Shred for Stevens Day

    One year ago today the ski industry lost 3 great people in an avalanche at Stevens Pass, Wa.  Chris Rudolph, Jim Jack and Johnny Brenan.  I never new Johnny, had meet Jim a handful of times at Freeski comps, but definitely considered Chris friend. I had skied, ridden downhill mtn bikes and of course drank PBR's with Chris many times.

     Today was a day to step put of your comfort zone, do something fun in the mountains, something you may not normally do with these three people on your minds.  Go out and have fun in the mountains, be safe, explore something new, keep the spirit alive.  This morning after getting cut from work, even though it was grey bird with storm clouds on the horizon, a group of us set out to ski St. Patty's Couloir in the Jackson Hole backcountry.  On the way we skied Once is Enough a steep cliffed run that last year our friend Sally Franklin took a fall in and suffered a traumatic brain injury.  This seemed like the proper thing to do.  Although the light was flat, the snow was great with powder top to bottom.  It was a great day celebrating our friends we lost one year ago today.  Of course we finished the day off the proper way, with a PBR.

    A great article was written in the New York Times chronicling the avalanche at Tunnel Creek, I definitely recommend giving it a read.

http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=word-spreads

Stoked as Chris always was

Tim Swartz dropping into Once is Enough

At the Top of St. Patty's Couloir

Mid way down St. Patty's day

Dropping into the Womb

Tim Swartz exit's St. Patty's 

New Gear

Out for a simple 360 in the JH backcountry

The new skis and boots
Vacuum Ranger Pro's and
Big Stix 122

So its that time of year again in the life of a pro skier, time for next years gear.  I am super fortunate to get sent the 2103/2014 gear now for use in shooting pics and video.  This year is no exception.  I got a full new ski set up from Fischer Sports.  So stoked on the entire new ski the Big Stix 122.  Its a powerful yet playful charging pow ski.  Its 122mm under foot which in Jackson is a great size, yet its early rise makes if float through the deepest snow, and is still powerful enough to charge trough the chopped up snow.  The new Vacuum Ranger Pro boots are another great addition to my gear.  They are a full 130 flex charging boot, that has the ground breaking vacuum fit technology.  These boots are literally completely molded to your exact foot shape.  Both these skis and boots will be available in the fall on 2013, and I definitely suggest checking them out at your local Fischer dealer.

Getting my vacuum boots custom fit at Jackson Hole Sports

The Pow is Back!

Tim Swartz ripping 4 Pines

It was deep today

Its been pretty much a dry January in Jackson, its been sunny and cold most of the month, but true to form, Jackson can fix it self fast!  After just 10 inches in the last 48 hours, and some strong wind parts of the mountain were skiing great.  I met up with fellow Fischer Skis athlete Tim Swartz did some hiking and found some great pow.  It felt great to ski fresh smooth pow again, was even able to hit some small cliffs with great soft landings.  The forecast looks favorable for the next week, so hopefully lots more pow skiing to come!

Speed Flying when its blue

ripping down roc springs

the wing comin up a little crooked

Its been high pressure and no new snow in Jackson for quite a while now.  Inversions have returned to jackson meaning its much warmer up high than down in the valley.  After several very windy days 80+ mph winds atop the tram, it calmed down a bit and allowed me to get out and do some speed flying.  Although it was still to windy to fly off the high peaks, Rock Springs blocked enough of the west wind to allow me to do some flying.  Was able to get a couple flights off, it was great to be back in the air.  Hopefully it will either snow, or calm down in the next few days so I can get after it a bit more.

launching

Kicker Day

Tyler Horne drops a lincoln loop

Jackson has been stuck in a bit of a high pressure cold cycle.  Lots of days the temps have not been getting warmer than -10 F.  Tim Swartz and I decided to build ourselves a kicker in the backcountry of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort to get some new tricks dialed.  We spent the better part of an entire day building, and then the next day when the sky's went blue we had our session.  The jump has a great background with the Jackson Valley and the Rock Springs Buttress in the background.  It was a fun poppy jump with an endless landing, perfect for dialing in some tricks.  Plenty of backflips, lincoln loops and 720's went down, all in all it was a great day having fun upside down in the air!

Nice looking booted

Tim Swartz lays out a backflip

Off to a Fast start in Jackson

Tim Swartz sending in the Crags

Jeff Annetts eyes a big slide on Cody Peak

Winter 2012-2013 is off to a roaring start in Jackson Hole.  The resort has received over 190 inches of snowfall through December.  The snow came late which has helped keep the avalanche danger to a minimum so far. Though there have been a few big slides.  The resort has been skiing at mid season conditions on the upper mountain, with over 120% of average snow fall so far.  The lower mountain is still a bit thin, but starting to fill in nicely.  Now that we're through the crazy weeks around the holidays, the lines will be gone and there will be plentiful powder to be skied.  I have been out shooting photos with the Fischer Team, serval times, and between veteran Jeff Annetts and newcomer to the team Tim Swartz, we have been getting lots of killer shots.  I have had a few days testing the new Fischer Big Stix 122, and with an entire new shape, rocker and tip profile I am super excited to be getting my own pair shortly.

Tyler Horne Deep in the Pow

Summer in Jackson

Golfing in Idaho

Flying Tandems at the Village

 Summer in jackson is in full swing.  I am out at The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort flying tandem paragliding flights 7 days a week for Jackson Hole Paragliding.  In my free time I have been playing lots of golf in Idaho and trying to get out on Jackson Lake as much as possible.  Summers are crazy fun with endless things to do, seems like I am busy from sun up to sun down ever day, but I love every minute of it!

The girls take over the boat