Night Sessions

Sessioning at night is glorious. Here are some places you may go night skiing in the US:

Pats Peak, New Hampshire
Ski Bowl, Oregon
Mohawk, Connecticut
Squaw Valley, USA (CA)
Keystone, CO
Snowbird, UT
Canyons, UT

Enjoy

RedBull Project X

Click here and be prepared to be awestruck by facts, statistics, and media from the single most expensive feature ever constructed in the backcountry.

Project X: Shaun White's Secret Half Pipe

The only thing more exciting than finding this website is stumbling upon the actual half-pipe, in person, after descending a heli drop in the Silverton backcountry. Although we are conditioned to expect anything while heli skiing, this feature was by far the last thing on my mind.

What an incredible place. Below are photos of the pipe that I took last March:

Day Eight

In 2009, I was home for seven days to celebrate my brothers wedding. As of 9:15am, I am officially spending my eighth day on the east coast in 2009. Happy Holidays everyone.

Just Landed in Chicago

I just landed at Chicago O'Hare. My original plan was to meet up with Skippy somewhere in the City. Unfortunately, if I left the airport now, I would have to return in 3 hours, and risk missing my flight home. So long as I remain in the safe care of an airline employee, I will be well taken care of and ushered into first class on each flight. As I write this, I'm watching a black and white movie in the crew lounge in some remote section of the airport. The interior reminds me of a high school class room with comfortable chairs. Everyone is sleeping and I should do the same.

Traveling Sleepless

I woke up around 5:30am, bought a 5 hour energy, drove the super-Swede to the airport, bought another 5 hour energy, then returned around 2pm to drop of Oscar, park my car and fly home for the holidays. I saw Marg in terminal, listened to music most of the afternoon, and got the last seat to Dallas, TX. I will be here until 9:45pm, at which point I leave for Chicago, IL to enjoy a casual 6 hour layover. Last time I was in O'Hare, THIS HAPPENED.

Here's to expecting the most favorable outcome.

Deep Lounge Mode

last day in breck from Jacob Wester on Vimeo.

While Oscar, B-Dog, Tommy, Seany J, and the other competitors were battling it out in the slopestyle finals, we made a playful edit in park lane. On the days that you're not feeling it, just remember, 180s, stock tricks, and sessioning with friends will never cease to be entertaining.

Congratulations to Andreas, Tom, and Sammy for taking top honors in slopestyle finals.

Dew Tour Half Pipe FINALS / Slpestyle Prelims

While most people are finishing finals at university or preparing for the holidays, twenty eight athletes enjoyed perfect weather while competing in the slope style prelims for the 2009 Winter Dew Tour at Breckenridge. Everyone attempted their rowdiest tricks, banged harder than the next athlete, and attempted to secure one of ten spots in tomorrow's final. Although Breckenridge was blessed with unusually flawless weather, the event organizers decided to allot 3 hours and fifteen minutes of practice, successfully wasting the best part of the day. At 2pm, the time riders started their first runs, the sun was setting behind peak 9, speed had changed, and the immaculate light that graced our ski day was a mere afterthought amidst the terror of fast and bulletproof landings. So goes the nature of (un)organized competition. What do you expect from an event that eliminated women's freeskiing from the 2009 schedule of competition?

Beeeeeshop. Shay Williams photo.

Here is a video of Jacob's practice runs filmed by yours truly with a Contour HD, pictured above:
Jacob Wester dew tour practice runs from Jacob Wester on Vimeo.

Elvis Eidsvold Harsheim, getting blunted on a very dark landing

SLOPE STYLE PRELIMS RESULTS:

1) Elias Ambuhl - 88.00
2) Tom Wallisch - 86.00
3) TJ Schiller - 83.83
4) Phil Casabon - 81.50
5) Andreas Håtveit - 81.33
6) Sean Jordan - 80.00
7) JF Houle - 79.50
8) Charles Gagnier - 75.33
9) Sammy Carlson - 75.17
10) Oscar Harlaut - 74.67

cut-off

11) Anders Backe - 73.83
12) Jossi Wells - 72.00
13) Banks Gilberti - 71.50
14) Ian Cosco - 68.33
15) Russ Henshaw - 66.67
16) Elvis Eidsvold Harsheim - 66.50
17) McRae Williams - 66.17
18) Alex Schlopy - 63.17
19) Colby West - 59.17
20) Matt Walker - 58.33
21) Simon Dumont - 52.83
22) Oscar Scherlin - 52.50
23) Benedikt Mayr - 51.50
24) Pekka Hyysalo - 50.00
25) Jacob Wester - 26.67
26) Mike Riddle - 10.67
27) AJ Kemppainen - 1.00
28) Tucker Perkins - DNS

After skiing 5 hours in the slope style practice and prelims, Banks Gilberti, Mike Riddle, Jossi Wells, and Simon Dumont remained in their ski boots to put on a show for the crowd during half pipe finals. With the exception of Jossi and Banks, the entire field crashed, washed out, or displayed a slight mishap on their first run. Banks played it cool and casually spun and stomped his way into 1st place. Five athletes later, Jossi dropped in, boosting the same amplitude as Banks, but adding a dub flat 9 and a switch 9, squeezed into the first place position. After the entire field crashed attempting doubles on the first hit, it looked like Banks and Jossi would share a podium, until heavy hitters like Riddle, Bertoni, Dorey, Dumont, and Kevin Rolland stomped their runs. When Riddle dropped in, he stomped what may have been the run of his life, and secured the gold medal with a score of 93.00.

Banks Gilberti: Redefining consistency with every hit. Felix Rioux photo

L to R: Jossi Wells (2nd), Mike Riddle (1st), and Xavier Bertoni (3rd). Felix Rioux photo.

PIPE FINAL RESULTS:

1) Mike Riddle - 93.00

2) Jossi Wells - 91.50
3) Xavier Bertoni - 90.75
4) Kevin Rolland - 87.75
5) Justin Dorey - 82.50
6) Simon Dumont - 81.00
7) Matt Duhamel - 76.25
8) Banks Gilberti - 67.75
9) Dan Marion - 60.25
10) Matt Margetts - 50.25
11) Thomas Krief - 46.00
12) David Wise - 14.25

Highlights at random from the events:

Mike Riddles switch down the pipe 9 mute
Banks Gilberti's cork 9 super mute
Wallisch banging doubles harder than a nail gun at a construction site
Walker's rodeo 9
Oscar Harlaut's dub flat 9
Kevin Rolland's dub 12 mute
Jacob Wester skipping the 2nd jump and sending a perfect dub 12 nosemute on #3
TJ Schiller's two dubs one run
Elias Ambhul's combo of dubs and left to right spins
Macrae Williams sw 9 blunt to shifty
Phil Casabon's sw 10 dub jap to shifty
Sean Jordan's dub 10 mute
Dumont's sw 9 blunt
Digi Dave's commentary in the athlete lounge
Wallisch's rodeo 5 off the A-frame rail

Immaculate IMAGES

http://www.brainfarmcinema.com/video/video_1.aspx

Jacob Wester, Oscar Harlaut, and Banks Gilberti CRUSH Dew Tour Slopestyle

Jacob Wester and Oscar Harlaut, two very talented Swedes that have been rooming with us the past week, placed 2nd and 4th in the Dew Tour Qualifier at Breckenridge, CO. Check out Jacob killing a dub 12!

My teammate Banks Gilberti slayed the event as well, placing a solid 10th barely qualifying for the Semi-Finals. His ability to grab unbelievably well coupled with uncanny air-sense allows him to place in every contest. At the end of the evening, Banks qualified 9th in half-pipe and made it into the finals. Here's a photo and video from his slope run:

Banks Gilberti - Winter Dew Tour Slopestyle Qualifier from Orage on Vimeo.

Rabarber in Breck: Afternoon Laps with Jacob and Bishop

Here is an edit from Breck featuring Josh Bishop and Jacob Wester.

Rabarber in breck from Jacob Wester on Vimeo.

Enjoy.

Music is the Universal Language of Mankind

Courtesy of Newschoolers.com

Music is the universal language of mankind. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Outre-Mer

NEW MENU ITEM: Blue Bird skies

A World of Perfection: Dissecting the IL Moro T by Dalbello

This boot features an extra wide hyperband in place of a standard powerstrap. Rather than fastening with velcro, the hyperband uses a ratchet system similar to that found on a snowboard strap. Along with virtually eliminating shin bang, this feature allows you adjust your boots very efficiently without rolling up your pants and taking time out of your ski day. The ID liners are light, comfortable, and mold to your feet. After 7-10 days of skiing, they become more comfortable than slippers. Along with superior comfort, the IL Moro provides incredible shock absorption, ideal for bomb drops, urban features, and stomping large jumps. Even more impressive, the three-buckle design locks your foot into the heel pocket, allowing for added stability while skiing switch and regular. Unlike most park specific boots, these boots perform very well all over the mountain and with two interchangeable tongues, you can alter the flex to either medium or soft. Along with excellent performance, I absolutely love the chains located on the back of the boot. While most of my friends connect their boots using the velcro powerstrap, I lock mine together with chains and mini-carabineers. The chains allow for easy transportation, will fasten to your backpack while traveling through airports, and unlike velcro, chains never wear out. If you're looking for a comfortable boot to absolutely destroy the park, pipe, and still manage backcountry lines, consider the IL Moro, you will not be disappointed.

Jacob comes to town

Last night, Pat Goodnough and I picked up Jacob Wester from the airport. He will be staying with us for the next week while preparing for Dew Tour. So hyped to have our Swedish homie back in Breck. Check out these photos I stole from his blog!

Pat and I, more than happy to pick up our friend from the airport

loading the bus in BRECK
Jacob on the in-runriding the bus to the gondola. Breck parking is miserable.
delicious food courtesy of Jacob

For constant photos, updates, and insight into the life of Jacob, make sure to check out his website, jacobwester.com

Moments in Time