Breck Team Shoot

A few weeks back I shot the Breckenridge Ski and Snowboard Team for the National Ad Campaign that will be running in the Worlds finest Ski and Snowboard Magazines.  I feel very fortunate to have been hired back for the third time in a row on this project!  I would like to Thank Missy Barone and Austyn Williams from Breckenridge Ski Resort.  Britt Gale from the Vail Resorts Photo Dept.  Rex Lint from the Vail Resorts Video Dept.  Kylee Evans and Rich Rodgers from Cultivator Advertising and Design.  Our stylist Ashley Kelly, and of course all the athletes, JJ Thomas, Bobby Brown, Steve Fisher, Colby West and Duncan Adams.  Without you all this shoot wouldn't have been possible, so thank you very much!

A few behind the scenes photos.....




To see a behind the scenes video of the project, click here


GJ Landscape

En route back to Breckenridge from Silverton there are several different routes to take, and trust me I've taken them all.  The easiest and fastest from my experience is to head north on HWY 550 and meet up with I-70 in Clifton or Grand Junction.  Worn out and tired this is the route I chose.  I've passed through here easily 1000+ times in my 18 years living in Colorado.  I've always though that this section of the Book Cliffs is really an amazing zone.  I've wanted to stop countless times but usually am on some kind of a time restraint and can't do it.  Pulling in around 6pm this day the light was looking really cool and decided I had more than enough time to stop.  So I thought I knew how to access the area I wanted to get into and shoot some photos of, but it turns out I was wrong.  Non the less, I was able to get to where you see below in the photos.  By the time I found the access to where I wanted to go the light was fading and it was time to just keep on truckin home.  Until next time, enjoy.....






ANTPM

ANTPM or America's Next Top Pro Model put on by SNOWBOARDER Magazine on Mt. Hood's Palmer Snowfield just wrapped up, well it did 10 days ago and I'm just getting around to putting this up.  A fun week of snowboarding, Cobra Dogs, swimming, BBQin, skatin, long nights at Charlie's and a couple of Snack Attacks too.  Truly a fun week and I already look forward to next year.  Here's a couple random picks from Govy to the Glacier....


Flying into PDX takes you very close to Mt. Hood.  Arial view of what was to come.


Clouds....


Wing....


Oregon Hills


Cobra Dogs.  A Government Camp staple...



The first on hill event was the high ollie.  Keegan Valika won with this 5'2" Ollie.


Generator



The second contest was best jib.  Joe Sexton tore it up and won.  This is not Joe.  This is Chris Grenier.



Huggy.  AKA "Salsa Davis Jr."



The third even was spin to win.  Clancy spun and won.  Seen here.


The new logo



Laura Austin said this photo sucked.  Well Laura I think its sick so there.  Chris Grenier again.



T-Bird, AKA Bean Fartin from France mid Snack Attack!



Who says if you live in Bear you can't ride pipe?  Bradshaw proving the masses wrong.


Who says you can't shoot fisheye from the opposite side of the pipe?  Dodds proving them wrong too.


Colorado Black Eagle.  Very rare in Oregon.



Chillin on the Glacier is sick.  Just drink lots of water and use lots of sunscreen.  I paid the price hard.



The final on hill event is the Chinese Downhill.  Lots of fun to watch thats for sure.



The final event was the silent auction for Charity.  The pros put their boards and what ever else to entice campers and who ever to bid on their stuff.  Bradshaw started what could be considered a somewhat "fishy" charity called the Hell's Anglers (It helps supports fish habit in southern California he claims), and was under the assumption that if he won the auction he could donate to the charity of his choice, The Hell's Anglers.  So he put 4 boards, some boots, hoodies, etc on the line and won, however it was the overall winner who got to choose the charity not just the winner of the silent auction.  Sorry Bradshaw, maybe next year.   



Campers chowin down...


The remnants.



More remnants of dinner.



I really like this shot.  Just sayin'



High Cascade drying rack.



Pros and one lucky camper.



Sad Huggy



Not Kobe Bryant



Charlie's closing Party.  L2R.  Frank Sinacho, Snack Daddy, Bean Fartin



On the last day I headed out to Trillium lake.  Just what I needed to numb the pain from the closing party.



Dan Marino in his element


Yampa River

Five Day Float.  80+ Miles.  Three Canyons.  Two Rivers.  One awesome time.  Got lucky as some friends of mine had a permit for the Yampa River in Northwest Colorado in Dinosaur National Monument for Memorial Day weekend.  This is a one of the most sought after permits in the country rivaling the Grand Canyon and the Main Fork Salmon River.  Especially to launch on Memorial Day is one in a million odds.  We had great weather, big water and good times with new and old friends alike.  Check some photos and enjoy.

Kinda like Jurassic Park.  Real Dinosaurs lurking.


Some old and new graffiti in a cave.

Looking the other direction from inside the cave.


Whiskey.  Need I say more?

Taking in the view.  Notice our boats below on the left.


Guitars are key on the river.

Sunset on the first night.


Typical view from within Yampa Canyon.

Zach and Catherine running Warm Springs Rapid.  Maytag Hole is just left of Zach's head.  Ya want to avoid that one.


The crew in the lower left.  Big wall.



More boating....

Ben on the guitar.

Another desert sunset.


Split Mountain Canyon and the end of the road...or river in this case.



Superpark 14

Its that time of the year again.  Yes Superpark.  Hard to believe that this event is now 14 years old.  And yet it still does not get old.  Lago spotted here blasting on the hip.  Th features include a slue of step downs, ranging from about 40' to 80'.  A 100'+ gap, a tranny pool contraption with hips, jumps over hips and 1/4 pipes to 1/4 pipe linkage, rhythm section, another 80' step up and a 30' 1/4 pipe.  Its going to be a good week.  Stay tuned for more or log on to Snowboarder Magazine for daily updates.

Women in Wonderland

I got the call in the middle of my Sims shoot to head down to Silverton to link up with a Roxy/DC all girls crew consisting of Robin Van Gyn, Raewyn Reid and Erin Comstock.  Amber Stackhouse was there to film, and Heikki Sorsa came along too for support.  Super fun crew!  Its been awhile since I've been able to focus on the women's side of snowboarding and I must say I was impressed.  It was great to mix it up and I couldn't have asked for a better crew to end my season with.  Well, I have Superpark in Mammoth and then thats it for me, but essentially this was my last trip of the year.  Time to head back to Summit County, get my edit on, and relax a bit!

This coyote was curious what we were doing in his zone.  Luckily he didn't front too hard. 

I'm an ELK-AHOLIC


I just wrapped up a week long shoot with Sims Snowboards in Crested Butte, CO.  This is my third shoot with Collective Licensing out of Denver and easily one of the best.  I huge thanks goes out to Marc, Carly, Gabe and Chris (along with the entire team) for taking care of us all week and helping create another successful shoot.  Also, a huge thanks to Tom Sims for...well being Tom Sims.  Tom is the man, and it never gets old making turns with him and hearing his endless vault of stories from the good old days.  Next stop Silverton for another week long shoot.  This time with DC and Roxy.  Looking forward to it!  Stay tuned....

Working Outta My Second Home

Yes, even though I don't have a first home I do somehow have a second home.  After Idaho I drove straight down to my Cabin to link up with Pashley and his crew of misfits, Scotty Arnold, Zach Siebert, El Doug and Tom Pelly of Australia.  Our plan was to spend a week at the Bonnie Bell cabin, compile enough shots for a Feature in "Australia and NZ Snowboarding Magazine", while of course stacking shots for Snowboarder Magazine, my first priority.  It was a successful week to say the least.  Good times with good friends, and about half way through the week a storm rolled in and dumped over a foot of fresh.  It was such a blizzard all we could do was take laps all day.  Not a bad "day off" and a real boost for the crew to get the stoke on.  Not that anyone was bummed, it was just a nice change of pace to put the cameras away and remember why we all do this thing called snowboarding anyways.  It was the best turns of the year for me easily.  Hasn't been the best year in that department, but non the less it was some epic riding right out the front door.  It was good to finally experience my spot in some really good conditions too.  It still blows my mind that this is "my spot".  I couldn't be happier with my purchase.  Private Property is the future.  By the time it was all said and done, no one was ready to leave and Scotty had already assured me that he would come back and live here if I would allow him to.  Sorry bud, nice try, get your own damn spot!  That was that.  Another week of my winter done.  Where to go next?

So we just have to get up there.....


Yup right up there on that ridge....

I miss it already....



Headed up to "The Circus"



Good steez Pashley.  Are those Ugg Boots?


From one woodsman to the other Scotty, "you're doing that all wrong."

Snow day.  Lets take the day off and shred pow.  Sounds good to me!

Cool Boarders 2010

Idaho is a wrap.  After sessioning one of the bigger jumps I've seen hit in person, our trip into the Idaho BC is done.  This jump measured somewhere in the ball park of 80+' in length with a similar or longer drop.  I felt that the angle shown here makes the jump look a little bit smaller than that but at the same time it really worked so I went with it.  This is Lago's first hit, where after he stopped yelling and screaming in a state of pure excitement he said something to the effect of, "that was the most amazing thing I've ever done.....that was some cool boarders shit."  A pretty strong statement consider he just took home the bronze medal in the HP at the Vancouver Olympics a mere month ago.  After this he stomped two B/S 360's and we were out.  Such a good way to end the trip.  A huge thanks to Cory Smith at Smith Optics for putting us up at Smiley Creek Lodge.  I will greatly miss the home cooked meals, country hospitality, and general good vibes of this amazing place.  Until next time.....

Lago, flying like an eagle....



"That was some Cool Boarders shit!"

U Da Ho

Actually its pronounced Idaho.  Made it to the lovely land of potatoes in one piece and am glad to be back in this neck of the woods after not making it up last season.  Cory Smith has some big things going in his backyard zone of Smiley Creek, but don't think you can just roll up here.  The zone is on private property and without the proper credentials you could get messed up quick!  Trespasser's beware!

This is not a line you want to cross if your not invited.

Cabin 5 is treating me good so far.

Robot Food was here.  Well actually Pierre Wikberg and Eddie Wall are in the crew and working on content for their new website www.videohypershred.com.  Keep checking in as it should go live any day now.  Its gonna be sick...

Just put it on my Master Charge card.

Tunnel Vision

The rafters

Lago is the shit.  Congrats to the best damn bronze medalist I know.  USA!!!

CB

Made a quick pit stop in the Crested Butte region of Colorado before heading out to Idaho.  Otterstrom said he had the inside track to some new zones in the area, and the weather looked good.  So we made the call and B-lined it over for a quick one and a half day mission.  I have to say it has been a few years since I have been to Crested Butte, and it is as sick or sicker than I remember.  Its kinda like a mini Jackson.  Also very similar to Aspen, but without all the bullshit.  The mountain is for real, and the backcountry is just as for real if not much realer.  Not sure that's a word, but it's a dope spot to say the least.  Lots of pillows, cliffs, big lines, and even some kicker zones all in the mix.  One interesting thing too is the fact that they are really feeling the recession here.  No one can find work so everyone is moving out of town.  This in turn has made property extremely cheap.  I found a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, two car garage condo for $175,000.  That is unheard of in Colorado, and on top of it, in a mountain town.  I mean that is cheaper than Denver.  Makes me wonder if I could pull off living here.  Hmmmmm.....

Otterstrom hiking to the goods.....


The locals have a real good thing going out here.  10+ acres with this sick Airsteam trailer.  Not a bad way to kick it in the BC if you ask me.

Home Sweet Home

I've been hunkered down at home the last few days wrapping up some work for Vail Resorts.  It has been beautiful weather and I have been able to get a lot done just getting out for a few hours each morning.  Yesterday was especially early.  Up at 5am.  The reward was watching the moon set while the sun came up on the Ten Mile Range.  Needless to say, the shot I needed came together well with these conditions.  Below is a photo of Steve Fisher in the Freeway Halfpipe from later that same morning.  Next Stop Utah, then Idaho.  Until next time...

The Mayor of Breckenridge


Todd was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma this past fall.  So friends of the Franzen family are gathering items to raise funds via live auction and raffle to help with treatments his insurance does not cover.  Please join Todd for an evening of fun, fellowship and general kick ass time!  I've donated a photo entitled "Fruita in Autumn", so please help Franzen out and bid on it.

Date:          Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Time:         5:30pm - 9:00pm
Location:   Breckenridge Golf Course "Clubhouse"

Todd is the man.  He has been a great friend through the last.....damn, almost decade now, and I know he will continue to be for many years to come.  He's a fighter and a survivor and I know he's gonna beat this unfortunate illness.  We shot this portrait back in December before he started his treatment to try and capture his hair in all it glory before he started treatment.  Well last time I saw Franzen it didn't look like he'd actually lost much hair, and is more proof that he's got this battle. He's not giving into the cancer and the nasty side effects associated with his treatment.  Franzen, I wish I was going to be able to make it to the party, but unfortunately I'm on the road as usual.  I'll be seeing you at the Southridge very soon though!  Hang in there bud and have a kick ass time on tuesday.

Straight Truckin'


The last few days are a blur.  I started at home in Breckenridge on January 28th and drove to Salt lake City for a quick one day mission with Absinthe.  I then drove to Tahoe for a 3 day camping/splitboarding trip with Jeremy Jones and the "Deeper" crew, but snow conditions and deteriorating weather lead to a no go, so I turned around after another quick one day mission with the crew.  Now, five days later, I've landed in Silverton, Colorado for some heli-boarding with the North Face Crew.  I look forward to driving home for a one day reset this weekend and then back to Utah to link up with a DC crew for another few days of shooting.  I guess the saying goes something like this, "you can sleep when you dead".  For now I'll just be truckin' along!