragged you up to nearly 2,200 vertical feet. An old bulldozer engine operated it. The Ts were rigidly attached to the tow cable and were heinously uncomfortable. Six runs in a day were an accomplishment. The hill wasn’t open on Saturday or Sunday, so the weekday pow would pile up for the weekend. Hidden north-facing boulder fields at Turner Mountain, that’s where I got my first taste of pillow lines. I’ll never forget the “buzz” of plinko-chipping down my first double-digit pillow stack. A day ticket at Turner Mountain was less than $5. But at that time in my life, five -24-

bucks was often saved for smoke or drink. On the days with no cash, we rode pillows and drops right off the road. The roads around Yaak, Montana, and the Kootenai National Forest were perfect for this when the snow was deep enough — easy access and minimal hiking. My friend, Sean, had an early ’90s Polaris Indy Lite that we’d ride double. It had a 339 engine with a short paddle track. Our range was limited, but so was our gas fund. Ultimately, that’s what it came down to: ease and accessibility. Don’t get me wrong — we rode groomers, built jumps and rode trees. But the lines formed by boulder fields and fallen trees were what we knew. Minimal hiking, no shoveling and FUN! Nearly two decades have passed since then. These days, the pillow stacks I ride are smaller and I ice my knees after long outings, but the obsession is stronger than ever. Google Earth lets me search for possible hidden pillow stashes … in August. I sold my sled years ago and now a three-mile splitboard approach for the possibility of pillows is par for the course. I’m lucky enough to live in a place with plenty of supply. Don’t believe me? Check out the Bluebird flicks (no plug intended). My objective is pillows, and it will be for years to come. When I dream of snowboarding, I see pillow lines in Alaska and Interior B.C. Sweet dreams. Mmmmmmm, pillows.

NEXT NEXT DROPPING

RAINEY POGUE

Major Accomplishments: •

2008-10 JHSC Female Snowboarder of the Year

•

2009 USASA’s Youth Women National Halfpipe Champion

•

2010 USSA’s Revolution Tour Women’s Halfpipe Champion

•

2010 “Queen Of The Wasatch” Park City, Utah

•

Multiple “Best Trick” awards (usually for her big, stylish frontside 5s)

Invited to Snowboarder Magazine’s 2009 & 2010 Launch events, as well as 2010 Miss Superpark

•

2009 & 2010 Invited to U.S. Snowboarding’s Project Gold training camp

•

2010 Featured in an episode of Fuel TV’s “New Pollution”

Tim and Stephanie Pogue’s deep roots in the snowboard industry — and affinity for live rock ’n’ roll — have obviously worn off on their daughter. When Rainey’s not shredding the mountain, she’s slaying a Flying V guitar in the Pogues’ band room. Rainey makes up one-half of The Decepticons, a two-piece, Transformers-themed heavy metal band she founded with drummer and JHSC teammate Jack Hessler (this issue’s other “Dropping Next” recipient).

•

2010 First female snowboarder featured in Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine’s “Dropping Next” column

Rainey’s 2010-11 itinerary will take her around the country as she trains for and competes in events such as the Revolution Tour, Grand Prix and U.S. Open. With her squad of supportive sponsors and relentless drive to be the best, it won’t be long before I’m asked, “So, who’s the next Rainey Pogue?”

Little-Known Fact: Rainey was hands down the toughest person on the Jackson Hole Snowboard Team, coaches included.

Being a snowboard coach in Jackson Hole, I’m frequently asked, “So, who’s the next Travis Rice?” I can only assume what people mean is, “Who is Jackson Hole’s next snowboard superstar?” In which case, all my money is on Rainey Pogue.

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Rainey’s Nicknames: • Princess Pei Pei • … And a few I can’t really mention here

•

“Rainey’s the one diving headfirst over the knuckle and laughing the whole time!” — Jack Hessler

Words By Jeff Moran Photos By JHSC Freeride Program

Rainey’s Sponsors: Ride Snowboards, Cappel Clothing, Smith Optics & Helmets, Bluebird Wax, Avalon7 and Jackson Treehouse

Growing up in a place that’s known for its big mountain terrain, Rainey is, oddly enough, making her mark on the snowboard world via the halfpipe. With only 15 years under her (shoestring) belt, Rainey, a member of the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club (JHSC), has already accomplished more than most competitive snowboarders can dream of. In the past three seasons, she has stood in the center of the podium at nearly every event she has entered, sometimes above women 10 to 15 years her senior. Her “all-or-nothing” approach has earned her numerous titles, a grip of prize money and, most notably, a spot on the U.S. Team at last year’s Junior World Championships in New Zealand.

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Art of The Pow Slash Words & Photos By Jesse Brown

est Shearer

www.quintinco.com

Mark Carter

A powder slash is something each one of us experiences every time the heavens decide to bless us with fresh snow. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an amazing feeling that will never get old and has singlehandedly made many people drop everything in pursuit of it. Rider: Adam Dowell

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We all experience it, and either hope to have a good friend close enough to witness it or we will surely be telling them about it later over a cold one. The problem is that there is generally one thing missing from the conversation: proof. There is something about a good slash that can be extremely frustrating and difficult to capture. Whether it’s the snow, the light or just a miscommunication, I can’t tell you how many opportunities have been blown on what was thought to be a sure thing. The winter of 2010 posed many difficult situations when it came to shooting and a common phrase that developed amongst our crew was, “Fuck this winter.” Although things did shape up toward the end, the beginning was filled with trials and tribulations that generally ended in failure — like two-hour drives to find nothing but low tide and a sketchy snowpack that looked uninviting, to say the least. There were days that we were so frustrated we would just pack it up and head home without even taking our boards off our racks. As the winter grew on, we couldn’t handle the letdowns anymore and decided to milk whatever we could from what we were given. We were able to capture some great moments and, surprisingly, some of my favorite powder slashes to date. I will never quite understand what makes shooting a pow slash so difficult. I guess the idea of pointing at a vast area of terrain and telling your buddy to slash “right there” leaves quite a bit of room for misinterpretation. Sometimes your buddy hits the spot perfectly and you don’t get the results you were hoping for. At other times, he misses the spot completely, and it turns out to be one of your favorite shots. It’s the “Art of the Pow Slash” that we search for, and it’s on those days of utter frustration that we must find absolute patience and sometimes allow the pow slash to find us.

Rider: Kevin Jones

Rider: John Makens

But I’m not here to talk about shitty country, or shitty rap for that matter. I’m here to tell you about two brothers who blew my fucking mind the first time I heard them. The Sumner Brothers. Brian and Bob. Two humble, down-to-earth young lads hailing from a little south of Vancouver, B.C. Armed with a guitar, a banjo, a harmonica, and some raw and convincing voices, these boys are here to tell you some good old-fashioned stories of life, pain, love and loss. If there is any chance in hell to save country music and change people’s minds, I believe these guys are our saviors. Please do yourselves a big favor and find this music. It will change your life. Or, at the very least, it might change your mind.

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The Sumner Brothers

People usually trip when I tell them I like country music. It’s no secret. I’m sure you hate it, too. Most people these days do. And it’s understandable. The country music exposed to the masses these days is total crap. It’s worse than the shitty rap I have to listen to.

Country

Music Sucks Words By Willie McMillon

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Cover artist Bryan Iguchi

On the Front Line

“The Cycle Of Winter,” mixed medium on oak I wanted this painting to represent a season in its entirety: cloud formation, settlement and meltdown. In the big scheme of things, a season is but a moment that builds and recedes again and again, such as waves breaking upon the shore from the beginning to the end of time. To translate this, I decided to use wood, adding a little rustic element to honor the roots of Jackson Hole. From there, it was creating an image and selecting -40-

colors that would tell the story of a season in one image. I used layers of blues and greens, diluted paint drips, spray paint and torched the natural wood grain to achieve this. After a lot of thought about it, yet with no sketches or maps, it was time to paint. I really enjoyed painting this piece; it flowed very naturally, and everything came together as planned. Prints of “The Cycle Of Winter” available at Asymbol.com.

On Nostalgia

Words & Illustrations By Mike Parillo

As much as I believe in the importance of living in the moment and working magic for the next, I find myself with my thoughts in the past pretty often. Some really good stuff went down back then. When I say “then,” I flash back to

For lack of a better term, I was a park builder. Back then, we had super-limited budgets, minimal cat time, shovels, ideas and chain saws. The reason for this was it was the first park ever that was run and built by riders. To these times I owe almost everything I have now, including my friends, my career and my happiness. Almost every season I talk about wanting to build some jump again but I never follow through. I still can’t help thinking of how fun it could be to create something here in Jackson. It goes without saying that we have one of the best mountains in the country producing some of the finest mountain riders, but why not have it all and pump out a historical crop of ultra well-rounded riders? This would take some sort of well-maintained, world-class “Town Hill.” Possibly they could even have night skiing. Last time I looked, we had a town hill, and last time I looked, all I saw was a blank canvas with crazy potential. So … I’ll leave it at this: Maybe some super-cool, super-wealthy visionary guy ready to buy a resort will see this and agree. If that’s the case, keep in mind I drew these renderings 18 years ago and I never stopped thinking about it. HIT ME UP, I’m easy to find.

Combo Tech board

The other two are even earlier drawings, most likely from the winter of 1992-93 when I found my first art in sculpture — ridable sculpture, but still sculpture.

www.lib-tech.com Travis Rice C2 Power Ba nana/C

The fact is, I’m enjoying the feeling of my age, and it feels even better when I look back and see that things changed around me and I had a hand in it. On this page there are a few pictures taken from my first sketchbook. For me, this book is the clearest way to look back into myself at that time. The coolest one for me is the drawing I did for my first-ever painting, “The Garden.” Looking at it takes me back to the very moment all that was happening around me and how awesome life was in its simplicity. But I’m not going to get into that story; the memory is mine and I don’t want to be that guy.

amber . Patent Pending!

something like 1992-98. It’s not really important to get into detail because I have my memories (as do all the other people I shared them with) so to try to explain any further would just be a story lacking the most important element: simply being there. It would also make me feel like that guy who never got over his glory days as a high school star ball player.

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Words By Brody Thompson Photos By Jesse Brown

“Dobre Hombres.” With a title like this, you may think to yourself, “Oooh, I bet it’s a short, artsy foreign film.” Or, “I’m pretty sure that’s the name of the weird Mexican porno my Uncle Chet showed me when I was 14.” Actually, it’s the name of the new snowboard movie by Bluebird Wax. “What does it mean?!” Unlike the double rainbow, I have the answer. It’s Czexican — a mix between Czech and Mexican, though Mexican isn’t really a language, but you get it. “Dobre” is Czech for “good,” and “Hombres” is Spanish for “men.”

The movie title was born out of the brain vagina of Willie McMillon, founder and owner of Bluebird Wax. Willie has spent a lot of time in the Czech area throughout the years. Growing up in Jackson Hole means he was also surrounded by a lot of neighbors who happen to be really tan and speak Spanish. So who else could create a new type of language? In translation, “Dobre Hombres” may mean “Good Men,” but through the eyes of Willie and the rest of the Bluebird team, it means “Good Dudes.” Trust me, “Dobre Hombres” could not be a more fitting title for this movie.

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When Willie first asked me if I was down to help make another snowboard movie, I then asked him, “Is a frog’s ass watertight?” After a quick Google search, the answer was yes, and it was on. From the beginning, we knew that we wanted to keep the production crew for the movie small and simple. The idea was to make filming quick, easy and as stress-free as possible for the riders. Naturally, we called up Jesse Brown, who Willie and I work and hang with on the regs. Jesse also happens to have an arsenal of video gear and is always willing to help out. We pretty much could not have made this movie without him. With the production crew on lock — Willie, Jesse and me — it was time to assemble the riders.

Rider: Mark Carter

Bluebird Wax is known for having one of the best lists of team riders — from legends Kurt Wastell and Bryan Iguchi to new team riders such as Sammy Luebke and Olympic medalist Scotty Lago. This also makes things a little bit tricky when it comes to shooting a movie.

Most of the riders are already obligated full-time to mainstream production companies. With the list being so big, we knew that we’d be pumped with whomever we could get involved. After a couple of phone calls, e-mails and around 173 games of HORSE in Willie’s driveway, we had a good idea of the crew we would be filming.

“Dobre Hombres” features Mark Carter, Adam Dowell, Guch, John Makens and the return of Kevin Jones. If you’re not sure who Kevin Jones is, you may want to switch from snowboarding to full-time rollerblading. The movie also includes some new faces like John Rodosky and Alex Yoder, with cameos from Forest Shearer, Chad Otterstrom and a grip more. Somehow we managed to get just about everyone into the movie. Surprisingly, the film is not a three-disc trilogy narrated by Al Roker; we’re going to save that one for next year. We were actually able to cut the movie down to a perfect time of around 25 minutes. Just short enough to end before you get all, “Duuuuude, this movie is so fuuuckkkiinnngg looooong.” We didn’t want that to be the case. With more of a “doc” feel, it moves along perfectly for the 102% of us with a short attention span.

Rider: Kevin Jones

“Dobre Hombres” is all about the team and includes a cool look at the history of Bluebird Wax, cattle branding at Carter’s ranch, a trip to AK, catching up with Jones and more. Of course, there is also insane snowboarding. Plus, it only took us blowing up two sled engines, one blown-out clutch, one rolled sled, one blown truck motor, a lot of F-bombs and snowpack that would give you nightmares to make it all come together. All and all, I could not have asked for a better crew. Everyone on the team has so much respect for each other and the mountains, and we want you to see and feel a part of that. In the end, the Bluebird Wax team really is dobre hombres.

Rider: Bryan Iguchi

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You Gotta Get Here Words By Jeff Kramer

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Jackson's Finest New York Style Pies and Slices

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Photos By Jesse Brown

I have driven the 850 miles from June Lake, California, to Jackson Hole every year of the past five years for the amazing snowboarding and snowmobiling the area has to offer. I have had quite a few adventures on these trips — and quite a few misadventures as well. For your entertainment, I have decided to write about the latter. Last winter, while driving out to Wyoming, the battery in my truck died just outside of Twin Falls, Idaho. Luckily, my friend, Colin, had been driving out with me in his own truck. We had pulled over on the side of the road to use the restroom. When I got back to my truck, it wouldn’t start. When I turned the key, it made this pitiful little screech, didn’t turn over and all my gauges went nuts. My truck has seen better days, but it had never stranded me in the middle of nowhere halfway through a trip before. Now, I am no mechanic, and the worst possibilities went running through my head. Colin started spouting off words like, “alternator this” and “transmission that.” Needless to say, I was worried: I couldn’t just leave my fully-loaded truck and sled on the side of the road somewhere. We had to get my truck started. We had to get there! Since we had parked on a slight hill, Colin and I tried to push-start it and pop the clutch. It almost worked, but the truck was just too heavy to push with only two of us. Finally, we tried jump-starting it. The truck started! However, the only way to keep it idling was to rev the engine and keep it above 1500 RPMs. Otherwise, the engine would die again. This was fine on the highways, but going from neutral into first was a little bit tricky and quite crucial.

Our plan was to see if we could make it those last 500 miles. We had to jumpstart it every time we stopped for gas, and I prayed it wouldn’t stall waiting at a stoplight. Remember when I said that my truck died just outside of Twin Falls? We rolled into the city just about 5 p.m. when everyone was leaving work, so the traffic was thick. If you have ever driven on Highway 93 through Twin Falls you know it is loaded with stoplights! All of the commuters and pedestrians were staring at me like I was a prick every time the traffic would come to a standstill, and I was forced to rev my engine. So I’m stressing, sweating, cursing at all the traffic and praying to whichever gods would listen that I wouldn’t make an even bigger scene by stalling in the middle of an intersection. It felt like forever in stop-and-go traffic. Finally, we hit the interstate. It was such a relief to get out of the city. Colin and I stopped only twice for gas on the rest of the trip in order to minimize the amount of times we would have to jump-start my truck. We also chose to buy the big Gatorade bottles with wide mouths for emergencies! With only one minor setback in Idaho Falls (wrong turn), good fortune would bring us safely to my friend Kyle’s house in Alpine, Wyoming. Even after a trip like that, there is no denying how amazing it is to be in Jackson. I am continuously reminded how special this place is. The terrain, the wildlife, the people and the energy ... it’s a place you will drive hundreds of miles to get to. It is like no other place on the planet. I feel truly blessed to be able to visit there every year, and if you have never been, you have got to get there!

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To say I was unaware of Ryan VanLanen before “the day that was” would not be completely truthful. I can say with certainty that I did not know him well and had no small amount of curiosity about him. So when he called in an early-up with my name included, I relished the chance to ride with him on a perfectly-buffed, Jackson-after-SW wind, 10-inch powder day.

Tails

of Van

On our first run, we “somehow” ended up sans the rest of the “film crew.” At this point, he informed me he had been thinking about doing S&S and that he hoped today was the day. “Shit, Self! What if this guy’s a hack,” I thought as I waited in the Corbet’s cave staring anxiously up at him teetering on the monolith of the looker’s left wall. “Umpf. Stomp! Wheeeoooowww!” Okay! “Shit! Let’s go jump off more shit!” We made our way to Filthy McNasty, where we were sure we would find ample precipice with softness below. Fact: On a powder day that line cannot be beat, and hopping your way down it with a strong rider of the opposite sex could be considered cheating if either of you is married, dating someone who can’t keep up or still sleeping with your ex. We had hucked. Now it was time to see if he could turn as well. Test piece: Ship’s Prow. Wind-rippled awesomeness revealed some very stylie turns. “Self, this guy is good.”

Lanen

Photo: Jeff Palmer

FEBRUARY 23, 2010 I, Darrell Miller, convince THE MAN, Ryan VanLanen, to embark on a mega-mission in the Grand Teton National Park backcountry, accessible via Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tram. Mission: Murphy Peak, west of Mount Hunt. Six hours one way, 3,500-vertical-foot climb, seven miles to the summit. 12-hour round-trip, 9,000-verticalfoot ascent/descent, 14 miles tram to car. Little did RV know what he was in for, having recently been inducted into the Storm Show Team for the 3rd Annual Gelande Quaffing (Beer Drinking) World Championships. Sunshine and fresh pow greeted the new day as we left the tram summit. Backside into Granite Canyon, skirted the wildlife closure area to avoid spooking the elusive bighorn sheep and summited Murphy Peak in late afternoon sunlight. Butter virgin turns for 3,000-plus feet into Granite Canyon darkness, back to the car in Teton Village at 8 p.m. with aid of headlamps. Mission half over … Second half of mission: practice for Quaffing Championships. At 10 p.m., RV pulls into Fitzgerald’s Bicycles in downtown Jackson, Quaffing practice site for Team Storm Show. Three hours of practice yields three cases of PBR down the hatch, complete with 360-grabs, double-fisted beer drinking and the infamous “pyramid” scheme. After an enormous day of backcountry riding and drinking, RV was drunk and exhausted, to say the least. -54-

Next day, Feb. 24, 2010: 3rd Annual Gelande Quaffing World Championships take place in Teton Village. Team Storm Show vs. “the best beer drinkers in the world.” Team Storm Show dismantles opponents one by one, with RV claiming victory before the final bell. Seems the GTNP mega-mission the day before prepped him well for the championship trophy. That is my RV tale. — Darrell Miller

PROTEIN TO POWDER RVL is 100% elk and salmon. Add that protein to powder and you got the best run in the lower 48 bashed up and every red jacket in the valley chasing the guy.

Broken Branch offered the right amount of avalanche danger and lack of tracks for our next endeavor. This time, he learned to trust me as I cut off a little pocket and successfully got out of its way. Ryan is the kind of guy who will tell you if you do well. Ladies lacking confidence, ride with Ryan. He will surely blow the sincerest of smoke up your puckered ass. What next? How about a Champagne lunch at Osteria? Yes, please. So, it’s getting on 2 p.m., the realtors have all headed into the office and there remains a lot of powder out there to be plundered. For our final run, we ventured into Jackson Hole Air Force domain with Robbie Kingwill in tow just in case there was any trouble with agro skiers and someone with a flac jacket was needed to look tough and scare them off. Plus, he rips. Was it deep? Did the sluff rain like water? Did those boys boost? WTF do you think?

Add protein to fuel and every green forest jacket can’t keep up to do their sticker checkup! OOHHHHH!! I think I will hush there. Oh yeah, keep your sports car locked up if you’re in the ski network. What next, RVL?

I’d like to give myself half the credit for the radness of that day, but in my mind, the tribute goes to the enthusiasm of a good bud who realizes girls love to ride, too. And the memory is strengthened by the abundant jealousy of my then-boyfriend and the knowledge that eventually, all things merge into one and an RV rides through it.

— Jason Elms

— Jen Fox Photo: Jesse Brown

I met RV about 10 years ago back in good ol’ Crusty Butt, Colorado. This was around the time he bought his first house — the kind that sits on top of a big red Dodge truck. Behind the Dodge was his new toy: an ’02 Summit 700 (now sitting in my garage, FSBO $600, 10k miles, needs work) riding on the tiniest beater trailer possible. Anyways, within a couple of years, we both coincidentally found the land of JH on our quest to ride more pow and bigger mountains. Despite all the good friends and fun times we had in CB, we immediately caught the contagious Teton attitude and have been here ever since. I was stoked to have a job with Park and Pipe my first year here, thinking I had the best pass job out there. RV had me beat. He got himself a quality cam right off the bat and was instantly on Miller’s film crew, getting on the early trams. Check out the resort website’s “Video of the Week” to see his waist-deep worksites. In just that first year, RV probably bagged more lines than many of us transients ever conquer. So every time I’m catching up with those friends from back in CB, I tell them how good it is, and tell them about all the jumps and jibs and pillows here. Then I tell them that I might as well be a gaper tourist compared to what RV is doing. I don’t want to say he’s a pow snob; he just wants his daily “heli” run. While I’m riding the inbounds’ late-day chop and rarely going past 2 South (GR), he can be found anywhere that you can’t find him … even when he’s not on Miller’s Island. Every time there is a huge dump, I’m so proud of my day until I catch up with RV and listen to his daily tale. Here’s a lil’ tale about why I ride with RV and also a tale of why I don’t! That first year here was a subpar snow year but ended with a decent run of snow. It was Gaper Day and skies were mostly socked in. RV had made a solo descent of Central recently and basically told me I had it “in the bag” if I wanted it. I’ll skip over details about our level of preparedness and the amount of partying done in the previous 24 hours. D Miller was on the next box and off we headed into the in-and-out fog. I was a little scared for sure, being that it was my first Cody experience and I was going straight to the cooler with a billy-goat rider and his apprentice. About 10 minutes from the top, God blessed us (me) with a “BOOM.” It was thunder close by, and we could all feel the electric charge on the tops of our beanies and weird cackling noises from the edges of our snowboards. I swear I could feel it in my mouth like a 9-volt battery when I said, “Maybe we should get off the top of this thing.” Thunder seemed like a legitimate excuse to bail, though I’m pretty sure RV and D would’ve stuck to the plan if I wasn’t there. Fast forward a few minutes and we are in zero visibility, and D is slicing the cornice entrance into Four Shadows in hopefully the right spot. Off he went into the abyss, and I was next, ready to jump anything just to get off the peak. I met D down in the flats. The run was probably the steepest, deepest, no-visibility run I’ve ever had, and we waited for RV for a few minutes wondering what he was doing. He came down and simply said he had to take a piss and then answer a cell phone call. Fast forward another 2 hours and we are many PBRs deep, doing gondi laps, D has the boom box on his shoulder with heavy metal blastin’ and RV is wearing his one-piece vintage snowmobile outfit, riding the inbounds. I don’t remember what happened after that, but I know I heard some tales of what he did that night, then what he rode the next day and so on until present. Shane Rothman —

Photo: Jesse Brown

Words & Photos By Jeff Hawe Historical Photos Courtesy of Sleeping Giant Ski Area Sleeping Giant is a fitting name for the little community-run ski area located just a few miles from the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. From its inception in 1936, making it one of the oldest ski areas in the United States, to its recent reopening just last year, Sleeping Giant has weathered harsh Yellowstone winters strongly for decades. Ski areas like this are important pieces of the winter culture many of us live and thrive in. They are essential parts of the history of the formative generation that put roots in the ground, allowing snowboarders and skiers to enjoy what is now a commonplace activity. Sleeping Giant was a pioneer, long since overshadowed by mega resorts. Upon first impression, the stark contrast between the ski hills of yesteryear and the resorts of today is apparent. When I arrived late in the evening of Jan. 25, 2010, the hill was nearly impossible to find in the icy darkness. There was nothing more than a dated U.S. Forest Service sign announcing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ski Areaâ&#x20AC;? on the side of the road to signal arrival. The base lodge is unpretentious and vacant midweek. Two lifts service the 183 skiable acres of gladed trees and rolling groomers. I found the hill to be just to my taste and reveled in the absence of big-ski-hill tendencies. Good things like a new sun deck are celebrated here, and aprĂ¨s is as simple as a PBR on the new amenity.

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Sleeping Giant is open to the public Friday through Monday, but was excited to host us midweek. Our crew had come to spend three days riding the new park built by Joe Pope and anything else the mountain had to offer. The mountain had plenty to offer, from the park to plentiful transitions for jumps. Their typical 300 inches of average annual snowfall had yet to arrive, so our plans for powder jumps were looking bleak. Not discouraged, shovels and a snowcat were set to work scraping snow together to jib all we could come up with in the three days. The highlight sessions took place nightly on a wall-ride of unique construction. A wooden wall led up to a replica of an old western Colt 45 pistol placed on top of the wall for lip tricks on the barrel. The entire thing is built of recycled wood logged from within SG boundaries. Trees killed by pine beetles have been turned into a jib park in the forest, effectively creating a one-of-akind terrain park. Rider: Jason Robinson

Without the usual distractions that surround resorts, there was ample time, energy and focus to ride, as well as to learn the history of our surroundings. In 1924, the Red Star Lodge and Sawmill was constructed across from where SG now sits. The establishment doubled as a lumber mill and dude ranch, attracting guests from around the country. It now operates seasonally as the Shoshone Lodge. The Red Star outfit started a ski area in 1936, creating a winter recreation spot for workers and guests. In 1938, the location was moved to its current spot, and the name was changed to Sleeping Giant, taken from the towering rock formation just to the north. Under that title, it ran smoothly until 2004, when financial troubles caused an interruption of operations. Things started to come back together in 2008 for SG, when the state promised a $500,000 grant if the local people of the Big Horn Basin could raise the other needed $800,000. In a shining example of community support, the money was raised. SG aims at continuing to provide winter recreation and business opportunities along the North Fork Highway (20-1614) since Yellowstone Park roads are closed in the winter months.

Rider: Kevin Fischer

Rider: Jeremiah Favara

From our rustic accommodations in the Shoshone Lodge, we would fire up and make our way uphill morning, afternoon and night â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a simple harmony that was rather delightful and hard to part ways with when our time there was through. It started to make sense why Sleeping Giant exists in this unfrequented corner of Wyoming: The peacefulness that comes only in the winter months keeps people happily returning to the ski area. On my departing day, the resort was open for business, effectively giving a glimpse of the local scene. Denim-clad troopers from local ranches took to the hill next to seasoned ski bums, happy to be in their personal paradise. All were there simply to enjoy the act of sliding on snow. It was a different scene from the fluorescent-draped crew that had been storming the hill the night prior, flashbulbs popping and video rolling. In this comparison, a warm realization was apparent: The joy of snowboarding transcends to any demographic. Places like Sleeping Giant will always persevere in the snow world. They focus on providing what people need to have a great time, and leave all the other nonsense aside. If riding a small hill like this is something you have yet to experience, then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to pack up the car and take a road trip to see what you have been missing out on.

behind the artist -64-

Imagine, if you will, a world of surreal landscapes populated by apes, beautiful women and angels. It’s Mark Wahlberg starring in “Return to Beneath the Planet of the Apes.” Shhh — if you listen closely you can hear Charlton Heston rolling over in his grave. No, I’m referring to the work of Jackson artist Mark Dunstan. Dunstan uses a variety of classical techniques including mixing egg tempera using pure powdered pigment. The tempera is combined with collage and drawing on panels, resulting in work that, while small in scale, is wonderfully complex. The work references classical antiquity both in Dunstan’s use of tempera and the religious iconography combined with the ape motif. Dunstan says the recurring use of the ape in his work symbolizes something primal and instinctual. It’s more than overt symbolism that makes these small paintings so compelling: The figures exist in the context of a fanciful and surreal landscape. Think “Temple of Doom” on a cloud or jagged, rocky hillsides dissolving into abstraction. Dunstan also is an accomplished silk screener and part of the local clothing design label formerly known as Anomaly Farm. Like the rest of Jackson, Dunstan is an avid snowboarder. Riding is like art in that one exists in a moment of pure experience — a moment of gestalt, where creation becomes instinctual and intuitive, a completely fluid process much like carving down a slope.

Growing up in the South, women were held to a very different standard than that of the shredette. While young girls in Jackson were learning toe-side turns, I was learning how to set a proper dinner table. Presentation and “lady-like” behavior were key if you wanted to “be someone,” which was code for “marry right.” I didn’t really buy into the whole debutante thing —although I was one — so I headed West.

Shredettes

Words By Patricia Ireland Illustration By Linsay Alexander

Tampons: Even if you don’t need one, you never know when someone else will. Good karma and female camaraderie go a long way. The applicator-less “bullets” are easily stashed in the cargo pockets of your snow pants. No one should ever have to cut a shredtastic day short ’cause Aunt Flo popped by.

1.Chapstick: Nothing says

2.Camera: Boys say women are vain, but how many “sick … epic … gnar!” pics have you had to look at of them (sorry, boys). Take your own! Get some chicks, build a kicker and put the boys to shame — because not only are you shredding, you also look damn hot!

9.A Good Bra: Saggy boobs are also best left to your greatgrandma. Those puppies need support! Whether you’re ripping powder or cruising groomers, you want your focus on your riding — not the jiggle.

Save the wrinkles for your greatgrandmother! We now know that prolonged sun exposure is not only bad for your health, but also your beauty. Goggle tans are cool and all, but cancer and wrinkles are not! Protect your skin! Plus, the moisturizer will give you a youthful glow and help shield your skin from windburn.

In a tribute to my Southern roots, I present to you “Ten Things A Girl Should Never Hit The Hill Without,” a.k.a. “The Shredettes’ Survival Guide.”

sexy like full, luscious lips. Keep yours sexy by moisturizing and protecting them from the harsh winds. SPF is a plus!

10.

8. Moisturizing SPF 15 (or more):

But who’s to say that women snowboarders can’t have the best of both worlds? Beauty and badassness, class and sass …

Water, Water, Water!! Beauty comes from within — literally. If you are dehydrated, it will show on your skin. Help your complexion, and your riding, by drinking at least 64 ounces of water on days when you aren’t active, and more on days when you are.

7. 6. Passport: Always be

prepared in case some sexy pro boarder wants to whisk you away to Switzerland or for when your posse plans a heli-ski trip to Canada.

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A SMILE! Never leave home without it. Even if you spend a lot of time on your ass, you will exude “badass, rad chick” as long as you have a good attitude and have fun!

Style! (for your hair): Pulling your hair back, be it a braid or two, a low ponytail or a half ponytail will help protect your luscious locks from the harsh elements. Wherever you head after the hill, simply take it down, shake, lightly run your fingers through your hair and voila — you are ready to go!

4.A Little Bling! Steezy goggles, a flashy belt, glitter — whatever! Take your otherwise unisex snowboarding look and give it a touch of femininity. There is some über-functional yet super-cute gear out there and a lot of it is designed by some pretty rad chicks! If you’re set on gear, toss a glittery pin on your goggles. You’d be surprised what feeling girly will do for you.

Semblance -68-

Photo: Jesse Brown Rider: Bryan Iguchi

Photo: Ben Girardi

Photo: Aaron DOdds

Rider: Jeff Moran

Rider: Travis Rice

Photo: Jeff Curley Rider: Alex Yoder

Photo: Terry Ratzlaff

Photo: Jeff Curley

Rider: Blake Paul

Rider: Kevin Jones

Words By Ratty Sheidow Photos By Greg Von Doersten

When I spent my first winter in Jackson Hole seven years ago, I kept hearing about this legendary badass snowboarder named Julie Zell. The stories were big, her achievements were big, and I have to say that I was slightly intimidated to meet her at first. I imagined her to be some 6-foot-tall Amazon woman who was built like a tank and ate tiny snowboarder chicks like me for breakfast. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Turns out, I learned you don’t have to be big and burly to be brave. Julie is an extremely smart, athletic and passionate person who deserves high praise and recognition for her contribution to women’s snowboarding. I have been fortunate enough to get to know Julie; she has become my friend as well as my mentor, so to have this chance to write about her career is an honor.

Julie’s snowboarding legacy has been as diverse as the sport itself. Her results and achievements are a true testament to her talent and passion for the sport. After four seasons racing giant slalom on both the World Cup and ISF (International Snowboard Federation) circuits, she moved on to a successful X Games Boardercross campaign before starting her journey to become one of the pioneers of women’s big mountain riding. Her name is now synonymous with slaying Alaskan big lines and riding nail-biting steeps in the Verbier extremes. No matter which way I put it, the woman is ballsy but also very smart. Her calculated decisions and level head have allowed her to stand the test of time in the mountains and in conditions that can prove deadly.

Julie’s competitive big mountain snowboarding career consists of numerous titles: She won the big mountain snowboarding event at the Gravity Games; was the Queen of the Hill Extreme snowboard champion in Valdez, Alaska, three times; and has conquered the other side of the globe by winning the illustrious title of Verbier Extreme Champion. Julie’s performances in competition have commanded the respect she deserves. Adding to her impressive list of snowboard accolades is a library of filmography including Teton Gravity Research’s “The Continuum,” “Harvest,” “Uprising” and “Further,” as well as Warren Miller’s “Ride” and “Cold Fusion.” She is known as the burliest female rider of them all, taking sickly-steep lines and making first descents in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains, as evidenced in the TGR films. Julie has truly put her stamp on big mountain snowboarding in Alaska. Along with the impressive Queen of the Hill titles that go with the kick-ass broad swords on her wall, the photos of big lines she has ridden over the years constantly blow me away. It took someone like Julie with her years of experience, high skill level and confidence to put women’s big mountain riding on the map.

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ueen of Alaska

The North Face Masters of Snowboarding, recognizing Julie’s valuable knowledge and expertise, have made her one of the judges on their yearly tour along with fellow snowboarding legends Temple Cummins, Andy Hetzel and Tom Burt. To have a role model with Julie’s experience to look up to and learn from has been valuable for both the female and male competitors. Although she can sometimes be tough with her feedback, she is generous in sharing her experience with the competitors — and she has an awesome way of putting things into perspective for the rider, which is a valuable skill when judging. Competition can be tough, but no one understands that more than Julie.

In April 2010, after a 10-year absence, we saw the return of the legendary King of the Hill World Freeride Championships as part of the Tailgate Alaska Festival (with huge thanks to Mark Sullivan and Nick Perata for their hard work and passion). Big mountain snowboarding competitions have been making a comeback over the last few years — the increasingly popular North Face Masters of Snowboarding series, the World Freeride Tour plus World Freeride Qualifier events and the World Heli Challenge in New Zealand — so it was only fitting that the original big mountain snowboarding contest should return and take center stage. Founded in 1993, The King of the Hill Snowboarding Contest not only put the Valdez snowboarding scene on the map, but it helped define an era of the sport. A return of the King of the Hill saw the return of Julie Zell to Valdez to inspire a new generation of hopefuls and to judge the 2010 King of the Hill Event.

While in Valdez, I had the opportunity to share a day out in a helicopter with Julie, which I admit made me nervous since I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure what the hell I was going to be taken down after Julie and our guide started throwing out zone names that sounded like titles of horror movies. What was awesome was that I had only ever seen Julie riding inbounds and instructing at Jackson Hole. I knew she was good, but I really had no idea. When Julie took off down the slopes that day, she owned them with a strength and a confidence that made me stop in my tracks and drop my jaw. I got it, I really did â&#x20AC;Ś this truly was her domain. As the judge of both the North Face Masters events and King of the Hill, Julie hands over the reins to a new wave of women who are pushing their boundaries in big mountain riding. I will say, though, that Julie Zell is in no way stepping down as the Queen of Alaska: Take a heli ride with her one day, and you will see that she is, and always will be, the Queen of AK.

Photo: Gus Booth

: a k n i w No

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Dudeu,sly. serio

567 W. Broadway • 307.732.0299 • www.JHWeekly.com

The month was January in Jackson Hole, and the morale in and around town was at an all-time low. The economy had shit the bed — visitors canceled trips, locals talked about moving from the place they loved and, to really piss everyone off, there was no fucking snow. You see, by this time of year everyone in Jackson is usually hitting their stride, hotels and lift lines are full, and we are all coming down from the bliss that falls from the heavens usually around Christmas and New Year’s time. This year was different, and the normal holiday jolly was replaced by bad attitudes and dry slopes. Fortunately for everyone, including myself, it was a new year and that time of year when Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine holds its annual release party. Over the years it has become known for its hooligans, shenanigans, crazy antics and most importantly, a really good time. The timing couldn’t have been any better. In previous years, this annual event was held in a hotel located on the southeast side of town. Due to technical difficulties, the JH Snowboard Mag team decided it was time to change venues and move the party to the heart of downtown Jackson to the world-famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Always looking to please the masses and always making sure that the party has something for everyone, the music lineup included indie acts, rock acts and, of course, my personal favorite, hip-hop. Kicking off the night was local sensation and up-and-coming indie artist, Rotating Superstructure. Now, I’m not just saying this because these young lads played the party, but if you haven’t heard these kids, you should. And if you pay attention, you will — they will be famous, they will be on MTV and you will be hearing them on your favorite radio or XM stations. So remember, when you’re making out with your girlfriend in the backseat of some VW Vagabond, just pause for a moment and recall that you heard it here first.

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As Brother Ali went into his next track and spit his magical and uplifting lyrics to the crowd, a certain crowdgoer quickly became impressed. Deciding he was going to attempt to take the stage and join Brother Ali in a little hip-hop duo, this brave soul secretly made his way to the stage. After a moment of confusion, Ali quickly stopped the show, ran to catch the mystery man and invited him to join in on what might have been the most epic performance in Cowboy Bar history. Starting with a freestyle introduction, Ali announced Justin Timberlake and the madness soon began. With a surprising and funky beatbox sound, Timberlake let loose his raw Tennessee flow, and Mr. Ali was sure to follow suit by flipping a lyric to match every one of those raw and dirty beats.

Rolling along with the night and keeping with the indie rock vibe, next on stage was Portland, Oregon’s The Silent Numbers — a kick-ass band that drove most of the night in a van packed to the gills with equipment, beer, a crazy New Yorker named Kid Vicious, a bottle of Jack and God knows what else. These four gentlemen, and I’m using that term very loosely, brought the heat with a harder, more raw rock sound, ringing the eardrums, loosening up the crowd and preparing them for the second half of the evening. At this point in the night, the capacity was to the max and the hip-hop portion of the evening was about to begin. Traveling all day from New York and actually being the last flight to leave LaGuardia airport before US Airways Flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson River, the JHSB team brought back Nacirema for the fourth straight year. Always giving their best and adding a few new pieces to their well-polished act, El Gant and J. Blanc added Brown Bag All-Star DJ Element, a.k.a. Joey Montana, and new guitarist and sound guru Stevie Buttafuoco. Hyping up the crowd as always, and opening the door for the main act, Nacirema brought that intellectual raw NYC sound and rocked their favorite crowd once again. Now, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Wow, what a fucking party!” Well,

you’re right, and to be honest, I was thinking the same thing. Fortunately for you, me and a crowd of 600 people, the party was just getting started. It was now time for the main act to take the stage and for the real craziness to begin. You see, while planning this event and taking into account that the winter and the morale was starting to turn out to be one of the worst on record, conversation usually entailed, “We need to bring someone positive, someone uplifting, someone to shine some light on our dim situation, someone who will leave a lasting thought in the minds of our supporters and someone who will provoke them to bring positivity to the world and reverse this negative vibe that is hanging over our beautiful town.” So needless to say, we found our guy and next on the stage, making history as one of the first hip-hop artists to ever perform at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota … it’s the one, the only, Brother Ali and BK-One. With chants of “Ali-Ali-Ali-Ali” coming from every partygoer in the Cowboy and the anticipation of Mr. Ali taking the stage, BK-One broke into the song “The Preacher” and the magic quickly began.

“

We need to bring someone positive, someone uplifting, someone to shine some light on our dim situation, someone who will leave a lasting thought in the minds of our supporters.

”

While letting loose an amazing flow of intellectual rhymes, Ali turned the game to JT, with his own version of Minnesotastyle beatboxing. Surprised with the turn of events, JT happily obliged and let loose with his own lyrical freestyle performance, dropping into a turntable rendition of MC Lyte’s “Cold Rock A Party”! With everyone absolutely going insane, it seemed at this moment in time everything changed, time stopped, everything was moving in slow motion and all the negativity that had been surrounding the world and our precious town abruptly came to an end. After this crazy freestyle session, JT rejoined the crowd for some adult beverages and gave the spotlight back to Ali and BK-One. Stoked on the turn of events, The Preacher continued with his set and blessed the crowd for the rest of the evening, sharing more of his insight and love for humanity. It was almost like a Christmas story in January: Winter had finally arrived, positivity took over the crowd and seriously, if you looked outside, it actually started to snow. It just goes to show when a large group of people comes together, the possibilities are endless, the tides can change, and epic moments usually occur. So take this lesson of positivity, unity, love and a common bond that brings us all together, and let’s make it a point to create and come together more often. With more events like this, who knows what can happen — my guess is only more good things.

Go Beyond The Usual.

premium vanilla liqueur with citrus essences

Hope to see you this year!

“

It seemed at this moment in time everything changed, time stopped, everything was moving in slow motion and all the negativity ... abruptly came to an end.

START CHILLED. FINISH RESPONSIBLY.

chump Bumps Words By Nate Deschenes Photos By Jesse Brown

People seem to think that because I am the Senior Editor at Snowboard Magazine, I have all kinds of important shit going on. Rarely do I say anything to dispute it, either. But the fact is, I don’t even know what a Senior Editor does. I just gave myself that title a couple of years ago when no one was looking. Surprisingly, it stuck. So I let people go on and assume that my time is supervaluable. I do this because beyond my general dislike of speaking to others is a greater disgust for actual work. Before I got to know Jesse Brown, this is what I let him think. I mean, he had offered me a total of zero money to do a couple of stories one time. Dude, I’m a senior editor. Then a funny thing happened. By chance, I found myself sharing the backseat of a helicopter with him in Silverton, Colorado, taking lap after lap of free runs all day.

As is tradition, I hop in the car immediately following my last shitburger, or “industry commitment” as some call it, and drive wherever it’s dumping. Eager to get back on my board and scrub the maggots off with some steel wool, or maybe a light bleach solution, most years I go to Canada. This year it was Silverton. I chose Silverton because I had been talking with my good friend, Johan Olofsson, about hooking up for some pow as we try to do every winter. He suggested I accompany him to down there where The North Face was having a photo shoot for a few days with some select riders. It was the perfect fit: I was already in Colorado, and I could pick him up in Durango on the way to the San Juans, my favorite mountains in all of the state. En route from Denver, I picked up “The Swede” at the airport in Durango, and we made our way into Silverton the next morning in time to see the rest of the crew at the coffee shop. It was Mark Carter and Jesse Brown, along with Aaron Dodds, shooting photos. Dodds I knew; I hadn’t met Carter yet, though we had spoken on the phone before. Same with Jesse, or so I thought. “Hey, I’m Jesse Brown,” he said. “Oh, cool to finally meet you,” I replied.

It all happened the week after the Snowsports Industries America (SIA) trade show in Denver this past season.

“Actually, you did a few nights ago in Denver but I knew

you would never remember,” he said with a laugh. “Nice,” I thought. How many industry fags do I meet each year that I will never remember and, in turn, for reasons unbeknownst to me, have an awkward relationship with the rest of my life? Bonus networking, I call it; better than an e-meet, I suppose. For the record, I was invited on this trip for work, but not really. The North Face had basically dropped some cash on Silverton with two agendas: one, get a couple of their riders together to guarantee some shots for promo and catalogues; and two, it was a chance for some of the guys who worked at TNF to get out of the office and ride powder for a week. How I got in, you ask? Simple. Look for a way to satisfy both The North Face and Silverton Mountain through various media packages like a Web feature or something similar. All said and done, this would probably take a couple of e-mails and a solid hour of writing — not the hardest deal to accept. And by accept, I mean initiate. To be completely honest, I just kind of showed up to see what might happen. I think Brown did the same. So to say we were invited? More like included. We included ourselves with a level of importance respective to our professions. In other words, this entire production The North Face spent months setting up probably wouldn’t get done without us. We were the missing link, the Xfactor, if you will. Only they didn’t know it yet.

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Day one was filled with serious on-slope unproductivity, with a crew of eight or so fumbling through entire zones devoid of any game plan. So later that evening, over some juicy prime rib, it was decided that the crews should be split up accordingly. How this worked ended up being rather advantageous for someone like me who was looking for nothing less than powder runs down large mountains for free. One group was the photographers and riders, and another was the North Face suits and anyone else that wasn’t vital to the athletes and their photo/video needs. While I was bummed not to be riding with Carter and Johan that second day, I can’t say I was disappointed. I know how photo shoots work: Lots of sitting around setting things up, lots of trying to stay warm and lots of weed, cigs, piss graffiti, animal pestering — anything you can do to pass the time, really. On the way to Silverton Mountain that morning, thoughts of uncertainty started to make their way around as the lead guide and top dog at TNF were having serious discussions — logistical uncertainties, I could only suppose. When the news came down that there might not be enough room for a couple in the crew, it was clear who that couple of people were … not Carter and Johan. Not to bore you with heli-op protocol, but it ain’t cheap and if it don’t work, you ain’t gettin’ on. Wouldn’t have been the first time. Contrary to popular belief,

Snowboard Magazine doesn’t outfit me with a heli budget each year. Then, something magical happened and somehow the guys from TNF went out of their way to make sure me and Brown got on. In fact, it turns out we got on the group with the suits, and their only concern was getting as many drops as possible. To elaborate on the rest of our day would only make me sound like a pompous asshole, but we got double the bumps the guys filming did, easy. I have to say I was impressed with The North Face and the way they handled that, furthering my personal agenda and all. I will also say how impressed I was with how those office folk got after it. Thanks, guys. As for the rest of the trip, I could talk about Carter chucking dynamite under Silverton Mountain’s “fast and loose” policy of operation, or how Johan still is reigning champ of “most unfilmable snowboarder alive,” but that’s not really what I remember. What I can say is that under circumstances that aren’t likely to repeat themselves anytime soon, I made a pretty good friend that day. There’s your goddamn story, Brown. And if you think that friend is you, well, sorry guy — it was whatshisface, our guide Striker or Skylar or something. Now if you don’t mind, I have some important things to take care of … stuff you couldn’t possibly understand.

How this worked ended up being rather advantageous for someone like me who was looking for nothing less than powder runs down large mountains for free.

Alaska Progression through the eyes of

DOWELL

KINGER

JONES

There are few things I have come across in my life that could truly make me jiz in my pants. One being the first time I ever touched boobs as a young lad, the next being the time Bryan Iguchi told me he scored me a free trip to Japan, and the third was this past spring when our crew rolled over Thompson Pass into Valdez, Alaska. Growing up in Jackson, it has been easy to become confident in the fact that we have the best terrain around, but … that is “in the lower 48.” Little did I know the hype was so true of our Nordic comrade state up north. I’ve always heard from people who have ventured up there how amazing it is, and yes, I’ve seen the footage. I had never been there though, so I figured you needed a billion-dollar heli budget and a major film crew. How naive I was.

Three years ago, I ventured up to Valdez, Alaska, to try my hand at riding the legendary Chugach Range. Mike Basich and I camped in the back of a rented U-Haul for 3 weeks, freezing our asses off and having a blast playing in the mountains. At that time, there were a few other brave souls standing around in the ABA parking lot waiting for the clouds to clear with us, but not many. How things have changed. That year was the beginning of Tailgate Alaska, an event organized by Mark Sullivan where riders are encouraged to camp on Thompson Pass and hike, sled and heli into one of the “greatest arenas in snowboarding.” What started out as about 15 diehard shredders camping in their cars on the pass and sharing stories of their adventures in the mountains around a campfire has turned into a full-on event, complete with frenzied media, North Face banners and Red Bull tents.

The word “Alaska” fills my head and body with so many emotions. It makes hair stand up on my arms. No other place in the world has allowed me to experience so much joy, camaraderie, wonder and absolute fear. Everything is so big: crevasses; grizzlies out of hibernation; helicopters that won’t start; avalanches; Tundra wookies; sluffs the size of Omaha, Nebraska; late nights at the pipeline (before it was an après ski destination); fried food; 2 weeks of downtime in a row; wind (we spent a month in Skagway, which literally translates to “where the North wind begins”); cornices the size of apartment buildings; and average snowfall of over 600 inches a year (yes, average).

Photo: Jeff Curley

AK -95-

Rob Kingwill

Adam DOWELL

Welcome to the second coming of Alaska. Alaska has always been, and always will be, one of the places where snowboarding’s heart beats the loudest. The terrain there is massive, with predominantly stable snowpack that allows you to ride things you would never dream of anywhere else. It is the ultimate riding experience.

Photo: Willie McMillon

I’ve become accustomed to the fact that it’s all about who you know in this world. So I suggest you get out there and party, socialize, shake hands, give hugs, buy someone a drink or a sandwich or a hand job. For instance, I was fortunate enough the last winter I was in Denver to be at a Snowboard Magazine party when Mark Sullivan asked Willie McMillon to announce the King of the Hill Contest in Alaska. Willie then replied back with, “I’ll only do it if I can bring three of my Bluebird dudes.” Those dudes were John Makens, Alex Yoder and me. I then shook Mark’s hand and my whole winter was set in a new direction. Back in Jackson, we were having a HORRIBLE season. We had no snow, the snow we did have was unstable, and I had numerous injuries to boot. So from that point on, every time we went out and it was bad, all we could say was, “Don’t worry, we still have Alaska.” I kept that in my mind but still, I had never been there, so I was skeptical of actually getting anything done with little money. Anyways, the time was drawing nearer to when we were going up there and I was broke. My plane ticket alone was my rent/utilities/ insurance/credit card/you-name-it bill. But sometimes, God and Satan hold hands and work in mysterious ways. By that I mean I was presented with a very short-term contract with a snus company. Yes, tobacco! Now I absolutely hate chew. Yet a little blood money to fund my expensive trip to Alaska? I say, “Let’s fucking do this.” Get it while the getting is good. Life’s short and so is your mom. The whole world is pimping off blood money; why can’t I get a taste? Well, I did, and the benefit was that I was getting a check at the very, very last second to go to Alaska. Ultimately, I ended up meeting up with McMillon, Makens, Mikey Marohn and Nate Deschenes in Anchorage. We then trekked to Valdez with a minivan, some cigarettes, some farts and lots of stories. It is truly indescribable when you hit that last stretch over Thompson Pass into Valdez. I mean, our eyes were glued to the windows, staring at miles and miles of pillow lines that were all untracked. Seriously, right from the road and beyond that are behemoth, boundless peaks. Jackson Hole was, at that point, blown the hell out of the water. Before I could even pull my jaw off the ground we were pulling into base camp of Tailgate Alaska, Sullivan’s brainchild — an epicenter of helicopters and hut facilities filled with the elite of backcountry adventures. You won’t find any dudes wearing their sisters’ pants up there. Only people serious about shredding. Expecting to see Mark right away, we ended up stumbling into a random tent and met a guy some people referred to as “STD.” I won’t say what it stands for, but it’s not a nickname you want to have. Regardless, the dude tried to scare the stoke out of us by basically saying that if we didn’t die up there, we would still probably die up there. How’s that for a welcoming? We were a little intimidated but still super-pumped. So we cruised to the hotel where our friends Travis Rice, Mark Carter, Kevin Jones, Scotty Lago, Mark Landvik, Rob Kingwill and many others were all staying, and they gave us a little reassurance we’d

Photo: Willie McMillon

be fine. The next day was full of blue skies and we went back to the main tent. Same story, different day; the dude was weird, so we jumped back in the minivan and drove to all those pillows we had seen on the way up. I shit you not, right from the road we hiked and hit the raddest pillows I’ve ever seen in my life. In Jackson, I’ve hit numerous pillows but have done the same ones for years. This was a whole new level. Miles of them. We honestly could film right from the van. Rice even helped us out by drawing a giant Bluebird logo in the snow with his sled to let us know there were some goods within hiking distance. The whole first week we had these same conditions and absolutely slayed the pow on our own low-budget terms. After a day of relaxing, it was time for the true intent of our adventure: KING OF THE HILL!

As I rolled up to the ABA helicopter base on Thompson Pass for the first time this spring, I couldn’t believe how many people were there. Tailgate AK and the rebirth of the King of the Hill competition had inspired many of the legends of snowboarding, both past and present, to make an appearance and sample what the Chugach had to offer. Standing around the campfire with Terry Kidwell, Travis Rice, Danny Kass, Scotty Lago and Shawn Farmer, I was overcome by the power AK had and how it could bring the snowboarding community together. The King of the Hill went down a couple of days later. Nick Perata, the event organizer, must have sold his soul to the devil to make it happen as flawlessly as it did. The night before the contest, the Mountain Safety Crew explained to us that the venue had a very high probability of avalanches after the most recent storm cycle and that someone was probably going to get caught in one during the contest. They wouldn’t be bombing or controlling any of the slopes, so we had better watch our asses. Sweet.

The next day, I woke up to bluebird skies and little wind, a rare occurrence on Thompson Pass. I rode my sled up to the bottom of the venue to try and find a line to ride. What the safety crew had said the night before scared the shit out of me, and every line looked loaded and ominous. I almost pulled out of the contest right then and there. Thankfully, the snow had stabilized overnight, and as I watched the first riders drop in, slashing and jumping cliffs without incident, my fears subsided a bit. I chose my lines that day based on the idea that I would remember riding them for the rest of my life (not to try and impress the judges) because that is what riding in AK is really all about. The consequences are too high to do it for any other reason. I rode two lines I had been looking at since I first came to Thompson Pass, and I will never forget them. In the end, Rice killed it like he always does, throwing down the raddest freeride backside 7 I have ever seen in the middle of his first run and slaying a tight couloir on his second. He truly is the King of the Hill. I was very proud to come in second behind him and stoked that Scotty Lago showed the world he could do more than ride halfpipe and get bronzed with his third-place finish. As much as I loved having my “own private AK” a couple of years ago, I found it much better to share it with my friends and compatriots. After all, AK is huge and the lines go on forever. There is plenty to go around, so come play with us next spring!

First off, thank you Nick Perata and Mark Sullivan for bringing this contest — belated for ten years — back into action. All their work, I feel, was blessed with good snow conditions and blue skies. The contest had a few days’ holding period for weather, and it went off the first day without a hitch. The venue was set in “Brobowl” for the first two runs and “Skatepark” for the third run, all directly uphill from the Tailgate Alaska base camp. Brobowl was epic and laced with plenty of technical lines to choose from. The first few riders went and set the bar high right off the bat. Rice dropped in 6th or something, and everyone knew he had pretty much won it right then, first run, with a huge air off a cornice directly into a perfect backside 7 off a wind lip. The dude doesn’t fuck around — it’s all or nothing (“if you ain’t first, you’re last.”) At this point, I just wanted to hold my own, prove my skills and not get hurt. Despite my heart throbbing out of my chest, I had a great first few runs. I won’t even mention Skatepark’s run because the snow was awful down there and it sucked. The day passed, Jackson shredders represented for the homeland, and I couldn’t have had more fun. We ended the night with lots of beer, whiskey and pool to celebrate. Awards were the next night, and of course, Rice dominated the men’s and Vera Janssen took the women’s. Both took home massive swords to hang on the wall, proving they were, indeed, King and Queen of the Hill. Now that you’ve heard my story amongst the many myths of the great white Inuit state, I hope you, at some point in your shredding adventures, make your way to Alaska. I shit you not, it is worth every single coin you put into your “Alaska Fund, Son” 2-liter Coke bottle. You will not be disappointed unless Old Man Winter craps clouds the whole time you’re up there. Just take the risk. Our crew ended up giving in and forking over the cash to take two heli runs, and it was worth every single cent. It was the best, steepest powder I’ve ever ridden in my life and I’m from Jackson. Hopefully next year you’ll be up there with me with the biggest smile you’ve ever put on your ugly, goggle-tanned face.

Photo: Court Leve

Kevin JONES Every time I fly home from Alaska to wherever I’m flying into (Tahoe or the Tetons), it’s this feeling that you somehow cheated the system and got away with something you shouldn’t have. It’s really hard to explain unless you have experienced it. Like asking yourself how you got home last night and you’re the only one home and your car is parked in the neighbor’s yard — how did this happen? It seems like after being up there 10 times for over a month at a time I would have gotten used to it or it would be less scary. The truth is, it gets worse! You begin to realize after a while in those mountains that, as Jeremy Jones says, “If it has snow on it, it will have its day.” I remember the first time I went to Alaska. I thought I was going to go get “a few turns and some bigger lines” for a part I was working on with FLF Films in the mid-nineties. I had seen my idols from Tahoe at the time — Salaz, Rippey, Terje, Tom Burt, Dave Hatchet, Dave Downing, Johan, etc. — go up there and I thought I would just go up there with my budget and bang some lines out, no problem. I mean, I ride with these guys all the time at Squaw. How gnarly could it be? Well, I have never been leveled like that since. I have never been so wrong about anything in my whole life! There is nothing in the lower 48 to get you prepared for it. There is no way to acclimate. The first time I showed up, I flew in and changed into my gear on the runway of the Valdez airport. We were in the air in minutes. They were a little more lenient on the heli brief and beacon search back then. Next thing I know, I’m standing on top of this line that looked mellow from the air (it always does). Then my world turned into a knife ridge with a basketball rollover (take a basketball, hold it up to your nose). That is what a lot of runs look like from the top in Alaska. And all I could see was the valley floor 2,000 feet below me and that’s the direction I wanted to go? The helicopter takes off and it gets dead quiet. I mean, more quiet than any other kind of quiet in the world. No trees rustling in the wind, no bros up there with you, no birds chirping, no nothing. I’ll never forget the first sound I heard: My old Pieps transceiver used to give little beeps every second and it was so quiet I could hear it under my jacket, two layers of polypro, my soft shell and whatever else I had on. I had never even noticed this sound before that … I was in over my head, way over my head. I looked at some shitty Polaroid picture (no digital cameras yet) and I wanted to go home. I wanted the comfort of a manmade kicker, rail or a snowboard park. I wanted a smaller run where I didn’t have to worry about getting sluffed. I was petrified, more scared than I had ever been in my life. I thought I was good at this? This was my first Alaskan brain fuck of many (ABF for short). I don’t remember the run exactly, but I do remember getting to the bottom and it ran out into a huge glacier. I had never been on a glacier before — where do I go? It all looks the same! We didn’t talk about this, and it was the last thing I was thinking about one minute ago when I dropped in! I just stopped at a high spot and thought, “There is so much more to this than making some pow turns. This is life and death, and this is fucking gnarly. I want more of this!

I will never talk shit about big mountain riding ever again!” 14 years later, I find myself up here again. This time with a lot more experience but still scared out of my mind. My good friend, Mark Carter, was my travel companion and we met Jeff Curley, Sammy Luebke, Xavier De Le Rue and Chris Ondercin from Standard Films in Valdez. The first people Carter and I see are Travis Rice and Lando on the side of the road on Thompson Pass doing who knows what. Then we see Rob Kingwill in the lobby of the hotel! Then all hell broke loose: Willie McMillon, Mikey Marohn, Alex Yoder, Whitney Bell, John Makens, Adam Dowell, even Chuck T. was in the mix! I love this place, just like the tramline in Jackson! Kinda … not really at all. Everything changes though, and Valdez is no different. Tailgate Alaska has infiltrated town and it looks more like the X Games at the hotel than a month-long heli trip in Alaska. It’s really weird to go so far and see so many people you know. It’s cool to see how many people are embracing and enjoying these mountains … Todd Richards and Danny and the dingo were up there for Christ’s sake! That’s 3,080 miles from the Mammoth Lakes halfpipe!! That being said, I can’t help but think to myself, “This place is blown out; I need to go somewhere else next year.” Heli trips are never exactly how you imagine them. First of all, you have to be prepared to sit. I mean, really sit. You can go weeks without ever getting on your board. It’s always a gamble to go in the chopper. You don’t want to burn all your money on a gray day, but after your 10th day of sitting in the same hotel room, looking out the same window, talking to the same dudes, visiting the “sights” in town, destroying your liver, beating all the Xbox games you brought and shooting all the ammunition your arm can handle, you start thinking about it. Then you even mention it to the crew and it’s like a cancer. Next thing you know, you’re going outside every 10 minutes looking at sucker holes in the sky, convincing yourself it’s going blue even though the forecast that is permanently on your laptop says there is a low pressure system the size of Russia over your head. Every trip you have the token “It’s going blue” fire drill and you get geared up: guide meeting, Pieps, probe, shovel, pack, wax, radio, harness, water, Dermatone, snack, board, bindings, boots, goggles, extra goggles, gloves, extra gloves, digital camera, cornice-cutting rope, ice axe, beanie, helicopter, jet A, get to the helipad, rental car, bros/film dudes, neck gaiter, long undies, wool socks, extra layer, pilot, AvaLung, tobacco product, fly out, waste a couple thousand dollars flying around, ride some flat-light run through a glacier field and swear you’ll never do that again. Then one morning you wake up and the sunlight is piercing your eyeballs through your lids. A mixture of pure joy and “holy shit” goes through your head at the same time. All the down days are the last thing in your mind. Part of you wants it to go gray, part of you wants to go puke, part of you goes, “What the hell am I doing here?” But most of you goes, “HELLLL YES, TODAY WE RIDE!!!!!!!!!”

Rider: Kevin Jones Photo: Jeff Curley

The Only Way

The Evolution of

Words By Wren Fi

alka

rock the

www.avalonseven.com

inspiracon rock the inspiracon rock the inspiracon rock the inspiracon

Out Is Up –

a Renegade Indu

stry Thriving in th

e Great Recession

A few years ago, when I was faced with a particularly decision and could difficult personal n’t find an easy rou half his lunch. te out, I decided wh rise to the occasion at I had to do was . In moments like these, which I’ve prevalent in adultho found increasingly od, people attempt KJ: We started ou to comfort you wit clichés like, “You r new snowboardi h those annoying only get what yo ng company, Comp u can handle,” or of this recession kill you only make atriot, in the midd about a year ago “Things that don’t you stronger,” an le despite warnings bu d sin you find yourself insatiable need to ess . It about starting a ne act ual ly ma squelching the … um … punch de me w wa nt to do it more. The them. But then, as industry, adversity mode and wake up thi is a big motivator. you get in sur vival ng is, in this your big, sleepy bra We are always pra storm; we thrive on in so you can literal out of the box tha ying for the big ges this stuff. ly think your way t’s closing around t you, you start once truth in these overu again to see the sed clichés and yo He went on to say u are glad you did harm to your well-m tha no t this type of challe t cause physical eaning friends or fam nge and adversity brought him back ily. As you free yours trap, things that see is actually what out of retirement med ludicrous as elf from this a few years ago. solutions make pe that you once did rfect sense, people n’t understand or turned a deaf ear KJ: I was tapped reveal themselves out when I left the to all of a sudden as mad geniuses, first time. I felt lik and you find yours needed to do, and circumstances or aro e I’d done what I there didn’t seem elf in a new set of und a new set of pe to be any challeng passed and then I ople that propel yo world of possibilitie e in it anymore. Ye wa tched football player u forward into a s that just seemed ars Brett Favre go toe younger generatio to have magically n in his sport, and to toe with the appeared. thought, well, ma prime. In this indust In other words, yo ybe I hadn’t hit my ry, you start havin u find what I like to g your sponsors dro to 32, and I was 35 call “the cosmic gig life employs its gig p off around 30 . There was my ch gle.” This is when antic, perverse sen alle ng se that had watched e. I found myself of humor and decid by ripping the rug me in my prime de watching kids es to pick on you out from under yo vel oping skills they’d ur feet right when and improving the (a.k.a. fat, dumb an learned from me you get too lethargi m to the point wh d happy) in your cu c ere I was now lea would watch them rrent circumstances “poor me” tempe rning from them. and say to myself, . You throw your r tantrum, you get I “I think I can do the annoying cliché out, I could. Wait you pick yourself that,” and it turns a minute, did I say s and then, finally up, dust yourself , wh en off pri I was in my prime me now — my sec and figure it out. realize you actually ? I’m in my ond prime. You kn Eventually, you get, and furtherm ow, I wasn’t even here today for lun ore appreciate, the just played on you. going to come in ch. joke the universe The cosmic gig gle — you get my po int. WF: Oh, yes you Well, it seems the were. I summoned universe has been you here with my ful l of these lately bo larger scale. One of mind. th on a small and its big gest is this thi KJ: Bye, Wren. ng we have started Recession. It’s a pre to call the Great tty funny one, no ? It’s big, it’s brutal on people who alr , it seems to pick eady have their pla Rob Kingwill – tes full with these shenanigans, and Professional Snow types of universa it’s coming in coup l boarder, Founde and Co-owner of led with global warm disasters, major oil r of AVALON7 Compatriot Snow ing, big natural spills, more terror boards ism, etc. Well guys, “We only get what I hate to say it, bu we can handle” … t Like all of the pe (please don’t punc ople I decided to h me). interview for this Renaissance man In fact, I would go piece, Rob is a in the industry an as far as to say the d someone I gre po sitive attitude and re are certain gro thrive in this type atly admire for his constant flow of cre ups that actually of harsh environme ativity and resource nt: entrepreneurs, rebels, artists … um fulness. adrenaline junkies, … crazy people. RK: Those of us Something the sno is obviously choc who have been in wboard industry k full of. In fact, this industry since tape and fins on I would argue tha snowboard indust the days of duct our boards were t this is how the ry started. Fighting pushed to become figure it out so we for legitimacy in the more conventiona super-creative and could move forwa much larger and l ski industry, slowly rd. Equipment didn’t back then, but we its image evolved, sport, but the sty work very well had a passion for and not only our le, fashion and art our sport, and we that came out of to make due with entire ski industry. just figured out ho it reinvigorated the whatever we had We’re used to being w around. It’s an an our experience in the underdog, we here to investigate alogy directly from the mountains, rea like it. So, I’m the silver lining of lly. Once you dro figure out a way to the Great Recessio of people inside the p in, rid yo n e the line out; there’s u have to from the view snowboard indust snowboarders but no other choice. I ry and see who’s out of coal. most outdoorsme think not just making diamonds n have a different world during diffic outlook toward the ult times. You’re always dealing wit you can’t control. Kevin Jones – Profe h a lot of variables You learn patienc ssional Snowboard e an d bu yo t u er and Co-owner to learn to persever Snowboards don’t really have an of Compatriot y choice e. Professional sno stand out in the shi wboarders and ph ttiest weather for otographers hours on end jus Starting Compatr I may not have me t doing their jobs. iot in this economi ntioned this befor c climate might see not, really. The big e, but I have an make the universe m foolish, but it’s ger guys are foldin uncanny ability to bend to my will. So g. Wi str th it eam wa ver friend, Kevin Jon s not simply luck wh y little infrastructu lined and are only es, sitting in the ver re, we’re foc en I usi saw ng my on a few a lot of energ y an y same coffee sho unique products we into to start my art p I had just walke d dedication into. can pour icle. I almost let him d It’s hard to comp bottom line is tha finish his lunch be to give me an int ete with that. Th t great ideas and pe erview on this top fore I got him e ople with passion ic. Actually, I think times like these. We are going to sur viv ’ll just keep our he I may have eaten e ads down until the out and we can dro sun comes back p in again.

-101-

people. group of young S MIND INSOLE d Owner of RE ’s had his own on my theory. He r a different take fo child that he s, ain en br ak a M th hn wi d, Jo and has ended up I called my frien ars speed bump ye fty few he t y las ett s in the he hadn’t hit a pr if n set of challenge itio fru to ver have come claims would ne rate. ed him to elabo last year. So I ask creativity, great outlet for my ars ago. It was a just fun, ye s 8 t wa it ou t, ab ep rel nc co Appa . It wasn’t a new ge JM: I started I Am ssa me od go sent out a money. and I felt like it make me a lot of s never going to but I knew it wa unwanted was brought to the n if he ar, his company ye tio t ac las al t leg tha ed in ten to expla team who threa th Makens went on sical artist’s legal are this name wi sh mu s to ou ed en fam a pp ha he attention of n, he realized ow ess’ name (since his sin n bu tha his e ets us continued to much larger pock e to pursue ist). Dealing with cided it was tim this particular art to fight, so he de before — g th llin wi wi ’t up sn me wa co e he the industry had in e the battle was on on ot. bo no t ard tha was an idea your snowbo another idea. It insole that fits in hancing orthotic a performance-en

Founder an John Makens –

greed, on money and that concentrate the le via op pe on t ing bu , go like a hippie “Kids see what’s “Not to sound they want to ging,” Ruf said. d an an ch ke are s ma ng to thi es oic they are out and nd behind t they have big ch to be able to sta d they realize tha nt now for them Internet, etc., an rta po im re mo es. It is make the right on ng.” d do the right thi their choices an r ador, Lifer, Love Ar tist, Ambass ate Mike Parillo – o. He’s hard to loc friend, Mike Parill all ist s, art Ye e . siv ow sh elu ng cked down my for an upcomi And finally, I tra 13 pieces at once ing int pa ’s he e right now becaus lly. at once … no, rea ession. cipate in the rec is, Refuse to parti MP: The mantra WF: How so?

t, I’m as anyone. In fac , but I’m as rich hy field. alt g we yin en pla be r the l. I’ve neve uation just levels MP: It’s all menta right now. This sit ne do er ev e I’v doing as well as as. nity for new ide It makes opportu somehow? re room for them S was born. cause there is mo LE Be SO F: W IN D IN ows people who REM l are failing, it all ing and protoco gning supreme nk rei thi l is na ity tio tiv en ea nv going? more clearly. Cr MP: Because co bit a ard rthe sta WF: So how’s it be all to sm ions good time for have original solut ession can be a d actions. nsumer s because the co oblem solving an it or not, the rec ck pr , ve tba lie life cu Be in g t. kin ea overcome it? ve ma Gr mo are JM: to ies y an gu er mp all co der for people to r sm e big ge es creativity in or ves space for the uir lea ion It req ess e. ty up companies. Th or rec rsi e ym ve an ad Th lly, there for them local businesses. WF: So essentia market just isn’t ort for smaller s, and now to be more supp ahead of ourselve tion. t go We y . ett be pr ld up. There seems is ther of all inven ou to where we sh ply. Our society cessity is the mo ck Ne sim ba P: ing M us liv ing of d ing e an is br portanc e with a lot less this recession? aware of the im world, people liv not impacted by people are more ge majority of the art world/sales lar the is the r w s. Fo Ho thi n. F: of ive W le, ultraconsumer-dr ming conscious preciate the humb we’re finally beco ople want to ap Pe ld. fie g yin do just fine, and els the pla rd MP: Again, it lev under of Bluebi ar millionaire. ist over the art-st lmmaker and Fo Fi art – ted n en illo tal cM re than the he ce Willie M sin him n art is selling mo ow d, higher-quality me input. I’ve kn un so ro d r rg an fo de n ing un rso lop re pe ve nk mo uld be a good entrepreneur, de WF: So you thi I knew Willie wo artists? he was already an fell in love d Wax. He later d even back then r-name, hyped-up bir an ge ue r, big Bl ge d na lle d tee ca the same rules a bir it s ue in wa e Bl hit ing ap nd gr pa th ex I do and follow wi ard wax l I do is do what self over the years ia y and respect. Al rn rit him p. eg d lifo selling a snowbo loo int sie Ca e, bu the in s lov of l ha wn t na do as well, and MP: I am so ou heart, unconditio had to track him I help out and the s. be n m ’ll vie ca he with filmmaking fro I t mo y on bu his , wa ati ck ly sport through t not coming ba I always have: cre through, the on ou as ab ing ng go thi is me rld and capturing the so g tside wo . He left mumblin Whatever the ou to that. t has that power. for this interview rward is to stick Hole again. It jus fo J e nu the o nti co int ted … and well in the s lve assimila rse ou r fo d cession is alive of the Great Re r investors to fen o have never ou re ing wh m mo lin le r fro no op ve s go pe sil wa e let of ago, we were ll said, Mike. Th k or swim. There mprised of a tribe We sin co s d eventually try wa ity an us it ur , ind gle WM: Two years us sec r d an gig fo shit hit the fan ars of comfort an n of the cosmic board industry — ye so ow the zy les sn n co been one he the W the ve . ve t en ha ssi ain s tak tha ce ag dsight but have y, it may alway ogression and ex I realized in hin lived in the box ways. In this wa that the Great the the company’s pr ny to up ms room for waste. ma lt an see ha in a cle it it n to w, d of tha no thing more d luck. I starte its time. And it’s not thrived outside created really no s, money, time an a little ahead of w potential, and approach where materials, resource those industries e loaded with ne te of mind and people of tim l sta a Al w . in d. ne en an a red pp d br waste. Waste of he ha d ine s us an ga ng d through that, lly grow our sales ssion has actually t are making thi an ce tua t tha getting Re ac ac y d try y’s all us an an e fin the ind ast e mp are co niz costs/w snowboard rity and courage people who recog cut unnecessary just those in the , creativity, integ of convention lly a learned, and the on lly tua be we were able to ssi bu ac to pa is n dy d by so ee bir d gr les ue a ate the es there is eed. Now Bl that are motiv ermore, the shadow of I guess sometim who tend to succ ably, shine. Furth to come out of ickly are the ones ir way and inevit omic downturn. an opportunity appears the on it it ec d do an an , to gh ift lesson and act qu ce ou sh an s thr ch siness excelling experiencing) thi really getting a bu d d a ir own an (an to the t ng en as ssi it tam tne im wi tes cla Rider a new generation w paradigm and s am ne re’ s Te in the the thi m e ate ac lco cip br Vo rti arder, them to em way they will pa essional Snowbo to be encouraging cter but also the ara gh ch ou ir Gigi Ruf – Prof thr the me ly ca on t erview when he — improving no in all ways. to give me an int ind tour to willed Gigi Ruf tion of our world out and on a whirlw olu , ev 28 At al 1.” ion 19 On a roll, I also ess :). The only way “9 of pr of a e as ier e em im pr pr errated anyway st ov vie fir is mo x his bo his of a r le in fo d dd town in the mi , what??? Living about this idea an , he’s inarguably Great Recession ht on the money r promote the film thought I was rig greed and powe he f of me d ive tol thr . t He up tha is s snowboarder. nscientious seen the system re creative and co r generation has that the younge has created a mo n, tur in is, Th them. crumble around

Local Entrepreneurs

Teton Artlab

Words By Aaron Wallis Photo By Teton Artlab

The birth and continued survival of Teton Artlab embodies the DIY ethos of the American underground music scene of the 80’s and really any notable avant-garde artistic movement from Dada to Die Brücke. Founded in 2006, the Artlab’s mission was to provide exhibition opportunities for local artists — artists like Mike Tierney, Sam Dowd, Craig Spankie and Charlotte Potter, whose work did not fit in with the narrow decorative and western art that predominates the Jackson gallery scene. The original Artlab gallery and studio space was located next to Teton Thai but closed in the fall of 2007. Artlab became a 501c3 nonprofit and reopened in the Center for the Arts in March of 2008. With the move came a new focus on education, and the Artlab began offering classes in a variety of printmaking media. Exhibitions like “It Came from the Supervolcano” continued to feature the work of local and emerging artists. Artlab has no paid staff and is an entirely volunteer-run organization. Teton Artlab has outgrown its current space and is in the process of relocating to an industrial building on Gregory Lane next to the Igneous Ski Factory. Artlab will be co-opting the space with a number of local artists including Mark and Wade Dunstan, John Frechette, Rob Hollis and others. The new 6,300-square-foot space will allow the Artlab to operate an artist residency program in order to bring fresh work to Jackson and promote the open exchange of contemporary ideas. The larger space will also provide opportunities for film screenings, bands, performance artists and installation work. Artlab proves once again that nobody changes the world sitting behind a desk, waiting for his or her paycheck to show up. If you have passions, follow them. Don’t listen to the people who say, “It can’t be done.”

PEARL STREET BAGELS OPEN DAILY 6:30 am - 6:00 pm The locals’ place for authentic boiled and baked bagels, Specialty coffee, Sandwiches, Muffins, cookies, Homemade Soups and Smoothies

jackson 145 w. pearl ave. 307-739-1218 -104-

wilson fish creek center 307-739-1261

Words & Images By Meagan Schmoll

Local Entrepreneurs

Raskol Ink.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who had a dream for hoodies. Those hoodies came into being under the name Raskol Ink. The creator was one Meagan Schmoll. The idea and creation began over a conversation at the local pub in Jackson Hole with amazing artist and friend Anika Youcha. They conversed about their love of hoodies, and designs on hoodies, and how wonderful it would be to create and learn how to put one’s own designs on them. Meagan began researching the World Wide Web on how to begin the process of putting designs on hoodies, and the result was screen printing. The hoodies not only became possible but doable! Everything was accessible and easy to learn. After a tutorial from Jamie Fitzgerald of High Range Design in Victor, Idaho, Meagan was ready to go. She purchased a couple of hinges, some screens, ink, squeegees, a photo-flood lamp and a board for a platform, and found out that the oven (after talking with professionals that create the screen-printing ink) would work as a setting device. The name Raskol Ink. was picked for her hoodie product after reading an excellent novel by the name of “Crime and Punishment.” Sketches began and a process of drawing on tracing paper and transparencies was used to create her first design, a Mono-Cycle. Everyone loves designs that run all over the hoodie. Raskol Ink. is forever trying — with as much effort as the design will allow — to make the design work from one side of the -106-

Shoulder injuries are common in snowboarding. The trauma associated with falling directly on the shoulder or on an outstretched arm can result in clavicle (collarbone) fractures, AC joint separations and shoulder dislocations. These injuries are usually obvious due to severe pain, deformity and the inability to move the shoulder. Depending on the severity, these fractures and ligament injuries may require surgery but can frequently be treated with rest and immobilization. First-time dislocations may require sedation to be put back in place, and recurrent dislocations will usually require surgery to stabilize the joint. Less-obvious injuries to the shoulder include sprains and tears (partial or complete) of the rotator cuff and injuries to the labrum (stabilizing rim of tissue that surrounds the shoulder socket). The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that surrounds the ball portion of the shoulder “ball and socket” and is important for initiating and stabilizing range of motion. The uppermost muscle (supraspinatus) is vulnerable to getting pinched between the ball of the shoulder below and a part of the shoulder blade above called the acromion. This “impingement” can occur as a one-time event, or gradually with repetitive motion, and leads to a condition of painful inflammation referred to as bursitis and/or tendonitis. In addition to experiencing pain at night, pain occurs with reaching overhead, to the side and behind the back. Pain associated with a clicking or shifting sensation when reaching out to the side may be the result of an injury to the labrum (rim of the socket). This occurs when the ball of the shoulder pushes out the front of the joint during a partial (subluxation) or complete dislocation.

hoodie to the other, front and back, hood and sleeve. A quality choice of hoodies is also a priority. The design is only half or two-thirds of the reason why someone will buy a hoodie. If the design is rad but the hoodie fit is silly or bad, then a good hoodie it is not! If someone just wants the design, they will request a print of it or purchase the hoodie but never wear it. The point of a Raskol Ink. hoodie is for the wearer to feel more like themselves and like they are emanating their own personal tastes or artistic interests. A good hoodie can allow a person to express an opinion or feel more comfortable in their own clothes. There is a saying that a hoodie is like a good hug. Raskol Ink. gives this saying some credence. All of the designs are hand-drawn and personally screenprinted by Meagan, and the hoodie-ordering process involves a conversation, e-mail or phone call with her. She loves the personal preferences and individuality that occurs with these hoodie-ordering shenanigans. What color hoodie does a person like? What design do they want and in what colors? Life is a constant dialogue, and someone who has a wardrobe consisting mainly of the color blue more than likely will choose a cranberry-colored hoodie. They will think, “I always wear blue; how can I shake it up a little, but not too much, cuz I want to wear it?” It’s so exciting for Meagan to hear them think it out and decide on what hoodie they want and why. For Meagan, all-time favorite moments in the hoodie screenprinting exploration are when someone has a Raskol Ink. hoodie on and she has no idea she is witnessing them wearing it. “Man,” Meagan thinks to herself, “those hoodies are awesome!”

Initial treatment should include ice, rest and anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen). If symptoms persist or remain “mechanical” with catching, clicking or weakness, medical evaluation should be obtained to determine if a more serious injury is present. Depending on the exam findings, injections (steroid), physical therapy and/or imaging studies (MRI) may be recommended. If symptoms persist or a significant injury is identified, surgery (usually arthroscopic) may be indicated in order to return to a more functional, pain-free lifestyle.

Local Entrepreneurs

KP Clothing

Words By Jim Evanhoe

You are entering the cosmos of art and design by Kevin Petersen through his KP Clothing Company, board sticker line, graphics and art. Kevin (known to friends as KP) is a real native-born son of Wyoming, an artist who creates by illuminating his visions of his universe and beautiful women. KP portrays his visions of space with pure proportions of line and shape in a dazzling array of colors. He takes you into all dimensions with a self-portrait, a created character named Cosmos. You’ll wander into his universe of color intensified with florescence, cross-divide into the black, the white. Taking with you life’s reality of the NOW and letting it become an adventure for the eyes and your mind. Behold his fractured shapes that express some of what KP’s life has been, then journey forward, forever into space. Trip with him, and at times with his cosmic

dog, Sonar, a true friend. Together you’ll travel in motion in a fluid expression, his desire for a life at pace in space and time that is at peace. He is always expressing how boarding feels and no matter the challenge, the journey, to hold on, keep motion in balance in perspective. For there is a line, an edge. In other works by KP such as “Cosmo” and “Sonar’s Cosmic Galaxy,” you’ll behold what is half real and half surreal, “what we really are is not always clear, for most of our time on this planet we only can see half of what we really are.” — KP The medium KP creates in is his choice pen and ink — he produces tangibles, which can be collected from local board shops like The Boardroom, the Jackson Treehouse in the Village and Soba in Victor, Idaho. His mission with his tangibles is to elevate and elate you. By attaching them to your aggression of passion, your motion machine ... they will illuminate! KP’s art pieces light them with a black light to gain the total expression.

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Local Entrepreneurs

The Spanky Story Snowboarding saved my life. Eight to 10 hours a day of cold calling would kill any hungry youth. The pursuit of money had landed me, at the idealistic age of 24, behind a desk in downtown Miami. Packing my car and heading north for Crested Butte, Colorado, was the best decision of my life. Few points in life — windows of opportunity — allow for a person to reorient and recalibrate his or her life path. Powder, and floating on top of it, does exactly that. During my first winter in C.B., while riding the Red Lady chair, I balanced several items on my lap and rushed to get things in order before unloading. The paper trail map proved impossible to fold in exposed windy conditions, and the water slowly ate away at the paper. As the map imploded into one soggy paper ball, I reached for tissues to clean my goggles. Frustrated and hurrying to gather my useless paper products, I had an “ah-ha” moment that would set the course for my life for the next 10 years. I wondered why there wasn’t something I could use to clean my goggles that also had the trail map on it. I made my way from Crusted Butt to Jackson with the perfect ride job (night auditing at Days Inn) secured. Reggie Cuizon, the world’s most qualified front desk agent and PBR salesman, left life in NYC after graduating Cornell and chased steep and deep dreams to Jackson Hole. Roommates and coworkers, Reggie and I were set on funding this dream life with a new idea and a snowboard company to make it happen. We thought of concepts for new products and, during one of our board meetings at McDonald’s, I mentioned the lens cloth trail map idea. He was down. Reggie and I introduced the Spanky to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. They said yes! A boost in confidence, we decided to take the Spanky show on the road and, with Biggie rapping the way, we pointed Reggie’s Subaru Royale with cheese south toward Colorado. We ended up with purchase orders and no funding to fulfill them. Doug Doyle helped us briefly, and we continued to bootstrap the idea. Our partnership fell

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Words By Shawn Patrick Cooper

apart, and my dreams of snowboarding new mountains tugged at me. A week before September 11th, 2001, I landed in Vancouver, Canada, with a separated shoulder, a broken Spanky dream and a wiener dog under my arm. Savannah Blake joined me in Whistler after I met her at the Rainbow Gathering in Idaho. She was looking for an adventure, and I was hoping to import a beautiful, tall blond out of Texas! Savannah took on the responsibility as my partner, personally and professionally, and handled the day-to-day business while I sold Spankys. We started back up with Whistler’s order, and Savannah found us an angel lender who was willing to underwrite our first season’s orders. For the next five years, the Spanky exploded! I would go on the road for a month or two at a time and knock on doors at resorts in the Northwest, Colorado, Jackson, Idaho and eventually, the ski resorts in the Northeast. In fear of competition, we set out to add 15 to 20 ski resorts each winter. It has been 10 years from the date Reggie and I got our first Spanky order with JHMR. Savannah is still with us after nine years, and we hope to have Reggie back soon. We care about the work we do, and we care about the quality of products we offer. Without people like Ruby, Doug, Reggie, Savannah, Scott, Allison, Sky, Susan, Ed, Bert, Marri, Mark, Annie, Boston, Sarah, Jeremy, Nancy and many Jackson locals, the Spanky would never have happened. Whatever we have given to our mountain communities, we have been given back so much more. I get to slash/freeze-dry/smoke powder on one of the world’s best mountain ranges, live life in paradise with a community filled with special beings and develop my ideas into products for these playgrounds. We have far surpassed our original expectations and now offer the Spanky in over 100 resorts and seven countries around the world. Surprisingly, we are most excited to show you what we have next. Peace

Local Entrepreneurs

Burgess Custom To everyone who is striving to have their own look or make their own statement on the hill this winter, Burgess Custom has a message: The only option is no longer whatever any major apparel maker puts out each season, but in fact, whatever any rider, skier, sledder or fashionista can dream up. Burgess Custom owner and designer Sara Deutsch knows what it is like to be unable to find the perfect pair of snow pants. The Victor, Idaho-based Ohio native made a decision not to put up with it. As a talented designer and tailor who made her own clothes after graduating from Colorado State, Sara took her skills and created the pants she wanted for herself for the winter. After a few friends asked her to make them snow pants as well, she started her own company and named it Burgess Custom. Over the past seven years, her whim has grown from one pair of custom-built snow pants to over 100 pairs last season, in addition to a ready-to-wear line she sells in ski shops around the Jackson Hole and Victor areas and on her website. Building a business from the ground up is a daunting task, yet Sara finds continual inspiration in the athletes around the snowboard and ski world. “The locals here are so inspiring, being surrounded by people that rip every day and love what they do — that drives me to be a part of this industry,”

Words By Brigid Mander Photo By Burgess Custom

she says. Sara isn’t all talk by any means. She gets out and rips in the snow every day and is just as passionate to come home and work over fabric swatches or deal with customer requests. “I love the tailoring process itself: measuring, sourcing and the fun of making someone’s perfect pants. And bringing a tailored look to the snow industry is an antidote to the cookie-cutter clothes that are out there. But as far as some trends, custom pants are a great way to find out what people want each season, because they’re all custom ordered.” Burgess Custom currently offers over 30 different colors, prints, plaids and pinstripes in 2- and 3-layer GORE-TEX®. This season, the company is expanding into soft shell jackets, and also offers hoodies and fitted caps. Seven years after its inception, the company is still mostly a one-woman show, but through cautious growth, Burgess Custom has set its sights far beyond its local following. People play in the snow all over the world, and the company is working on expanding its presence in the western United States and has recently added an international presence in Australia and New Zealand.

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behind the artist

After spending 10 minutes trying to park, I met Emily Paul at a little Mexican joint just off the main drag. We sat down, ordered some nachos and a pitcher of margaritas, and got down to business.

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Owen: Hast you been art thou going? Emily: I arth been so nat I going. O: Relate your art to a physical object. E: A wooden puzzle. Like when you were a kid. Not that my art is a puzzle at all. I don’t know why that came out of my mouth, actually. O: How tall are you, and how does this affect your artwork? E: You know how you’re supposed to stand when you’re painting? Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don’t. But I do notice I like to keep my left hand in my pocket. I’m right-handed, you see. O: What about art makes it art? E: Well … what … well … in my opinion, art is fun. I like making art for decoration and enjoyment. I like enjoying art. O: Why acrylic paint? E: Because oils suck. Because oils get all over everything — it touches your sandwich. Do they have strawberry daiquiris here? O: Yes, let’s get one. Anyway, who or what is most responsible for your artwork? E: I am, physically. I dunno. I’m like no, it’s some weird state that I somehow disappear into NPR and painting. Then I come out of it and I’m like, how the F did that just happen? O: Fill in the blanks: 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4. ??????? 5. Profit E: Okay. 1. Mask 2. Gun 3. Bank 4. ??????? 5. Profit O: How does it feel to be the first woman to land the double cork? E: Personally, it made me nauseous.

Crew, defined as a gang or organized group of workmen. FunBlock is a crew of snowboarders: We are organized workmen who work on snowboard movies. Led by the likes of Blake Paul, Cam Walters, Cam Fitzpatrick and Dan Rodosky — with guidance from Uncle Richiebeats — FunBlock is sure to succeed … maybe. Our crew grew up together in Jackson Hole, sharing the common bond of skateboarding and snowboarding. By the time puberty arrived, the idea sparked to create a name for ourselves. It was time to trade in Pokémon cards for video cameras. Thus hatched FunBlock, which looked rickety and fragile at first, but was properly nursed and is now ready to take flight. — Blake Paul

Photo:

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“We’re in it for

eats

Richieb

Cheap Thrills”

Cam Walters I will always remember this day … Snow King Parking Lot, Dec. 29, 2003: From the mist appeared a booter bigger than any of us had ever seen. With Blake, Cam and Dan along on my side, we attempted to conquer the beast. Dropping first was Cam Fitzpatrick. With a ravishing attempt at his first frontflip, he was taken down by the beast, dissipating into the darkness. One by one, the rest of us attempted to overcome. With all attempts failing, we decided to band together until the beast was brought to his knees. This is how the crew started, a band of brothers in arms, ready to take down any obstacle that got in our way.

Blake Paul FunBlock is not like every other “crew” of snowboarders: We care about what we produce and we want to build a company around ourselves. For us, it’s about chasing the dream of making money doing something we love, plus having fun along the way.

Dan Rodosky I am always stoked when someone comes up and asks about FunBlock. It’s always cool to receive some small recognition. I can’t tell you how many kids I’ve met at college just from wearing my FBF T-shirts.

Cam Fitzpatrick My favorite thing about being a part of FunBlock is just being able to travel around and document everything we do — not having to worry about competing, just hanging with the bros and killing it. Our crew has been super-tight throughout the years. When we were younger, we tried to organize a pop band with our homies just like the Backstreet Boys. I think we even wrote a few songs and made backstage passes for our first concert. I am glad that idea never came through.

It’s the collaboration of our ideas — what each of us can bring to the table — that makes a marvelous film. Our creative talents complement one another’s. FunBlock Films is four diverse kids brought together by snowboarding. It’s our crew of friends that like to hang out, travel and document snowboarding. — FunBlock Films Photo: Terry Ratzlaff

Photo: Ben Girardi

Chronicled Moments

Words & Photos By Elliott R. Alston

I ask you readers, what is the first thing you think of when Jackson Hole comes to mind? Now, you might think of numerous activities, places and people. Whatever may come to mind, I guarantee you it’s not Jackson Hole’s Park and Pipe … or is it? First, experiencing snowboarding through skateboarding, freedom and style has always encouraged my passion for both. For many, Jackson Hole is the monstrous park we all envision to have behind our turns, encompassing everything one might desire with a plethora of unique aspects and natural features. The discipline of freestyle has emerged as a driving force in terrain park design and resort marketing. Many riders end up taking freestyle to the backcountry. Cemented by the success of last year’s numerous freeride competition circuits, freestyle’s claim will always be staked.

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Each year, the Jackson Hole Park and Pipe crew gets a chance to create unlikely features. The typical layout accentuates all aspects of park design and accommodates all experience levels of freestyle riding. The progression of the park design could be based off the paths of past years, an extension of a feature seen in someone’s nightmare or a totally new concept.

Heidi Jost, MD Hands & Upper Extremity Foot & Ankle Custom Orthotics Board Certified Fellowship Trained

In today’s ever-changing snowboard climate, the bar keeps getting pushed higher to keep up with the industry standard. The ability to recognize and present a design for all to enjoy grows tougher as well. The challenge at hand is met with creativity and experience to mold a project of its own form. Implementation of new ideas is an alluring hurdle for all park and pipe crews to jump over every season. I like to think of Jackson’s terrain park and halfpipe like an inflatable life raft for all of us. Whether you’re just cruising through with friends, working on your board control with your iPod or at practice, we all keep the life raft afloat with our being. It is you and I that keep this raft traveling. The direction will always be the same, though the progression of each rider changes as the raft is navigated. Take in a deep breath, breathe out and be part of the journey.

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NEXT NEXT DROPPING

Jack’s Sponsors: Jackson Treehouse Jack’s Nicknames: • JAH! (his initials) • The Hammer • Pretty Much Jack Major Accomplishments: • Top three of almost every event he entered last season • Qualified for USASA Nationals at Copper, Colorado, in both slopestyle and halfpipe Little-Known Fact: Jack is the drummer for the Transformers-inspired, 2-piece metal band, The Decepticons.

JACK HESSLER “Jack snowboards with his team like he plays drums in his band. He is creative, has a positive outlook on everything and always has something new to try. Being with Jack just never gets old.”

Words By Jeff Moran Action By Mike Jackson Lifestyle By JHSC Freeride Program

— Rainey Pogue

One of the best parts of my role as a snowboard coach for the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club (apart from the seven-figure salary and the voracious allure it has on beautiful women) is that I get to spend my days observing life through the eyes of some seriously creative and talented Jackson Hole groms. Leading the charge for the next wave of JH rippers is my man, Jack Hessler. I first met Jack in 2005 when he and his brothers landed on the Jackson Hole Snowboard Team after having grown up shredding the East Coast. Since then, I’ve ridden all over the world with the Hessler brothers and can honestly say that at just 15 years old, Jack is already the man I hope to be someday. He’s as talented as he is humble, creative as he is quiet and as cool as The Fonz. It was immediately apparent that Jack has that special quality which exists in only a small percentage of elite athletes. It’s that unique trait we see in athletes like Jeremy Jones, Travis Rice and Shaun White — a love for snowboarding so deep that it drives him to be better, no matter who’s watching or what gets in his way. Nothing else matters other than snowboarding. The way Jack attacks the mountain and the challenges it presents can only be described by one word: inspiring. He never chooses the easy way down or the simple trick. Instead, he patiently assesses the situation, carefully selects his line and then blows minds without ever alluding to the impending sickness. Whether it’s park, pipe or big mountain terrain, Jack’s riding stands out as the most creative in any crew.

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In a time when doubles are now standard, and even triples have made their debut, ambitious young shreds have their work cut out for them. It’s groms like Jack Hessler you can count on to not only accept the challenge, but also raise the bar another notch.

The Landing Pad

Words By Jolene Keller

Southwest Montana shredders just might be going a little bigger this season, thanks in part to the recent opening of The Landing Pad, Montana’s first indoor ski/snowboard ramp and foam pit. Located just outside Bozeman, less than an hour away from Bridger Bowl, Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, the 6,000-square-foot Landing Pad gives jibbers a chance to perfect their jumps, spins and grabs year-round. Without the annoying possibility of broken bones, whiplash or any of the other painful downfalls of eating it on the unforgiving snow, snow sports enthusiasts can push themselves to new levels. The Landing Pad is the dreamchild of Big Sky entrepreneur Chris Mountjoy, the founder of Mountjoy Snowboards, now based out of The Landing Pad. It’s been a longtime goal to open a foam pit, and he’s already seeing positive results. “The public’s response and excitement has been amazing and pushed us to open the doors still during the construction phase,” Mountjoy said. “And they love it!” As if a jump into a foam pit on skis, snowboards or skateboards isn’t enough, there’s also an indoor skateboard park — a park/ street area similar to those in the Street League or Dew Tour, right in the heart of Montana. The Landing Pad is an action sports lover’s dream come true, including a pro shop and 2nd floor lounge to hang out and play Xbox after sessioning the ramp. It’s the ultimate indoor complex for learning the biggest and best tricks without the fear of landing. How big do you think you can go? Go bigger than that at The Landing Pad. Feel like a pro, land in foam and prepare for the snow!

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What if the Mayans were wrong? Words By Melissa Larsen

They say when you’re writing, you should imagine an audience — better still to imagine a specific person. In picturing this person, you will naturally tailor the style and delivery of your tale to suit his or her humor and tastes, and your story will be better for the focus. My first published articles appeared in the first snowboard magazine I ever worked for, and the person I laboriously tried to please with every printed word was Willie McMillon (you may know him as “that jerk who owns Bluebird”). Now, this was back at the dawn of time, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth and hardly anyone had a cell phone, or even a comprehensive understanding of what this thing called “Hotmail” was. So when I left Jackson in the spring to go work in an editorial coal mine in SoCal until the snow fell again, I didn’t have a lot of contact with the kids back home. Given the analog media environment of the times, there weren’t a lot of places besides this magazine to get information about the larger world of snowboarding, so I knew it was one of the few objects of bound, printed matter that any of my snowboard friends actually paid attention to. And so I tried to put stories in it that were like letters in a bottle, created with the blind hope that some of them would somehow wash up on the shores of Jackson — which was located then at the very edge of the shred universe — for my people to find, open and say, “Ah, this was written for us.” In particular, I wrote stories for Willie. Since my writing chops were very much in the embryonic stages of development then, you could almost say that this ambition has, to a certain extent, shaped my style as a writer. Yeah. I know. So this is what would happen when I got back to Jackson. It would be late December, the winter would be in full swing and at least three issues would have already hit the newsstands and disappeared. And I would wait patiently for days, weeks, months for someone to bring something up in a conversation that would have to do with the magazine. Then I would drop into the banter, as casually as possible, with an, “Oh yeah, ha-ha, that guy’s a douche,” or whatever, and then, “So, um, did you happen to read that one thing?” And Willie would look at me and blink and mumble something about how, no, he must have missed it. Then there would be an awkward pause, at which point Rich Goodwin would chime in about how nobody reads snowboard magazines, they just look at the pictures. And he would usually laugh, but he was never actually joking.

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Over the years I’ve come to understand that being a “writer” in the “action sports” genre is about one step below bartending in social value and one very small step above unpacking boxes in basement warehouses, or selling squash in the ghetto, or any of the number of other forms of employment I’ve turned to in between writing gigs in an ongoing effort to pay the bills. This knowledge has, in turn, prepared me rather well for life in the digital age. I work in “digital media” now, the new frontier — the kids call it a “website” — where a story is only as good as the number of people who “like” it on Facebook. Quality does not rule the online world. You could be the second coming of Thoreau, but if people are given the choice between reading your story about some Seriously Deep Shit or watching a YouTube video of a guy getting kicked in the nuts, the nuts are going to win every time. This would bother me deeply, if I wrote SDS. But I write about snowboarding, so I’m used to it. What’s troubling is how many people now aspire to create nuts instead of art. People get famous off of videos that have gone viral and Twitter feeds that have tracked one million registered hits. No one gets famous off of his or her SDS. The average person will spend less than 30 seconds on a Web page before clicking away, and only people who truly understand this find success online. And so, the high-volume, constant turnover of information on the Internet is like top 40 radio. There’s an overwhelming amount of shit flooding the airwaves, but none of it lasts. Something hot for days will be impossible to find in months and completely gone — literally deleted — in a year. In most cases, that is a total blessing. But sometimes, it’s a real curse. Because the opportunities for people to create real, physical objects (like, say, a magazine) that will be circulated in the real, physical world are becoming few and far between as more and more people and companies are pushing to go digital. Unless the Mayans were right, and the planet is about to reset itself in a year, we’re headed down a path toward total superficiality. I say, don’t drink the Kool-Aid. It’s one thing to use the Internet like it uses you, but if we don’t keep the things we make for passion out here in the real world, where they belong, we risk losing them forever. The beauty of a book — or a magazine, or a painting, or a printed photograph — is that it physically exists. You can hold it in your hand. You can put a book on a shelf and 50 years later, someone will be able to pull it off that shelf and read it. And if it was a good book, in 50 years, someone will want to. A painting hung on a wall can bring joy to people hundreds of years after the painter has died. Is this not the real value of these objects? Isn’t that a tradition we should do everything in our power to preserve?

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the lowdown

words and photos by brandon parrish

behind the burton stash park at jackson hole

Japanese cuisine featuring only the finest and freshest fish from around the world

Unless you’ve been completely out of the loop this summer, you’ve undoubtedly heard the buzz surrounding Jackson Hole Mountain Resort being selected as the sixth resort in the world to feature one of Burton Snowboards’ exclusive Stash Parks. Odds are you’ve already caught a few glimpses of some of the features The Stash will offer, so I’m going to use this space to fill you in on how this magical relationship between Burton and JHMR came to be. In case you’re clueless about what a Stash Park is, Jeff Boliba, Global Resort Director at Burton Snowboards, explains that, “The Stash concept is to use whatever indigenous materials and features the mountain has to offer — like rock walls, trees and drops — then enhance them a bit to create the ultimate natural park so riders can take their freestyle riding to the next level.” Terrain parks at Jackson Hole have always struggled to find a permanent home, making it a difficult task for the Park and Pipe crew to consistently create progressive parks. It’s not that nobody cares; it’s more that it has never been a big initiative of the resort to have world-class terrain parks when the natural terrain here is so damn good to begin with. JHMR Park and Pipe Supervisor Ranyon d’Arge and his predecessor, JP Martin, have always maintained a broader vision and have been on the front lines for years trying to circumvent the “no-need-for-a-terrain-park” hurdle.

along with the success of The Stash Parks that had already been established, was able to pass along the idea of going with a greener, more natural-style park to VP of Operations, Tim Mason. “Tim has had an open mind throughout this process,” Ranyon said. “None of this would have been possible without him.”

11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.

After gaining support from upper management, Ranyon was able to present the idea to Boliba, and the rest is pretty much going to be history. Speaking of the alliance, Ranyon said, “Burton is such a rad company to work with, and it’s cool for us because it’s like working with the Google of snowboarding.” Mike Bettera of Snow Park Technologies added, “It’s really cool how this worked out. Usually, Burton and Jeff Boliba approach the resorts about The Stash, but it’s rad that the Park and Pipe staff took the initiative to come to the resort and to Burton this time.” The Stash will offer endless opportunities for publicity and media for the resort, as well as better opportunities for local athletes to gain exposure. It’s a giant step forward for the Jackson Hole freestyle scene and may even pave the way for the allotment of more traditional terrain parks at the resort.

The idea to bring a Stash Park to Jackson initially sparked in 2006 when Burton was working on their first Stash run at California’s Northstar-at-Tahoe. JP and Ranyon saw what Burton was doing with The Stash concept and realized that Jackson Hole was the perfect resort for a park of that caliber. Long story short, JP and Ranyon mentioned the idea to the resort, but nothing ever materialized. In 2008, Park and Pipe staffer Jonathan Goggin and his college-learned lady friend, Chelsey Lewis, stepped up and wrote an official proposal for a Stash Park at Teton Village. “It was about the time that Burton was working on their park in Killington, Vermont,” Goggin said. “We pretty much wrote it because we were bored one day, and everyone we talked to anywhere else that already had a Stash Park just made it sound like something that Jackson Hole should already have.”

In trying to wrap this up, I’d like to give major props to Ranyon, JP, Jonathan and Chelsey, Rich Goodwin, Tim Ramirez, Remy Milosky, Paul Turi, Shane Rothman, Brendan Kiggen, Andy Stewart, the whole JH Park and Pipe Crew, Tim Mason, Jeff Boliba, Snow Park Technologies, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and anyone else who contributed in any way to make The Stash happen at the Village. If The Stash sounds like your cup of tea, make sure to stop and say thanks to (and/or buy drinks for) any of these guys you might run into on or off the hill this winter. They’ve worked super-hard to bring all of us JacksonHole-living, sideways-sliding, chairlift-riding, nice-view-having, snowflake-liking, morefeature-wanting liberals what is sure to be endless winter fun. So get out there and enjoy the goods, and keep your eyes peeled for major things to come from The Stash at Jackson Hole, because shit is about to go down!

Ranyon was able to approach resort management once again with the new proposal, and

For more information on Burton’s Stash Parks, visit www.thestash.com.

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open daily for lunch, apres/happy hour specials and dinner

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Just Did It

Words By Dustin Varga Photo By Jesse Brown

David Bailey is an icon, and I am sure most of you don’t know his name. It’s mostly because he was a world supercross and outdoor national champion in the eighties. Bailey’s style and aggression were unmatched on the track. He was one of the first people to take training seriously along with Johnny O’Mara, who was Bailey’s teammate at the time. They raced ten-speeds and mountain bikes, and married physicality with mental prowess to make themselves champs. Bailey ended up suffering a career-ending injury that left him in a chair for life, but it hasn’t stopped him from being an Ironman Hawaii champ and figuring out a way to ride Moto X again through special rigging and straps. When Kevin Pearce injured himself last season, he didn’t give up and now is on the way to a full recovery by sticking to what he loves and pushing forward. Both of these people took strides to reach success, championships, event wins, etc., by setting goals and going for them fully committed. Normal people, athletes and most that thrive in communities such as Jackson Hole climb mountains, ride snowboards, ski, ride Moto X and get after it in all fashions. What I find most amazing is how we draw inspiration from each other, and can take that energy and apply it to our respective sports. I love to watch other sports like Moto X and skateboarding, especially at the top levels. When these guys are on, it is awesome to see. Top-level pros in any sport all have the eye of the tiger, and have figured out how to take calculated risks and push to the next level. Just do it. Very cliché, but couldn’t be any easier to relay. Set the goal, picture success and do it. I think by setting our goals higher, we visit places we didn’t think were possible — and those places then become the norm. By seeing other athletes we look up to succeed, we can learn how to be successful ourselves. Hats off to my icon, David Bailey, for lending me inspiration when I need it. I suggest everybody find an icon, study his or her techniques, and maybe achieve some goals you never thought possible. Use it for snowboarding, use it for life.

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Full Circle

Words & Photos By Stephen Koch

I will never forget hitching a ride to Jackson from the airport. I had just arrived on a one-way ticket with a suitcase in each hand, wide-eyed and fresh out of high school, to snowboard for a winter. While growing up (not that I have stopped, at least metaphorically), I moved often — San Diego, New York, San Diego, Denver and outside Boston. But the one constant I had throughout my youth was skateboarding. During the drive, I remember seeing the mountain for the first time. My jaw dropped as I said, “Wow, it’s huge!” The beautiful young woman giving me the ride replied, “Yes, Snow King is pretty big.” That was back in 1987. I was ready to be on my own, live in Wyoming and learn to snowboard — and I was ready to legally consume alcohol at age 19. My first turns on a snowboard sucked. They were on a low-angle hill in a golf course in Denver in 1984 or ’85. The idea was cool, but my execution was lacking due to the difficulty with gaining enough speed to turn. The next time I strapped on a snowboard was on Teton Pass. It was a hoot hiking up and riding down in the powder snow south of the highway. There were about 10 of us snowboarding regularly at the Village in the late 80’s, and it felt like a cool thing to be doing. I remember the insecure tele skiers calling us “knuckle draggers” and other silly names. It was understandable: Telemark skiing was the “new sport” not long before, and they must have remembered the sometimes hurtful teasing from skiers who were afraid of change. I remember making some fun runs with “Froggie,” the French monoskier who worked with the ski patrol. Watching him awkwardly turn on this different snow tool was exciting to me. Living in Jackson Hole, one’s eyes are inevitably drawn to the highest point, the Grand Teton. The highest peaks were virgin, waiting to be caressed by the edge of a snowboard for the first time, and I wanted to be the caresser! I knew that I needed mentors in order to accomplish my goals, and Kevin Pusey and Tom Turiano soon filled those roles. On our descent of the Grand, we utilized our climbing tracks to better know the conditions and access the safest way down the mountain. After the rappels, I nearly killed Tom by cutting above him in the wet, southfacing June snow. My feeling of helplessness was complete watching him tumble toward the cliff edge in the slow-moving slide. We were both quite relieved when he finally stopped. Tom forgave me, and we soon attempted the SE Couloir of the South Teton. At the top of the couloir, we both looked down and said, “No way, too steep,” and ripped the South Ridge instead. Soon after I snowboarded the Grand, Middle and South Tetons in the spring of 1989, the great state of Wyoming finally folded to the feds — but not after a good fight and the threat of losing highway funds — by changing the legal drinking age from 19 to 21. It was then that I decided to move to Chamonix, France.

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Living in Chamonix as a budding 20-year-old male was like being a kid in a candy store. First, there was the abundance of women from all over the world, which was a relief in more ways than one after spending two years commiserating with the many men who were unable to “connect” with a woman in Jackson when the male/female ratio was roughly 10 to 1.

Secondly, “Cham” was the birthplace of mountaineering and the undisputed home of “extreme.” What I was after was “true” extreme, and I was pissed the masses didn’t know the difference between what I was doing and what skiers like the colorfully mohawked Glen Plake were doing. After a season in Chamonix, experiencing the pleasures of French culture and the magnificent access to the Alps through the extensive cable car system, I was very comfortable snowboarding steep slopes in various snow conditions. It was time to step outside of my comfort zone — but not before spending the summer there, where I was more fully introduced to rock and alpine climbing. I had a couple of close calls during my time in Cham, like the avalanche that carried me over cliffs on the Aiguille Verte and a couple of slips on ice, which I stopped with my ice axe. These slips, where the edge of my snowboard would stop gripping the slope, occurred on routes where others had died from similar incidents. Was I a better mountaineering practitioner? Did I have better karma? I doubt it. So why did I survive when they did not? Some things remain unknowable. Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside the Himalayas, was the mountain I chose for my first expedition. At 22,834 feet, Aconcagua hadn’t had a snowboard descent of its Polish Glacier. In November 1991, my partner bailed 2 weeks before departure (due to one of his many relationship situations). After working as a laborer helping to build the Teton Rock Gym that snowy fall and early winter, there was no way I was not going to go. Alone, high on Aconcagua, I spent 3 terrible nights in a blizzard. On the fourth morning, I awoke to 6” of snow inside my torn tent. I had no choice but to descend. As the storm continued to pummel the mountain, I managed to put my sleeping bag into my pack, dump the snow out of my boots and put them on. With frozen hands and feet, I fought my way through the storm to safety. I returned to Aconcagua in January to attempt a descent once again. Alex Lowe, the most motivated and talented climber I knew and had the privilege of being mentored by on wild mixed climbs in the Tetons, was there with a client guiding the Polish Glacier. We met at a hotel in Mendoza, Argentina, the gateway city for climbing Aconcagua. During the ascent of the glacier, I followed Alex and his partner’s tracks. Halfway up the route I stopped to warm my numb toes by stuffing them in big black mittens and letting the intense sun warm the fabric, and eventually, my toes. All the false summits were taking a toll on my mind and on my legs. I considered tossing my snowboard down the slope to lighten my load, but thought better of it. On the descent I remember the massive exposure, which kept me focused and a little on edge, on either side of the ridge. Tired and dehydrated, I arrived back to camp and experienced what felt like a great act of kindness. Alex, beaming from ear to ear, handed me a steaming mug of hot chocolate and said, “Nice work, kid!” I was then drawn to snowboarding the highest peaks on Earth. On the summit of Denali in Alaska, I met Joan Phelps, a woman who I was humbled and inspired by when I discovered she was completely blind. It was then and there that I decided to tackle the Seven Summits Snowboarding Quest to snowboard the highest mountain on each continent. It took 10 years to complete six and a half of the seven summits and another seven to accept the half for what it was. My quest is now complete. I will always be drawn to the mountains — to suffer and find freedom from suffering, to express, experience, connect, lead, feel and thrive. Now I am thrilled to follow my young son as he shreds the Village.

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Ten Years of Storm Show Studios Words By Sam Petri Photos Courtesy of Storm Show Studios

In 1993, snowboarding was still a rebellious fringe sport practiced by rogue kids in the hills. There were no energy drinks, just cheap cans of beer. And there were no X Games, just friends. If there was ever a golden age of snowboarding, that was the time. Storm Show Studios’ Darrell Miller was a junior at Jackson Hole High School taking a radio and television class with buddies Jeff Tibbitts, Rob Kingwill, Arden Oksanen and Dan Adams. The class, led by Dave Young and Tom Ninnemann, taught the students how to use a camera and edit footage. Filming each other for the fun of it, all five decided to make a local action sports film. The class had such an impact that after it was over, they all just kept making movies using Jackson Hole as their backdrop. A few of them took filming to a professional level, including snowboarder Darrell Miller. This year, Miller celebrates 10 years of his ski and snowboard film production company, Storm Show Studios, which he officially started in 2000. With nine local Jackson Hole films under his belt so far — “LOCS,” “Whoopee,” “The Precious,” “Sleeping Giants,” “Falling Forward,” “Trial and Air,” “300,” “600” and “Magic Moments” — Miller will release two films this year. The first, dropping Nov. 19, will be a Storm Show Studios retrospective titled “Miller’s Thriller.” The other will be a classic, annual shred flick titled “Action Jackson,” set to premiere mid-winter. “The goal from the beginning has been to inspire people and to show people that they can do things they didn’t think they could do,” Miller said. “Whether it’s on the mountain, or starting your own dream company.”

Photo: Chris Figenshau

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Keeping it real, Miller specializes in documenting Jackson riders ripping Jackson terrain. In a sport that often reaches for its identity from the outside, Miller reaches from within and documents the core. “The movies I’ve made are not all skiing and snowboarding,” Miller said. “They’re whatever’s going on in this town. It’s just the life we’re living here in Jackson.” Furthering the local vibe, Miller makes an effort to use music produced in Jackson in his films. “Since it’s all Jackson Hole, I want to keep as much local music as possible,” he said. He lists Chanman, Biomecca, Gamble, Rocky Vertone and the now deceased King Weep as musicians who have contributed songs over the years. “It brings it all back to keeping it in this town,” Miller said. Each year, Miller’s only plan is to ride. He doesn’t organize trips, photo shoots or contrived crews of riders to film specific lines. He simply goes out with a camera and films his friends, just as he has done since day one. Fortunately, the quality of the cameras he uses and the riders he films have improved over the years, and Miller’s been able to capture some compelling lines.

Photo: Chris Figens

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Photo: Chris Figenshau

dirty lenses deserve www.TheSpanky.com 1-866-MTN-MAPS

“You don’t know what you’re going to get till you step off the tram or spend 10 hours climbing a mountain,” Miller said. “I never thought that I’d be capturing what I’m capturing on film. I never thought it would step up to that.” Miller notes his 2006 release, “Trial and Air,” as his favorite film to date. In it, Mike Tierney skis the line Igneous Rocks located on Cody Peak outside of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Also, Matt Combs ski-BASE jumps off of the same peak after skiing a separate line called Talk is Cheap. “That’s the sickest thing I’ve ever filmed,” Miller said. “So intense.” True, there’s intensity to all of Miller’s films. But there are also plenty of powder shots in each film, something every skier or snowboarder can relate to. And perhaps that’s what makes Miller’s films so enjoyable to watch — they’re easy to relate to. It’s local people riding local terrain, and as you watch, you can identify the places you’ve been. In a sense, it’s a yearbook of the previous winter with each segment its own mini-golden age of skiing and snowboarding, each moment captured forever. Or maybe it’s simpler. “Just watching snow fly really gets me going,” Miller said. Yeah, that too.

“Born in Crested Butte, grown in Jackson Hole, and now The Spanky, microfiber lens cloth trail map, is available to you in more than 100 resorts worldwide.”

We are hours away from sending our sixth issue off to print, and I couldn’t be more excited. Winter is on the way, and it has been a beautiful fall. The colors lasted longer than usual, and it has been a pleasant break from the cold, rainy falls we have grown accustomed to. There is a buzz in the air, and people are starting to get excited for the snow to fly.

A lot has happened in the last year, and it’s impossible to know what will happen in the next one. Some things have been happy, some things have been sad, but no matter what, we have all grown a bit with each and every experience. In the future, I hope we can continue to grow in both our personal and professional lives. -J Brown-

Every year as we approach the start of this magazine, I become overwhelmed by the amount of work that will go into the process. The idea of sending out hundreds of e-mails, working with 80plus advertisers and all the other tasks we take on can become a bit daunting. Then the process starts, the photos and stories start rolling in and I remember why we continue to do this. I am amazed at the level of writing and photography we are able to compile in one issue. I am extremely appreciative to the people who are willing to share their words and photos with our readers. We feel we were able to create another beautiful issue jam-packed with inspirational stories and iconic imagery. We found a nice balance between snowboarding stories and stories about life to create something different from anything else out there. It’s our job to showcase the riders of tomorrow like Rainey Pogue, Jack Hessler, Cam Fitzpatrick and Blake Paul. We are also honored to feature the legends like Bryan Iguchi, Mike Parillo, Julie Zell and Stephen Koch within our pages. I am so thankful to all of our contributors, advertisers, photographers, writers and readers for being a part of our publication. We hope with each issue we progress a little bit. It’s not all about quality as long as we can grow wiser with each year. As wisdom comes with age and maturity, we can only hope to look back and know that we have continued to grow. Thank you to Kristen Joy, Michael Bills and Pamela Periconi for your dedication and the countless hours you put into this process. Kristen puts an insane amount of time into this publication, and I am eternally grateful for her contribution. None of this would be possible without her.

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Wake up everybody No more sleepin’ in bed No more backward thinkin’ Time for thinkin’ ahead

Thank you

The world has changed So very much From what it used to be There is so much hatred War and poverty, Wake up, all the teachers Time to teach a new way Maybe then they’ll listen To what’cha have to say ’Cause they’re the ones who’s coming up And the world is in their hands When you teach the children Teach ’em the very best you can The world won’t get no better If we just let it be, The world won’t get no better We gotta change it, yeah Just you and me — John Legend, “Wake Up Everybody”

PHOTO: JEFF CURLEY - JACKSON HOLE - BOARD: VOLT