Squaw Valley

The first ever Junior Freeskiing Tour AT Squaw went down this weekend. The JFT is the premier event series for Junior Big Mountain Freeskiing. It’s an offshoot of the Freeskiing World Tour (FWT) and these kids are the best in the country, and for that matter the world.  If you missed it, you shouldn’t have. While a lot of locals were complaining about the snow for a few days previous, these kids didn’t seem to care. Hard pack or not, the competition started early Friday morning with the 12-14 year old’s taking the stage. It was pretty impressive, and hard to tell that we were watching kids who aren’t yet in High School. In fact it was hard to tell you weren’t watching a bunch of hardcore local’s who’ve shredded Squaw for years.
Saturday brought the 15-18 year olds onto the venue, and it went off. Kevin O’Meara told me he’d have been stoked to have finished top 10 in the event which is pretty damn insane considering he tends to frequent the FWT podium. Kids went big, threw tricks, and skied fluid and in control. They congratulate each other, have snowball fights, and represent the sport the way it should be. This is the future of freeskiing, and we were lucky enough to host an event at Squaw this winter.

All the competitors had 2 runs, but unfortunately Sunday’s storm day cancelled the Final. Congrats to all competitors for killing it this weekend.

Let this video inspire you to get rad this week. Looks like we’re getting a seasons worth of snow in the next week, so charge as hard as you can. You don’t wanna be shown up by a bunch of kids, right??

Finally a storm train for Tahoe setting up this week as a trough off the West coast gets ready to stream in moisture off the Pacific.  With the continuous moisture … Read More

Today was fun at Squaw.  The sun came out, warmed up the snow, and quite a few zones were good. What’s great about Squaw is that there is ALWAYS something … Read More

Today is International G.N.A.R. Day 2012.  2 Years ago on this very day the 1st and only game of G.N.A.R. was played at Squaw Valley USA.

There wasn’t a whole lot of G.N.A.R. to be found at Squaw today.  The dismal season has sucked a lot the the G.N.A.R. sauce from our Squaw brethren.   Rock hard conditions today were exactly “inspiring”.

Yet, in the center of that stokeless flock, one man stood alone today.  That man was Eric Bryant.  G.N.A.R. day was important to him and the fact that it coincides with his 21st birthday didn’t hurt any.

International G.N.A.R. Day The Palisades’ Box

Eric recognized a strange wind anomaly on the Palisades.  An apron of snow had formed beneath the Box.  It was as if the God of G.N.A.R. himself had pushed that apron there to say unto thee:  

“hereth is my challange to you.  Ski this and you will hands down win the the International Day of G.N.A.R.”

Eric accepted the challenge, stomped it, straight-lined an icy F-ed up Chicken Bowl, and appropriately claimed it.  

Congratulations Eric, you are the winner of the 2nd annual International Day of G.N.A.R.  You join an elite class of International Day of G.N.A.R. Champions.

We do want to note that G.N.A.R. day was definitely not as fun without Benny who cooked breakfast in KT line and got first KT chair last year and was super fun to ski with all day.  

Last Year’s International GNAR Day Video (don’t miss Benny Pro Calling Out Kent Krietler and skiing with Squallywood in his pocket):

Original GNAR Video:

I found this promo video for Squaw and I thought it would be a fitting reminder for all you aspiring squally-wood locals that winter isn’t over yet and a couple rough months of no snow, doesn’t mean it’s totally don-ski!  Keep your heads up, some of the sickest terrain is in your hood, when it snows……otherwise stay in Squaw and don’t complain when you travel, nobody likes to see skittled out SQUAW ites traversing under our lines in the B.C. just because they can’t skin or don’t have the balls to hike.  Either way, stay in California the PNW is full. 

Vail Co-President Blaise Carrig and Squaw/Alpine CEO Andy Wirth were on Sacramento’s Capital Pubic Radio yesterday morning. They spoke about how Colorado has taken over Lake Tahoe via Vail (colorado … Read More

shanemcconkey.org That’s right people.  Today is the much celebrated International Day of G.N.A.R.  On this day two years ago, Unofficial held the game of G.N.A.R. at Squaw Valley USA.  Of … Read More

The Line of the Week Donner Summit Speed Wing Flying on Donner There’s only one answer that comes to mind when I get a call to photograph someone who wants … Read More

This is a pretty good account of the race on Sunday. The course was long, choppy, and demanding. Watch for yourself.

Congrats to Bocheneck for taking the win at his home mountain! Look forward to the Silver Belt Banzai at Sugar Bowl next weekend, March 10th-11th.

rahlvesbanzaitour.com

Tahoetv.com

Survival was the name of the game during the KT-22 Banzai at Squaw this weekend. While earlier Banzai events this season were well described by words like “fast” or “sketchy”, … Read More