Uncategorized
Spring Time Ups And Downs
After a kick ass winter I was ready to enjoy a summer of surfing, biking, and skydiving.
The spring started off to good to be true. My girl Alex and I did a surf trip to Puerto Rico. We got some good surf but we also had to find other things to do when the waves were flat. Snorkeling and exploring the Island was a lot of fun and if we go back we now know where all the good surf spots are.
After the surf trip we came home to Whistler and ski season was still going strong. I got a heli day in with Kye, Ingrid, and Matty Richard. The day kicked ass however the snow was frozen solid and the winds were to strong to land the heli anywhere really cool. Later that week the snow did get good again though and my days consisted of skiing pow up high in the morning and mountain biking in the afternoon. I love this time of year in Whistler for this reason, epic days of skiing and biking it doesn’t get any better than that. Actually it does when you throw skydiving into the mix and I had a great week of jumping out of planes, skiing, and mountain biking. I started to think that life couldn’t get any better when one night while out biking with my crew I went to big off a kicker and broke my ankle.
The next six weeks were down right depressing but I made the best of it by hanging out at the lake and doing other fun stuff like shooting guns. Today is the first day I have been able to walk with out my cast and my ankle feels great. I’m so stoaked to be mobil again and well on my way to a full recovery. Soon I will be able to bike and skydive again, I can’t wait.
While exploring the Island of Puerto Rico we came across this cool blow hole. The waves would pound into this hole and water would shoot like 50ft into the air.
The snorkeling in Puerto Rico is really good and this Sting Ray was just one of the crazy creatures I saw.
This spot was where we had some of our best surf of the trip.
Back from Puerto Rico and straight into the Heli with Kye. Life is rough.
Some of the lines we saw while flying around. To Bad the snow was Ice and the winds were to high to land on stuff like this.
Ingrid’s always stoked to be in the mountains and even though the skiing wasn’t good she didn’t care.
After skiing pow in the morning there is no better way to spend the afternoon then biking with my girl and our crew of friends.
This is the first feature on this trail and it’s a great warm up for things to come.
Running into a family of bears in the Whistler area is very common. This momma had three cubs.
Ready to hop in the plane for my first jump of the year. The best part about not jumping in 7 months is I get that first jump adrenalin all over again, I love that feeling.
In the plane with one of my jumpin bro’s just before the door opens.
Just after I broke my ankle and feeling depressed that my kick ass spring was over.
Hanging out at the lake with my dog was one of the best ways for me to get out of the house and keep from going stir crazy.
Turpin was helping me stay sane by taking me out shooting. I love to shot guns.
A DREAM COME TRUE.
The dream of one day getting to shred Alaska with blower, stable pow and blue sky’s has finally came true for me. The last two days of my trip it were absolutely epic. We did have three days of sun but after the big storm the first blue day was all about safety. Sarge (our guide) dug 7 different snow pits on various aspects and concluded that we needed to give the snow a day to settle before we could get after some big lines. On the second day the snow had settled out so we were able to get on some good warm up lines in the morning. With the snow feeling good we moved on to an area that we have wanted to hit since very early in the trip. That session was one of the best I have ever had. The snow was so deep and so light that it was really hard to see and skiing big lines when you can’t see is a challenge to say the least. Everyone on the crew crushed though and I was able to get three good lines down the face. The final day was also an epic one. We got a couple of great lines in the morning and in the afternoon Roner sent a sick ski base. I have posted a video of that ski base below. Ya! Roner you crushed it bud. Leaving AK safe and sound is enough to put a smile on your face but leaving safe after begging some deep pow lines, that’s just all time.
This is a shot of me skiing my first good line of the trip.
Morning view
An afternoon gem. The snow on this face was so deep.
The crew stoaked after shredding the s@%t out of this face.
Roner gettin steep and deep
Roner’s ski base line. Look close and you can see Roner’s tracks down the ramp and off the cliff.
Erik Roner pulls off a sick tribute to Shane McConkey
Roner gets right back on the horse by sending this 800ft cute to a 350ft cliff, pulling it off perfectly. This was a tribute to Shane who was a long time friend and hero of Erik’s and we all know that Shane wouldn’t have had it any other way. Well done Rubber neck!
Erik Roner ski base in Haines AK from Ian McIntosh on Vimeo.
More frustrating but good times in Alaska
It’s been a frustrating but fun trip so far. We have yet to get a full blue day but we have got some window shopping in. There has been some crazy stormy down days too with a ton of wind. Window’s are better that nothing but at the same time they are very frustrating. After a storm we have to start from square one all over again. Digging snow pits and stepping into smaller terrain at first to get our confidence in the snow pack. This takes time and when you only have a couple of hours before the clouds come in and chase you home, it makes it hard to get the big lines were looking for. It’s been a great trip though, we’ve got out in the mountains for a lot of good but short sessions and the snow has been amazing.
With only a few days left in the trip I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some good weather but if I get it or not it doesn’t matter. I’ve had a great season and I’m not stressed about anything. This is my 4th trip to AK so far and I have yet to get the dream situation with blue sky’s and blower stable pow. The dream will never die though and if I don’t get it good this time than maybe I will next time. As long as I don’t give up on it, my AK dream will eventually come true. I truly love skiing up here.
Below are a few photo’s from the last week in Haines.
After a big storm we were able to get out just long enough for one run. Seth enjoying the view shortly before dropping into 24″ of fresh blower pow.
We only got this one run before the clouds chased us away, but it was an epic one. This is Tanner lower down on the run but as you can see still enjoying a huge face shot.
This is Roner looking very small in his surrounding landscape.
Seth and Tanner enjoying this pocket of sun and this view from their office window.
This day there was just a small window of sun that hung over this one spot in the range for most of the day. During lunch the light was hot so Tanner made something out of nothing by building this kicker. This is a bad photo from far away but he hit it three times stomping a double back flip every time. SICK!
Ahhhhhh! Alaska
There is no better way to finish a season then with a trip to Alaska. I’m here with Seth Morrison, Eric Roner, Tanner Hall and the rest of the TGR crew. So far the weather here in Haines has been crazy. Everyday we wake up to cloudy sky’s and then around mid day the sky open’s up just long enough for us to get out and ski a line. Then as quick as the sky opened up it closes back in and we have to go home. The snow has been epic blower light pow but the coverage is very thin. It was super cold and windy up here this year so the snow came in light and didn’t stick to anything. It’s made for some rocky skiing and our ski’s are quickly getting destroyed. We have got some great skiing in though. Our hit list is growing by the day and were poised to get after it. Today it’s dumping so when we do get back out it’s going to be deep. I can’t wait!
Here are a few shots from the trip so far but make sure to check back, I will be posting an update very soon.
One of our first days in town it was blue sky’s but the winds were to high to fly. Instead we went for a hike above town. This shot if from that view.
On our very first day in town the sky’s broke just long enough for us to go do a couple of free runs and some much needed snow assessment. This shot was taken just before we lifted off.
Sarge checkin out the snow pack.
Seth and Tanner just after shredding their lines.
The line that I’m most stoaked on from the trip so far. From the top and I skied down to and off the cliff in the lower center of the shot. This one was so much fun.
Eric Roner and I stoaked to be in the flying machine.
Todd Jones fired up to be back in AK and back in his element.
Final sled days in whistler before AK trip.
Here are some of the pics from my last few days in the Whitlser backcountry.
This was a fun morning line that I hit. The goast ride for this one was a rush too.
This line was so fun. A big slash turn before the first air made everything skiers right of my line slough and the straight line threw the lower peppers felt so fast. I was fired up after this one.
Kick ass Ice cave that we could sled threw, it was also a cool place to hang out and chill. This is Dana throwing some stoake.
Dana hit this as a straight air but then went for the front flip on the second hit. Needless to say Dana’s having another kick ass season.
More fun lines that we hit in the afternoon. The snow in this zone was epic and these cliffs were a lot of fun.
With a couple of bad days of weather in Whis I was able to escape and join my wife Alex at Big White where she had a FIS SBX race. Alex (blue bib) in the start gate of the FIS B.C. provincial finals. This was only her third FIS race ever and she killed it placing third. Good job sweetheart!
This a dream straight line that I’m hoping will fill in enough this season to ski. It’s about 1500-2000ft long and as you can see very thin and filled with turns. Hopefully the peppers in the run out get covered up by this March snow.
What bad snow year?
Most people have lost hope in this season for the Whistler area, I have not. The last two weeks in Whistler has been so good. I high pressure system came in that lasted 9 days and the snow quality remained good for the entire time. Now the high pressure is gone and it has started to dump. There is no better way to keep the stoak high after an exhausting 9 day send fest then to get waist deep pow skiing on the resort.
“Hey everyone who gave up on Whistler this year, sucks to be you”
Here are a few shots from the last couple of sunny days in the back country.
The two tracks on the right are mine and the track on the left is from a huge misty 720 that Dana stomped first try.
This strait line was made even more sketchy by the huge compression in the run out. Look close at my tracks and you can see that I got about 50 feet of air off that compression.
This line was crazy, the snow was crusty and I was hanging on for my life the whole way down. Truly a survival line.
Rossignol team manager Paddy Kaye spotted in the back country gettin it done and enjoying the view with a refreshing cold one. “Ya PK good to see ya back in Canada enjoying a Canadian brew bud”
Six days of sending it in the Whistler backcountry.
After my road trip to the States I rolled back into Whistler just in time for a high pressure system that lasted six days. Here are a few shots from that six day session.
Rick sets up a time laps during our mid day chill time.
Look close and you can see my tracks from two lines that I skied that morning.
Half way threw our third day in the field we ran into DCP and the rest of the Absinthe crew. For the rest of the day we watched each other send it. DCP and I are The North Face team members so it was cool to be able to be out in the backcountry hangin with him and his crew.
After being solo for four strait days in the field, Dana got back from Italy and came out with us. This shot is Dana doing a warm up slash turn for the camera as Rick throws some stoak.
On the morning of day six Dana and I got after it. Dana stomped a misty 720 and a huge front flip off the step down in the left of the shot and the rest of the tracks are mine. We were fired up after this session.
Dana and I stoaked on all the tracks we left on the face behind us. Such a good morning.
Dana enjoys the view as the clouds roll in for the afternoon of day six. Looks like I’m going to get a day off tomorrow.
“Man it feels good to finally get some filming done”.
USA Road trip with my girl and friends
After a kick ass trip with the Rossignol crew I went home to Whistler with hopes that I would be able to start my filming for the year. But the snow was hard pack so a quick decision was made to head south with my girl Alex. The first stop was Aspen for the Powder awards, where I was nominated for best line. While in Aspen we got lucky and it dumped so when I wasn’t doing poster signings and partying I got to shred deep pow at the Highlands. Leaving Aspen we picked up Dana Flahr and headed North to Salt Lake. Half way through the drive it started to dump and we started to get very excited about skiing some Utah pow. We arrived in Salt lake late that night and crashed at Rachiel Burks house. We woke up the next morning to the car buried in the drive way and we knew that it was going to be an epic day. After getting face shots all day at Snowbird Dana and I decided to head up to Jackson that night to try and do some filming with TGR there. We parted ways with Alex cause she had to stay in Salt Lake to do the North Face Masters that were going to take place there later that week. We wished her good luck and were on our way. Arriving in Jackson late that night we feasted our eyes on the new tram and needless to say we were stoaked. The snow in Jackson was great. It was awesome to see all the guys at TGR, to get the filming season underway and to shred my favorite US resort agian. But after only three days there the wind came in and turned the snow into hard pack. With no new snow in the forecast I decided to head back down to Salt Lake and shoot some Photo’s with Grant Gunderson. Dana took a flight out of Salt Lake to Italy with some of the TGR crew, lucky f@#ker their having their best season on record. The next few days I spent shooting stills and it was great, we killed it and I’m sure that some of the shots we took will be published. With the snow getting worse every day and word that things back home in Whistler are getting better I’m excited to get home and take my sled out. Just one last stop in Idaho so my girl can do a Boardercross and then we’ll start the long drive home. All and all a kick ass road trip.
Recent Posts
Archives
Sponsors
Friends
