From the Smith Optics files, We Travel is a new series from the minds that brought you the Prospecting Idaho series. Episode 2 of the series accompanies Matthias Mayr, Nico Zacek, Laurent Niol and Markus Eder on travels through Alaska, Norway, Austria and France. From big mountain lines to backcountry booters, these guys get it done. Don’t miss the crazy rock gap at 2:36. These euros get it done!

This is Takume Oike’s edit for 2011, filmed and produced by Mighty Jamming. Oike-san lives in Hakuba, but this segment was shot last winter in various spots on Hokkaido. Oike drops some man-sized pillows and throws some big front flips. He adds some unique flavor, with long dreads flying out of the top of his hat (Japan’s Glen Plake?). The best shot of the segment is right at the beginning  with a an air onto a huge mushroom pillow with a front flip off. For a closer look at the setup for this line, check out Mighty Jamming’s behind the scenes episode below.

Nimbus Independent’s Niseko segment from En Route might be the best Japan footage of all time. Its a couple years old, but they just reposted it. This one has it all – deep snow, good light, pillows, booters, and a quality soundtrack. The only thing its missing is big lines, but unfortunately no one has managed a well-made segment featuring Japan’s bigger terrain (yet). The whole segment is packed with entertaining skiing, but the way they link up features from 2:00 – 2:20 really defines Japan skiing. Is the best Japan segment ever made?

Nimbus did another trip to Hokkaido this January, so look for more Japow dropping in Fall 2012.

Zach Paley has been taking some great photos this winter in Hakuba. Today was another productive one, with some quality shots at at Cortina Resort. This gallery gives an inside … Read More

Last Monday and Tuesday (Feb 6 and 7) brought a larger rain event to Hakuba for the first time this season. The rain was followed by a few days of snow. Despite rumors that this has created dust on crust conditions, the skiing has actually been pretty good.

The crust seems to have formed very differently on different aspects, elevations, and places in the valley. Some areas it is very firm, others much more forgiving. The same can be said of the snow, with different snow totals and wind loading creating different depths and consistencies.

In the right places, the skiing has been down right good. In others, it is down right dangerous, with very serious avalanche hazard. Be careful out there!

High pressure is in the cards moving forward, so hopefully in a couple days bigger lines will be stable and skiable.

 Daisuke Honda (?) putting forth a strong effort on Kaerazu.

Every good ski resort has one zone or line that is plain view, and everyone dreams about riding. For Happo-One, Kaerazu is that line. Kaerazu no ken translates to “the mountain of no return,” and the skiable zone on it is often referred to as the Kat Face. It is the obvious steep, scary looking face that is opposite the Happo ridge, and easily visible from anywhere above the resort. Once you’ve seen this face, there is no doubt why it is one of Happo’s most coveted lines. Exposure and steep spines, cliffs and couloirs – this zone has it all.

 Tetsuya Ishikawa and Shoji Matsumoto of Colorsport ride different lines on Kaerazu.

Kaerazu is an extremely difficult zone to ski, and not just because of the obviously challenging terrain. It is about 3 to 4 hours hiking from the top of the lifts. Its southeast facing, and it is a race to get to it before the sun makes it too dangerous to ski. Indeed, this is a race that you will usually lose, unless you camp on the ridge, or get an unusually cold day. It also has a big convexity right at the top before entering steep chokes with exposure below, which makes sluff a major obstacle. If you don’t believe me, ask Forrest Shearer (see 1:51  of the Further trailer posted below). There may only be a couple days a season where conditions are right to ski Kaerazu, and an attempt at it should be undertaken with extreme caution.

 Forrest Shearer getting taken out by sluff in the looker’s right couloir on Kaerazu at 1:51, Jeremy Jones ripping the main face at 2:05.

One of the more satisfying trends in the ski and snowboard industry in recent years has been the growth of local, boutique ski manufacturers. These brands allow you to support … Read More

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Department has reported that a 42-year-old man’s body was recovered in Montana on Thursday. Two brothers were backcountry skiing this past wednesday in Montana’s Jewel Basin … Read More

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!

  This is the report that came from the ski area manager Duncan Howat.  The incident happened over the weekend on January 28th, 2011.  Check out the full report describing … Read More