Last week in CO didn’t Suck!

The past week around the Vail area was pretty fun.  Went to the X-Games for some  Oakley Promo and Powder Awards for a few days leaving with skied up and firm conditions, came back to powder conditions that built into waist deep.  Pretty amazing, we are very spoiled.  What else can be said but out doing some powder skiing with good friends.  Check out the photos and this link for a more in depth interview from ESPN  http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/blog?post=3877148.  It will tell some more of the story from a different view.  Some of it is accurate and some embellished.

Seeing many people out in the sidecountry without proper avalanche equipment or knowledge of where they are going.  Please get on it, have your gear and know where your going.  We do exploring but know what we are getting into in our areas.  Check out your local avalanche conditions from state provided websites everyday, its a very important tool, besides having knowledge of reading snowpack.

Retallack to Ring In the New Year!

To Ring in the New Year had a chance to goto Retallack, BC for some fun and shooting.  3 trips in one about 2 weeks of time in all.  Its always an adventure getting there, being there and leaving there.  Here is a bit of what happened.

Pre arrival we were told that a large system was moving in and our close airport flight would most likely be canceled.  This ended up happening and flew a bit closer from Calgary and watched the ski bag drive away on the luggage loader truck as the small plane rolled away to for departure.  Ended up waiting 4 days for the skis to show, but had a interesting storm drive to Retallack as it was, which was nice to see since the area of Nelson and beyond was reporting lower tide conditions per the usual.  First day out was quite the opposite of what I had heard, 4 plus feet of cold pow, baseless.  So deep and fast.  It snowed at least 5 inches per day, with one of the days having 2 feet fall over night and 1 foot during the day of skiing.  Pretty much indescribable.  The New Years bash was one to be expected being in an off the grid environment.  People taking it to the rising sun, something we never saw much of by the way.  It ended up being a tough go to leave, we ended up staying one extra night due to road closures from avalanches covering the roads out and everywhere else.  Snow plows had a tough time moving much of it for days, the roads had been closed for a few days before we left, but during that time we were there and didn’t much care at the time.

Want to thank all the staff, guides and Cat Drivers for making this a great way to start the 2009.  There were some staff that couldn’t leave, but had fun will all that were there even though it was their supposed days off and they still had to work.  It was a true adventure and experience for all involved, thanks for the good times!  Check out the Gallery for more pics.

seth

A Clip from TGR’s Under The Influence

August In A Far Away Place Called Las Lenas!

Las Lenas situated in Argentina, South America is one of the longest treks for skiing I have ever done.  Being there a few times you now what to expect, but anything can happen so be ready.

This trip was for an Oakley apparel test.  A large group, many of us took different ways of getting there.  My crew’s bags didn’t make it so we had to stay a night in Buenos Aires.  Some bags arrive the following day, off to Mendoza by Plane then a rather long bus ride, 8.5hrs to Las Lenas.

The Skiing was far worth all the time to get there.  Skiing nothing but Off-Piste Powder, mostly hiking.  Many times the weather dictates what happens there with the Marte lift, but not on the 4 days some of us got.  Five days of travel for the Best Las Lenas trip ever.

The pics tell the story best.  Thanks to Mark for dealing with all the logistics, our guide Jose for showing us the secret ways and of course all the Boys from the O.

A fix till Winter!