JH Snowboarder Magazine Issue 7

ackson Hole JSNOWBOARDER MAGAZINE

CONSTRUCTED WITH A PROVEN MULTI-LAYER SYSTEM FOR MAXIMUM BREATHABILITY AND WATERPROOF DURABILITY, HYVENT KEEPS YOU DRY INSIDE AND OUT. ROUGH RIDES CALL FOR BURLY PROTECTION. THIS TECHNOLOGY IS THE ANSWER. LAB-TESTED. ATHLETE TRUSTED. BACKED BY A LIFETIME WARRANTY. WATCH OUR INDUSTRY-LEADING OUTERWEAR TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION: RIDER PHOTO JACKET

MARK CARTER JEFF CURLEY SKULL HORN

THENORTHFACE.COM/HYVENT

Photographers Publisher/Senior Photographer Jesse Brown Art Director Kristen Joy Advertising Sales Michael “Fudge� Bills Copy Editor Pamela Periconi Cover Artist Mark Dunstan

Elliott Alston Mary Boddington Ryan Boyes Jeremy Chastain Chris Cressy Jeff Curley Vernon Deck Aaron Dodds Wade Dunstan Spencer Francey Mikey Franco Amy Galbraith Richard Goodwin Eric Hansen Mike Hardaker Jeff Hawe

Writers Justin Jay Cecilia Kunstadter Melissa Larsen John Layshock Dave Meador Andrew Meehan Adam Moran Jeff Moran Reid Morth Julian Murray Jeff Palmer Brandon Parrish Tal Roberts John Rodosky Meg Haywood-Sullivan

Jared Slater

Dustin Varga Billy Weiss Greg Wheeler Alex Yoder Danny Zapalac Silvano Zeiter

Jesse Brown Mark Carter Blake Ciulla Meg Daly Aaron Dodds David Duffy Jonah Fuechsel Clark Fyans Steven Glass Eric Hansen Jeff Hawe Bryan Iguchi Chad Jackson Kevin Jones Gabe Langlois John Layshock Sasha Moltivala

Artists Jeff Moran Curt Morgan Reid Morth Duane Nardi Chad Otterstrom Lisa Page Jeff Palmer Mike Parillo Brandon Parrish Travis Rice John Rodosky Stephen Scherba Jared Slater Dustin Varga Greg Wheeler Colin Wisema

a.farm Mark Dunstan Steven Glass Kelly Halpin Halee Heermann Amy Jurekovic Mike Parillo Erin Smith Aaron Wallis

Rider: Bryan Iguchi Jesse Brown Photo

TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

104 VIVA ITALIA Artwork by Mike Parillo.

106 THE TRUTH IS An interview with Brother Ali.

10 BEHIND THE LENS: JEFF CURLEY His thoughts on shooting in Jackson and what makes it different.

16 SCRUBFEST This annual fest showcases snowboarding at its purest.

110 BLAKE PAUL: IN DEPTH This kid’s got it and he’s only just begun to show us just what that is.

18 WOODEN WONDERLANDS These skate ramps are strictly invite-only and hard to find.

118 MY DREAM, UP T0 NOW John Layshock embellishes on his career as a snowboard photographer and the opportunities it’s provided.

22 MOUNTAIN OF LIFE This committed journey of patience, practice, self discovery and respect.

10

126 JACKSON HOLE. YEAH, I LOVE IT! There’s something about it that just calms my nerves and makes everything seem fine.

24 LIGHT OF DAY The small percentage of photos that see the light of day and the memories surrounding those that don’t.

128 BE GRATEFUL Things to be truly grateful for that all lead to one thing: the ability for each of us to enjoy snowboarding in its purest form.

28 SIC-BIRD SODA Comic by Kelly Halpin.

131 THE CALL OF THE SHRED Crystal Mountain, Washington: Stop 2 of the North Face Masters Tour.

31 ALPEN HOFF A Swiss adventure topped off by the one, the only, the HOFF. 37 THE FIRST SNOWBOARDER The father of snowboarding in this valley is a man that goes by many monikers yet is known by surprisingly few.

40 WASTE PRODUCT Spring kills before it creates.

37

44 FLIGHT An intimate look at the film through the words of the crew.

53 STASH PARK The Jackson Hole Park and Pipe is now just beginning to scratch the surface of this park concept.

58 JEFF HAWE: LIVE BEHIND A LENS My heart pumps snowboarding and a camera in hand is my place in it all.

66 THIS IS ME This is what it looks like to get lulled into a false sense of security by spending enough days in the backcountry, always pushing the mountains’ limits but never having them hit back.

44

42

64

108

134 THE BALDFACE EXPERIENCE A shredder’s must-do destination that was pioneered by the late Craig Kelly.

DIVISIONS 26 DROPPING NEXT: DAN RODOSKY 42 ON THE FRONT LINE: COVER ARTIST MARK DUNSTAN

96 TATANKA Artwork by Erin Smith.

64 BEHIND THE ARTIST: AARON WALLIS

98 REMEMBERING AROB He left us while living his perfect life — pursuing something that was, to him, as real as it gets.

102 JUST SAYIN’ A personality is cool, but what I’m really looking for is a dude who doesn’t have any of my friends’ phone numbers programmed into his phone.

26

68 SEMBLANCE: IMAGE GALLERY 108 BEHIND THE ARTIST: AMY JURECOVIK

106

136 THANK YOU

BEHIND THE LENS Jeff Curley Hometown: Truckee, CA Website: Curleyphoto.com Years Shooting: 10 Photos: A couple images of the crew from Jackson, 2011

KJ: What originally brought you to Jackson for the first time?

It’s funny you ask, because you did ... Jackson had always been on my mind as a place I wanted to spend some time in, but I never really had a chance until you moved there.

The Tetons are badass and had me intrigued. Most of my traveling was to BC for years, because honestly, I can’t ride enough pillows. I love pillow lines like Charlie Sheen loves blow and hookers. Jackson has plenty, too.

Carter: What makes the JH crew different from the others, and why is Jackson any different than other spots?

There’s a tight-knit crew of friends and riders here, which is hard to find in other mountain communities.

The terrain also breeds amazing snowboarders and backcountry enthusiasts, so amongst that community are some very talented individuals. There’s no pussyfooting around in these mountains, and it shows in the skills of the riders in Jackson.

Interview By Kevin Jones & Mark Carter

-08-

Self portrait: Valdez, AK

Rider: Mark Carter, Jackson Backcountry, White Room

KJ: Why do you choose to shoot snowboarding primarily instead of rollerblading or figure skating?

Ha ha, it’s simple: I’m a snowboarder through and through. My life has been shaped around what I do in the mountains, the winters and riding. As cheeseball as it sounds, I can’t imagine a life without it, and it’s honestly the thing that keeps me going. There could have been a lot of different roads for me when I look back, and I have no regrets. I primarily try to shoot friends of mine, and fortunately, they’re all skate- and snowboarders.

Carter: When shooting, where do you get more hot laps?

Jackson or Tahoe?

That’s a tough one. The Sierra is my home, and I know it better than anywhere and have spent the most time shooting/riding there. I do find myself shredding a lot when I come to Jackson, though. It all really comes down to the filmer/production I’m working with. If they’re down to make the effort with me, I get in way more laps when we’re out. But don’t kid, I will make it happen every day. I can’t just watch you guys ride perfect powder without getting my fix. Besides, the crew in Jackson would never let me go home without getting mine. We look out for each other like that

Rider: Sammy Luebke, Jackson Backcountry, Frontside 3

Rider: Kevin Jones, JHMR, Lost Lifty Line

Carter: What are the most memorable moments from your time in Jackson?

Last December, when we rode the resort for nine days straight with the whole crew. The snowpack was all-time for December, and we had a mob of chaos coming down the mountain all day long — 15 to 20 people at times, destroying. I live for that! Another would have to be a morning I went touring with Guch on Teton Pass. Guch is a legend. Hope to do more of that in the future. I consider my friends in Jackson my extended snowboard family. The memories are just getting started; we have a lifetime of creating them ahead.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSIDERATE AND RENEWABLE MATERIALS INTEGRATED WITHOUT COMPROMISE

Rider: Adam Dowell, JHMR, Cab One

PHOTO: MARK WELSH

SCRUBFEST REID MORTH WORDS & PHOTOS BY

One year has come and gone since the last ScrubFest splitboard festival. I wish I could say we’re one year wiser, too, but honesty is always the best policy, and on that note, Idaho police radars never lie. Our group of splitters driving from Bozeman, Montana, to Togwotee Pass had yet to see the Wyoming border when somewhere in the middle of the night, the cherries came on behind the truck, and just like that, our trip’s beer fund took a crippling blow.

Still in high spirits, we continued on to the A-frame lodge tucked away on the pass that Jeramie Prine, the event’s organizer, always lines up ahead of time. Unpacking splitboards, packs, food and cases of beer, it was time for everyone to stake their claim on beds, bunks and the prime real estate in front of the fireplace. After a bedtime snack and a quick meet and greet around the lodge, we all proceeded to tuck in — lulled by a crackling fire, snores and a few matches of fart tennis.

Up early, everyone made their way through the kitchen concocting breakfast and sandwiches for the day. After grouping up and

-14-

creating a game plan, it was off to explore Togwotee Pass, which contains some amazing splitboard access off either side. With all the untracked vertical our legs could handle, our group skinned all day for the entire weekend, bagging lines and riding pristine pow, burning calories instead of sled gas. On the last night at the lodge, everyone gathered around for a prize raffle made possible by Prine and ScrubFest’s generous sponsors: Splitboard.com, Spark R&D, Bomb Snow, Pieps and Voile. With a loaded raffle, everyone wins some piece of backcountry gear, and Perry won a Rastacolored splitboard — the stars had aligned.

With newer and younger faces turning out for the festival, it was easy to notice the growth in the splitboarding community. In an age where helicopters film helicopters filming and riders tweet their latest drop of pow like a religious obligation, it is refreshing to see movies like “Bike Car,” “My Own Two Feet” and “Deeper,” and events like ScrubFest, which showcase snowboarding at its purest — it’s about getting out, having fun and seeing what there is to be seen.

WOODEN WONDERLANDS Words By Jeff Moran

Photos By Chris Cressy

As snowboarders in Jackson Hole, we’re incredibly fortunate for the long winters and deep snowpack. As skateboarders and bikers in Jackson Hole, we’re f ’d.

Since Colosseum Skatepark permanently closed its doors in 2007 (RIP), most JH skaters and bikers have been forced to spend the winters concentrating solely on shredding pow. I know, I know! That should be enough, right? Wrong. Why should we have to choose? Especially when skateboarding and BMX play a crucial role in developing on-snow style, creativity and the ability to read terrain.

“The Barn” 2008 - Present Built By: Pete Marsiglio (Colosseum Skatepark) & Jonny Burke Layout: Quarterpipe, banked funbox with flatbar, bank-to-wall, big flatground area, mini ramp Dimensions: All features are 3-4 feet tall and 8-12 feet wide.

Landlords: Jack Hessler, Jimmy Hessler, Phil Hessler and Brolin Mawejje Bonus: Basketball hoop, drum set, enough room for a 10-person skate jam, wall-mounted iPod dock with surround sound, coolest parents ever

I did say “most” JH skaters and bikers. There are a handful of dedicated souls who have invested time, money and heated space in order to keep their shins bruised and swellbows swollen all winter long. These pages don’t cover every private indoor spot Jackson Hole has ever seen, but they do focus on a few that thrive today and, in my opinion, Jackson’s best indoor ramp ever.

Good luck getting in on a session, as these spots are strictly invite-only and hard to find — although there’s not much 50 bucks won’t get you these days. Call me.

“No-Parking Garage” 2007 - Present Built By: Nathan and Seth Johnson Layout: Standard mini ramp Dimensions: 3’5” tall, ll’5” wide, quick transitions Landlords: Nathan, Claire, Jake and Jessica Johnson Bonus: Tall ceilings and still plenty of room for the Christmas decorations, tennis rackets and recycling bins.

Moran, Jack Hessler (boardslide) and Jimmy Hessler (L to R) training for their X Games routine

Jeff Moran, Ollie over the funbox

“Mystery Ramp” 2009 - Present

Photos Clockwise from top left: Dominic Windey, Jessica Johnson, Jake Johnson and friends; Nathan Johnson, Frontside Noseblunt; Nathan Johnson, Frontside 50-50

-18-

Built By: Pete Marsiglio, Billy Weiss, Mark DeOrsay, Jonny Burke, Josh Cutler, “Alabama” Jeff Brown and others Layout: Wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor halfpipe with love seat, window gap and 3 vert walls to the ceiling Dimensions: 20’ wide, 6’ transitions throughout, 5’ transition on love seat, 4’5” tall/12’ wide coping section, 12’ tall vert wall peak Landlord: Pete Marsiglio Bonus: Never crowded, rowdy to ride, late-night sessions, a sound system so sick it feels like you’re skating inside the speakers

Above: Full layout: tight and fast.

Austin Lobner fully committed over the window.

Left: Andy “Slap Me Some” Skinner gets frisky with Pete Marsiglio on the love seat.

“Colosseum Redux” 2007 – 2009 (RIP) Built By: Pete Marsiglio, Billy Weiss, Tim Hoff, “Pretty” Tony Birkholz, Brian Miller, Mark DeOrsay, Jonny Burke, Josh Cutler, “Useless” Jeff Brown and others Layout: Wall-to-wall halfpipe on the first floor of a two-story house with second story removed over the decks for more clearance. Vert wall, extension and BMX wall jam Dimensions: Side one - 16’ wide; half 6’ tall, half 8’ tall Side two - 12’ wide, 6’ tall. Bumped out 4’ wide, 7’ tall vert wall to ceiling 7’5” transitions all around with 5’ transitions on vert wall Landlords: Eric Babb, Tim Hoff, “Pretty” Tony Birkholz, Brian “TMI” Miller Bonus: Anything goes!…up till 8:30pm. Built from Colosseum Skatepark ramps. Endless perspectives and options, party zone upstairs above the flat bottom Special Thanks: Eric Babb for being cool enough to let the sickest ramp get built inside an East Jackson house worth more than my life. It’ll be hard to ever beat this ramp, inside or out.”

Andy Skinner, Melon to fakie Photo: Jeff Moran

Photos top to bottom: Mark DeOrsay, Frontside crailslide Photo: Jeff Moran Jonny Burke, Dusty frontside ollie on the extension Photo: Jeff Moran Jeff Moran, Backside air Photo: Billy Weiss

MOUNTAIN

OF LIFE WORDS BY JONAH FUECHSEL

ILLUSTRATION BY HALEE HEERMANN

All of your Orthopaedic needs covered under one roof by fellowship trained specialists!

In the past, I have questioned your humanity.

Are you living in the moment?

Can you visualize yourself doing great things?

What is the art that you are living?

Are you a wall of righteousness?

I have questioned you because I question myself. I am climbing a mountain called life. The mountain of life brings change, and sometimes, it is a struggle to keep climbing day after day. However, I am the river that perseveres through the mountain. I will not give up! Persistence on my portrait has made me a master. I am not limited to boundaries. Being open to new experiences with a willingness to try is how I overcome my fears. I am climbing the mountain of life in search of the Truth. This is a committed journey of patience, practice, selfdiscovery and respect. The true gift is waiting at the top of the mountain.

Rafael Williams, MD Shoulder Surgery Hands & Upper Extremity Sports Injuries Trauma & Fracture Care Board Certified Fellowship Trained

Geoffrey Skene, DO Non-Surgical Spine Electromyography - EMG Epidural Steroid Injections Board Certified Fellowship Trained

Peter Rork, MD Knee Arthroscopy Hand & Upper Extremity Sports Injuries Trauma & Fracture Care Board Certified Fellowship Trained

David Khoury, MD Shoulder & Knee Surgery Sports Medicine Arthroscopy Trauma & Fracture Care Board Certified Fellowship Trained

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

Joshua Beck, MD Adult & Pediatric Spine Surgery Joint Replacement Surgery Fracture Management Board Certified Fellowship Trained

I can’t tell you what it is because you have to search that out on your own. I want to encourage you to keep pushing toward your perfection. When you get to the top of the mountain, take in the fresh air. Watch the sky fall down to the Earth.

Now, stop watching and start seeing. Seeing comes from the heart. See with the eyes of the mountain. See the layers and the process of time that it takes to get to the top. The success on the mountain is not by chance. If you follow the Truth, it will get you where you need to go. The truth for me is I climbed this mountain of life to snowboard down.

Tsai Wen, a 16th century Japanese poet, wrote: “When I am busy, the mountain looks at me.

When I am at leisure, I look at the mountain.

Though it seems the same, it is not the same.

For busy-ness is inferior to leisure.”

-22-

If professional snowboarder Bryan Iguchi needs orthopaedic care, he turns to the team at Teton Orthopaedics to get the job done.

CLINIC LOCATIONS: JACKSON, WILSON, AFTON, PINEDALE, BIG PINEY, LANDER, RIVERTON, ROCK SPRINGS, GREEN RIVER

A PHYSICIAN ON CALL 24/7 • 307-733-3900

The Light Of Day Words By Duane Nardi

Photo By Dave Meador

I document my winters with photos and scribblings. Piles of electronic media, shoeboxes of faded images on Kodak paper and nearly illegible notes on receipts and scraps of notebook paper. Ninety-nine point nine percent of this mental excrement never sees the light of day. A handful of photos are processed every year and shared with friends, family and, at the most, submitted to regional or local publications. These are always “THE” shots. The rest are stored on electronic peripherals or in a series of old, tattered cardboard filing boxes. And there’s a lot of it. I subscribe to the volume method. It’s not just DSLR double-digit megapixel image files in raw format with detailed descriptions and tags. It’s images taken from my point-and-shoot camera, my cellphone, a Holga pinhole camera, a plastic disposable camera, an ancient medium format film camera, photocopies of photos and scans of photocopies … you name it. For every one photo that decorates a friend’s living room wall suspended with push pins, there are dozens more from that same day, dozens more that never see the light of day.

The ones that do see the light of day seem to glow. The image can be surrounded by photos in a collage or lost in a sea of pages in a travel magazine, but it stands out like a hard vignette. I used to wonder: Why do my pictures look different to me? The answer was easy: “My photos are the shit! They look this way to EVERYONE! Jeff -24-

Curtes, watch out!” Humble, I know. I soon realized this wasn’t the case. The truth was probably closer to, “My camera is worth more than my mid-90s Jeep Cherokee, I shoot a shitload of photos, and even a blind squirrel finds nuts sometimes.” I realized the photos and scribblings POPPED because I knew the history. I had been there. I had taken the photos. I had processed them. I had studied the details. I knew all about the photos that were left in the dark, the ones that didn’t make the cut. When I look at a picture, I remember what went into getting the photo — the laughs shared at the trailhead or on the chair, the long hike, the shitty weather conditions or the ragdoll 10 minutes before the keeper photo. And I remember all the peripheral stuff, too: the eagle we saw, the bear tracks we scaled against our own hands or the crystal-clear moon on the car ride home. That’s why the photos glow.

So as you flip through the pages of this mag, remember that the photos you see and the words you read … this is just the small percentage that sees the light of day. This is the culmination, the tip of the iceberg. Think about what went into creating this media: the riders, the photographers, the artists, the authors and the editors. Study the details.

Imagine the process, the disappointments and the rewards. If you do this, I promise the entire mag will glow.

NEXT NEXT DROPPING

DAN RODOSKY

Words By John Rodosky Action Photo By Andrew Meehan Portrait Photo By John Rodosky

-28-

Daniel James Rodosky is a Scorpio. He was born on Nov. 18, 1991. He is a firm believer in chivalry and has a reputation for knocking out anyone who mistreats the ladies. Dan once participated in a shamanistic sweat lodge ritual, only to discover that his spirit animal was in fact a ninja, which could not be more appropriate. On the surface he is calm, unassuming, even lethargic — often staying in bed well into the afternoon. But beneath this outer layer is an intense, determined and well-trained killing machine. One moment he’ll be texting babes and drinking hot chocolate in the Four Seasons, the next he comes out of nowhere and murders a line right next to the smaller one you just fell on.

Dan’s snowboarding has a style that is truly his own. It’s like he taught himself how to shred isolated deep within the mountain of Shaolin, then emerged from the snowy fog only to discover that he didn’t do it like everyone else.

He drops shoulder-quick, flipping his way into a seemingly unstoppable flight pattern, only to get his feet back under his head with a filthy melon tweak. He doesn’t always do backside 540s, but when he does, he prefers grabbing tail. He has a natural eye for picking out the best lines and charges down them like it was a timed race.

Just last season, Dan finally received some of the recognition he deserves, and this article solidifies the fact that he’s not just another good snowboarder but a respected member of Jackson Hole’s prestigious snowboard community. With Dan and the rest of the FunBlock crew stepping up their shred game exponentially, make no mistake that these kids are the future Jackson legends. Next time you run into Dan in the lift line, hit him up, take a run, and I can guarantee a fun day of snowboarding. He’ll probably show you some lines you didn’t know existed (I don’t care how long you’ve lived here). But then again, he might just disappear back into the snowy white mist from which he came.

Sponsors: Lowrider Boardshop, Saga Outerwear, Avalon7, FunBlock

-28-

AlpenHOFF A SWISS

ADVENTURE

Words By Chad Otterstrom Lifestyle Photos By Bluebird Crew Action Photos By Silvano Zeiter

It all started when Willie sent me a text, “What are you doing in February?”, and I replied, “going where it’s good.” So he went on and told me about his idea to head to Switzerland to ride trains, snowboard and make a movie. Immediately, I was in. I had been there a long time ago, but I managed to be sick the whole time, so I always wanted to go back. I found a $500 plane ticket and bought it just to seal the deal. Turns out, Switzerland wouldn’t get much snow, and everyone was telling us to bail on the trip, but I already had my ticket so I was going no matter what. They at least have more snow than Minnesota, and it seems everyone goes there now. We also had plans to meet up with Swiss legends Nicolas Muller, Fredi Kalbermatten and Michi Albin. Why would I bail? We all traveled separately to meet up in Zurich, and I showed up third. Wastell, Dowell and I immediately went to get beers and ended up waiting quite a while for Willie, Nate and Jeff Curley to arrive. Willie and Nate eventually showed up, but no Curley. It turns out he bailed, and so the trip started off with no photographer — pretty sweet. Oh, and Chuck T managed to show up somewhere in the mix.

Our first stop was Laax, and it took five hours on a train to make it to our hotel.

The place was called The Riders’ Palace, and it’s sort of like MFM’s hotel but

different. We were all excited for this place because this was where the HOFF was playing. The snow was kind of shit during the first part of our trip, but within a day, it started snowing. I think our first good day on the hill we were all too hung over and didn’t even get up there till like noon. I think we ollied a rock or something. We all came down that day hurting, but it was the night of the Hoff concert, so we were all excited. Willie and I posted up on the balcony to get the shots, and he told these dudes they had to move because we were shooting for David’s website — pretty awesome move. By the time the Hoff got on stage, the whole place went nuts. I was so hung over from the night before that I could only hang for six or seven songs, but who really needs more than seven Hoff songs anyway? The next day, we ended up meeting up with Nicolas and his girlfriend, and it turns out it had dumped on the hill. It was a half bluebird day, and we had the best tour guide there. The runs were kind of flat in some spots, but by my standards, it was real good snowboarding. We ended up following Nicolas around, eating lunch at some hidden restaurant on the hill and riding pow all day. So right there, the trip was already set in stone as one of the better ones I’ve had in my life. Laax was fun, and just being in Switzerland for four days made me want to move there.

Rider: Adam Dowell

-31-

Rider: Adam Dowell

Rider: Kurt Wastell

After we tracked out of there, we were off to St. Moritz in the Engadin Valley — Albin’s turf, but unfortunately, he wasn’t around to show us the sweet spots. We met up with a photo guy named Seves (we called him “The Steves”), and he was our tour guide for a couple of days. St. Moritz is a crazy place; it’s like the Aspen of Europe. The snowboarding there was endless, we ended up riding some good terrain there too, and it just happened to dump right before we arrived. That was another magical place. If I was loaded, I could live there easily.

Rider: Chuck T

The third and final stop was to meet up with Freddi K in Saas-Fee, where the shit went down. We took a crazy tourist mountain train to get there, and it was like The Polar Express, first class. I never felt like I was on a snowboard video trip with all the beer and good food we were eating. Ya just never know when you’re going to be in Switzerland again, so ya gotta enjoy it. It rained in town the first day we got there, so Adam, Chuck and I figured we would go on a recon mission and just scope out the terrain.

It turns out that rain in town means 4 feet of fresh on the hill. We got up, and on the first run we were neck-deep all the way down the hill. It was some of the best pow I’ve ever ridden. We ended up meeting up with some locals, thanks to Chuck T and his networking skills, and they showed us around all day. Turns out, they hooked us up with a photographer who was one of the better guys in Switzerland.

Things just seemed to go our way most of the trip, and we came back that night dreading having to tell the rest of the crew how awesome it was. Fredi also appeared out of the blue and asked if we wanted to ride the next day, saying he would show us around. We were feeling pretty spoiled at that point and that’s probably why we were drinking so much. Fredi ended up showing us some crazy run through the glacier with crevices everywhere. If we were alone, no one would have made it out alive. There was also a town carnival going on the whole time we were in Saas-Fee where people dressed up all crazy and threw confetti in your face. Everyone looked like they were in some weird horror movie. We just didn’t want to leave the place. The last day of riding, we went to a spot Fredi had pointed out for a jump, and it turned out to be a great ender to the trip. It didn’t even seem real: It was the last day of

riding, and we were having the best time ever. We all left the hill that day happy.

So it was off to the train station and back to the airport.

We didn’t want to risk missing our flight, so we went to the airport the night before. We remembered Starbucks had some comfortable couches, so we were just planning on sleeping on them, but when we got there, they were all taken. It turns out everyone was on our program. I was so tired I chugged a couple of beers and passed out on the hard floor with my hood covering my head. I was kind of proud of myself.

This will be a trip I will remember for the rest of my life. We all said our goodbyes and got on our planes, only to come back home to one of the best snow winters of my life.

Rider: Chad Otterstrom

Rider: Willie McMillon

nikai asian grill & sushi bar

225 north cache • 307.734.6490 www.nikaisushi.com reservations suggested Jackson’s favorite sushi bar

THE FIRST SNOWBOARDER WORDS BY MIKEY FRANCO

IRIS LAZZ

www.NARGEAR.com

PHOTOS COURTESY ROBERT GARRETT

If you ask any Jackson Hole snowboarder under the age of 35 who the father of snowboarding in this valley is, the answers you will get are most likely 10 to 15 years too late. Many will cite Lance Pitman, Robbie Kingwill, John Griber, Stephen Koch or Julie Zell as the pioneers of the local snowboarding scene. But ask the above-named riders the same question, and they’ll mention someone else — a man that goes by many monikers yet is known by surprisingly few.

His name is RG. The Genius. G. Born Robert Garrett in Southern California, he was a pro skater from Santa Cruz in the 1970s.

As I write this, I am sitting with my mentor as he packs his stuff to return to Santa Cruz to be near his mother.

But before we get to the interview, a few facts on the man that influenced me (as well as many other snowboarders that call this place home) are in order.

RG first visited Jackson Hole in February 1980 while recovering from an illness he picked up on a surfing trip. He was then invited to come work for the company Life-Link by fellow pro skater John Krisik. Six months later, RG arrived in the valley in time for the winter. Not a particularly good season, as RG recalls, 1980-81 was “corn, crust and rocks” at the ski area where he spent his time on alpine skis. But having arrived with a Gar-Ski in hand (a bindingless board like the Snurfer made in Santa Cruz), he headed to Teton Pass to find pow.

At that time, it was mostly tele skiers that were there.

Needless to say, there was no bootpack, there were no other snowboarders, and it was all his to have. Can you imagine? He started off riding quick and easy roadside

shots like “First Turn” and “Telemark Bowl.”

By the winter of ’81-’82, Life-Link had made a trade with Dimitrije Milovich, the founder of Winterstick.

In exchange for avalanche gear, Life-Link acquired five boards. And thus began the first posse of Jackson Hole snowboarders.

By ’83-’84, RG and anyone else he could get to go with him were teeing off, so to speak. Tele Bowl, Twin Slides, Edelweiss — as long as they stayed off the skin track, the tele skiers were “OK” with them being out there!

Hence the beginning of bootpack on Teton Pass.

Above: Pipeline Skate Park, Upland, CA - Santa Cruz ad, back cover Japan Skate mag 78’

It wasn’t until the spring of 1986 while skiing at Teton Village that RG recognized unusual turns underneath the Apres Vous chairlift — someone was riding at the resort. It was Chris Pappas, a Sims pro rider from Colorado, complete with the cuttingedge technology on his Sims 1500. You see, the thing that kept RG and his friends from riding the Village those first few years were bindings and edges. And now Pappas had what it took to get on the lifts.

Pappas was here to start a snowboard school, a move that would influence RG, myself and many others. Eight months after seeing those tracks at the resort, RG ran into a shivering, wet snowboarder on Teton Pass looking for a ride. A brief introduction and conversation ensued. “If you don’t snowboard on hardpack, then you ain’t shit,” RG recalls Pappas telling him, shivering from the cold. “I wanted to strangle him,” RG recalls. “We left him at the top.”

Randy “Skatin’” Katen & RG loading the Life-Link van to head up the pass.

RG is quick to point out that three months later, he and Pappas would become friends and eventually work together.

all mountain backpacks Telemark Bowl. RG was the first “No-boarder” in Jackson too ... It was all about simulating surfing: drop in, bottom turn, and smack off the lip.

Above: Waiting for JHMR to open, frothing on a brand new Santa Cruz ‘board.

Left: Santa Cruz skatemates, “N-Men” Gary Cross & Randy Katen. Finally, bindings on the pass/Glory!

Mikey: Who was the first known snowboarder in Jackson Hole?

Mikey: Is there something you would do over?

RG: (Reluctantly) I guess it was me. I didn’t see anyone else doing it, so …

RG: Stick with the snowboard school. I let some resort policies like drug testing and restricted boundaries trump my love for snowboarding and teaching.

Mikey: What did it feel like to ride a place so many of us consider sacred space, all alone?

RG: We weren’t doing anything crazy like they do now, but we knew it was special. It was like one big secret surf spot with so much potential. People are still coming here for their first “wow,” for their first, “I get it” moment. For me, it was just “wow.”

Mikey: Of all the changes that snowboarding has seen over the last 31 years, what is your favorite?

RG: Bindings! And open boundaries. The option to go out of bounds without the threat of going to jail, getting fired or both. Another is the fact that it finally turned into the mecca we knew it was. This place attracts the best talent the world has to offer, and that’s cool.

Mikey: What is your least favorite?

RG: Too many people still can’t buy a turn!

Mikey: What would you like to think is your best contribution to Jackson Hole snowboarding?

RG: That we didn’t piss off too many people, which allowed snowboarding to grow.

We nurtured it just enough that it didn’t backfire and create a huge chasm between snowboarders and skiers.

Mikey: Drop some names! Which groms did you help influence?

RG: Well, Pappas built the first pipe in 1987. The snowboard school was then responsible for that for over a decade. Because of the pipe, riders like Kingwill, Dan Adams, Pitman, Darryl Miller and Will McMillon were able to follow the freestyle path while maintaining their big mountain roots that is what snowboarding has become so much about today. And they, in turn, have fueled the stoke with all they have done.

Mikey: Any final comments?

RG: We had to be respectful of skiers in our time. It was their mountain. But with unbelievable support from guys like Tommy Bartlett, Jon Hunt, the early Air Force guys, and mentors Theo Meiners and Doug Coombs at the ski school we grew slow and strong. We also had to win over ski patrol. By the late ’80s, the snowboarders were given “permission” to “blow the air” out of the snowpack on closed runs like the Hobacks and the Lower Faces, a sacred task usually reserved for the guides and patrol only. We knew we were accepted.

I am a 22-year veteran — guide, instructor and trainer — of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Snowboard School. It was RG’s inviting stoke and openness that brought me and Mot Gatehouse to the valley in 1990. I owe a great deal of gratitude to the man that introduced snowboarding to this special place. We all do.

Below: RG, Randy Katen and Gary Cross after a sweet run down “First Turn” on Teton Pass.

Above: Spring of 88’ on the pass, after a first season @ the Village ... again, bindings opened up greater potential.

Above: As for the poles photo; all I can say is, people will say what they want about the poles ... but there’s over 33 yrs experience in every turn I make.” -RG

MADE HERE.

WASTE PRODUCT WORDS/ART STEVEN GLASS

WIND

POWERED S I N C E

2 0 0 4

Rider: Elliott Bernhagen Photo: patrickortonphotography.com | www.venturesnowboards.com

Waste product of snow. When it’s spent, lost its form, bent back to its origin, a clear beginning. Spring slayed winter, while GORE-TEXŽ beaded and turned snow into rain.

It felt over. The next day, it snowed and sinned. Three inches of snow on an ice rink. Where bumpy, hidden dynamite. A crunchy, crispy layer. Heel hops that adjusted the spine. Compressing like a dead PBR can. There were only four days left, each one a season to itself.

Seasons sense their end, unpredictable, can only get ugly with violent outbursts, last

-38-

show of dominance. Manic flurries followed by beach days and too many layers, no matter how many are shed, leave the snow fatigued and finally cooked.

When the snow gives up the ghost and goes hydraulic, it grabs at anything it can as a spore in the wind, its travel is your board, and it will slow you down with the souls of 50 feet of snowpack. Tug and pull like a worn razor. Friction is not a friend.

Eventually, snow is forced to diet. All water weight when stressed to sweat. Gray skies yield to blue, a civil war for the slope, a losing proposition for the white.

Spring kills before it creates.

Words By Mike Parillo

Cover artist Mark Dunstan

On the Front Line

Wade Dunstan Photo

I couldn’t care less about an artist’s formal training, list of current shows or what companies he or she does commercial work for. For me, it’s all about the first thing I feel when I see an artist’s stuff, and from first glance, I knew this guy had the line.

-40-

One notable is the fact that Mark Dunstan doesn’t like reverse camber boards — to me, that says a lot. Take that analogy, apply it to his approach as a painter, and you’ll get it. Mark’s work is real; he’s not the kind of guy who pays close attention to the current “what’s what, what’s hot” and then throws his own twist on it in order to fit in with the current style.

His work has a genuine narrative, is brilliant in color and composition, and obviously comes straight from the heart. Every painting I’ve seen of his has a story in it that starts creating a movie in my head. It seems to me that Mark uses the mandate of feeling over thought in his creative process, which is something many artists never achieve or understand.

It’s not my place to judge anyone’s work in order to deem it “good art” or not, but I once read something that I agree with absolutely: “Good art makes you feel something inside.” Mark’s work does that, without a doubt.

THE ART OF FLIGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES

Travis Rice Team sports and action/alternative sports are not usually synonymous with each other. Alternative sports are pigeonholed into being an individualistic pursuit, and in regards to competition, I would agree. When individual action sports filmmaking is the topic, however, I would argue that there isn’t a more dynamic team endeavor out there. The past two years of production on “The Art of Flight” has only further enforced this idea to me. As a unit, each member of the crew has their respective position, and nothing is ever accomplished without multiple elements coming together seamlessly. Each of their parts is essential to the whole. I have never worked harder on anything in my life, and yet the camera crew was usually up before me and still diligently dumping footage and charging batteries while I showered and sat down for dinner. I think that is a testament to how badass the extended Brain Farm production crew really is and proves that this project was much bigger than the laundry list of recognizable names on the box cover.

-44-

Chad Jackson

Blake Ciulla

I came at this from a different perspective. As a producer, it was my job to keep all the parts and pieces together and see every aspect of the film to the end. This was a massive project that should have taken two or three times as many people to do it. In Hollywood, a producer would have looked at us and asked, “How the hell did you pull that off with such a small team?” My answer would be, “To be honest, I am not sure how we did it, but it happened.”

Working on “The Art of Flight” was a blast. I was already a big fan of “That’s It, That’s All” when I started working at Brain Farm, so it was a real privilege to get to help out on their next snowboard film. My main role was to help log and organize all of the footage. It was obvious from the beginning that this wasn’t a normal snowboard film, and due to the amount of footage coming in, it became apparent that we were working on something more like another “Apocalypse Now.”

The moral of the story is “incredible teamwork.”

Months went by, and while the crew went off on different trips around the world, I stayed back in Jackson trying to keep up with the footage. After viewing a few hundred hours, I realized I was getting paid to watch the extended soap-opera version of “The Art of Flight.” It was heaven on Earth. I developed relationships with people I had never met, and every day I watched a different adventure unfold.

Over time, the world I lived in and the world on my screen started to blur, and I couldn’t tell which one was real. Who was I? Where was I? These kinds of questions started to fill my mind. I lost sleep at night, tossing and turning, sweat pouring down my face. Dreams of the crew working together turned to nightmares, as they would start to argue and fight. I would scream at them to stop, but they couldn’t hear me through the computer. After 700 hours or so of footage, the hallucinations set in — hard. I couldn’t see.

Letters would dance on the screen and change their shape into long-lost ancient texts. I would try to read them, but they would vanish into clouds of snow caused by the riders and crew. Eventually, all of the footage was logged, and we were able to finish the movie. All in all, it was a lot of fun and definitely a great experience to work on “The Art of Flight.”

We have an insane special ops team that can pretty much do anything you ask. I am proud of all of them for the extra 150% they put into this. We all gave up a piece of our life, just for a snowboard film. We gave it our all in every aspect of making this. I hope people enjoy it. Massive high-fives to our team for hanging it out there.

Greg Wheeler Two years later, and here we are writing about this. Weird!

Over the course of working on this project I’ve had some of the best times of my life — though I can’t say it was an easy road. You have to take the good and the bad. There were those moments when I thought to myself, “Why are we doing this?” It’s pretty safe to say that everyone on the crew thought this same thing at some point for one reason or another. The long hours and high stress levels may have had something to do with it, though for me, it really wasn’t until the editing began that the long hours grew, and the stress levels rose.

Spending all summer editing with Curt proved to be some of the longest days and nights throughout this entire project. On average, the 15-hour days were called when the moon set and the sun rose. And that routine was continued religiously until the very end. Looking back now, it was those long hours and stressful moments that made for such unforgettable times. I wouldn’t trade it for anything and can’t think of a better crew to have experienced it with.

Cheers, boys!

Bungee aka Stephen Scherba Early, fuel, cold, whoops. Canadian border … rollies. Tiesto, snow blocks, stuck. Did that just happen? Gas stations, cam straps, waiting. Shit talk. Booze. Best fucking crew of Buddy Dudes!

As a unit, each member of the crew has their respective position, and nothing is ever accomplished without multiple elements coming together seamlessly.

Gabe Langlois Crazy!!! I guess that’s what you would expect and that was what it was, in all aspects. Ninety-nine times out of 100 we were pushing the limits — our own and our teammates’ — as well as our safety, but in the end, I don’t think any of us would have done it any other way.

In the past two years, I don’t think I could count the number of times I thought to myself, “WHAT THE F**K ARE WE DOING??!!” The conditions, the workload, pretty much everything was maxed out, but if there is one thing I have learned over the years working with the big C and Trice, it is more often than not you have to be maxed to achieve greatness in this biz.

It’s hard to describe “my experience” on “The Art of Flight” in words, but if I had to I would say, “Good times, man.”

Eric Hansen The coolest (and craziest) part for me has just been the last few months. We partnered up with Dolby, which allowed us to do the final mix at Skywalker Sound. Going to Skywalker Ranch definitely fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine. It was incredible working with the immensely talented Dolby and Skywalker teams on this. I also got to work with great colorists, motion graphics and sound designers, and other producers based all over the country. Everyone was really stoked to work on this project, even the ones that had never ridden snow before. I never thought a snowboard movie would get this type of treatment. Then again, to call this just a snowboard movie is disingenuous at best and ignores a lot of the effort and talent that went into producing it.

Flight really was groundbreaking in many aspects and I’m proud to have been a part of it.

Clark Fyans Although it is a lot of fucking work, it’s an incredible experience to work with the Brain Farm crew. Having the opportunity to enjoy the mountains with the best riders, the best production crew and the best cameras is something I feel very fortunate about.

Everyone involved displays an amazing amount of dedication and passion for what they are doing.

People sometimes refer to me as the “Safety Guy” ... I will quickly correct them and explain that there is nothing safe about it! Throwing double corks over a 100-foot crevasse gap is not safe. Sending steep spines with huge natural back 1s at the bottom is also not safe. If it were safe, it would be boring.

Jared Slater Every day, we wake before the sun rises. Venture deep into the desolate wilderness. Hauling hundreds of pounds of equipment. Struggling through the coldest and harshest conditions possible. Putting ourselves in dangerous and risky terrain. But we all know we are all together, helping each other along the journey. Even in the roughest of times. Worn down mentally and physically, one look at a fellow crew member and they understand. We know that all this effort is for a just cause. All of us know that slowly, we strive for the same goal. It isn’t about money or fame but knowing that from our hard work will come something to enlighten an audience — something that will take people away from their everyday norm and inspire them to look anew. After months of working, traveling and living in close quarters, we all look forward to some alone time at home. But in the end, we find ourselves spending our free time drinking together. This crew is a special breed.

Sasha Moltivala My buddy pass got me on the “Flight” …

About a year ago, I got a call from Chad Jackson, my friend who helps Curt Morgan run Brain Farm. The call was to see if I’d be interested in working on their current snowboard film. He should have asked if I liked shoveling snow. The answer was an easy “yes” (no I don’t like shoveling snow), and over the next four months I would find myself going back and forth between loving it and wondering why I would ever sign my winter away to Curt.

After barely riding through one of the best years Jackson has had in the decade I’ve lived there — spending over 160 days in my boots and 1,200 miles on my sled — there is still no question that “yes” was the right answer. Rarely have I worked so hard and for so long on one film. Travis Rice and the other athletes are some of the most motivated and fun people I have ever worked with, and it’s always impressive to see them step up to something big after not riding for a week and only taking a 300-foot warm-up run down to the jump. The crew is tightly knit and obviously spends too much time together. Curt and Travis are insane, constantly pushing us (and our buttons), and this is how they created the film they did. In the end, we all talk about how we’re not sure if we’d ever do it again, but we know inside the answer will always be “YES!”

Photo: Justin Jay/Red Bull content pool

Curt Morgan After “That’s It, That’s All,” it took me a year to think of how we could make a movie better or if we should make another snowboarding film at all. At first, it was how do we up the level of cinematography, but the more I thought about it, it became apparent that there is a clear lack of story and character development in most action sports films. I decided that if we were going to make another film, we would have to cater to both the core and the mainstream viewer. The challenge is that the majority of the core audience just wants to see the riding, whereas the mainstream audience needs enough dynamics and information to stay seated. It is much safer to side with one or the other, but I knew that being safe would only lead me to follow in everyone else’s footsteps. So I decided to try to create a hybrid documentary that would capture many audiences, and I had an idea of how I would like to see the film play out. Now all we needed was a partner to make it.

We had been in talks with Red Bull Media House for almost a year, and eventually, they decided to come in as our studio to help support the film. This took a huge weight off and made it possible for us to create the film exactly how we wanted to. They put a huge amount of trust into Brain Farm and this new style of filmmaking. I pulled together a team of the most talented riders and film crew in the industry and set out to make it. The most important part of making a film is being able to rely on the strengths of your team — and this was the kind of film where if there were even one weak link, the whole thing would fall apart. I won’t go into detail, because I want you to watch it yourself! :)

-50-

Looking back after two years of grueling work (and of course a lot of fun), I am almost sad to see it over with, and at the same time, rejoicing in finishing what seemed like a nearly impossible task. People always ask me why I keep making these films over and over, but I have never really taken enough time to sit down and figure that out until now. There is always something lurking around the next corner — a new line, a bigger storm, another adventure. It is the excitement for the unknown that makes me continue, and this is just the beginning.

Words B

y Elliott

Alston

What you don’t know is where the Stash concept came from. All in all, it’s a business proposal passed over a couple of times that has now formed a physical structure.

This three-year progressive vision was created to innovate. What you see now is the extract of creation and uncertainty. The current status is just a glimpse of what is possible. It is now vital to keep moving forward.

Aaron Dodds Photo

Rider: Blake Paul

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Burton found a higher ground in partnership, leading both to territory of a foreign nature. Now, with implementation of the Stash concept, the challenge is to push for park features anew. The earth has given our park all we can ask for. We have to sustain what has been provided and create ways to reuse what one might see as unsalvageable, leaving a division of minds that build using all means and material beyond what the untrained eye might perceive.

Adam Moran Photo

Rider: Stephan Maurer

It is not uncommon to find deadfall or reused nails in the hands of a park ranger. These origins of park building still have yet to be tapped. All of the work and passion will live on through each feature. The Jackson Hole Park and Pipe is now just beginning to scratch the surface of this park concept. There was a considerable amount of guesswork for the layout. Going into year two, supervisor Ranyon d’Arge says, “Adjustment is the main focus.”

Adam Moran Photo

Rider: Danny Davis

Aaron Dodds Photo

Rich Goodwin Photo

Rider: Mikey Marohn

team rider: Dan Rodosky photo: Chris Cressy

145 N. Glenwood St. Jackson, Wyoming

Dudeu,sly.

Breakfast • Lunch Dinner

teton village Retail.Rentals.Tuning

serio

Right next to Pepi Stiegler Sports 307.733.4505

www.lowriderboardshop.com

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

R/ Elliot Berhagen P/ Patrick Orton

2012 Burner > www.sparkrandd.com

high society.burton.anon.o’neill.dakine.celtek.spy coal.signal.ak.grenade.gopro.red.sandbox.salomon

Flavors from around the world including American, Asian, Indian, Thai & Latin • Organic Meats, Vegetarian, Vegan & Raw Choices • Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, Appetizers & Entrees • Endless Gluten-free Choices Full Bar, Beer, Wine & Cocktails • Bakery, Smoothies, Juice & Tonic Bar, Espresso & Premium Tea

www.tetonlotuscafe.com

307.734.0882

LIVE BEHIND A LENS

Jeff Hawe A waiting game: straining eyes, ears and visual imagination for the precise moment. A numb finger hovering over the shutter release, waiting to fire. Cold, stiff body parts wedged and contorted into the snow. Praying the wind stops, the hammering snow relents or the hole in the clouds stays open for just one more drop. Sensory overload: assessing snow, weather, risk, safety, timing, distance and light.

This is how we live during the winter months. Exposing sensors or emulsion, burning pixels or silver frame by frame to capture the moment, which defines that time, day, trip, season or lifetime.

Although I’ve only had the privilege to document snowboarding photographically for a few short years, it has been enough time to realize the glory days in a season are few, outnumbered by days of frustration, arduous travel and inclement weather. It has been enough time to realize my heart pumps snowboarding, and a camera in hand is my place in it all. This place allows me to interpret and display moments that exemplify the magic and freedom attained when strapped in.

The perfect moments that are inked into history on the pages of countless shred magazines are only but a fraction of the whole story. They are evidence of the glory days. These mere fractions in time are what we strive for, but it is a love for the life and adventure of it all that keeps us going and keeps a smile on the face during those frustrating days.

To paraphrase photographer Mickey Smith gives soul and perspective to this boggling life addiction: “I look forward to getting amongst it each winter. Cold creeping into my core driving me mad day after day. Mumbling to myself while I hold position and wait for the next drop. The dark side of the lens. An art form unto itself and us, the silent workhorses of the snowboarding world. There’s no sugary cliché. Most folks don’t even know who we are, what we do or how we do it, let alone want to pay us for it. I never want to take this for granted, so I try to keep motivation simple, real and positive. If I only scrape a living, at least it’s a living worth scraping. If there’s no future in it, at least it’s a present worth remembering. I hold waves of gratitude for everything that brought me to that point on Earth in that moment in time to do something worth remembering with a photograph. I feel genuinely lucky to hand on heart say, ‘I love doing what I do.’ And though I may never be a rich man, if I live long enough, I’ll certainly have a tale or two for the nephews, and I dig the thought of that.”

This is what I live for. The photos on these pages are simple manifestations of what happens when it all goes right. Enjoy.

Rider: Nicolas Müller

-59-

Rider: Bryan Iguchi

Rider: Alex Yoder

Behind The Artist

Aaron Wallis

Words By Meg Daly Photo By Jesse Brown

-64-

Gilt-Framed Rappers: Aaron Wallis and the Art of Rebellion Aaron Wallis wants to piss you off. Or at least make you have a reaction beyond cracking open another PBR.

The Jackson Hole-based painter, printmaker and writer works out of the artists’ cooperative, Factory Studios.

On any given day, you’ll find him there, screen printing, drawing, painting or taking a break to sample a fine Camembert. I used to have a studio space next to Wallis, and despite his outer “fuck-off ” persona, he was a warm and funny neighbor. He let me curl up on his van seatturned-sofa when I was going through a hard time, and he inducted me into the delights of Morphine — the band, not the drug.

Wallis reminds me a lot of his “Angry Trees” series, his abstract drawings and paintings of gnarled trees surging with life and color. Wallis’ trees possess an energy and vibrancy viewers won’t find in Jackson-area galleries, where nature is portrayed in sedate, comforting tones.

“I see trees as a metaphor for human struggle,” Wallis said. “The way they can survive and flourish in hostile environments.”

Wallis says his goal is to make art that takes hold of people and elicits a response. “Drawing should be a forceful and visceral documentation of the artistic process,” he said.

He applies the same ethos to his printmaking. His “Street Bible” series depicts rap musicians in the context of Christian iconography and the illuminated manuscript.

The prints are lush and aesthetically beautiful, plainly glorifying counterculture heroes.

“You’re not doing anything relevant if you agree with everyone,” Wallis said, speaking both about rappers and about his own art. When I asked if he condoned the violence prevalent in rap lyrics and some rappers’ lives, he replied, “Well, the government shoots people every day.”

“I don’t think violence solves anything,” he continued.

“But I think we have to address violence because it’s an inescapable part of society.”

This Is Me Words By David Duffy

Photos By Amy Galbraith

This is me. This past winter, I started a fairly significant slide on a well-known slope just south of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. We had studied this particular line (Cowboys and Indians) for a few weeks, and after chatting with some people who had hit it just days before, I decided it was safe enough to give it a shot.

After the hike to the top, the line looked questionable, but the avalanche report for the day was favorable, and that information (in my mind) was justification enough for me to continue with the plan. More than that, even though I wasn’t 100% sure that the snowpack was stable, I was too inexperienced to turn back from a line I was already so invested in. Any veteran backcountry traveler will tell you this is an incredibly dangerous and foolish resolution to come to, but it’s difficult to see things from that perspective when you’re standing on top of your drop. My one moment of life-sustaining clarity was to locate the safe zone I had identified while looking at photos and videos in the few days before. With that in mind, I dropped over the roll.

So this is me. This is what it looks like to get lulled into a false sense of security by spending enough days in the backcountry, always pushing the mountains’ limits but never having them hit back. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to survive this slide, but an ordeal like this leaves a gash across your memory — one that doesn’t fade quickly. It’s not very often that you walk away from having learned a lesson the hard way in the mountains.

/ 49R / superior goggle cases ...clarity weighs 3.2oz and fits in your pocket!

“keeping the visuals great since 08”

I N D U S T R I E S, LLC

Within 10 seconds, a new and unspeakably distinct sound resonated from all around me. The frequency of the noise started loud and low-pitched, and dropped steadily out of audible range as the last air was released from beneath the snowpack. My first thought was that an avalanche had broken on Cody Peak — in my mind, there was just no way the snow underneath ME was breaking. But in the next few milliseconds, as the cracks splintered out to my left, I knew it was my life that was in danger. An instantaneous turn to my right got me to my safe zone: the rocks, a small gravelly patch, and a branch, which held me on the face of Cowboys and Indians as the slide gutted the slope below me, slamming through the side step and down into the basin near the lower traverse. Clinging to the rock in disbelief, I finally realized the magnitude of my error. Utterly in shock and scared to death, I struggled along the only viable way out of danger: a chilling 20-minute ascent over the crown and back up along the track I had put in just minutes before.

www.tlg8.com

Semblance -68-

PHOTO: JESSE BROWN RIDER: TRAVIS RICE

PHOTO: AARON DODDS RIDER: CAM FITZPATRICK

PHOTO: TAL ROBERTS RIDER: ADAM DOWELL

PHOTO: JESSE BROWN

PHOTO: JESSE BROWN

RIDER: PAT MOORE

RIDER: KEVIN JONES

PHOTO: DUANE NARDI RIDERS: WADE GALLOWAY & MACKENZIE WILSON

PHOTO: MEG HAYWOOD-SULLIVAN RIDER: AARON ROBINSON

PHOTO: JEFF HAWE

PHOTO: AARON DODDS

RIDERS: ROB KINGWILL

RIDER: BLAKE PAUL

PHOTO: DANNY ZAPALAC RIDER: MARK LANDVIK

PHOTO: JESSE BROWN

PHOTO: JEFF CURLEY

RIDER: BRYAN IGUCHI

RIDER: VOLLE NYVOLT

PHOTO: VERNON DECK RIDER: MARKUS KELLER

PHOTO: JEFF CURLEY RIDER: KEVIN JONES

PHOTO: JEFF HAWE RIDERS: ALEX YODER

PHOTO: JESSE BROWN RIDERS: MARK CARTER

QS

-82-

QS

“TaTanka” Artist: Erin Smith 2011, acrylic on canvas 20” x 40” This ghost bison is inspired by graffiti and Wyoming’s nature. Using only primary colors, TaTanka is a colorful twist on typical wildlife art.

Remembering Aaron Robinson Sometimes in life, as in snowboarding, it’s easy to skirt the subject — to choose comfort over risk, cordiality over real talk. So let’s skip the formalities and get right down to it. This summer, near the end of July, snowboarding lost one of its most genuine individuals when Aaron Robinson fell victim to head trauma while pursuing his pura vida dream in Chile.

I first met Aaron in Chile in 2009, and he left a lasting impression: an impression that would lead to a strong friendship and many days on the road. He passed away near the spot where we shared our first powder turns, undoubtedly dropping in with a smile on his face and rhythm in his veins. He left us while living his perfect life — pursuing something that was, to him, as real as it gets.

When we look back on Aaron’s quarter-century on this planet, we see a time filled with memories beyond what most people collect in a hundred years of shuffling through the paces of their day-to-day existence. We see an example worth following, a style worth emulating. Whether living out of his ’86 Blazer and using stickers as glue or expressing genuine excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to sleep eightdeep in a room built for two, his was a life of slim means and the greatest rewards. It

Words By Colin Wiseman

Photo By Jeff Hawe

was this humility that allowed him to relentlessly ply forgotten roads in search of the next temporary destination, to drive the Alcan north in the spring and fly south in the summer in search of not only better snowboarding, but also to further develop his understanding of the Earth and its inhabitants.

Ultimately, for Aaron, life was straightforward — he didn’t have the time or the desire to tiptoe around pretense. He approached the world with an outgoing, optimistic energy that flowed through his mind, his extremities, his boots and board; through conversation and silence; from the deepest snow to iced-over rain crust. It was a constant reminder to make the most out of any given situation and smile upon the opportunity to be present and participating, regardless of the circumstance.

Whether he was aware of it or not, Aaron’s vibe was a road map for life and living.

In his passing we can celebrate a positivity that touched many and dedicate our collective energy to continuing his legacy on the road, on the mountain and in our lives. Let’s remember to eschew the charades and get straight to living.

In doing so, we can spread Aaron’s positive vibrations to a world of possibilities.

130 N. Cache Jackson, Wyoming

307.734.0075 www.bunnery.com

IN A + HURRY LITTLE EXTRA + TIME

+

+

=

=

Prepping you for powder days since 1989!

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

Just Sayin’

Words By Melissa Larsen

Since I moved to Jackson, about 189 years ago, I have only ever dated two men who weren’t from Jackson as well. Don’t ask me why. It’s like being a midget or something. You try to date regular people, but in the end, the only person who’s really going to understand your program is another midget. It’s either that, or I’m cursed. I haven’t really figured it out yet.

It’s tough to survive in a small town where dating options that were grim to begin with get increasingly dire with every passing year. Luckily, my first Jackson boyfriend taught me a valuable lesson about why you should never date inside your circle of friends: namely, that after the inevitable breakup, you have to pretend to be cool hanging out in group situations with a person you would rather douse in gasoline and light on fire. It’s the “don’t pee in the pool you swim in” rule, and I learned it well. And it has made all the difference.

Subsequently, the answer to the statement/question asked about nearly every guy I’ve been with since — which is either, “I don’t get it ...” or, “Why don’t you ever invite that dude when we all go out for dinner?” — is simply this: Some women are attracted to a man’s eyes, some his smile. Some like a sense of humor or a nice physique or intelligence. Me? I mean, a personality is cool and all that, but what I’m really looking for is a dude who doesn’t have any of my friends’ phone numbers programmed into his phone.

Oh, you just moved to town? So ... no one I know has any scandalous lies/ stories to tell me about you? Hot. Skier who lives on the West Bank? So you’ll be so busy getting X in the backcountry, you’ll never ask me to go on a “ski date”?

And you’ll never drive further than The Coach to go drinking, so when this is

-108-

all over, I’ll never accidentally run into you at the bar? Double hot. You were born in the middle-to-end of a decade that starts with the number eight? So you’re saying you’re not going to bore me with sad songs about the last 19 women who did you wrong? Baby, here’s my number. Call me sometime. Rrowr.

You will call me a cynic, of course, and I will yawn and casually wave my hand in the general direction of the countless bittermens in town who went looking for love, had it all fall apart and now spend the majority of their free time wishing their exes would: 1.) Die. or 2.) Go find employment in another ski town, and then you will understand that my way is better.

The secondary benefit of exploring your dating options in friend-circles that are not yours is hanging out with him/her is like getting to go on a mini-vacation in someone else’s scene. Because, let’s face it: You love your friends, but there are times when you just want to punch them in the face. Not for any reason, really, other than you spent the last 27 days in a row riding, eating and drinking with them and you’ve already heard that story five times, goddamnit! Shut up! Just shut up! But isn’t that reason enough?

Sometimes it’s just nice to step out for a minute, go talk to some new people, laugh at some new jokes, listen to “he said/she said” gossiping that has nothing to do with anyone or anything you give a shit about. And then, when you’re done, you simply wipe your hands clean of the mess, thank everyone for the good times and casually walk out the door, back to your own party, where your friends are awaiting you with open arms, wondering where you’ve been.

You should try it sometime.

Located in the Smiths Grocery Plaza STEAKS BURGER JERKY SALAMI YOUR TASTE BUDS WILL

We Ship

OWE YOU

Natural & Sustainable Buffalo & Elk Products www.jhbuffalomeat.com 800-543-6328

“VIVA ITALIA”

jack son hole sk i c a bins

Artist: Mike Parillo 2011, acrylic on canvas 48” x 80” 70% of people who see this piece don’t get it, but if you are of European origins, chances are you know exactly what’s up.

Nature. Privacy. Luxury.

INTRODUCING JACKSON HOLE’S PREMIER SKI CABIN RESORT 3 07. 7 3 3 . 1 1 7 7

|

I N F O @ F I R E S I D E J AC K S O N H O L E . C O M

|

F I R E S I D E JAC K S O N H O L E .CO M

THE

TRUTH

IS

50 West Deloney • Town Square • 307.734.9420 www.backcountryprovisions.com

WORDS BY ELLIOTT ALSTON

iconicindustries

PHOTO BY JULIAN MURRAY An hour and a half before our conversation, I didn’t even have a ride to Victor. This definitely wasn’t your typical scenario when trying to interview someone, but I thrive in these situations and did what I usually do by taking it to the streets with my backpack and a vision.

That transportation thing always works itself out eventually.

As I walked into the Knotty Pine in Idaho, the DJs were still setting up, which was a big relief after my nonpunctual behavior that day. While entering the bar’s green room, I was greeted by Brother Ali. We shook hands, and in classic style, he was running a track jacket and Nike Air Force 1s.

LLC

www.iconic-industries.com religious practices are the basis.

Studying using audio books, Brother Ali stays up on current affairs and continues his education of human nature. A high school dropout, he said, “Part of the truth is bringing access to something we [people] might not have seen.” He added that many manufactured ideas and opinions are shaping our societal views each day, referencing the tea party and how people can be convinced of what they thought was their idea.

We both agreed a lot of today’s youth are influenced by what they see on TV or the Internet.

“There is no you, there is no me.

There is just us.”

– Brother Ali

Easing into the interview, we spoke about his early experiences with music and being from Minnesota. His mother liked folk; his father, blues mixed with some Beatles in the good times.

In the 1980s, listening to R&B, soul and funk were the norm.

Ali talked about Midwest hip-hop from Chicago and Gary, Indiana, and other regions of the country making its way to his home. He discussed how he fell in love with hip-hop through the New York stylings of Pete Rock and DJ Premier, while acknowledging that West Coast hip-hop was also big. Producing music is where he discovered his affinity for jazz and searching endlessly for music.

“It’s easy for driven people to go to extremes,” Ali said, talking about his experience with music and religion. Making his first pilgrimage to Mecca in the last year, he knows that for musicians and artists, “The balance of self will always be searched for.” Describing the Islamic holy place as a “sea of humanity,” Ali explained how status is of no virtue, and after seeing the city’s thousands of years of history, he returned a different person.

The experience offered him hope that the world can work together for the future — especially if deep religious study, respect for all people’s beliefs and tolerance of all

Publishing | Print Design | Photography Videography | Editing | Branding | Web Design

Ali has educated children and expressed that “penetrating people through the education of our souls and not who we are as human beings” will be very important to younger people in these changing times. I was 100 percent with him on that and told him of local communities that had been impacted by the loss of the next generation. He embraced our community for the collective that it is. Over the last year, close artist friends like Eyedea and others around Ali have passed on as well.

After 10 months on the road — losing some special people and reaching new spiritual heights — Brother Ali said it has been an all-around transformative year for him. While there is “no formula for the new album,” he cracked a smile and modestly elaborated that “making the best music” was his main plan for it. This album will be a true testament to his journey as an MC and the life he’s created for himself.

Ali is confident he can encapsulate the stories of many through an individual experience.

Bringing consciousness to the masses through hip-hop is just one way he has reached people. Wisdom and love are vital parts of his everyday life and his music. In witnessing much of the world through the eyes of the oppressed and unfortunate, sharing the message is only right.

307.734 .7133 www.22prints.com

625 South Milward Street

Jackson, WY

Behind The Artist

Amy Jurekovic Words By Lisa Page Photo By Jesse Brown

Among the acrylic portraits of women hang pen and ink drawings of teddy bears and nooses. The juxtaposition is striking. In her studio there is no posing, there are no models, no photos or forms, just an expression of her vision pouring out onto canvas.

“My art is something I relate to. You breathe your own meaning into it, but ultimately, it’s part of me,” Amy says. “I paint what I know. I paint women because I know myself; when I paint guys they don’t turn out right, they look like chicks.”

Throughout her art there is softness and vulnerability, but also an undercurrent of something darker and more fierce.

As a Jackson native, Amy has felt the call of the mountains: “It’s strange, every time I move to do my art somewhere else, it doesn’t work. My creativity dries up, I find myself back in Jackson, and my mind opens up again. I’ve tried to leave, but I can’t.” For years, the slopes of the Tetons have been a mecca for people looking for some fun and recognition. “My dream is not so different. The mountains have brought me back, and for a while, I will stay,” Amy says. “I love what I do. I can’t think of a higher compliment than someone choosing to decorate their house or their body with something I dreamed up and they thought was beautiful.”

-114-

VITAL FACTS: Name: Amy Jurekovic aka Art Pants, Amu Hometown: Jackson, Wyoming Favorite Trick: Getting the boobs to look just right Sponsors: Ummm ... whoever buys my art ... 22 Tattoo?

Stance: 0 degrees — I face my art head-on.

Influences: Uncle Allan On Her iPod: The Black Dahlia Murder, Chiddy Bang 5-year Goal: Full-time tattooista

BLAKE PAUL

IN DEPTH INTRO & PHOTOS BY AARON DODDS

When Jesse asked me to write this intro for Blake Paul, I was like, “C’mon, what can I say about this little shit other than that he is the shit?” I met Blake in the tram line at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort this past year and quickly realized this kid was the real deal. There was something about him that just made me want to shred with him more and hang, and that’s not something I would say for a lot of 18-year-old kids.

After Jackson, I convinced him to come down to Silverton, Colorado, for a week to shoot with Dragon, and he ended up staying a month. Did he wear out his welcome? Maybe. Was there a day or two that I wanted to strangle him? Perhaps.

But watching him celebrate his 18th birthday in a rum distillery was worth it tenfold, not to mention the kid slaughtered everything we put in front of him. I look forward to seeing what he’s done, where he’s gone and how he did it another 10 years from now. And you should too, cause this kid’s got “it,” and he’s only just begun to show us just what that is.

-120-

snowboarding and how to just live life to the fullest. He had some high hopes for me and for what I can accomplish. The whole experience has really lit a fire under my ass.

The way I see it is, I gotta ride for A-Rob now. There are a lot of things I want to do in snowboarding, and I always want to be able to look up and think how proud Aaron would be for me.

In a short period of time you went from hungry grom to sponsored pro. What has that experience been like, and what words of advice would you give others?

Dude, climbing up the industrial chain of snowboarding is an amazing experience. I’m probably still only a quarter of the way up to get where I want to be. It brings a lot of the business side of it into play. You gotta be humble and understanding; things don’t always go your way, but you have to keep motivated and work hard. You have to really love snowboarding and be willing to give up a lot for it. I don’t think of it that way, though; it’s more like what you get to give up for something better. Having strong support from big companies is an awesome feeling. I am thoroughly thankful for anyone who has helped me out to make it to where I am today. Snowboarding is my life, and I want to do it for the rest of my time here.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

What is your full name, and when were you born?

Blake Bandekow Paul. I was born in Bradford, Vermont — the Green Mountain State.

I still think that’s where my roots are. My family moved to Jackson Hole when I was 7 years old in search of something new.

When did you start snowboarding, and who got you involved?

I got a board when I was 5, a nice Burton Chopper 108 with green monkeys all over it. I still have it in my closet. My older brother, Eric, got me started back in Vermont. I always looked up to him and everything he did. I remember he would be out shredding in front of the house on this little hill, building small jumps and doing methods. My whole family shreds pow, so it wasn’t long before I got out there and tried it for myself.

What is it about snowboarding that drew you in?

At first, I probably started because it seemed cool and fun, but as I’ve gotten older, it has

definitely taken on a whole new meaning to me. There are a lot of things that happen while you’re out there on your board that most people would never understand or get to experience. I guess it’s those moments that have drawn me into dedicating myself to riding.

What do you hope to gain from snowboarding?

Oh man, I have gained so much from riding, and there is still so much to learn. From the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met and the adventures I’ve gotten to experience — it’s been insane. Snowboarding is unpredictable; you never know what’s going to happen when you go on a trip or drop into a line. That’s the sweet part. You just don’t know what you’re going to gain from riding until you actually go out and do it. All I can hope for is to base a solid career off what I love and most importantly, be happy shredding for many years to come. I’m definitely into Willie’s [McMillon] whole idea of “Love over money.” That’s what it’s all about.

I feel like I always get asked this question, and I never know the answer. Man, I don’t usually even know what I am going to do tomorrow. In 10 years? I want to be shredding, I want to be in Alaska or something on top of a gnarly ass line.

You had a tragic loss this summer, losing one of your best friends to this lifestyle. How does that influence you in a positive or negative way, and what will you take from this experience?

It’s rough, for sure. The fact that Aaron [Robinson] is no longer with us is a huge tragedy and a great loss for snowboarding in general. But the whole experience has influenced me in a very positive way. The thing about Aaron was the fact that he was just the sickest dude ever. He never cared about anything except for having a blast on his snowboard.

He’d give you his last dollar. He’d double you out on the sickest day in the backcountry — to a jump you never even helped build. He was never stressed and only cared about the important stuff in life. I could go on forever talking about how awesome A-Rob was.

Aaron took me under his wing early this past winter, teaching me so much about

Who are your mentors/heroes, both from snowboarding and otherwise?

Well, I look up to a lot of people. Obviously, Aaron Robinson is my top mentor and my drive to succeed, but it’s important to look up to other people outside of the sport. Basically, I look up to anyone that has taken what they love or followed a dream and made it their life, anyone who can live happily off that.

As for my heroes, I look up to Travis [Rice] and Curt [Morgan] so much. It may be cliché to say that, but I love snowboard videos and the whole process of filmmaking. Going out and getting shots and then watching them that night is a super-accomplishing feeling. Brain Farm is steadily pioneering the digital version of snowboarding, and the fact that they are based out of Jackson only makes it better. The Jackson section in “The Art Of FLIGHT” is so messed up, man, probably the sickest section in any movie to date.

Tell us about your upcoming film project, “Manifest,” and what we can expect.

Well, “Manifest” is Aaron’s movie. He was the brainchild and motivation behind the whole project.

I got onto the project about halfway through the season in Jackson. That’s when I met Sam Tuor, the filmer and editor behind everything. I had a bunch of footage from Silverton [Colorado] and Jackson without really a full movie to put it toward. Aaron was so into FunBlock, and Sam was down, so we collaborated.

The movie is going to be more of a travel-style documentary, rather than just part after part. The crew traveled all over the western U.S. and down to Chile after Aaron’s accident. It’s going to have some heavy A-Rob footage and a real meaning to it. I could tell you more about it, but you’ll just have to go watch it for yourself.

What does it mean to be a Jackson Hole snowboarder?

It means so much, man. Jackson is a huge part of my life and career — I couldn’t picture living anywhere else. I look up to all the dudes like Guch, Travis, Willie, Kinger, Rich, Makens, Dowell and Yoder; they’ve all made some amazing things happen in snowboarding.

Everyone that rides here seems to really do it for all the right reasons. I’m super-stoked to be part of the Jackson shred scene, and I feel like there’s no other place quite like it. Jackson is home for me, and I want to ride here for the rest of my life.

My Dream, Up To Now

Words & Photos By John Layshock

Ah, the passage of time. It makes all the old memories feel like they were a dream — or at least it feels that way in my case. Am I crazy? Of course partying and a hippie lifestyle would be easy to blame, but even the prepartying years are just small threads of memories.

Where I sit right now with my life situation and current happiness isn’t a surprise. In fact, my situation is par for my heritage. I live in a glorified doublewide in a redneck Idaho anti-town: a town too small for any school, police or medical care. I also live on a lake with a Teton view that includes elk, moose, grizzlies and wolves in my yard. Life is good!

What is surprising are the experiences and people I have encountered. It was photography that provided me with most of my opportunities, along with the support of my mom. She always encouraged my dreams and ideas. She didn’t say, “Don’t do that!” or tell me to “Stay off the grass!” We were poor, but she spoiled me with the Huck Finn wish list, which included a BB gun, mini buck knife, a BMX bike and tons of freedom. Every dream job and wild idea was welcomed with praise and optimism. Thanks, mom.

Photography entered my mind when I was about 10 years old. A black and white photo materialized in front of my eyes in a makeshift darkroom, and more than 30 years later, I sit here with a smile as I recall the pivotal moment that started my passion. Those 30-plus years are the aforementioned threads of incredible dreams and memories. It has worked for me to look at those times broken down into the following decades: The ‘80s: Mullets and MTV I started taking photos at Bozeman High School in Montana after I relocated from California in 1983. My great-great grandparents homesteaded in Townsend, Montana, in 1900, and I was lucky enough to spend time there before they sold their land in 1986. I’d been coming to Montana since the mid’70s and loved everything about it, including hunting, fishing and the seasons — especially winter.

I took photo class every year and was also the yearbook and newspaper photo guy. It was a job that provided me with a ton of experience and helped me get through those sucky, awkward teen years. I was quiet, shy and fairly geeky, but I soon learned the advantages of my position. No, I didn’t bring girls into the darkroom (except in my dreams). Back then, the power of publishing just made life easier for me: The photo guy gets to go to all the sporting events, club meetings, dances, assemblies, plays and random events, and then takes portraits of every employee, faculty member, club, sports team and, of course, the prom king and queen candidates. It’s quite a job!

That experience led me to a community college in Powell, Wyoming, which was far enough away from home but still on the edge of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and in-state tuition. Like most kids, it was a new, wild and exciting freedom. The photo program at Northwest Community College ended up being one of the best around. Today, it’s rated at the top, and even 20 years ago, it gave students the tools to be successful in the photo industry where there are dozens of niche positions and specialties. NWCC taught me how to look for and take advantage of them.

Of course, one of my early goals was to be a fashion photographer in the big city for the money and beautiful women. Journalism was another consideration complete with glamorous and exciting possibilities, minus the money. Not long after graduation I was in California with a good assistant’s job. But unfortunately, California was not where I wanted to be, and I was actually burned out! My teachers were kind enough to show me other industry-related jobs, knowing that few students would actually turn out to be professional photographers, and soon I was in Yellowstone National Park working in photo labs.

It was perfect and actually similar to college, minus the homework and the fact it was taking place in the summertime. I didn’t want to take photos, but the job was great experience and better than most of the others available. It was 1988, and, coincidently, the park burned down that summer. I also discovered Jackson Hole that year — the fire was followed by a huge winter and my first season pass in Jackson.

I grew up skiing, but I soon learned how to snowboard (and ski powder!). My first job in Jackson was a grunt in the fall. I had a hardass boss named Corky. We tore up and replaced all the decking for the tram line, and then tore up and replaced all the decking for the old Après Vous lift. The other construction guys were ski patrollers who loved to hassle the knuckle dragger, but always with good humor.

Those were great years — Yellowstone in the summer, Jackson in the winter. I wasn’t shooting photos, but I was snowboarding and having the time of my life.

The ‘90s: Grunge and Knuckle Dragging

Rider: Terje Haakonsen

During my first few years in Jackson I balanced snowboarding with skiing, but eventually, my skis went a whole season and didn’t touch the snow, even though I had a 100-plus-day season. By 1991, Jackson was my ‘hood, and I was a ski bum and loving it. My summer gig in Yellowstone ran its course, and now I was spending the whole year in JH.

As much fun as I was having, my photo-shooting burnout phase ended, and I wondered what to do next. I was inches from going back to school at Montana State University. Maybe film school? I even moved back to Bozeman and, at the last minute, bam! I remembered another one of the jobs they taught us in Powell: cruise ships. “Yee haw, it’s gotta be fun,” I thought to myself, just like the “Love Boat”! A little research combined with effort and a ticket to Hawaii was on the way.

Wow. It was actually pretty scary for me. I didn’t want to fail, but it was too exciting not to try. My lab experience got me the job, and my new boss explained that taking the photos was the easy part. So, there I was on a 1,000-foot steam ship, the SS Independence. In a week’s time, I was shooting 60 rolls of film a week and buying the best-available Nikon. It was an intense schedule without days off, but all the right things made it great: I was floating around the Hawaiian Islands on a ship with five bars, making good money and being young. That being said, I only stayed for nine months. Instead of taking my furlough in Tahiti or Italy with the rest of the crew, I came back to Jackson with my new camera and a whole new attitude.

It was the conscious start of my professional career as a snowboard photographer. Snowboarding was still considered a fad and most of the established resort communities dismissed the snowboard craze.

Jackson was different. It wasn’t love at first sight, but the two sports

were like a new stepbrother — annoying at times, but you still love them.

The goal was to get one photo published for the season. After living there awhile, I knew who to go to. Chris Pappas helped start the snowboard instruction program at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and had a lot of experience in the small snowboard industry. I started taking photos, and he gave me the names and numbers of the right people. Pappas also connected me with the local kids that were still in high school. I met them at The Boardroom, the first snowboard shop in town started by Cisco and Kevin. First I met Lance Pitman. He was probably 85 pounds and had on XXXLG Wave Rave clothes. Rob Kingwill was bigger and never stopped smiling. Lance played it cool, while Rob bounced off the wall.

While Rob and Lance were in school, there were a dozen or more shred heads that were a posse. There was a gold rush in the snowboard industry, and everyone wanted to be sponsored for the free boards, clothing, goggles and, of course, stickers. I did get published, and soon I had my own sponsors, too.

Our local zine, Hardpipe, gave us a feeling of pride and bonded the local hard-core riders. Even with general acceptance from the skiers and the resort, local snowboarders pushed their abilities. Julie Zell was the first woman to win the extreme competition in Alaska. John Griber and Stephen Koch were mountaineering first descents. Travis Rice was still in grade school.

Pappas helped me get a job at Windells Snowboard Camp in the summer at Mt. Hood. It put me in the mainstream of the industry, and I was soon working with all the pros and all the magazines. It was very exciting and rewarding. I wasn’t a big player, but I was a part of the industry. I was the photo guy from Jackson and proud of it.

One of those years, the ski resort was sold to a new company that started running the mountain. This was the opportunity I needed, as did GVD, Figenshaw, Selko and the Jones boys. The new Jackson Hole Ski Corporation gave us contracts with a season pass, but more importantly, we were given early tram privileges. Boy, were those great times.

Life in general was pretty great then. I was known in the industry and worked with some of the biggest professionals. I was published in all the snowboard mags and also in Sports Illustrated, Surfer and even in Rolling Stone. I had early trams with my bros and free schwag from the snowboard companies. Things soon started changing, though.

The industry began tightening up. A great photo from Jackson wasn’t good enough: It had to be a certain rider wearing certain clothes.

Freelance photographers became staffers for the magazines. Athletes traveled with their favorite photographers instead of using the locals.

Even the Ski Corp. would send me with visitors as a guide for another photographer to take photos.

When I did go out to shoot, I could hardly afford film and was spending $100-plus a day on it. Sequences were popular — if the athlete landed them. The early tram was replaced with the backcountry and snowmobiles. Add another $100 a day. The schwag didn’t cover it.

I was selling off my athlete day passes at the resort just to survive the winter. No sushi for me; it was strictly Ramen time.

Rider: Noah Salasnek

Rider: Jeremy Jones

The New Millennium: Y2K, OMG and Digi

Rider: Chris Pappas

Rider: Brodie Dowell

Rider: Lance Pitman

It’s easy to see and admit now, but at the time, I was changing, too.

I didn’t care about every powder day, I couldn’t afford to keep up with the athletes, and the mags wouldn’t use my stuff anyway. The early days were brimming with opportunity. Now snowboarding was cool, and it made lots of money.

Money was the reason I used to end my JH lifestyle, but the real reason was actually mental. I was in a rut. Snowboarding is one of the best feelings in the world, but I wasn’t feeling it anymore. No more fun, no more passion. It was a job that sunk me deeper in debt and rewarded me with T-shirts.

Ironically, a photo shoot with Rob Kingwill for Mountain Dew machines was the final demise. The Ski Corp. said $300 and I said $1,500 — after the photo shoot was done. Their ultimatum was $300 and be happy, or $1,500 and end your contract. See ya! I wasn’t sure if it was a good decision, but it felt great. The Ski Corp. didn’t care; I was an expendable resource. So, I quietly packed up and left. Even though I felt happy about giving them the finger, I was also defeated and depressed. Bozeman was an easy move, and it turned out to be great timing.

I moved into my grandparents’ studio apartment. My grandpa had Alzheimer’s, and grandma was having a tough time with it. We were very close when I was a kid, and this time with them was special to me. We spent afternoons around the yard enjoying the weather, and grandpa’s old stories from the ranch and his struggle with dementia helped to ground me again.

Rider: Travis Rice

OPEN a.m.

DAILY

Rider: Dan Adams

I continued to work on my photography career, too. I connected with a local photographer that would become one of my best friends, Travis Anderson. Travis had a contract with a new place called The Yellowstone Club, a private resort for the uberwealthy, and he needed some help.

Travis introduced me to the digital world, and I can’t thank him enough. And “The Club” was an experience like no other. I thought I was spoiled by early trams; imagine riding a resort with no people there and fresh tracks everywhere all day long. It’s bizarro world. There were usually about a dozen members visiting in those days, sometimes less.

The holidays were busy with about a hundred visitors. It was a who’s who of the rich and famous. Bizarro!!!

I only worked there for three seasons as a mountain-action photographer, but I continue to work there on occasion as a photo assistant, shooting architecture and real estate. The greatest memories from those riding seasons involved spending time with Warren Miller.

He is very generous with his advice, and I was lucky to be there on a few occasions.

He gave me confidence and peace of mind as far as the photo and resort industry is concerned. Thanks, Warren!

The snowmobiling/motocross industry was next on my list. My involvement with snowmobiling started back in Jackson with the Slednecks and in Bozeman with 2 Stroke Cold Smoke. It was an up-and-coming X Games sport that was exciting to be in the middle of. I tried some of the old sponsorship tricks from the snowboard industry, but they just weren’t the same. I still enjoyed some success, and a lot of the images I took were fresh to the sport.

Snowmobiling also reintroduced me to the town of West Yellowstone. I started going

there for the annual snowmobile expo and later started taking photos for Ace Powder Guides. “West” reminds me of the earliest Jackson days, only smaller. I was getting evicted from my trailer in Bozeman (victim of the housing schemes) and I got a job offer in West. A job?! I had been self-employed for more than 10 years, but I took it.

It was a little sad for a while but shortly after became a huge relief. Getting paid is awesome! It’s a guest ranch on 200 acres, and it’s an easy job with employee trailer housing. Perfect. It’s nice being normal again. I’m still the photo guy, but it’s in a different community.

The ‘10s: Obama and 4G Wow, a new dream has begun. I’m a newlywed with a house on a lake in Idaho. The world economy is teetering on the abyss, and the government is pissing on each other’s shoes. It’s scary, but I couldn’t be happier. And it’s all because of my baby, Lucy. Like all good parents, my life is hers: nothing really matters as long as she is fed, clothed and happy.

I guide tourists into Yellowstone all year long, less the shoulder seasons. I sell framed canvas prints around a few shops and love the small community of West Yellowstone.

The local chamber and random photo requests still come in, but my shooting is mostly personal. The future is exciting, and I expect my photography will see a third, fourth and fifth wind.

Right now, I get to relish the old and the new. The discovery of snowboarding (to me). The locals. The gold rush. The success. The end. The digi revolution. The new community. First belly laugh. First steps. Oh shit, hold on!

ON WHITE

Photo: Dean Blotto Gray

490 W. Broadway / 307-733-5335 / www.hobacksports.com ON BLACK

Words By Brandon Parrish Photos By Brandon Parrish, Wade Dunstan & Cecilia Kunstadter While adjusting to my hectic, recently acquired job — along with a move to a new city — Jesse had been reminding me of the rapidly approaching (or possibly already-past) deadline for this article. So I decided I’d just do what felt natural and write about what Jackson Hole means to me.

Jackson is therapeutic. There’s something about it that just calms my nerves and makes everything seem fine. It almost makes me want to drop everything else I’ve got going on right now and move back into my tent zone by the Sketchy Ramp I occupied in El Rancho Dunstan this past summer. On second thought, that might make for a cold winter. Anybody got an open room?

While I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up there, I feel blessed to have been able to call Jackson my home for a short couple of years. Never privy to a lot of traveling in my youth, my early days of snowboarding were spent on the crustacular slopes of the Ice (East) Coast. During my first year at college in Virginia, I signed up for a Spring Break trip (party woo!) to Jackson with our snowboard club. The trip planner at the school lied and convinced my two buddies and me that we were signing up to go party and look at chicks shredding in bikinis.

Long story short, there were no half-naked girls (sigh), it nuked snow the entire time we were there, and I got my first taste of that sweet white nectar. Despite the slam to my libido, I don’t think I’ve ever hooped and hollered or thrown as many shakas and highfives at any point in my life as I did that week. I also did myself one better and fell in love with a place instead of some broad I had just met at Pedro O’ Horny’s after several rounds of body shots. In hindsight, I guess I owe that trip planner guy a huge thanks.

When I was finally able to move to Jackson in 2009, I was fresh out of a job in California working in the winter sports industry and had been surrounded by a lot of people who were completely jaded on snowboarding. One of the coolest things about Jackson is that nobody really gives a shit about mainstream snowboarding or what so and so is wearing or what tricks they are doing. I’m not knocking that because it’s what keeps our sport growing, but it makes for a much tighter-knit group of friends and adds to the overall major stokage factor while actually shredding.

The riding vibe in Jackson is unparalleled next to anywhere else I’ve ever been — from riding with friends, to seeing Moran and his snowboard team cruising by throwing methods and Miller-flips over everything in sight, or seeing shred icons like Guch, Parillo, KJ and Travis just cruising around and hanging out on the regs. Pretty much everyone is stoked, and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty sweet. Of course there are people who spray and slursh about, bragging about their day and claiming things that may or may not be true (i.e., “There I was, strapped in on top of Cody Peak, Jeremy f***ing Jones gives me the nod.” Come on bro ... no, he certainly did not!) and people who think chairlifts are the devil and that only liberals ride them, but those types are pretty easy to steer clear of.

My friends in the valley are among the best I’ve ever had and are more like a family than anything. I feel like I owe so much to all of them for the experiences we’ve shared together and can only hope there are plenty more to come in the future. A few personal highlights with my friends in the valley (you all know who you are) include: pwning newbs at pool, Gondi/tram laps, dinner parties and knee cakes, G&Ts and canoes, fawns, dragons and bustling villages, getting RJT with the dirt crew, disco and Teton Thai hangouts, pond parties, car bombs in an undisclosed location, straight pimpin’ with El, a new bad habit of rollies and way too many more to list. I’d like to consider myself a likable person, but I could never have imagined going to a place and developing so many friendships I know will last a lifetime.

After recently relocating to the Green Mountains of Vermont, I think about Jackson every day and how it has affected my life.

That place leveled me out in so many ways. When I first moved there, I knew from the second I rolled into town at 3 a.m. that I’d made the right decision and that no matter what happened while I was there, things were going to be good. Things are still good, and I can’t wait to have that feeling again when I inevitably move back one day. Words can’t really sum up how special Jackson is, but if I had to put it one way, I guess I’d just have to tell you in fact that, “Yeah, I love it!” Now, will somebody please get this man a damn Budweiser?!

-132-

BE

GRATEFUL Words By Dustin Varga Action Photo By Jeremy Chastain

As a contributor to Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine since its inception, I felt it necessary to give credit where credit is due. It is far too cliché and out of turn for me to offer embellishments or forays into past exploits about snowboarding. Instead, I decided to create a general list of things I am truly grateful for that all lead to one thing: the ability for each of us to enjoy snowboarding in its purest form.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR …

1. My life in such a perfect mountain town 2. Having a wonderful family that loves the mountains 3. A perfect wife and mother of my kids 4. Two wonderful kids 5. Snow that piles up seven months a year 6. Two sick national parks just a couple of miles away 7. The Teton Range all the way to Glory — 42 miles of bliss 8. Friends who ride hard and inspire me 9. Perfect summers in the valley to ponder winter and visit future lines 10. 4,176 feet of lift access (love that no matter how hammered it gets on a pow day, there are still lines to be had at 3:30 in the afternoon) 11. Search and Rescue 12. Renny Jackson & Tom Turiano 13. Great neighbors 14. Togwotee and Mosquito 15. Munger Mountain 16. Park & Pipe 17. Bicycles to train on 18. Ski Patrol 19. Snowmobiles 20. Splitboards 21. Last, but not least: Jesse Brown and Kristen Joy, for supplying this valley with not only an irreplaceable magazine about the sport we love, but true friendship and love to spare in Jackson Hole – Thank you, Jesse, we love you!

-134-

Time To Elevate!

Locally Roasted Fair Trade Organic Coffee Paninis • Soups • Salads • Waffle Dogs Time To •Elevate!

Fresh Baked Pastries • Breakfast Paninis • Wi-Fi Cool Spot • EMF Protected Open 6:30 AM-6:00 PM Every Day 3445 N. Pines Way Suite #102 • Wilson, WY In the Westbank Center between Teton Pines & The Aspens 307.734.1343 • elevatedgroundscoffeehouse.com

THE CALL OF THE SHRED Crystal Mountain, Washington: Stop 2 of the North Face Masters Tour Words By John Rodosky Photos By Mary Boddington, John Rodosky & Mike Hardaker The great call of adventure was once again beckoning me to come take its hand — this time, to snow-covered peaks in distant lands to take part in the prestigious North Face Masters of Snowboarding competition. The first stop of the tour had just been in my backyard in Snowbird, Utah, and I was eager for the debauchery that was sure to ensue. My buddy, Ryan Hudson, and I loaded up my truck and hit the road at 5 a.m., GPS set for Crystal Mountain, Washington, ready for a casual 13 hours through the vastly scenic states of Utah, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Roughly 12 hours later, it came to our attention that we were on the wrong side of Mount Rainier. The GPS was certain there was a pass through Mount Rainier National Park that would take us directly to our destination. On a dark, two-lane road deep in the Northwest forest, the lights of my truck arrived at the gate to the park. The massive wooden doors were padlocked closed, and we weren’t going any further. Ryan and I were officially on the wrong side of one of the largest mountains in the lower 48, 13 hours deep and another 5 hours from our destination. With no choice but to go on, we rerouted all the way around the park. After a few more tedious hours on winding Washington roads, we finally made it to Crystal, welcomed by good friends, cold beers and warm couches.

We woke up the next morning to the sound of rain. Conditions on the hill were variable, with a chance of your goggles fogging over and an inch of water at the bottom of your boots. I met up with two of my favorite Wyomingites, Mikey Marohn and Alex Yoder.

We quickly located some ripping tree runs and had what can only be described as an “awesome” time. But we traveled 18 hours by car for a big mountain competition, and we were going to need some snow for this to go off. Later that night at the Snorting Elk Pub, we watched the rain turn into big, beautiful snowflakes, assuring us that the next day would guarantee plenty of face shots.

Preparing for your run at the top of the venue is not at all what you would expect given the competitive nature of the event. It feels more like scoping out lines with your friends on a pow day back home. Everyone’s getting each other stoked, sharing advice on lines and just getting to know one another. The camaraderie is unlike any other competition I have been to. The Crystal Mountain stop is unique because it is also part of the Freeride World Tour, a larger international event. Because of this, heavy hitters like Xavier de le Rue and Matt Annetts were making an appearance. The intensity surrounding finals was undoubtedly elevated, and the level of riding would prove to match it. Watching someone like Xavier pick apart a venue with such skill and knowledge is a true learning experience. He goes down the most technical lines at crazy speeds while maintaining smooth control.

-106-

The standout line of the day had to go to Forrest Burki, who literally straight lined from start to finish through tight rocks and avalanche debris. His 30-second bomb put him on the podium and certainly earned him some respect points in everyone’s book. Ryan Hudson absolutely killed it as well, shredding his way to a ninth-place finish against some of the best snowboarders in the world. Mikey clearly established himself as a force to be reckoned with. Not only did he finish in seventh place, he also went home with the prestigious “Young Gun” award, which is an accolade given at each event to a young rider who pretty much destroys it. Everyone killed it that day, doing serious justice to the title Masters Of Snowboarding.

The true authenticity of the entire event really comes through in the time spent outside of competition. You get the chance to hang out with the Mountain Sports International crew, the legendary judges, friends from all corners of the country and “back in the day” buddies you’ve know forever. The coming together of such a broad range of people, all gathered for the shared purpose of shredding big mountains and having fun, creates a unique and rarely experienced environment.

Friends are made instantaneously, and great times are guaranteed — this is what draws those who know the experience back to each event, year after year.

The following morning, Ryan and I reloaded my truck and set the GPS for Salt Lake City (this time, confirming our route online). We were joined by Kaitlin Elliott, a fellow Snowbird shredder. All three of us squeezed into the overloaded Toyota Tacoma

and hit the road. We only got pulled over once and avoided getting lost, which is pretty good if you ask me. A leisurely 14 hours later, I was climbing into my warm, cozy bed back home in SLC, exhausted from the adventures that had just unfolded.

As things calmed down over the next few days, I was able to reflect on the grand adventure I had just completed. In all honesty, it was a pretty rough couple of days — got lost on the way there, difficult weather, uncertain lodging and, to top it all off, I fell on the first run and didn’t even make it to the finals. But that is just the point: Because the “must-win” jock mentality is far better suited for park and pipe venues, let’s let ESPN glorify whichever airborne vegetable they see fit. But you and I know snowboarding is not about energy drink contracts and quadruple flipping 1440s, and no endorsement could ever justify a lifetime spent answering the call of the shred. This “means to an end” mentality that has plagued the industry is largely responsible for the fleeting number of Soul Shredders left out there. A true love for the shred is ambiguous and nearly unexplainable. It is the reason we freeze to death in lift lines, wash dishes late at night, live in places like Jackson Hole and have half the friends we do. It is the reason we drive crosscountry just to blow it on one run, and it is the reason I will gladly spend every last penny getting to each stop of this year’s Masters tour regardless of who takes their turn on top of the podium. They say it’s never an adventure till you’re lost, and we never really understand why we love something until we are challenged by it. So get out and go snowboarding! It’s bound to be the adventure of a lifetime.

The Baldface Experience Words By Bryan Iguchi Photo Courtesy Baldface Lodge Waking up on top of a mountain is an amazing experience … the way the sunlight hits the peaks on a clear, cold morning is breathtaking.

It creates a surreal iridescent glow through the snow-caked trees as a billion specks of frozen water vapor reflect the first light of day against the dark blue sky, purple mountains and golden sunshine high above the valleys below. I love taking it all in for a minute before strapping on my board and dropping into untracked powder, feeling the crisp, cold air awakening me to the reality of the good riding to come.

The lodge is perched high up on the side of a mountain rising above Nelson, BC. The quality of snow is second to none — it piles up high and deep, creating a surreal ridable landscape to float through. The connected ridges open up a huge variety of aspects of steep gladed trees, pillows and open bowls loaded with fun hits and deep powder.

With a cozy lodge, super-fun staff and home-cooked, healthy meals, it’s a shredder’s must-do destination that was pioneered by the late Craig Kelly, whose spirit lives on with every powder turn.

Photo: Ryan Boyes Rider: Bryan Iguchi

THANK YOU 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.

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 80-plus 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

-148-

her.

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