Rad skiing at Stowe

It rained at Stowe on Wednesday, which sucked!  Puddles of melted snow filled the streets and gloomy attitudes filled the streets.

Fortunately, on the back side of this storm, it got cold and it started snowing.  Two inches overnight, some wind and bang!! Back in the game!!

2" on Upper Lift Line looks mighty fine from this vantage point

At least 2" in the woods!

The question that begs asking is:  What constitutes a Powder Day?  2″, 6″, 12″???

How bout when 2″ becomes 4″, the wind keeps blowing and the snow continues to fall as the light fades on the day?

The only way to know is to go.  And those who go, will know that it doesn’t really matter how much it snows, just that it snows and therefore a powder day was had!

Ski socks are numerous and varied. Huge amounts of research and development go in to creating the perfect ski sock fabric and shape that is comfortable, dry, warm, and the list goes on. This article is not about ski socks though; it is about the always-overlooked partner of the ski sock. That is the sock that goes on immediately after skiing; the relax sock that in fact has more duties than meets the eye. The after-skiing sock’s first priority is comfort. I’ve heard many times that the best part of the day is the feeling of taking one’s feet out of their boots. So why would you follow that high and emotional moment by quickly jamming your feet right back into any old cheap sock that was made in a developing nation’s sweatshop? No, instead treat yourself and your fatigued feet to a pair of real socks.

I’m talking about a pair of Marko John’s Superior British Socks, or MJs for short. I admit that I have been guilty of mistreating my ski-feet as I sometimes even leave them in my stinky ski socks or just throw them up on the couch in yesterday’s old Nike socks. Then I got my hands on a pair of MJs and now I can understand what they mean by a “superior British sock.”

the Whistler sock

Marko John’s prides themselves so much on their ability to make a comfortable and stylish sock that they have an entire Après-ski line that consists of the Chamonix and the Whistler sock. These are two of the world’s heavyweight ski centers so it is only fitting that a superior Après sock shares their names. I have a pair of Whistler socks and am told that the

“Whistler design is inspired by British Columbia’s iconic resort. With a contemporary mix of grey and orange, these MJs are ideally matched with chalets, sofas and aperitifs!  Your feet will appreciate our hand linked, seamless toe after a day in ski (or snowboard!) boots.”

What else besides comfort and style sets a sock apart from ordinary socks? In MJs case, heritage, tradition, and location all play into a better sock. Marko John’s has been hand linking high quality socks in the traditional fashion since 1895 (that’s older than Geln Plake), and they are all entirely made in England. Most other socks are made in Asia and supplies are shipped around the world,

“The result is cheap, poor quality, disposable socks. And a carbon footprint far bigger than you would expect from any sock.”

Marko John’s Superior British Socks, on the other hand,

 “celebrate heritage, tradition and quality over the disposable, short-term consumerism that has become so prevalent of late.”

So next time you send it off AJs and stomp the landing for all of the Peak Chair line to see and realize that you are the best skier on the mountain, well go home and thank your feet for not letting you down by tucking them into a pair of MJs, a Superior British Sock. Then enjoy some tea.

Air Jordan double in Whistler

“These are superior British socks. This is what we do.”

Check out marko-johns.com too see all their different styles and hear how a real sock should be made straight from the horse’s mouth.

Snow bus.

There is a lot of talk so far this season about how it compares to past winters. There are surprising number of complaints that this must be a low snow year, because there are bushes that remain uncovered, and rivers unburied.

I am here to inform you that this is not the case. In fact, we are in the midst of one of the better snow years that Hakuba has seen recently.

Snow car.

So far, the valley has received 791cm (312 inches) of snow, and the base is 3m (118 inches) deep. 

*All data used in this post is courtesy of Damian Banwell and Steep Deep Japan. For more information on the snow plot where data was collected, follow the link above.

In comparison, at this date last season, we had received just under 5m of snow, and our base depth was about 170cm. And we all reminisce about last January like it was the most snow we have ever seen.

So, why is it that it feels like snow fall and base depth is a bit below average this season? It has to do with how the snow has fallen this season.

In order to really bury the bushes around here, we need to have large, rapid single snow falls. Smaller snow falls have time to shed off of trees and settle a little, while larger ones stick to branches and bury them.

This January, we did not receive a single 24 hour snow fall of 50cm or more. Last January, we received 24 hour snow falls greater 50cm seven times.

Ok, so our small, incremental snow falls this season have not buried bushes to the extent that they were buried last year. But, the way the snow has been falling this year has been great for building a stable, consistent, layer-less base. Unfortunately, that has been spoiled of late by a few crust layers, but it is always nice to know that things are rock solid down deep. (If you’ve skied somewhere with depth hoar issues, you can really appreciate this)

So, stop complaining, and appreciate that 2 meters more snow has fallen, and we have a 1 meter deeper base than last season!

All data used in this post is courtesy of Damian Banwell and Steep Deep Japan. For more information on the snow plot where data was collected, follow the link above.

Shaun White vs. Lil Wayne

Shaun White is an animal and a ginger ninja. He scored a perfect 100 on his victory lap in Superpipe at the 2012 Winter X Games. White also happened to be wearing tight, leopard, leggings that would make Lady Gaga jealous. Besides looking like the Zebra gum guy, he stomped his frontside double cork 1260 becoming the only athlete ever to do so in competition after he had already secured gold.

Click here to view the embedded video.

With nearly 3 ft from the storm in the preceding 48 hours, Friday morning’s workplace attendance was at a new low. Alas, warming temperatures and high winds created a difficult snowpack for the patrol to work with. After rumors of the mountain not opening at all, the patrol’s hard work got all the lifts opened just before noon. The storm came back hard on Saturday, with temperatures hovering near freezing even at the mid elevations. A solid day for a ski-gee and extra goggles! With all our damp gear, the Village Cafe felt like a sauna Saturday afternoon.

Highlights include:

• All the signs of a big day to come: snow covered car, lots of plows, Teton Pass closed…
• Absolutely giant crowds with minimal grumbling
• Aerial PBR Distribution
• Skiing f’n pow
• Pushing Gore Tex to the limit

If you missed it, here is a video post from the start of the storm: Welcoming The Storm.

Snow covered Subie. How predictable.

Flying Beer! ("That's levitation, Holmes!")

Bounding down Thunder lift line on Friday.

"Damn, this trail is crowded!" Tristan ollies.

Mmmmmm.

Dear Magic 8 Ball, when will the sun come back?

1.  An average snowflake is made up of 180 billion molecules of water.

2.  Around 12% of the Earth’s land surface is covered in permanent snow and ice.

3.  Each year an average of 105 snow-producing storms affect the continental United States. A typical storm will have a snow-producing lifetime of two to five days and will bring snow to portions of several states.

4.  All snowflakes have six sides.

5.  Rochester, New York is the snowiest large city in the U.S., averaging 94 inches of snow a year.

6.  Chionophobia is a fear of snow.

7.  Snow is actually colorless. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white appearance.

8.  People buy more cakes, cookies and candies than any other food when a blizzard is in the forecast.

9.  A blizzard occurs when you can’t see for 1/4 mile. The winds are always 35 miles an hour or more. The storm must last at least 3 hours to be classed as a blizzard. If any of these conditions are less, it is only a snowstorm.

10.  The average snowflake falls at a speed of 3.1 miles per hour. (5 kilometers)

Seth Morrison "The Ordinary Skier". Photo Oakley.

The Ordinary Skier is no ordinary ski film.  A very interesting look into the life of one of skiing’s greatest athletes.  If you haven’t seen it, you need to.  It’s free on Hulu – check it out:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/322573/the-ordinary-skier

We are pleased to announce Ian Borgeson as “The Unofficial Pick” for this week.  Every Monday from January to April,  IFSA and Unofficial Networks will feature an athlete, freeride program, or coach who earns their mark in the competition sport of big mountain freeskiing.

Athlete Name: Ian Lars Borgeson

Freeride Program & Head Coach: Team Summit – Jason Anthony and Ryan Van Nuys

Ryan Van Nuys, Team Summit -   “Ian Borgeson is one of the most energetic, fun skiers I have ever had the pleasure to work with.  No matter what the circumstances, Ian manages to make other skiers smile and enjoy themselves.  While maintaining this fun vibe, he has managed to take advantage of every opportunity to become an amazingly well-rounded skier.   From moguls and groomers, to jump lines and rails, he does it all with tons of style.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nicknames: Skiin’ Ian, Pablo, E-Dog, Ballsac the Jaws of Death

Age:  Old enough to vote.  Roger Gary 2012.  BOOM

Years skiing: 16.  Not enough.

Highlights: 4th 2011 World Heli Challenge in Wanaka, NZ; 3rd overall 2011 JFT; 2nd 2011 JFT Crested Butte; 3rd 2011 JFT Grand Targhee

Favorite Skier: Candide Thovex and my dad

Favorite Run: My second run on the freestyle day of the World Heli Challenge was the best run of my life so far.

What would you buy for $50?  Truck parts

What do you eat for breakfast?  Two eggs, oatmeal, and a banana.  I’ll make pancackes sometimes too.

What’s your gear?  Faction skis, Full Tilt boots, Smith Optics and helmets, Discrete Headwear, Surefoot boot liners

Other hobbies? Biking, hiking, and philosophizing

Pet Peeves?  Brown nosers annoy me

Goals for 2012: Have fun and ski with my varto’s mang.

Any Scars?  I have one on my hip from running into a dresser in the dark when I was three in the nude while visiting my French cousins.  I have another nice one from going over the handlebars while downhill biking this summer.

Who do you want to high five?  Everyone who works with Faction because they are all awesome!

David Wise's 2nd Run Takes Gold In X Games Superpipe

Tahoe was well represented at the 2012 X Games for Skier Superpipe. With the superpipe event added for skiers to the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi, competition has definitely been ramped up. The bar was set high with many athletes achieving a number of firsts.

The biggest news is that David Wise was able to follow up his first place qualifier run with a gold medal today in the finals. His second run score of 93 was enough to secure a solid place in ski history.  David’s run included a switch double cork 1080 and a double cork 1260. Everything was done with style and fluidity. Was it was the change to a new ski sponsor, or getting married and having a kid that led David to success in his second X Games appearance? David spent many years training and competing with the Alpine Meadows Freestyle Team and currently lives in Reno, Nevada. Here’s his winning run:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Also charging it today was Maddie Bowman from Sierra At Tahoe. Maddie finished with a silver medal in women’s superpipe. Maddie was reported to be the first female superpipe competitor in the X Games to score above 90 in all three runs.

Maddie Bowman at the recent Grand Prix FIS event

We searched high and low for a video of Maddie’s run and have not located one yet. But Maddie’s quote on the USSA page says it well:

Honestly this is kind of shocking, it is just now sinking in. It’s great and I am honored to be able to go out and ski like Sarah would have wanted.

Brita Sigourney af the December Grand Prix event

And rounding out the Tahoe athletes in superpipe was Brita Sigourney, with a bronze medal in women’s skier superpipe. Brita was the first woman female superpipe skier to land a 1080 in the X Games. It was a great ending to a solid third run. As we reported yesterday, Brita is another alumni of the Alpine Meadows Freestyle Team and a familiar face around Alpine Meadows. It’s great to see her parents, Thad and Julie, express their joy at the end of her run. Here’s Brita’s run:

Click here to view the embedded video.

It was a great day for Tahoe pipe skiers today. Can we say it again? Alpine Meadows needs a superpipe!

Typical Jaded Local steez

So I am from Canada eh!  Where I am from people are chill, nobody really gets on anyone’s case for living their lives.  Creativity, difference, and originality is what we as Canadians respect and honour.  I admit we all need to prostitute our bodies and brains out in some form or fashion to make a living.  Nobody makes it for free, unless you are some sort of “trustafarian” or on EI or UI or you are a bum, either way you need to pay the piper.  With that said, there are a lot of you AMER-A CANS that are awfully mad about the silliest of things.  The jaded types you know, passive aggressive.

Like blaming a single person for the expansion and progression of a ski resort, blaming the Internet for your lack of POW turns, calling someone a “sell-out” or “corporate” because they have stickers on their helmet or decided to make a career out of something they love.  Being too slow, not chargin enough, or just being from UTAH, that agro-shit has got to go eh! Take right off with that elbows on the traverse crap.  My theory is that these angry people have a lot more than snow activities to be mad about.  Here is a bullet list of the main reasons people deflect their anger on chill innocent bystanders when recreating on snow:

• their job sucks – most people who work inside are PISSED that they work inside a shitty cubicle and have hemroids from spending too much time on a shitty economical chair.
• their girlfriend/boyfriend is fat or not very hot or non-existant - look it’s mostly dudes being agro so generally it is the lack of girlfriend or hotness that is making them pop off.
• lack of self-esteem - In general the ski industry is filled with ego-maniacs/or fakers.  Either way there is a huge amount of mirror time for all these folks gaining ego fuel every time they stomp a non-local or get “seen” doing something remotely gay/cool.
• lack of education -  The English language is great.  Lets use it, people don’t read books anymore, people don’t read period.  I BET 90% of the people looking at this post won’t even read it. Dropping out of school to be a ski bum isn’t the best idea, can you say UNEMPLOYABLE!
• no blowjobs or any jobs for that matter – pent up. There is a saying in the woods up in the north,”Good enough for the girls I go with” describing the goods (being odd and the odds being good) that you will settle, especially in a ski town for ANY action, even if your buddy was just hitting those pillows the night before….ruthless.
• lack of skill - This gets me every time.  Since new technology and better equipment more people with less skill are skiing in the backcountry. Going off piste now people have the tendency to wander to spaces unknown which create a tension between locals and visitors that is very difficult to manage sometimes.  People have to get rescued $ spent, boundary rules changed, go to jail for skiing certain slopes, political closures. etc. We need some Mountain responsibility to not be a hazard waiting to happen. 

Also, I am not sure but isn’t skiing and snowboarding a recreational activity meant to bring joy to our lives eh?  In Canada nobody would ever fight you for pow turns, or the only girl in a ski town (well maybe), that shit is for non-locals and EURO’s that need to feel self-assured right eh?  We would just say take off eh, and move on.  We got health insurance so it’s all good.