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First Descents In Petersburg AK
Since I watched the very first TGR films when I was just a teenager it’s been a dream of mine to come to an unexplored region of AK and ski some first descents, just like the boys did back in the day. This year in Petersburg that dream came true and no words can express how stoaked I am to be a part of the TGR family as we step into a new generation of ski exploration in Alaska. Here are a couple of photo’s of the trip and some of the lines I got to be the first to ski.
This is the North face of the Devils Thumb and I was lucky enough to be the first to ski off the ridge just below the cliff face on the left of the photo.
Looking down the line off the Devils thumb. Seth also got to shred a line down this face just after me and he ripped it. Another dream come true, shredding first descents with a hero of mine. Hell ya Morrison!
We ended up calling this face Screen Saver simply because after I took a photo of it on our reccon flight it became my screen saver shot.
Looking down Screen Saver.
We ended up calling this face Mono Spine for obvious reasons and I was the lucky one who got to ski it first.
Every morning that we flew over the Witches Cauldron it was brewing just like this. I see why it got it’s name.
Sage and the Heli.
South face of the Devils Thumb.
First Days of AK
TGR has always been know for exploring and pioneering new areas and this year is no different. We are in a new zone in AK and we are all super excited to see and ski some new stuff. After only a couple of days in town we haven’t done a whole lot of skiing but we have got a couple of fixed wing reccon flights in as well as a snow check with a couple of runs. This place is crazy big and breath taking, there are huge granite peaks everywhere as well as some huge trophy lines. We can’t wait until the sun comes out so that we can bag some first descents. Here are some shots from the mountains and the town.
There is a huge fishing fleet here in Petersburg.
There are tons of eagles in the harbor.
More harbor boats with some huge peaks poking out of the clouds in the back drop.
View with the Devils Thumb on the right and Mt Burkett on the left.
Some of the sickness I saw on our reccon flight.
Some ice burgs and a view.
A beautiful place with a beautiful view. Heading home at the end of the day.
What A Great Week
After over a month of snow and rain finally the sky’s opened up here in Pemberton and the crew was able to get after it. The crew was Dana, Callum, our filmer Rick, still photog Mark Fisher, HD guy ED, myself and a couple other bro’s Chedder and Treat. The first couple of days was full on leaving in the dark and going all day in the deep snow, digging out sleds, hiking lines and then returning in the dark. Needless to say we were quickly getting exhausted but the motivation to crush it kept us going strong. After two days Callum had to leave for a heli trip in Stewart and then two days after that Dana had to leave for Italy leaving only myself to keep the big production crew busy. The wind had come in strong hammering the snow and limiting us to only a couple of zones where the snow had stayed good enough to still send it. I was able to keep the crew busy for the rest of the high pressure thanks to my friends Chedder and Treat for helping shuttle me around and keeping me motivated by charging lines with me.
Here are some shots from the week.
Who needs heli’s when you can sled to the top of stuff like this.
My tracks are the two on the right and the track on the left is Chedder’s
The view looking back at Pemberton.
Callum, myself and Dana’s tracks.
The wind, our worst enemy.
Here I am getting ready to drop.
All the cameras are ready to shoot a 1000ft strait line that I did on the lookers right of this photo.
Breaking trail into a new zone.
On the final day of blue sky’s I was able to get this super tight strait line.
After the strait line we couldn’t find any more good snow. Being close to Bralorne we decided to go to the pub for well deserved burgers and beer. This shot is me after just pulling into town on my sled.
Rick enjoying a well deserved canadian brew.
Chedder about to enjoy a large burger with chedder cheese.
TNF product testing trip goes off
Every year TNF does a product testing trip with some of the design team and a few of the athletes. It’s always a great time and this year was no exception. We found ourselves in northern Idaho at Peak Adventures cat skiing. Sleeping in a yurt and skiing tons of untracked vert made for the perfect environment to test the new gear and immediately give our feedback to the design team. Here are some shots of the trip and the crew.
We managed to get all of the gear into the rental cars, the only question now was where do we sit.
Chaining up the rigs for the icy hill climb ahead.
Going pee in the middle of the night was a bit nerve racking knowing that there was a huge wolf in the area.
In the cat with and one step closer to the pow.
The epic View on day one.
TNF athlete Kris Erickson showing that he is truly the jack of all trades.
Mark Carter giving some love.
The Grave Digger of snow cats.
Jim Zellers on Skis? Sage and Zellers decided to trade gear for a couple of runs and they both crushed it. Zellers said that he hasn’t skied in like a hundred years so he thought that Sage’s rockered skis were a lot of fun, I even think he said that it felt like snowboarding.
Sage punching a backflip first run on a board of the year. Oh yeah he stomped it too.
Entering the yurt.
The crew enjoying a couple of drinks in the yurt after a awesome day of shredding pow. It was tight quarters but everyone agreed that staying in the yurt was way more fun than a big fancy lodge.
Eric Tieji about to stomp a perfect half backflip. Nice work Tieji way to send it.
Eric Tieji’s boss Matt Page punching a front flip.
Carter doing some tree bonking.
Ingrid about to stomp a backflip.
The Crew and the cat. What a kick ass trip, big thanks to everyone who made it happen
The holidays are so nice.
Here are a couple of shots from my holiday season.
My dad my brother and I enjoying a couple of Rum and eggnog’s in the tub.
My Dad skinning up the ridge with my home mountain Panorama as a back drop.
When I got back to Whistler it was dumping. Here I’m about to drop into an epic little pillow line. Life is rough!
I’M ON A BOAT
On the last night of The North Face athlete summit we got to go cruse around the bay in San Fran on a huge three story boat. A buffet dinner and a epic DJ dance party made us all feel like we were big pimpin.
This boat was so sick. DJ party was on the lower level dinner was on the mid level and the top deck was a great place to to hang and enjoy the crazy views.
San Fran all lit up.
On the way back to the hotel in this huge limo bus we decided to make a quick stop at In-N-Out Burger to order 40 cheese burgers. Mmmmm it was so good.
Big thanks to everyone at Stevens Pass
Ian Coble and I hit up Stevens Pass for an epic pow day and I got to say everyone there treated us so good.
Thanks again Joel.
The boys at the top of yet another epic run in Stevens Pass.
Life is rough when you got to shred pow all day.
Winter in Whistler starts off with record snow and epic times
This is the best start to a winter that I have ever had. I can’t believe that it’s only early December cause it feels like February. We had 6 meters of snow in November and for the last two weeks it’s been blue bird witch has made for epic sunset runs day after day. I already found myself shooting photo’s with Adam Clark before December even started. I feel so lucky to live where I do. Here are some photo’s from the last couple of weeks.
Adam Clark Photo
Adam Clark Photo
Adam Clark Photo
Sage on top of the world.
Matty R and Sage getting ready to shred.
Epic sunset run! This is PK and Ingrid half way down the famous run called DOA.
View from the top of Blackcomb peak.
Matty and Treat stoaked for another sunset run off the peak.
On November 9th two years ago one of my best friends that I knew since birth passed away. I decided that on the 9th this year it was time to let some of his ashes free. This shot is me about to let him free.
RIP Justin “Cyder” Hopkins we love you and you will never be forgotten.
Fall Adventures and Premiere season
Fall is always a crazy time full of movie premiere’s and team meeting’s. It makes for a ton of traveling and a bunch of good times.
This is Dana and Roner about to enjoy a lobster dinner with the TGR family.
Dana, Sage and Roner about to enjoy a sick bike decent in the Teton pass.
Every year we have a golf tournament with the whole TGR crew. In this shot is all the boy’s that won some sort of award.
Signing posters at the jackson premiere.
In Chicago for a TGR premiere I got a chance to tour the city. This shot is from the top of the John Hanncock center. We did the premiere in The North Face store at the street level of this building.
Exploring the town.
What a huge city.
Callum and I on the way to The North Face team meeting in Squaw Valley.
Sage ready for dessert.
What’s a fall trip to Squaw without an epic bike ride
Dana and I enjoying a Mexican brew in the San Fran airport.
James Heim and I got a chance to do ski stunt work on a big budget Warner Bro’s movie staring Leonardo Dicaprio. I am not allowed to post any photo’s from the shoot it’s self so here is a shot of us big pimpin in a Limo on the way back home.
Summer time good times
After recovering from my broken ankle summer finally began for me in early July. Since then I have truly made the most of my short summer time. Heli biking, skydiving, and just all out good times. Oh ya my wife Alex and I bought a house in Pemberton. I worked carpentry and built a house somewhere in there as well.
Man it’s good to be healthy.
Here are my friends Travis, Alison and Beth navigating a beaver dam on the river of golden dreams. Such a fun way to spend a Sunday.
This is me dropping into a trail called Tower Of Power. This trail is one of my favorites cause is mainly all granite and it reminds me of riding in Moab.
This is my buddy Travis on a trail called PHD and believe me this photo does not do this line justice at all. This rock roll goes almost vert and the transition in the run out is dead flat.
Heli Biking is one of the sickest things I did this summer. This is me unloading the bikes from the long line with Whistler/Blackcomb as a back drop. The ride was almost 5000ft of vert and took like three hours. EPIC day.
The crew ready for a sick ride.
Like I said the heli drop was epic. This is me thoroughly enjoying the ride and my healed ankle.
Our new house. I’m so stoaked and fortunate to own this amazing home.
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