tour

John and Eric Jackson just released the fifth episode from their new series, Brothers on the Run. This episode features some mountaineering adventures in Alaska:

It’s springtime in Alaska, and John and Eric are eager to get some fresh powder riding in before snow season is over. They rally up the troops and head out on a 4-day mountaineering trip, where the clear conditions allow them to get some fun lines in. After some fresh snowfall, the boys hit one of the best kickers of the season, putting the perfect end to their last snowboarding session in the state of Alaska. The boys will now venture down south, and it’s time for the Jackson brothers to kick off their boots and put on their board shorts for summer.

For more Brothers on the Run, check out their past episodes:     Episode Two     Episode Three     Episode Four

Stay tuned for episode 6, when they head down into to British Columbia for some riding at Baldface Lodge.

This is a POV of Kevin Hjertaas, Eric Hjorleifson, Martin Lefebvre and Chris Rubens laying down a gnarly descent on the north face of Mt. Clemenceau on May 27th. This may or may not be a first descent, but it hardly matters because it is terrifying and awesome anyways. For a write up on how this went down, check out Kevin Hjertaas’ trip report on Big Lines. It’s a good read – he brings light humor to a very serious line.

Mt. Clemenceau's north face, from the heli. Kevin Hjertaas photo.

This line is just one of quite a few really impressive descents that have gone down in the Canadian Rockies this spring. Others include Chris Brazeau’s solo first descent of Mt. Bryce’s north face, and a first descent of Mt. Sanford’s south face by Doug Sproul, Rob Martin, and Troy Jungen.

Down here in the US of A we often overlook just how much mountainous potential there is in British Columbia, and how many bad-asses live there and take advantage of it. So, here’s a reminder to pay attention to our neighbors to the north – they are, in fact, radder than you.

Forty Tribes Backcountry is an adventure travel company that offers yurt-based ski tours, avalanche courses, and ski/snowboard mountaineering courses in Kyrgyzstan. They host a network of backcountry yurts set against the mountains and rivers of Kyrgyzstan. 

A trip with 40 Tribes immerses you in Kyrgyz culture and directs your tourist dollars into local communities by putting you in traditional yurts that are run by locals.

Our programs pledge to employ village members in a variety of roles. Via ourVolunTourism program, we are providing local Kyrgyz with the unique opportunity to train under talented caretakers, chefs and guides from around the globe – helping them develop skills to support winter tourism initiatives in their own backyards. A significant percentage of 40 Tribes’ profit is directed back into the communities in which we work, providing salaries for our local partners and the basis for a locally-held fund intended to support further program and community development goals.

- 40 Tribes Backcountry

Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan has enormous potential as a ski and travel destination.

Bordering Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China, Kyrgyzstan is a welcoming oasis in a remote, always fascinating, sometimes volatile, and oftentimes misunderstood part of the world. With an average elevation of 3000m (9,840ft), and 30% of its landmass buried under permanent ice and snow, the country’s landscape and people are defined by a ruggedness utterly unique to the highlands of Central Asia.

Kyrgyzstan is 94% mountainous, so just about everywhere you look, you face a new breathtaking alpine vista.  What’s better is that the country is criss-crossed by an extensive network of roads, many of which are maintained through the winter (not to say that they are safe or in good condition, by any means…but they do provide amazing access to backcountry terrain!).  The climate can be likened to that of Colorado – i.e. continental, warm summers, cold winters, lots of sun, and huge temperature gradients. The snowpack is most volatile in March, and shallowest in December/early January.  Late January-February and April are the ideal months for hitting the backcountry.

- Ryan Koupal, 40 Tribes Backcountry

The trip that started it all. The Kyrgyzstan Plan.

Alaska Archives will chronicle a spring spent ski touring out of an RV around south central Alaska. Item 1: Arrival and Thompson Pass Words and photos courtesy of Zach Paley. … Read More

In March and April, Thompson Pass, AK just might offer the best skiing in the world. The past two weeks have been pretty incredible up here, with plenty of high … Read More

The Banff Mountain Film Festival, a tradition of adventure, education and inspiration for more than 35 years. Every Fall 1000s gather in Banff, Alberta, Canada for 9 days to relish in the world’s best mountain films, books and speakers. The stories transmitted through this upper echelon event reach deep into the recesses of outdoor mountain adventure and beyond.

If there’s a tale of extraordinary human feat, groundbreaking exploration, or breathtaking natural wonderment chances are it will find its way to Banff. Fortunately you and I do not have to travel to Banff to experience these uplifting, often funny, and at times heart wrenching compositions – the Banff Mountain World Tour brings the best of the Film Festival to us.

The 2011/2012 World Tour is winding down yet there are still many opportunities to take in these pioneering works of audio/visual art first hand, especially for those of us living in or near the Sierra Crest Corridor.

Here is a partial list of upcoming Banff Film Festival World Tour stops:

RENO (SPARKS), NV

• April 5, 2012
Nevada Land Conservancy
775-851-5180
info@nvlc.org

STATELINE (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE)

• April 2, 2012
Squirrel’s Custom,
Venue & ticketing: Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa

BISHOP, CA

• March 30, 31, 2012 (7pm each night), Tri-County Fairgrounds, Charles Brown Auditorium. For tickets:
Wilsons Eastside Sports
760-873-7520

CHICO, CA

• April 13, 2012
Chico State University
530-898-4011

DAVIS, CA

• April 10, 11, 2012
Rocknasium
530-757-2902
info@rocknasium.com

DOWNIEVILLE, CA

• April 6, 7, 2012
Sierra County Arts Council
Venue: Yuba Theater
530-289-9822
info@sierracountyartscouncil.org

Be sure to contact your local venue’s event organizers for further details on location, times, tickets and more. You may also visit the Banff Mountain Festival Website to dig up information on possible World Tour stops in your area.

Have the opportunity to attend your local screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival? Go, you’ll be glad you did.

NOTE ABOUT THE ABOVE TRAILER: From 2:30-6:50 it’s pretty much a plug for their sponsors – everything before and after that is pure awesomeness.

You may have heard of people breaking the redesigned climbing aids in the new Dynafit Radical. Dynafit has released a public service announcement, which basically states that this breakage has … Read More

Fissile (not to be confused with thistle or missile) is an awesome looking mountain off the back side of Whistler. On Thursday we (Shaun Gillis, Jay, and I) set out to ski the Banana Chute that runs down Fissile’s north face and to the west of Fissile’s main Saddle Chute. We had hopes that the day would be nice, but as we boarded the Whistler gondola it became clear that the day would be awesome.

For the next three and a half hours Jay, Shaun, and I toured through impressively blue skies and comfortable warmth to the top of Banana Chute. Then we skied beautiful dry powder to the bottom and BAM!… The clouds rolled in. So we skinned home, very content with our Thursday tour. Check out Unofficial Whistler’s similar journey to neighboring  Psycho Chute last season!

Even though the Butte received over 37 inches in the last week the JFT is rescheduled. Stop one of the Junior Freeskiing Tour, February 2-5 in Crested Butte, Colorado is … Read More

The Verbier Xtremes happened in Switzerland yesterday in front of thousands of spectators on the Bec des Rosses.  Snow conditions look like they were pretty decent, but the venue itself looks a bit rockier than normal.  This is Xavier De Le Rue’s winning run, that landed him in 3rd place overall for the Freeride World Tour.  Xav always puts on a killer show in Verbier.