Freeski TV- Episode 2

A profile on the quiet yet dominant Charles Gagnier, with a nice segue into my favorite event the Verbier Xtreme (and the avalanche that almost killed a few of us).

Salomon G-Suit Contest: Summer Dedication

So, I've been rambling on about how great my summer was and blah blah blah. But you know what, check out this dedication to skiing. I just got so damn inspired that I want to go build my own backyard rail set-up. And I hate rails!

This is how far some kids went to win Salomon's newest most popular outerwear; the Salomon G-Suit. Check it!


NH Slay from Willem Collier on Vimeo.



Salomon G-Suit Edit from Joey S on Vimeo.


Salomon G Contest Edit from Kelso on Vimeo.

South America- Santiago de Chile

How cool is this?
A city of six million bordered by 14,000 foot (4250 m) peaks. Actually I don't know whether to be impressed or depressed. I guess depends if you see this picture and think, "Wow, I wonder what it would have looked like 200 years ago?", or you think, "Wow, it'd be cool to live in a city that close to the mountains."

For that matter, take the poll I'll put in the lower right corner of the site to see what you think.
Impressed vs. Depressed

Freeski TV- The Teaser

This season is going to be amazing!

Rage Films Premier, Bend, OR- Saturday Night!

I'll be there and you need to cancel out my dork-steeze by bringing your cool ass down.

Cheers,

Premier Info

South America- Chilean Travel Info

Besides sharing insights, travels and travails, I figure that with this site I've got the ability share some useful info for any of those who desire it. You see, probably like many others, my pre-travel research usually involves lots of forum scouring and web-site rummaging. So for all the help I've acquired through the google-machines, I'd like to repay a little bit and add to that stockpile of information out on the web.

Chilean Travel Info-

So, if you're flying into Santiago, Chile, are on a tight budget and want to get to where the snow is good quickly, I've got some info that might just help you out. Just follow the step by step instructions below.

1. So when you arrive into Santiago, you'll pass through customs, collect your luggage and exit through a couple sets of glass doors. Soon you will be greeted by a barrage of men yelling right into your gringo face, "Taxi. Taxi. Taxi. Taxi. Taxi. Taxi. Taxi. Taxi. Taxi." Whatever you do, do not acknowledge these devil children. They are sent from the depths of hell to annoy the piss out of you and will rip you off if given the slightest chance. Just drag your bags through the crowd with your head down and the intent that you've got places to go.

2. After you pass through the 'Taxi' yelling apostates head down to the western end of the terminal (that's to the right if you're facing the road). Head all the way to the end of the terminal and go outside until you see a billboard for "Tur-Bus".

3. On the 15's and 45's a bus plastered with "Tur-Bus" all over it will arrive and take you to the Pajaritos/Term. Tur-Bus destination that is labeled on the billboard. The bus costs about $1.50. Have small bills, they don't like the 10k peso notes. And don't worry about all you're luggage, they have plenty of space.

4. Next just hop on the bus, take the tour and get off where they kick you off. You should be at the Terminal de Tur-Bus and be greeted by a plethora of bus routes that will take you nearly anywhere and everywhere in Chile (including some spots in Argentina if the Pass is open).

End Note: If you find a bus to where you want to go but it doesn't leave till the next day then head up to the 3rd story of the bus station. There you will find a nice comfortable hotel with wi-fi and a nice breakfast. It's a good place to crash to wait for your bus. Lastly, the subway is 4 levels below and will whisk you right into downtown Santiago for a few cents. I recommend getting off at the Santa Lucía stop and touring around from there.

So there ya go, after spending quite a bit of time in South America, I've learned this nice little money saving trick and I am happy to share it with y'all. Hope it finds you well. Cheers.

South America- A Unique Observation

As I travel the world I am commonly confronted with various cultural differences. Some are funny, some are annoying, some are strangely interesting. Yet all these differences that I encounter in my travel are generally chalked up to simple differences that account for nothing that is more right or more wrong than anything else you or I would do. Yet, and I say, yet, there are things that are so uncommon, so ridiculous and so off-the-wall, that no borders can confine the hilarity of said cultural difference. Here is one such example.

























Yes, to the left of that good looking lady, is a man with a snowlerblade backpack. This gentlemen is so innately attached to his fruit-boots that he purchased a custom crafted pack to tote his ski-blades around all day. Where he bought them and who the hell makes them? I don't know. But I would like to meet these fabricators and distributors and congratulate them for their sheer dedication to a dead sport. The craziest thing is that this guy brings his snowlerblades around all day in such a way that at any fleeting moment he can switch up his snowsliding set-up. Powder. "Mmm, I think I'll go with the skis." Sweet mogul run. "Yeah, definitely going with the fruit-boots." He doesn't mind the weight, he just wants the freedom to shred anything and everything in the fruitiest way he can imagine. Yes, good sir, shred on.

Oh and this wasn't the only snowlerblade-pack we saw. I think they're really gonna take off down here.

South America- Las Lenas Picture TR

So. It happened. It dumped. It went blue. Marte openend. It was sick. It's really not much harder to say than that. The skiing was amazing, phenomenal, remarkable. It was a thousand positive adjectives in a row good. But to not bore y'all with more overplayed words like "epic" and "sick", here's a bunch of damn pictures.

South America- The Wake Up

There is almost nothing quite like waking up to the windows completely buried an poking your head out the snowed in door to see a pillowy land that once resembled hotels, buildings and cars.

South America- Dumping

Don't you love that feeling of being inside as it dumps like the fallout of a nuclear winter. Watching the windows getting buried. The storm raging. The anticipation of tomorrow's rewards creating sleepless nights. Oh man, I've got that feeling right now and it feels good....

South America- Marte Opening

For those of you that don't know, there is a special chairlift at Las Lenas that accesses some of the best chairlift accessed terrain in the world. The importance of Marte, rivals that of the infamous KT-22 or even the Tram at Jackson Hole. When this lift is open it'll directly spill you off to a multitude of faces that reach 3000' vertical feet and a average steepness of 45º sustained for most of that 3 grand. It is simply some of the best pow shredding in the world. Not much in terms of cliff falling, but more than enough in terms of highspeed pow turns.

Well today Marte opened and I believe there was 12 people skiing it. Seriously. 12 people. The light wasn't great but the pow was stupendous. Greg and I shredded 7 laps on it and were absolutely exhausted after skiing more than 20,000 vert. I gotta say the Marte addiction just bit me in the ass

The infamous Marte. Yeah, I wasn't lying, there was literally 12 people skiing that day.






















The view from the top of the couloir Eduardo's down to the Village of Lenas below. Notice how the 7 story buildings of the village aren't even recognizable because we are so high above 'em. Crazy