Off Piste

West Shore

2011-01-10T08:45:00.001-08:00

April 6th

2010-04-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

Tony enjoying some April powder in the Tahoe Backcountry.

Bikes

2010-03-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

Randoms

2010-03-21T20:35:00.001-07:00

Core Ridge

2010-03-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

Emerald Bay Chutes

2010-02-18T19:43:00.001-08:00

Doggie Stoke

2010-01-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

Southside - Kachina Peaks AZ

2009-12-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

Younger Days

2009-12-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

Bikes

2009-11-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

Bikes are fun, but please bring on the snow!!!!

AZ Riding

2009-10-04T00:11:00.000-07:00

Jason

Brandon

After a week of eating major dirt out at NRA I finally got comfortable in the air on the bike. I can can control the bike in the air and make it do the same thing no matter what type of jump. Quite a different feeling than white knuckling it.

NRA

2009-09-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Loons on a Lake

2009-07-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

2009-07-21T03:35:00.000-07:00

Opulent Temple Fundraiser

2009-07-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

I've been over the Burner scene for a while, but the Opulent Temple does throw some incredible party's. Should be a great night of psychedelic shenanigans.

June Pow....?

2009-06-04T03:04:00.000-07:00

"IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT BOTH
THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW SNOW LEVELS DROPPING DOWN TO LESS THAN 7000
FEET BY FRIDAY."

Trails

2009-06-02T21:56:00.001-07:00

Greenstone Lake

2009-06-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

Day 1

Just over that ridge

Day 2

Day 3

Llyods • Truckee, Ca

2009-05-30T20:30:00.001-07:00

Sonora Pass

2009-05-26T21:15:00.001-07:00

A day trip from Truckee down south for the opening of Sonora Pass.

2009-05-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

Kirkwood

2009-03-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks Ryan for the pics!

Inner Basin - Flagstaff, Arizona

2009-03-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

Started hiking at 7,800 feet. We were able to put the skins on after a three mile hike up the closed road. We skinned up to 11,000 feet and skied some nice corn back down to Lockett Meadow.

Sam took some video of the day.

San Francisco Introduces Marijuana Legalization Bill to the Press

2009-02-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

SF Gate Article

I personally feel this is a revolutionary approach to this draconian mindset.

What a concept, take the money that is wasted on prohibition, arrests, prosecution, etc and put that money back into the state economy.

Mt. Tallac

2009-02-20T22:58:00.000-08:00

3,200 vertical feet of pure bliss. Tallac is one of the more popular ski tours in the Lake Tahoe basin. Ski areas wish they had this type of terrain.

Desolation Wilderness

Round Valley

2009-02-12T22:50:00.000-08:00

40" plus in the last 6 days. 6" to 9" last night. Fairly stable below treeline so I didn't venture far above it.

It's Back!

1.30.09

2009-01-30T23:04:00.000-08:00

Circumnavigated Castle Peak today. Skinned up to the ridge between Basin and Castle Peak and dropped in the backside of Castle Peak into Coon Canyon. Nice powder still on the higher north facing aspects. Ran into some sled skiers who were kind enough to give me a sled assist for a 2nd lap into Coon Canyon. Skinned up to the frontside of Castle Peak and ripped the south facing corn back to the car. We really need some snow!

I think I officially killed this camera.

Getting Ready To Drop Into Coon Canyon

First Turns Of The Day

Lunch In Coon Canyon

looking back and getting ready for lap 2

Run 2

Castle Peak

2009-01-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

Castle Peak

Tracks

Going For Number 2

Tracks

Jake's Peak

2009-01-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

Jake's climbs 2,357 vertical feet in just over 1.5 miles. I got 2 laps in today and it took all I had. First run was creamy January corn. The second was re-frozen crust.

Lap 2

New Years Eve 2009

2009-01-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

We drove around the bowels of the Bay View Industrial area for a good 45 minutes trying to find Compound Number 9. After around the 3rd time of coming to some dead end, somebody popped out from behind the bushes and opened the gate for us. Nothing to crazy by SF standards, but a good time none the less.

Welcome to Compound Number 9

Mt. Rose

2008-12-30T22:42:00.000-08:00

I dropped Elizabeth off at the Mt. Rose Ski School at 8:15. I busted a move across the street for 2 runs in the Hourglass area. I was back at the resort to meet her for a half day and everyone was happy.

Mt. Rose Super Highway

Hourglass Bowl

Holiday Crowds

Looking Back

TEN

2008-12-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

Here is an honest look into the world of freeriding, not often explored or documented in todays ski porn.

TEN ski snowboard film www.guidoperrini.com from guido perrini on Vimeo.

Only The Strong Survive

2008-12-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows the good parties don't start to New Years Day.

I really want to ski

2008-12-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

Watching friends rip this stuff up on fat boards is really giving me the jones to get back on skis again. Snowboarding is fun and all, but just doesn't compare to to charging on a pair of skis. My knee doesn't bother when I snowboard and I can push it fairly hard without worry. I thought this year was going to be the return to ski, but financial circumstances have decided otherwise. We have received roughly 120 inches of snow since December 13th. Things are shaping up nicely out in the pacific.

Carson Pass

2008-12-21T22:57:00.000-08:00

Just another boring storm day in Tahoe.

Jermey Jones • High and Dry on Carson Pass

2008-12-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

Here's what the pro's do on their "off" days.

This is the Crescent Moon Couloir in the Carson Pass area of Lake Tahoe.

Hourglass Bowl

2008-11-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

MT. Rose has been serving up the early season goods. Yesterday lapped Hourglass and finished with 2 shorter runs off the ridge before returning home. 3rd day in the backcountry for the 2008-09 season.

Months skied in 2007-08: 11

Heres to a 2008-09 Endless Winter

Props to whoever laid down the no nonsense skin track

Mt. Rose Wilderness

2008-11-04T20:57:00.000-08:00

Skinned the 5.5 miles up the Tahoe Rim Trail to Relay Ridge. Did 3 laps off Relay Ridge before skiing out in split mode sans skins. 16 miles and it snowed all day.

2nd Lap

Half way down 3rd lap

Day 2. New snow overnight and mostly clear. This time in the hourglass area.

November 4th

Wheres Reno?

Last Lap

November To Remember...?

2008-10-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Pineapple Express

This could ease the unemployment blues.

Recoleta Cemetery

2008-10-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

Photos From TonyD

2008-09-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

This was the El Labratorio. It started when I took my board in to get some base work done. I needed to take my one binding off to repair and the girl working in the photo just placed the binding plate and screws off to the side. Tony mentioned to her that maybe she should screw the base plate and the screws back into the the board so she wouldn't loose them. She threw her arms up in the air and said "THIS IS THE LABRATORIO!" A few days pass and Tony's skis are de-lamming again after a hostel epoxy job. Tony decides to go back to the Labratorio and see if he can get this fixed. He tries to get the shop to just do a quick and dirty fix. Once again the lady working in the photo exclaimed "THIS IS THE LABRATORIO!!!" She grabbed him by his jacket and threw him out of the store.

Can you pass the acid test? Club Cocoliche 11am Sunday

Living in Patagonia

2008-09-18T16:21:00.001-07:00

I had the great pleasure of renting from these guys on the trek down to Argentina. If you want the local scoop on whats hot in Bariloche and the Andes, then you can't go wrong with these guys. Affordable lodging for all travelers with some of the best views in Bariloche.

Living in Patagonia

Bariloche Vacation Rentals

Time to leave the Empire

2008-09-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

I spent just about 2.5 weeks in Argentina and it had quite the effect on me. I am now hoping I'll be working and living in Argentina within 2 years. There is a ton of information online about making this transition, and after doing some research it really got me thinking. At this point for me its about quality of life instead the rat race I participate in here everyday.

So some Spanish classes are in order and I'll most likely cut back on some skiing this winter in order to do 2 full months in South America this summer.

Here are a few resources:

Expat Argentina

Living in Patagonia

Bariloche

2008-09-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

Bariloche is just an incredible place. I was surprised by the infrastructure they had way out here. Internet and phone service available on the cheap. The best food I have ever eaten in my life. The resort was a little on the 5th world side. The don't really use stop signs either. Five way intersections are a test of ones will for sure. There are no moving violations so you can drive and pass whoever and whenever you want, including the police. Great nightlife for being in the Andes with a slew of great micro-breweries and bars that stay open until 6 or 7am. The trip went a little something like this....

Buenos Aries

2008-09-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

Buenos Aries Underground

10am Sunday

Passport stolen at one of the sketchiest places I've ever stepped foot in. I made the best of it and had two more days to spend in this incredible city. This places goes off like nothing I have ever seen.

Best Skiing on the Planet

2008-09-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

The early bird doesn´t get the worm in Argentina, but today it did. We set the boot pack up to the top of Nubes in knee to waist deep snow.

Hiking up

Jason

looking back at our tracks

Avalanche took out the lodge

The best steak on the planet

Back to the evil empire

Santa Rosa

2008-09-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

Santa Rosa the Saint came by for a vist and caused quite a bit a choas. I don´t think I have ever seen it snow that hard. Nobody really knows the exact total. Its been frustrating because the resort is taking its good ole time to get the good stuff open. The wait could well be worth it tomorrow.

8.29.08

2008-08-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

Close to another foot and insane winds. The whole upper mountain was closed. Not sure what we were going to find when we started hiking. To our surpise we found very stable snow conditions.

Thin Cover

The Pain Train

TonyD

Wheres Waldo

Turn and Burn

Lomo

Another storm on the way

The "A" Factor

2008-08-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

I got to BA last Saturday. My ski bag with gear did not make it, but everything else did. I had an early flight to Bariloche the next day. American Airlines said my bag would be on the next local flight via Argentine Airline LAN. I get to Bariloche and my host´s inform me that my ski bag is at the airport. I drive to the airport and its the wrong bag. It´s not even a ski bag and it has the wrong name. LAN cantacts American Airlines and they say it will be on the next flight in the morning. Same story. AA calls me and says my bag is once again at the Bariloche airport so I drove over....NO BAG! The process is that American has to send the bag to the National Airport from the International Airport and if the local airline can´t accept the bag, it gets retuned back to the International Airport in BA. This happens three more times. Tuesday rolls around and still no bag. American says it´s being transported via ground to Bariloche some 26 hours away. I leave an Adress, I leave 2 phone numbers. Fast forward to this morning (thursday) and still no bag. AA says its been deliverd. It hasn´t. This mornig I call the delivery company In BA. They tell me all other bags have been deliverd except mine because they had no adress or phone number. I gave it them at least 4 times. Next they can´t get a hold of the driver to find out where the bag is. He has been in town for over 24 hours and no contact. So its a waiting game. The company tells me the driver is a very good man and don´t worry.
I get a call about an hour ago and they tell the location of my ski gear. I go to the hostel and pick it up and the hostel tells me its been here since tuesday...WTF?

Thats the "A" Factor for ya. Welcome to Argentina!

August Pow

2008-08-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

We got nuked! 3.5 feet of Sierra style snow, so I was right at home. 2 gringos, 2 brits and an Argentine joined forces for some August turns. Avie danger was through the roof today, so low angle pow turns it was. Been in Argentina a week and still now snowboard or touring gear. Today was so good, I didn´t even notice the rental.

Getting ready to drop the 3,500 vertical feet to the base.

Thin Cover getting it done

One of many 3,500 foot pow lines to the bottom

Heavy snow is in the forcast for the next 5 days.

Patagonia

2008-08-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

It´s Nuking in Bariloche!

South America 2008

2008-08-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

I am in Buenos Aires at the moment recovering from a long day of travel. It´s different down here and you notice it right away. The first thing is the lack of law enforcement. I have yet to see a cop or a gun. Airport security and customs was about as relaxed as you could get. No guards, no big cops with guns and no dogs. I guess the Argentines are not worried about terrorist. Makes ya think.

Off to Patagonia tomorrow, and hopefully the Santa Rosa storms follow.

7 day forcast for Patagonia

A Few Leftovers

2008-07-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

Summer Blues

2008-07-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

2008-06-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hola de Bariloche

2008-06-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

It's Official!

Refugio Frey Hut outside Bariloche.

Less Than 60 Days.......Bariloche!

2008-06-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

The original plan of heading down to Las Lenas didn't work out as planned. I kept getting the run around on pricing and availability on housing. I searched around and found this. A former Tahoe local now living in Patagonia, Argentina. He had change for a nickel and everything was alright. Its funny how things work out.

The Orgins of Snowboarding

2008-06-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

Photos from TGR

Pretty cool story on TGR. Click here to read

The Labyrinth • Las Lenas

2008-06-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

Sonora Pass

2008-05-31T22:16:00.001-07:00

The plan was to hike and ride the Y couloir off of Leavitt Peak. In order to get to Leavitt Peak you gotta hike up No Name Peak first.

No Name Peak. The highest peak in the shot.

The road to no No Name.

Leavitt Peak comes into view after reaching the summit of No Name. The plan is to ride the left side of the Y couloir lookers left in the picture.

After hiking a little ways it becomes clear that wet slab avalanches have already happened on the main lines off the peak. Guess it's a few laps on No Name.

Getting ready to drop in off of No Name Peak. Blind drops are always fun.

Going back for seconds.

After 2 runs.

One last side trip.

One last one before the hike out.

Almost got swept through the choke by my sluff on this one.

Looking back after hiking back out to the road.

Mammoth Mountain

2008-05-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

A great spring day at Mammoth Mountain. With Tioga and Sonora pass opened it was time to make a trip to the Eastern High Sierra.

Chair 23 goodness. The corn was boot deep at times.

A short hike from chair 23 to Upper Dry Creek

Upper Dry Creek slayed!

Urban Backcountry

2008-05-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Jonesin' for some turns so what is one to do on their day off?

leave SF at 6:30am

Arrive at Squaw Valley USA @ 9:30am

Start hiking to the palisades at 9:45am

Saftey meeting at the top of the Palisades at 11:00am

Drop main chute at 11:30am

Back in SF for Happy Hour and some time to spare. California is Good. The heat wave last week scorched most of the good skiing. Time to head to Utah for the weekend.

90 days and counting

2008-05-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Las Lenas Argentina and Portillo Chile for a summer session

Granite Peak

2008-05-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

Still great coverage higher up. The corn skiing in California is almost as good as the powder skiing. A little hike up Granite peak for a few laps in the California Sunshine.

Hiking up Granite Peak

Granite Peak in it's springtime glory

55-60 degrees at the top

One of the mellower lines off the peak

Desolation Wilderness looking good

Gnarnia

Squaw Chimney Swept

2008-05-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

Last Chimney Sweep of the year. On old school DH boards no less.

2008-04-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

2008-04-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday Ride

2008-04-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

A Little Flagstaff Video

2008-04-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a little video shot by benning showcasing a few locals

Flagstaff, Arizona - Spring '08

2008-04-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Back to Arizona for some family support. Still managed to get some turns in. Hooked up with the Flagstaff crew for some fun in the Kachina Peaks. Big mountain skiing and 12,000 ft peaks in Arizona? I think if conditions are right it's some of the best backcountry skiing in the lower 48. You gotta earn your turns up here... The first attempt Sam and I got shut out by the terrible weather at the summit and had to turn around. Still a good fitness day and good to get a day out in the peaks with Sam. The second attempt payed off. We dropped 3200' vertical feet over 4 miles under warm temps and bluebird skies. Benning and Tim on the climb up... Looking out at the painted desert from 12,000 feet After lunch and a few beers it was time to ski the 4 miles down to Lockett Meadow. We were able to ski all the way down to the campground. Kachina soul food. Benning dropping in The road to Lockett Meadow Looking back There is gnar in them hills Miles of Kachina corn Looking down at Lockett Meadow. It's the tiny white spec far out in the distance Saftey meeting at the pumphouse The hard work payed off. This was one to remember. After 60+ days in Lake Tahoe this winter, this was easily one of the 2 best days of the seaon for me. All that was left was the 2 mile hike out to the shuttle car. Here is a great shot of Benning gettin' some on the southside

North Shore Fun

2008-03-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

A foot and a half over the last few days made for a nice weekend.

Some bigger lines got hit. A few got poached after last chair.

Lower Estelle

The Road To Sherwood

idiots Delight

After Hours Poach

Patrol Leads The Way

Swift, Silent and Deep

2008-03-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

The
Jackson Hole Air Force
have been holding it down for years in the Tetons. Much like Squaw Valley in the early 80's, Jackson became the catalyst for the modern day freeskier. Ducking ropes and poaching lines are a thing of the past in Jackson Hole. Thanks to the Air Force.

Classic Sierra Storm

2008-02-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

Saturday

Sunday

Deep Days

Monday

Sherwood about to get slayed

Where's Waldo?

Tahoe Chick's Can Rip

Beaver Bowl Headwall

Safety Time

2 Very Deep Storm Days.

1 Bluebird Day.

Another Boring Day

2008-02-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

Another Boring day at Squaw Valley.

Mt. Tallac • Tahoe Backcountry

2008-02-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

No Summit today. 2 laps in the steeper corn fields instead. The summit looked and sounded pretty wind scoured, but the corn was ripe for the harvest. Close to 4500' of vert earned at the days end.

Starting Out

The Days Playground

Tallac Summit and NE Bowl

Blind Entrance Into The Corn Fields

SF

2008-02-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday Ride

2008-02-10T21:32:00.000-08:00

Alpine Meadows

2008-02-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

Alpine likes to be hiked.

Went Boundary to Boundary and then some.

Going

Gone

Back for seconds

Idiot's Delight

Alpine Meadows Slackcountry

The frontside with Idiot's Delight in the center

Big Bend Bowl on the backside. Everything you see is open

Lake in the sky

Squaw Valley

2008-02-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

Over 3 feet of fresh last night in about 12 hours.

Caused all kinds of problems today.

Kirkwood closed because of avalanche hazard.

Alpine Meadows closed because of extreme avalanche hazard.

Party of 2 missing in the Alpine Meadows Back country.

160 MPH wind gust recorded on the ridge tops.

Interstate 80 closed.

Our only carnage was getting stuck in the hotel parking lot, loosing a mitten in the trees and breaking a tire chain.

Rumor had it Squaw was going to open the lower mountain around 10. Was KT-22 gonna turn?

Driving up Olympic drive we started hearing the bombs! It's gonna open!

This is what awaited.....

KT-22. 2000 plus vertical feet of the gnar.

Then to end a perfect day, the upper mountain opened around 2pm and the rest button was pushed for another 2 hours of nipple deep pow.

Um....Yea....Lumbergh

2008-02-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

14" to 18" again last night...

6" to 8" the night before...

30" to 44" the night before that...

Saturday is looking to be an epic bluebird pow day!

20" to 28" expected again Saturday night...

10" to 12" again during the day on Sunday...

Snow in the forecast almost everyday this week...

*cough* *cough*

so....yea.....um...Lumbergh.....Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday meetings will need to be re-scheduled *cough* *cough* And my TPS reports will be late.

Squaw Valley

2008-01-30T18:40:00.001-08:00

230 Inches for the Month of January. Thats supposed to be our dry month. It has snowed everyday for the last 3 weeks.

This week alone we saw a few storms dump 30-40 Inches at a time.

During the week Squaw Valley opens the Palisades and the rock stars line up.

Welcome to Squallywood!

65 Degree Straightline Paradise

Almost Every Sierra resort has a Palisades. None match the pucker factor quite like Squaw Valley

Alpine Meadows

2008-01-29T21:56:00.001-08:00

KT 22 Powder Day

2008-01-28T20:58:00.000-08:00

This was borrowed from unofficialsquaw.com

The Keyhole

2008-01-28T19:25:00.001-08:00

Ive grown quite fond of the keyhole area at Alpine Meadows.

Lots of technical lines to play on.

Id have more pics but it has been to good to stop!

The Snow Machine Returns

2008-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

January Thaw 1.19.08

2008-01-19T20:50:00.000-08:00

11 Feet in 3 days

2008-01-06T21:13:00.000-08:00

From the Kirkwood website:

The storm continues to hammer Kirkwood. Heavy snow has been constant since Thursday evening. More than 130 inches have fallen already - MORE THAN ANY OTHER RESORT IN TAHOE! Forecasts call for snow to continue throughout the weekend.

Bring It!

2008-01-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING WITH RESPECT TO SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IN THE SIERRA. LATEST PROJECTIONS SUGGEST STORM TOTALS BETWEEN 5 AND 10 FEET OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE CREST WITH MULTIPLE FEET DOWN TO LAKE LEVEL AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALONG THE EASTERN SIERRA.

QPF VALUES OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE STILL INDICATED IN THE SIERRA OVER A 12 HOUR PERIOD...PRODUCING SNOWFALL RATES FROM 2-4 INCHES PER HOUR FROM WESTERN ZONE 71 THROUGH THE TAHOE BASIN.

ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE SIERRA AND SIERRA FOOTHILLS.

ZigZag Glacier • Mt. Hood, OR • 11.21.07

2007-11-23T21:34:00.001-08:00