GoPro just launched their all new GoPro Hero 3, and the man, myth and legend of POV got a chance to try it out.  Check out Andrew Whiteford as he slays some brown (and some white!) pow on his bike, as Fall begins to slip away and we head closer to that wonderful time of winter.

If you don’t know who Andrew Whiteford is, you might want to check out his viral POV from last year, and enjoy having creamy pow shots and Black and Yellow stuck in your head for the duration of the work week:

For your Friday viewing pleasure, a mountain biking video from my fellow UVM alum Andrew Whiteford (my apologies for the UVM plug), and Brian Lopes and Anne Caroline Chausson. Great song choice (Disparate Youth by Santigold). He seems pretty awestruck by his fellow riders based on his vimeo description:

“Earlier this summer I had opportunity to ride behind two of the most accomplished mountain bikers of all time: Brian Lopes and Anne Caroline Chausson. A humbling experience to say the least, but even more inspiring. Having a full week to chase after these two was a serious clinic for me, and occasionally left me in the dirt…but it always put a smile on my face. I could wax poetic about their two wheeled grace but just know that for a lifelong mountain biker, this was a dream come true. I may have tried to maintain an air of coolness, but my inner dialog was sounded more like a screaming Bieber fan.

I had my GoPro Hero2 running all week long and tried to edit some of the best footage down into this video. 
The song is “Disparate Youth” by Santigold.

We were all riding the Ibis Mojo HD. Anne got on the Mojo SLR when we rode Whiting Ranch (approx 2:15-3:00).”

If that video still leaves you aching for winter, here’s my favorite from the vault, Whiteford’s 2011 mid-winter season edit.

First, a shout out to the parking crew at JHMR. Good folks, with their little huts and colorful papers and buses that remind me of red caterpillars…

Sunday morning I roll into the Village really early- 8:59AM- and behold what looks to be a solid 3 tram wait.  I place myself at the end of the line and contemplate life.  Roughly 5 seconds later I bail to the Gondi, grumbling about all the awesomeness I’m missing out on.  Alas, not all is lost;  The subsequent inbounds laps were some of my favorites from this season.  Warmer temps, winds, and some fresh snow steamrolled old moguls that might conspire against efforts to Send and Mach. I was on my new 192cm Line Influence 115s, (biased review coming soon!) and the combination of sick conditions, dope equipment, and downright dandy terrain forced me to have fun.  I hope you were doing the same- just watch out for bamboo poles or you’ll have to get all old school racer on them.

By about noon the sun and warmer temps warmed up most of the mountain.  There have been a couple close calls with slides since then and the storm that’s rolling in right now is falling on a lot of sun crusts. Be careful, yo!

…annnnnd I’m off to Europe with the Meatheads.  Auf Wiedersehen, bitches!

First thing- when watching this video, you should just go ahead and pretend you’re a hip little 16 year old starring in an iPod Touch commercial. Especially if you are, in fact, 16 years old.  The tune is too catchy to not bounce around to.  Second- happy Thirsty Thursday afternoon.  I encourage you to have a beverage of your choice and marinate on thoughts of how awesome winter can be. If you are the aforementioned teenager, I recommend a tall glass of water and to do your homework so someday you can be something more than a pro skier.

How does your ideal storm come together?  What if you had this stipulation: you’re starting with a thin snowpack.

• I’d want the storm to be big.  60″ should suffice.
• I want it to cake everything before getting colder and lighter.
• I want some serious storm skiing followed by a couple sunny days to really round everything out.

Eh, right. Check, Check, and MF’n CHECK.

In short, Jackson Hole was the place to be when the weather patterns allowed a fat ass storm to come squat over the Tetons for about 6 days.

My apologies for having this “up to the minute” coverage roughly ten thousand minutes late. (60 min x 24 hrs x 8 days. It checks out.)   If you’re having a hard time remembering how this all went down…first put down the bong. Then refresh your memory:

Welcoming the Storm to Jackson Hole

Embracing the Storm

Which leaves me here, without a witty title about what we did as The Storm wrapped up at the end of the weekend.

Fwame gwabs:

I’ll be the first to admit that a “shifty” is really just a glorified twister. Commence double-E in 3.2.1…

Bouncing into the next turn in the JHBC. See next image…

Bienvenue à la Salle Blanche.

Early access to do some shooting with JHMR marketing. Makes me wish for Stowe’s 8:00AM opening time!

En route to the opening of Casper & The Crags. Hikers make chase like zombies. MUST. EAT. POWDER.

“My whole run was so sick, surely everything is fine over he…BEDSURFACE!

I’m so new school.

I’m so old school.

You made it to the bottom! Cheers!

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?

Remember those weeks of bashing mogul-gnar, shrub shredding, and groomer upon groomer run?  Remember when we got to trade that for storm skiing and deep pow?  I know, it was ages (1.5 weeks) ago.  Well, as you can imagine I managed to wear an electronic device on my body for most of that storm- but I’m just now getting around to editing it.  My apologies for the delay, but I hope you enjoy.  I also apologize for having the GoPro pointed low on some of the first day…f’n rookie move…

Highlights include:

• First turns inside the tram
• Instant frostbite to exposed skin in Rendezvous Bowl
• Harnessing my East Coaster roots in the bumps
• Birds attacking the sidecountry
• Untracked Hobacks
• A Travis Rice paparazzi moment

Next video tomorrow!

Tyler Horne gains admittance to the White Room in the Hobacks. Jan 19. Julie Weinberger gets The Shot.

Muahaha! Use of POLE CAM!

"Fill It Up Again!"

Storm update: It’s awesome. The thing I feel should be beating into your head is that the backcountry is dangerous right now. Yesterday there was a 6ft crown in Rock … Read More

Early in the morning, Wednesday, Jan. 18th, the snow began.  By the time lifts opened up it was snowing hard, but the moguls from the previous weeks remained at large.  … Read More

Jackson has snow. Tahoe does not. With a storm puking 30″ on the Tetons just before New Years, these factors equate to: road trip for the Cali crew.

Under the wings of a small flock of locals, Miles and Wolf get a sampling of good ‘ol holiday lines, inbounds shred, and a smattering of sidecountry with nary a slide in our group.

Yes, we in JH are enjoying snow- but it’s currently hiding lots of obstacles and comes with instabilities…so check yo self, foo!

Miles Clark drove all the way to Jackson and all he got was the awkward fist bump to high five mix up.

Oui, le Grand Teton. Ooh la la!

Matt Annetts about to stomp into a presumably safe landing.

The swamp donkey yearns for you. And you'll take it.

Did someone say “favorable moist flow“? We’re all excited for the storm- but make sure you step back and give serious thought before stepping out into the untracked in the … Read More